The Prey

I’m coming. The element of surprise might work in this case.”

Monday morning, Bobby MacIntosh went to a major bookstore in Dallas for a copy of Crime of Jeopardy.

Not that he needed it. But he wanted another copy. To follow the pattern, leave it with the victim. Though he was confident Rowan, no matter how stupid she was, had figured it out by now.

Rowan. Where had she come up with a stupid name like that? Probably thought she’d fool him. That he’d never find her if she changed her name. He smiled. You can run but you can’t hide, Lily.

The end was near. One more book, one more murder. He’d already picked the perfect victim, arranged the perfect crime, and was almost giddy with anticipation. This was it. One more victim and then he could confront his sister.

He couldn’t have been happier if he’d been able to choose all the variables. Of course, Doreen Rodriguez had taken the most effort and planning. But that murder had to be perfect to show Lily he was smarter than she was.

By now the bitch must be terrified. She’d hired a bodyguard, but he’d taken care of him. Weak. Worthless.

So smart. He’d learned the little pixie who’d been hanging around was the bodyguard’s sister. He’d followed her around a bit. She’d be easy to get to. If he needed her.

Security. What a joke! Security was nothing for a genius.

He’d debated taking out the other guy. John Flynn. While he’d been waiting for the idiot bodyguard to come back from the bar he’d done a little search of his own, learned a little about the brother. Just in from South America. Bobby wondered why.

John Flynn was more elusive. But he’d be going to a funeral soon, right? Hmm. That might interfere with his current plans. He’d have to rush. And hurrying caused mistakes. He couldn’t afford a mistake, not now when he was so close to getting exactly what he wanted.

Retribution.

Besides, killing Flynn in front of Lily had its advantages. It would force her into compliance if she got it in her head to fight him. Not that she’d win, of course. No matter how well trained she’d been in the fucking FBI, he’d been trained in prison. He’d win, hands down.

But first things first.

He hadn’t found Lily’s book in the new-release section. Frowning, he searched the store, his frustration growing.

“May I help you find something?” The clerk was young, blonde, and petite.

“Where’s Crime of Jeopardy?”

“Pardon me?”

He let out his breath. Stupid bitch. “The book. Rowan Smith. It was supposed to be released today.”

“Uh, I’ll ask my manager. I haven’t seen it.” She scurried off.

Couldn’t deviate from the plan. The bodyguard was special, to show Lily how close he was, that he could get to anyone. But now he had to play by the book.

He chuckled at his pun. As soon as his sister was taken care of, he’d be free. What a heady thought! Everyone in his stupid family would be dead where they belonged and he could finally start living without their mightier- than-thou faces haunting him in his dreams.

He could hardly wait to watch Lily Pad die. The last of the line. And because he’d been so successful, he might just take care of dear old Dad as well.

But where’s the fun in killing someone who doesn’t know who the fuck you are?

It had been mind-blowing to him that his father was a catatonic zombie sitting in the loony bin. When he’d first seen him from the back-sitting in an outdoor chair watching the garden-he’d thought, what a scam. His dad had beat the system and just had to pretend he was a basketcase. He’d planned on helping him escape.

Then he saw his eyes. His father wasn’t even there in that skinny body.

His father had always been weak. It figured he couldn’t handle payback. Still, Bobby had hoped that they would work together, that he could share with his father how incredible it felt to take Lily’s mind and bend it. To take her characters and make them real. To see her suffer.

They’d worked together before, hadn’t they? His father had started it, and Bobby had finished it.

But his father would never have finished it, Bobby realized, a hot pit of anger rising to his throat. His father was a fool. Always apologizing. Always getting down on his knees and asking forgiveness.

Fucking asshole.

When he was fourteen, Bobby remembered seeing his father do just that-get on his knees in front of his mother. They’d been in the backyard and the bitch did something stupid. Forgot something. His father belted her across the face good; blood trickled out the side of her mouth.

Her look of fear made Bobby’s heart race. To have that much power, to be looked at with such intense fear, must be awesome. He longed for the day his mother would cower at his feet and realize who really ran the house.

Then his father did the unforgivable. He took her hands, got down on his knees, and said he was sorry.

Sorry!

He’d kissed her hands, begged her forgiveness, tears streaming down his face. He was crying. The rage Bobby felt then was nothing like anything he’d ever experienced. Seeing his father cowering in front of a stupid female, on his knees no less, turned something in his gut from anger to raw rage.

He’d gone into the house, unable to watch the spectacle, as his mother got on her knees and kissed him. I know, honey, I know. I’m sorry, too.

They both deserved to die.

Something rubbed against his feet and he looked down to see the puppy his father had brought home for the family two weeks before. It looked at him with such pathetic brown eyes Bobby wanted to kick it across the room.

Instead, he picked the mutt up and left the house.

No one ever saw that stupid dog again.

Bobby shook his head, looked around. He wasn’t fourteen and at home. He was in the middle of a stupid bookstore, waiting. Where was the blonde?

He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes! He fidgeted.

He crossed over to one of the counters and cut in front of the line. “I was waiting to find out about Crime of Jeopardy. It was supposed to be here today. Do I have to find another store to buy it?”

The skinny boy behind the counter looked at him oddly, and the little blonde girl hurried up to him. Why did everyone have to be so young?

“I’m sorry, sir, but the shipment hasn’t come in. My manager says that it was postponed and won’t be here for at least a week, maybe longer. Can I help you find anything else?”

Postponed? Why? Was it accidental-or on purpose? Did the cops think that if he didn’t have the book he wouldn’t complete his mission?

Fools. He’d show them he was smarter than all of them.

He stormed out of the store without another word. Maybe this was meant to be. Yeah. Leave her own copy of the stupid book on the whore’s body. He’d already targeted the prostitute.

Sadie.

If they thought they could beat him, they were sorely mistaken. As soon as the whore was dead, he’d confront Rowan. Lily.

Almost sad that the game was ending, he went back to his hotel room to finish the preparations.

CHAPTER 19