I slipped my bag over my arm. I could feel the pull of my bed begging me to pay attention. I reached toward my laptop but stopped myself.
“Nope, you can stay put for the rest of the day.” I was emotionally wrung out, and I needed a damn break from reality.
She moved to stop me, but when she saw my face, she backed off. “Okay, just let Jackson take you home.”
“Fine,” I agreed, only too happy not to have to walk. I swung open the door and was nearly flattened by Bri as she pushed by me.
“Jackson?” Bri pointed at me and he hurried over. “Can you drive Spencer home?”
His eyes narrowed in on me then turned sympathetic. “Of course.”
“Thanks.” I folded my arms over my chest and sighed as I followed him outside.
Jackson didn’t say much until we left the parking lot and had gone a couple blocks.
“I can’t imagine what it’s like inside your head right now.” He glanced at me as we stopped at a light.
“Be thankful of that.” I laughed darkly.
“I’m guessing I’d need a flashlight and some breadcrumbs?”
“Breadcrumbs.” I chuckled. “I wish I had thought to use those. I’m so far down a dark hole I’m not sure I have the energy to find my way back.”
“You have Blake for that.”
“I do.” I felt the edges of my lips curl and glanced at my reflection in the window. Even the mention of Blake’s name spread a little warmth inside my icy veins.
“He arrived at a good time for all of us,” Jackson muttered. “He’s real smart, and I’m sure he’ll figure all this shit out in no time.”
“And if he doesn’t?” I challenged as he turned down my driveway.
“He will.” He winked, but we both knew the reality behind his words. “But for now, go get some sleep. A tired brain is no help to anyone.”
As I reached for the door handle, he touched my arm. “Spencer, I’ll be parked right here until Blake gets off or until someone comes to relieve me. Either way, I’ll let you know, okay?”
“Thanks, Jackson. I really appreciate that.”
He nodded once then pulled out a book and flipped through to a dog-eared page. I cringed at the folded corner but didn’t say anything.
I didn’t even make it to my bed. I hit the couch, ignoring the hunger pains.
Chapter Forty-Five
Jonah
A small grin tugged at my lips as I emptied the garbage can. I couldn’t help but rattle it a bit as I put it down. I wanted so much to let them know it was me, me the killer, just an arm’s length away, and it excited me.
As Spencer left with Jackson, Blake made a mad dash to follow them, nearly knocking me aside to get to the door.
The sergeant held up a hand to stop him, then he glanced over at Benny. “Benny, go make sure Spencer gets home okay and keep an eye on her.”
“Actually, Jackson has first shift.”
“Okay, fine.” The sergeant waved his arm for the rest in the room to carry on. “Blake, walk off whatever you have going on. All you’ll do is make her dig her heels in. If she’s leaving, it’s for a reason.”
“He’s playing mind games, sir,” Bri whispered sharply. “She’s simply over it today.”
“Fuck.” Blake trudged back into the conference room and slammed the door, but not before I caught my dedication on the projector. I could hardly curb my smile.
I glanced at the sergeant and fantasized about driving the end of the mop through his mouth and out the back of his skull.
“Shit,” Benny cursed by the stairs. “Hey, Jonah, can you help me here? I spilled my damn coffee.”
I mustered up a smile. “Don’t you worry, Mr. Benny, I’ll clean that right up for you.” I contemplated his death as I made my way over to him.
“Thanks, man.” He barely looked at me before he rushed off. Maybe he’d be next.
Once it was cleaned up, I tossed the cleaning supplies away and headed for my locker. No one would even notice if I left. There was something to be said for being unseen, after all.
My boots beat the packed snow as I raced down the road after I parked the car a short distance away from Spencer’s cabin. The blood pounded so hard through my veins, I felt it would bruise my heart.
I didn’t have a plan, and I didn’t know what I was going to say. I just knew today was the day Spencer Peters would die.
I stopped short when I spotted Jackson in his pickup. The window was down as he tossed orange peels out the window.
Frantically, I searched my mind for an idea and grabbed a handful of snow and made a ball. I tossed it into the woods by the passenger side window to lure his attention in that direction. Once his head snapped over, I raced up along the side of the door, stuck my hand inside, and sliced his throat clean across. His eyes bulged, his hands pressed hard to try to stop the blood, but the cut was too deep. I’d seen enough murders to know how to do it right. He fought to get a glimpse of me, but I stayed hidden in case anyone was around. As he drained of life, I allowed our eyes to connect through the side mirror. Confusion passed through him briefly, and then he was gone.
I reached forward quickly before his phone turned off and scrambled to send Spencer a quick text.
Jackson: I’m at the door. Please let me in.
I tossed the knife in the woods and ran toward the house. I stayed low under the windowsill and waited for her to answer the door. Carefully, I twisted to see inside her tinted windows. I could see her phone light up, but her back was to the counter while she looked in the fridge.
Shit.
I leaned over and knocked on the door then shuffled back a little to watch inside. She jolted up, clearly startled, and picked up her phone as I predicted.
“Oh,” she read the text, “hang on.” She used her sleeve to dry her face and disappeared for a moment.
What the hell was she doing?
Just as the door unlocked and began to open, I used my body weight to blow her backward. I locked the door and did a quick scan of the house while she shook the fog from her head.
“Jonah?” She scrambled to her feet and rubbed her shoulder as she stepped back, unsure. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s time, Spencer.” I moved to her computer while I pulled out my gun and pointed it at her.
“What?” The air puffed from her lungs as she watched me move about her living room, no doubt confused about how I knew where things were. I scanned the printed manuscript and her handwritten notes and felt my anger rise. “This is all you’ve written?”
“Oh, my God.” I could see everything click together. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’d be a loser,” she muttered in a lash.
I squeezed the trigger and shot right above her head. The marble on the backsplash shattered and made her scream and duck.
“Let’s try this again.” I tossed her notebook on the table and shoved it toward her. “Show me what else you have.”
“You have—” She flinched when I waved the gun in front of her face. “You have everything I’ve written. As soon as I realized you were playing a power trip with me, I shut down. I needed a break!”