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“I wanted to show you what he was. I thought then you’d kill him, or have Edward do it. But you’re as dazzled by the creature as everyone else. I can barely get people in this village to say hello to me on the street, but that thing they revere.” He glanced toward the video camera and tripod partially concealed by the trees. “Not for long. You’ll be my new star, and you’ll die like you’re supposed to.”
Kris had kind of figured her death was on his agenda. Why else would he trick her and drug her and drag her…?
She glanced around. They were at a remote portion of the loch, backed by a craggy hillside, surrounded by thick trees, the water lolling past a tiny exposed portion of shore, barely big enough to land the small boat they’d arrived in. There were a hundred places like this up and down the loch.
“He’ll never find us,” she murmured.
Dougal glanced at the steadily lightening sky. “Give him time.”
*
Marty and Liam arrived at the coffee shop very close to dawn. Even though Liam knew he was pushing it, that he could easily shape-shift right in the middle of Jamaica’s shop and pretty much break everything into a thousand pieces, still he ran inside.
&n
bsp; Kris wasn’t there; he knew that, too. But they had to follow every clue, even if those clues eventually led to her body.
Fury coursed through him. He would kill whoever hurt her. He would enjoy it the way that he used to. And if that turned him back into a creature unable to value human life, one the Jäger-Suchers would certainly destroy, then so be it.
A piece of paper lay on the ground. At first Liam thought it had drifted from Jamaica’s overburdened desk. He picked it up, nearly put it back without reading it. But the large block letters caught his attention.
DUNWAR.
He shoved the sheet at Marty and ran.
The Interpol agent was fast. He caught Liam as he reached the water. “What does this mean?” Marty demanded.
“ ’Tis a point on the loch. Remote. The quickest way is by water.”
Marty looked around helplessly. “We need a boat.”
Liam’s gaze went to the sky. “I don’t,” he said just as the sun burst free.
*
Kris had to do something. Dougal planned to kill her, blame it on Nessie, then go about merrily murdering hither and yon once Marty and Edward believed they’d taken care of the problem.
He’d screw up again, no doubt, and have them both back on his trail. But in the meantime, she’d be dead and so would Liam. Kris wanted to avoid that.
Reasoning with him was out. Dougal had lost all reason long ago.
So … She’d just have to kill him before he killed her.
He’d need to get her in the water somehow. Maybe she could drag him in, too. Hold his head below the water with …
Kris yanked again at the bonds on her hands. With what? Her teeth?
“Time for a swim.” Dougal motioned to the loch with his gun. “Get in.”
“I’m not going to be able to swim with my hands tied.”
“No,” he said with a smirk, “you won’t.”
“Won’t that be suspicious?”
“A serial-killing kelpie bound your hands? What a wicked, wicked creature.” He flicked the barrel at the water. “Go.”
“I … uh … No.” She stood. “You want me to drown. You’re not going to shoot me.”
