‘Then you know how this ends.You’re going to stand up slowly, turn around, and put your hands behind your back.We’re going to walk out of this house together.’
‘Wouldn’t you like to chat first?’
‘No.Stand up and turn around.’
‘I’m not armed.’
‘Just do it,’ Ella said.
‘I’m surprisedyoudon’t have some questions of your own.’
‘I don’t care,’ Ella lied.‘Now comply or I’ll be forced to shoot.’
Borden looked around the kitchen as if noticing it for the first time.‘Strange place, isn’t it?I knew him, you know?Austin Creed.’
‘And you might just know him again.’
Borden laughed and said, ‘That’s the plan.’
Ella began to step forward but then stopped.‘What do you mean?’
‘Ah, so you do have questions,’ Borden grinned.‘My mentor asked me to do this.This isn’t my choice.’
‘Your mentor?You mean Lindsey Doyle?’
Borden’s sly grin collapsed.‘Huh?You know her?’
‘Very much so.She put you up to this?’Ella’s curiosity got the better of her.‘All of these murders.They were Lindsey’s idea?’
'Sort of.One day, she'd really encourage me to go for it; other days, she'd tell me I shouldn't.It's like there were two of her.'
The pit of Ella’s stomach began to burn.Yes, it’s almost like there were two of her, she thought.‘And Lindsey… where is she now?’
‘I don’t know.She stopped communicating with me.’
‘And how did you communicate with her?’
‘By phone, and no, you won’t find it.I smashed it and threw it in the ocean.’
Goddammit.‘Fine, story time’s over.Let’s-’
‘She wanted me to kill you,’ Borden interrupted.‘That’s why she wanted you to come here.So I could kill you in a place that meant something to you.’
Ella winced at the thought of this place meaning something to her, like her life was somehow intertwined with some barren shithole that festered a cowardly murderer.‘Feel free to try your best.’
‘I’m not going to do that, though.’
‘No?’
‘No.I’ve done what I needed to do.I saved four people.That was always enough.The rest of it was her thing, not mine.I’m breaking the rules.She won’t like it.But she’s not here, is she?And just looking at you, you seem to me like someone doing your job, and I wouldn’t want killing an agent on my resúmé.I just want to go home.’
Borden’s hands hadn’t moved.His body was still.Whatever he was feeling, he had it locked down tight.
‘You killed four people.’
‘I know.’
‘Then you know you’re not going home.’
