“Where are you?”
“Just crossed the Mississippi.”
“Well, get your ass to the precinct. The resemblances are uncanny.”
Yeah. No shit they were. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Nettles hung up first.
I hated that calling her made me sweat like a goddamn teenager. But really, how would that be any different from any other time I was around her? I was either fumbling over my words or holding my textbook over my raging erection.
God, she ruined me.
I still had her pinned to the top of my contacts. I tapped call.
Straight to voicemail.
Dammit.
“Hey, Max… It’s me.” I thought very carefully about my words. I couldn’t apologize over the phone. That’d be an asshole thing to do… and I didn’t need any more of those on my resume. “I need you to watch your back. There’s a serial killer out there taking out sex workers that look exactly like you all up and down the East Coast. I’ll be back in Port Grey sometime tomorrow. If you go out, take Derek with you, or Katie, but I’d prefer Derek… just… be careful, Max.”
I hung up and stared at the phone for a minute. I should have slept in the parking lot right there, but the thought of another psycho hunting her kicked adrenaline through me, and the stale coffee and sad beef sticks kept me going a few more hours. What got me, though, was the goddamnglow of Silas blinking in and out whenever he thought someone could see him.
It’d be morning soon, but I couldn’t do it anymore. I’d been driving for nearly twenty hours—barely stopping for gas or to piss and my eyes were about ready to slam shut at a moment’s notice.
I pulled off to find a secluded spot to sleep in a state park somewhere in Ohio.
“Whatever are you doing, dear boy?” Silas asked.
“Look, man, I can’t go any further, I just need a cat nap. Then we’ll hit it again.”
“Maggie’s in danger. Now is not the time for beauty sleep. What if I were to be of some assistance?”
“How could you possibly?—”
Before I could finish my sentence, Silas had jumped into my body. His green ethereal glow seeped into my pores. It was fucking unnerving.
“Dude, what the hell?!”
“Look. Relax your arms.”
I did as he said and Silas took over maneuvering my arms like he was driving. My hands moved without me. Fingers curled around the wheel like they knew what they were doing. “I don’t want you fucking possessing me! Get out!”
“No, no, not possession—animation.”
“I don’t care. I don’t like that shit.” My body shivered. “How did you know you could even do this?”
“Well, I’ve been practicing while you sleep.”
“I beg your goddamn pardon.” I shook him off. The glow snapped out. My arms were mine again. I flexed my fingers just to be sure.
“Oh yes, yes.” Silas materialized back in the passenger seat. “Not to worry. It’s just a simple thing where I take over your movements so we can get closer to my niece without wasting a single moment.”
I blew out a frustrated breath and tried to relax into the seat of the truck. “Fine. But I still don’t like it.”
Maggie
“Maggie, you’re late,” Ruby said, a deep scowl settling onto her brow. “Do you at least have the sample?”
