Page 8 of Shark’s Rise

Vibrating. Much like my pool water was the night we found Tawny being slaughtered by a school of those little flesh-eating bastards.

Christ.

I shuddered but somehow managed to hide it. For the most part.

“Terryn.”

“Wait.” Her brows knitted. Her eyes darkened. “What? Are you…angry? You don’t like it? Why?” She tried to snatch the souvenir from my hand. “Never mind. Just give it back to me. Forget this ever happened. I thought you’d like it. That I could do something nice for you that she couldn’t, but I should’ve known better. Nothing I do is ever good enough for you. For a man like you, from a woman like me.”

“Whoooaaa there.”

She was coming unglued, and it was a bit frightening. Maybe more than a bit. I could go toe-to-toe with just about anyone, but confronting an insane person when their eyes are glazed over with that I have nothing to lose look? No way. Even my drunk father’s benders paled in comparison.

But she wasn’t getting the trinkets back.

Not when they represented the hugest clue we’d gotten this week.

Once again, Terryn tried to rip the gift from my grasp. Not fast enough. I shoved the keychain into the pocket of my slacks while grabbing her by the wrist with my other hand. But that was the end of my vehemence. I knew the approach I had to take. The woman was like a spooked colt that needed a gentle hand. So that was what I’d give her.

“Terryn,” I soothed. “Ssshhh. I just had a few questions. That’s all.” My stomach turned over at having to be so gentle with this psychopath. “Where did you find such a unique gift? It really suits me. You really do know me well.”

Already, I felt her wiry body relax by a few degrees. The woman was starving for attention.

“Someone had it made for me. I mean, so I could give it to you.” She turned abruptly and faced me straight on. “It was my idea, though! Giving you this gift, I mean. Okay, not the whole piranha thing.” She visibly shuddered. “I mean, let’s be honest, just between friends. That stunt was a little over-the-top, don’t you think?”

She finished with a laugh, giving me time to mask my shock. Her burst was forced and airy at first but ramped into hysterical cackles before she knocked shoulders with me. I reacted with the same casual camaraderie, but only through supreme force of will.

Holy Christ.

She knew.

Terryn knew what those sick fucks had done to Tawny.

I wanted to vomit but forced back the bile. If I acted like I thought the piranha chow-down was a masterful idea, maybe I’d open her up more. And maybe that little gut spill would include incriminating information about who’d carried the plan out. Maybe even more than that. Now that we were friends and all.

Jesus. This twist could be better than just a clue.

This could be our big break.

“You know, that move was genius, really.” I stroked my jaw thoughtfully. “I mean, it took care of that pain-in-the-ass woman and her body in minutes.”

“Oh.” Terryn blinked. Then again. “You…you really think so?”

“Don’t you?” I leaned against the front edge of my desk like I often did when talking to Grant in the morning. Terryn shifted her weight from foot to foot, clearly debating how to react. In some ways, I related. Trying to bait the woman into telling me who was behind all the illegal activities at my home, and even how she was involved, made me feel sleazier than being on the right side of the wrong kind of a business deal.

“I…well…”

“Terryn!” I rose fully to my feet while exclaiming it with mock discovery. “Have you been the mastermind behind all of the things that have been happening? Has it been you this whole time?”

“Pffft. God, no!”

“Why do you say it like that? You’re clever, motivated…”

“Sebastian—”

I cut her off with a raised brow. I didn’t care if the woman was fucking with my life on a monumental level or not. We were not friends, and I wouldn’t willingly allow her to call me by my first name. I had to maintain some sort of control in this ridiculous situation.

“Sorry, sorry.” Terryn put her hands up in front of her before correcting herself. “But Mr. Shark… Whoever is harassing you and your girlfriend”—she rolled her eyes while gritting out the designation—“clearly has a lot of money and a lot of connections.”