Page 108 of To All the Men I’ve Killed Before

Grief punches me from the inside.

I nod. ‘Yes, it’s hers.’ I slump down into a chair, clutching the scrap of fabric close to my chest. Charlie’s at my side, holding my arm, concern tugging at his features.

The room tilts.

‘What was it doing in Cort’s car?’ Agnes says. Her voice is high-pitched with panic and confusion. She looks wildly between us. ‘I don’t understand. When was Antoinette in Cort’s car?’

Lauren swallows and her throat bobs. ‘That’s not all,’ she says, her voice wobbling. She reaches into her pocket and, with shaking hands, pulls out a piece of paper folded into a small square.

What now?

‘What’s that?’ Agnes says as I take it from Lauren.

‘A list,’ Lauren says as I open it.

It is.

It’s a list of names.

Alicia Levy

Sofi Garcia

Ellie Edwards

Juno Blake

I read them out loud.

Agnes’s eyes fly wide open.

‘Oh no,’ she says. ‘These are the names of—’

‘Of who?’ says Charlie.

‘Of all the PrivatePool women who have been found dead,’ I say, pressing the list into Agnes’s hand. Her eyes meet mine.

‘Cort’s the WeHo Ripper,’ she whispers, her eyes widen even more. ‘And he’s got Antoinette.’

Lauren throws her a look. Her face is pinched. Her voice small as she says, ‘I’m so sorry.’

I stand up. ‘Where is he, Lauren? Where the fuck is he?’

But Lauren is shaking her head. ‘There could be another explanation. Maybe he gave Antoinette a lift somewhere?’

I have to hold myself back from lunging at her. I thrust the scarf into her face. She turns away like she can’t bear the sight of it.

‘There is fucking blood on it, Lauren. Where. Is. He? Tell me!’

Charlie is at my side now and I feel his hand on my arm. I’m not sure if he’s comforting me or getting ready to restrain me. I’m not sure what I need more in this moment.

Lauren is still shaking her head in disbelief and I want to shake Cort’s location out of her. ‘No,’ she says. ‘Cort would never hurt anyone. Especially not women. He’s an ally.’

Is she having some sort of breakdown?

Is she completely fucking delusional?

Something in me breaks and I’m suddenly on her, my fingers gripping her arms, digging into her flesh, screaming into her face. ‘Lauren! Where the fuck is Cort?’