Page 30 of Dead Girls Don’t Forget

I almost smiled. “She’s persistent.”

He glanced over. “You like her.”

I didn’t answer right away. “She’s not the worst.”

We dropped Cassidy off first. I got her upstairs, poured her a glass of water, rolled her onto her side, and left her snoring in her dress before heading back down. Jackson was leaning against the car when I came out.

“Okay?” he asked.

“She’ll be embarrassed tomorrow, but she’ll survive.”

He opened the passenger door for me again. The drive back to my place stayed quiet until we were halfway there.

“You going to tell me about the knife?”

“No.”

He nodded like he’d expected that. “Thigh holster was a nice touch for a party.”

“I like to be prepared.”

“For what?”

“Whatever needs preparing for.”

Jackson glanced at me before looking back at the road, the corner of his mouth curving. “Most people would’ve lied.”

“I wasn't trying to reassure you.”

“I noticed.”

We pulled up in front of the house a short while later. Neither of us moved right away.

“Thank you for the ride,” I said.

“Anytime.” I could tell he meant it.

I got out with my keys in hand and was almost at the door when he called my name.

“Harper.”

I turned.

He leaned across the console, window down. “I had a good night.”

I stood there in the dark for a beat.

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “Me too.”

I went inside before either of us could ruin it. The house was silent. My cat purred the whole way up the stairs and I didn’t tell her to stop.

Chapter 12: Practice Makes Perfect

Sunday had no scheduled training, but my body didn’t care. I woke early, restless, pressure building under my skin with nowhere to go. I made coffee and pulled up the camera feeds from Richard Calloway’s house the way I had every morning for weeks.

Fifty-four years old. Living alone. Still taking the same routes. I had watched him long enough to know the shape of his days. When he left. When he returned. Which doors he used, how long he stood on the porch before locking up. There were no surprises left.

Next week, while Thomas was still dealing with the fallout from Colt, Richard would be easier to reach than he’d been in years. Ten years of building toward this moment, and I was finally close enough to finish it.