Page 85 of Corrupting Ivy

“Have a seat, Otis. We’re going to have a chat.”

Jake pushed him onto the couch as Otis glared at him, then he wiped his bleeding nose with the back of his hand. When he saw the blood, his eyes widened.

“What do you want?”

I flicked my gaze up at Jake. “Make sure there’s no one else.”

He spun on his heel and disappeared down the hall.

Otis pinched the bridge of his nose then tipped his head back to rest on the couch. “I think he broke my nose.”

I placed the pistol on the side table, the heavy metalclunkalerting everyone of its deadly presence, then took a seat in the chair beside it.

“An innocent man doesn’t run.”

His eyes landed on my pistol as I kept my finger pressed on the barrel, pushing it into the wood.

“You don’t know what I’ve been through today.”

Jake came back out from the rooms. “All clear.”

“This is bullshit. You can’t just—”

I put my finger to my lips. “Shh.”

“No. I’m calling the cops.” Otis stood from his seat, his fingers still pinching his nose.

“Sit down.” I motioned to the couch with my finger.

He turned, making his way around the couch towards the kitchen.

“Sit down, Otis. I won’t hesitate to shoot you,” I said, raising my voice as I picked up the pistol from the table.

Otis closed his mouth, pressing his lips in a tight, firm line, then resumed his seat while Jake looked out the window, keeping an eye out for any unexpected visitors.

“I didn’t do it.” He shook his head, swallowing hard as he rubbed his sweaty palm on his pants.

“I didn’t even ask you a question yet.”

“You’re giving me the same look everyone in town did. I didn’t kill those women.”

“Hmm.” I rubbed my pointer finger over my bottom lip then crossed my ankle over my knee. “But you must know someone who did?”

“How the fuck am I—”

I placed my finger to my lips again. “Be quiet.”

“You knew the victims. They were your patients,” Jake said. “That means they could have told you something.”

His mouth bobbed open like a fish. “But I—”

Otis looked at Jake incredulously.

“I only have tolerance for so many lies. But just know the more you refuse to answer truthfully, the more painful this becomes. Is that clear?”

He glanced back at me, his gushing nose now a trickle, then nodded and swallowed hard.

I pointed the pistol at his kneecap.

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