Page 106 of The Lake of Lost Girls

Dr. Daniels reached out and grabbed my arms, pulling me close. This wasn’t slow and steady, this was fast and treacherous.

“And I told you it didn’t matter what you wanted.” He leaned in close to me, his breath melding with mine. “I know you want it. Admit it.”

He wanted me to give him permission. He wanted me to succumb. But I was a different woman now than I had been that morning. I was no longer weak like Phoebe or Tammy. I was nothing like Meghan.

I pulled away from him with a cruel laugh. “What’s wrong with you that you have to pant after a woman twenty years younger than you? Are you not getting it at home or something?”

Dr. Daniels looked shocked. He wasn’t expecting my savagery. “Jessica, it has nothing to do with—you’re special. You’re—”

“Different? Unique? One of a kind?” I spat out. “Give me a break.” I crossed my arms over my chest as I regarded him with a loathing I didn’t bother to hide. “It amazes me that other women fall for this crap. I bet Tammy ate it up with a spoon.”

At the mention of Tammy, Dr. Daniels went still. “I don’t know what you’re talking about …”

“Stop it. I’m not your wife. You don’t need to lie to me. Everyone knows you and Tammy were sleeping together. You screwed in her dorm room, Clement.” I rolled my eyes. “I knowabout them all. Phoebe, too, and Meghan. And so many others … but not me. You’ll never have me.”

Dr. Daniels had gone deathly pale. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know enough to tell the police. I wonder what that detective would say if I told him all about this.” I waved a hand between us. “How you tried to get me to sleep with you.”

Dr. Daniels stared at me incredulously, and I laughed.

“The school might have protected you, but I wonder if the police would be so quick to dismiss it. Especially with all those missing girls.” I crossed my arms and glared at him.

Dr. Daniels was backing up toward his car. “You need to shut your mouth.”

“Or maybe I should give your wife a call.”

Gone was the kind, self-assured man I was used to. He recognized the danger and was trying to make his exit. “No one will believe you over me. If you try to tell anyone, I won’t be the one to get into trouble.” His threat was weak, and maybe if I was any other woman it would have affected me. I, however, had nothing left to lose.

When I didn’t respond he seemed satisfied that I would keep my mouth shut. Probably already thinking of the next stupid girl he had his sights on. “I can see I was wrong about you. Goodbye, Jessica.”

I watched him drive away so fast, his tires squealed, giving away his lack of confidence.

I should have found some grim amusement at that, but it did little to alleviate the empty nothingness inside of me.

With heavy steps I made my way over to my car and popped the trunk. Inside sat the three tiered birthday cake my mom had ordered from a local bakery for Lindsey’s party. I reached down to lift it up …

“Jess.”

“So these girls threaten to out him and he what? Hits them over the head and drives them out to Doll’s Eye Lake?” I was trying to put everything together, but it didn’t feel right.

“Possibly. Jess and I even saw him out at the lake once. He definitely knew the area. Though …” He hesitated. “I hate to give this guy any benefit of the doubt, but surely there had to be a better way for him to keep them quiet than offing them. It always seemed like a huge risk for a guy who was big on protecting his own ass.” He scowled at my Dad, and if looks could kill, my father would have been six feet under. “Though, it’s hard to get into the mind of a perv. Maybe you can clue us in on how they think.”

“That’s enough,” Dad snapped, making a move toward Ryan as if he were going to swing at him.

“Stop it, Dad.” Then I turned to Ryan. “And enough with the insults already, it’s not solving anything.” Ryan had the sense to look chastised.

I rubbed my forehead, trying to think. “So Dr. Daniels comes to the house and what? Kills her right there?” It wasn’t making any sense.

“They were arguing,” Dad whispered, more to himself than to us.

Ryan and I shared a look. “What was that, Dad?”

Dad looked startled, as if he hadn’t realized he had spoken aloud. “It’s nothing—”

“It’snotnothing. It sounds like you overheard something,” Ryan barked with impatient frustration.

I held a hand up, silencing Ryan. “Tell me, Dad. What did you hear?”

---