Page 31 of Killer Clone

The traffic moved steadily. I stayed in the right lane.

I considered how I’d gotten here.

Mrs. King was in my thrall when she died. There was no other way to put it.

She wanted it.

I let her, at first. She was the one who first made the moves on me. I ran with it. Like how she ran with all of that “Administrator” BS noise. It was so obvious he was screwing with everybody. Why did no one else see that but me?

But it made sense she wanted me. I was really strong. And tall, like her. And I was great at sports. Football was my thing. Not even lying. I was great at debate too.

Maureen ran the debate team. We got close after the third meeting. That was when she first went down on me.

She was bored, I think.

I was just a gutter kid. From the trash. But smart as fuck, and she thought that was hot. She knew what she was doing. We started doing it everywhere after that.

Dammit. I missed her.

Gripping the wheel, I pushed away the image of her riding me, needing to focus on what had to be done right now. I had a goal, and a pesky problem keeping me from attaining it.

The exit was coming up, and I still hadn’t thought of a revised plan, or even an immediate one for Otto.

Think.

Suddenly, I wanted to get out of Nashville, but I needed the money.

Kill Otto…and go full on Maureen with it. Add all that crazy shit. The Administrator would love it.

Get Knox and Yates on the scent.

13

That morning, Stella walked into the meeting room with Hagen to find that everyone had already taken their seats. And to discover their new team member, Anja Farrow, was, once again, sitting in hers.

She didn’t mind. In fact, the change of location gave her some relief. The seat was directly opposite Hagen’s, and the two of them didn’t need to be staring at each other all day.

Stella moved farther up the table, sliding past Anja, who scooted her chair no more than an inch to make room.

Anja’s history with Hagen didn’t bother her either.

In Claymore Township, they’d had time to talk through their pasts—her occasional, failed attempts at relationships and his steady run of brief flings—and as they’d talked, they’d both realized how far they’d come and how much they’d changed. She was certain she’d finally found what she needed. Whoever Hagen had been once, he wasn’t anymore.

Anja might’ve had a fling with Hagen, but she hadn’t had a fling withthisHagen. With Stella’s Hagen.

Slade entered with a smile larger than she’d seen in a long time. He slapped a file folder down on the table, and Stella’sheart beat a little faster. Slade in such a good mood meant only one thing—there was a break in the case.

“Stella. Stacy.” Slade glanced back and forth between them. “Congratulations. Your dumpster-diving has brought in a solid lead.”

It was all Stella could do not to launch herself out of her seat and grab the file folder. Judging by the way Stacy was practically vibrating in her chair, her colleague felt the same.

“Talk!” Stacy wasn’t one to boss the boss, and everyone laughed.

“Forensics managed to recover three partial prints from the interior of the gloves. They’ve identified a man named Otto Walker.” Slade gave them a sly smile. “Any guesses as to his occupation?”

“A mortician?” Stella couldn’t stop the hope rising in her voice.

Before Slade could answer, a shout rolled down the corridor from Mac’s office. “Got him!”

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