Page 123 of Three for a Girl

Chad reached into his pocket for it and slid it across the table. Carter snorted down at it before reaching for something on the floor. He swung a hammer Chad hadn’t realized was there and smashed the phone to pieces. Carter swept the phone off the desk, and it clattered against the floor.

“There’s no recording equipment.”

“So you say.” Carter took his seat, dropping the hammer on the desk. “You’ll give me my keys back if I say it.”

“Yes.”

“What is it you want me to say?”

“That you’re responsible for the bodies in the woods.”

“Fine. I’m responsible.” He held out his hands for his keys. “Said under duress by a lunatic detective.”

“I’m not trying to trick you. I only need to hear it. I kidnapped you, I’ve trapped you in here. Whatever you say now wouldn’t be enough to convict you anyway, not without solid evidence.”

“Which you don’t have.”

“How many bodies are in the woods?”

Carter’s gaze flicked up and down Chad’s face. He sighed through his nose. “I don’t know—”

Chad scrunched his eyes shut, slumping forward. “Please, this isn’t going to go any further than us.”

“I meant I don’t know how many. I didn’t count them.”

Chad opened his eyes. Carter wasn’t looking at him but was staring to the side. He crossed his arms, and sighed. “There … is that enough now?”

“I want to know why?”

“Come on, Chad, you bought me here, you must have at least thought of a motive.”

Chad bit his lip. “You’re renowned for your transplants. Your success rate beats any other doctor in the country.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re also obsessed with cars, not just any sports cars, but limited editions. You own a Bugatti—”

“Someone’s been doing their research.”

“There’s only four of that model in the world.”

“Three actually. One idiot crashed his, but I don’t expect you to know that.”

“An expensive obsession, especially after the ugly divorce you went through. You had to sell some of your precious collection to pay for fees.”

“You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”

“So motive wise, I’d say you must be financially benefiting from these people in the woods. I’d say not people trafficking, but organ trafficking.”

Carter opened his mouth, but snapped it shut and nodded instead.

Chad breathed out in a rush.

“Here’s what I think was happening. Ellen and Kerion befriended people online, particularly young girls. They kidnapped them, drugged them, and brought them to you. You killed them, took what you needed then buried them in the woods.”

“Kerion would take the organs where they needed to go.”

“Storing them in the box of his bike.”

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