Page 24 of Girl Between
Jake shook his head. The answer was simple—since Dana entered his life, shattering his world of black and white forever.
The phone in Jake’s pocket rang, saving him from answering Jenkins. He saw Flynn’s name on the caller ID and stood up, excusing himself to answer the call.
26
“This wasn’t the plan,”he insists.
“Well, plans change,” I argue. “Do you even understand how much money we can make?”
“This was never about the money for me. You knew that.”
“That’s easy to say when you have money,” I sneer.
“Listen to me. We’re done. I told you that already. I’m done discussing it,” he says, turning his back to walk away.
Anger flashes through me like lightning, and I grab him by his collar. “We’re done when I say we’re done.”
“That’s not how this works,” he growls through clenched teeth. “I’m the one in charge here.”
“Oh yeah? Why don’t you take a look at this and tell me if you feel differently?”
I turn my phone toward the squirming man in my grasp. Once he sees the photo, a guttural cry tears from his lungs. “What have you done?”
“Nothing yet. And as long as you do what I say, it’ll stay that way.”
“If you hurt her …”
“I don’t plan to. But that’s up to you now.”
“Please,” he begs. “You came to me. I didn’t want to be involved in this.”
“Yeah, well you are involved, and it’s too late to go back.”
“Are you really going to use my desperation against me? This was supposed to be a means to an end.”
“It still can be. As long as you see it my way.” I shove my phone in his face again as an incentive.
“Okay, okay. Just tell me what you want.”
“I already have. We’re going to do things my way now.” I let go of him and pull up another image on my phone. “She’s next.”
He pales. “What have you done?”
“My part. Now it’s your turn.”
27
George satin an uncomfortable metal folding chair in the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office, feet propped up on the desk in front of him. He glanced down at the autopsy report in his lap. It was from this morning’s cemetery victim. His attention should’ve been on the conversation he was having with Jake Shepard, but his mind kept drifting back to the notes the medical examiner left.
The victim was drained of blood and missing her liver. That combined with the white dress and mask, seems like some tourists got carried away playing Voodoo and vampires.
Comments like that always made George’s blood boil. Growing up in a Haitian household, Voodoo was a constant and peaceful practice in his life.
It offended him when people immediately jumped to blame anything negative in the city on its local lures and legends.
New Orleans’s association with such things was both a blessing and a curse. It brought people to the Quarter, driving the city’s lifeblood—tourism. But it also brought with it ignorance and misconceptions.
“So, she’s okay?” Jake asked again, drawing George back to the phone call.
