Page 101 of When He Defends
“And you were the one who had the idea of attacking Zac and River Turner while they were running. Zac was a big guy, so I’m thinking that Justin took him out.” He slanted a glance toward a watchful Emerson.
“Makes sense to me,” she murmured. “And Hannah went after River.” Her gaze was on the killer. “Harder to stab someone than you realized, wasn’t it? I don’t think you were prepared for her to fight back. Or maybe you didn’t like all the blood flying all over you.”
Hannah licked her lips.
“Then there was the third couple. Anzo and Kim.” Gray exhaled. “You really fucked up with them. The others—honestly, no one was even connecting them. You should have been more careful with your prey.”
“They werenobody!” Hannah leaned forward. “A chef and a low-rent cop. There was nothing special about them! Why the hell should they getfive yearsof a happy marriage when I couldn’t even get a year with Angel? I never even got marriage! And Justin—he was just convenient. I never gave a damn about him. He was only in it for the sex, but man, he was so easy to manipulate.” Her smile stretched nearly from ear to ear. “I had him wrapped around my finger.”
Emerson took a step forward. “He was younger than you, more moldable, and willing to do anything to make you happy. Even if that anything included murder.”
Hannah’s head jerked toward her. “Your precious fake husband was ready to kill for you. He shot Justin in theheart.It’s quite the feeling, isn’t it? When you know you have someone so obsessed with you that they’d willingly kill for you in an instant.”
“Gray was fighting to keep me alive. He wasn’t killing innocent people because I had some twisted vendetta against the world. A vendetta that just started because I’d been dumped before.”
Hannah’s mouth dropped open.
“You’re going to be in for a world of pain,” Gray warned.
Her head swung back to him.
“The chef and the low-rent cop were very muchimportant.”
“No, they weren’t. They had no family. They had a damn boring life, and they had?—”
“They had safety,” Gray corrected. “They had love. And while they may have possessed no biological relatives, they have a whole army who wants vengeance for them.”
“What are you talking about?”
He’d gotten the confession that he needed. Hell, he’d gotten that back at the island. But Hannah had just chosen to overshare again, even when he’d reminded her that she should keep quiet. She had the right to do that, after all. To remain silent. But Hannah hadn’t kept quiet.
And the interrogation was being recorded. A very obvious camera in the upper right corner of the room. Not like the tiny devices Hannah and Justin had used to find prey and watch them on the island.
Speaking of watching them… “What were all the cameras about? You had access to all of the victims’ addresses. Why did you and Justin put up the cameras? Seems like an unnecessary risk.”
Hannah lifted her chin and didn’t answer. Oh, sonowshe got quiet? Fine with him. Gray pushed to his feet. His back ached, his thigh ached, and he still had a headache throbbing behind his temple.
It had beentwo dayssince they’d left Sea Island. Two days of case files and investigative reports and trying to figure out allthe moving pieces. This meeting was the final nail in Hannah’s coffin.
“I know why you did it.” Emerson’s voice was certain. “You told us already.”
“I havenot.”
“Sure, you did. It was the first day we met. When you said that you could tell which couples had staying power. You specifically said you couldseeit when two people were meant to be. You watched the couples interacting. You saw which ones seemed to be the most connected. ‘It’s in the eyes.’ That’s what you told us before. You watched the couples because you were looking for your perfect targets. When you found them, you went to your computer, and you got their addresses. You waited for them to leave the resort, and you followed them home.”
She didn’t deny the words. In fact, Hannah hunched in on herself a bit.
Gray eyed her in disgust. “One of my agents discovered that Justin used a credit card in the same town where Zac and River Turner were murdered. Pretty sloppy.” Gray grimaced. “But I guess it’s just hard to find a good partner these days, isn’t it?”
Or, it was hard for some people.
His gaze cut to Emerson.
He had the perfect partner, and there was no way he’d let her go. No. Way. Slowly, his stare returned to the perp.
“I want a lawyer.” Hannah nodded. A tear leaked from her eye. “Now.”
Gray walked away from the table. Malik stood at attention near the door. He’d silently watched the entire scene unfold. “Of course.” He raised a brow at Emerson. Was she ready to leave?
