Page 3 of The Girl He Crowned

Adam looked at herwith fury for a second or two, but that quickly ebbed.

“You’re right. Iwant you here. I need you here. But do you really want to talk about all thisin front of others?”

Now, Paige waswilling to give in.

“All right.” Sheturned to the orderlies. “I need the room.”

“That’s not-”

“I need to speakto this patient alone, and your presence is preventing me from getting vitalinformation that might potentially lead to the capture of another serial killer.”Paige projected as much authority as she could into her voice, hoping that itwould work.

Apparently, it wasenough, because the two orderlies turned and left, neither of them lookingentirely happy about it.

Almost as soon asthey left, any remaining warmth fled from Adam Riker’s features. He started tomove forward, and in that second Paige was out of her seat, her hand reachingfor her sidearm, wondering if she’d done the wrong thing.

“Before, I was aresearcher, and I still stopped you,” Paige said. “Now, I’m a fully trained FBIagent.”

“I heard aboutthat,” Adam said. “Do you think that makes you safe, Paige?”

“Do you reallywant to try attacking me while you’re still in cuffs and I’m armed, Adam?”

“No, you’reright,” Adam said. He settled back as casually as if nothing had just happened.That changeability was always a part of what made him dangerous. “This isn’tthe way to do it. But there will come a point, Paige, when I get out of hereagain. Then… how long do you think it will take you to die, hanging up there inone of my little webs? I think you’ll last a long time. I hope you will.”

“You’ll never havethe chance to find out,” Paige said. “Now, do you actually have anything for me,or did you just bring me down here for the chance to scare me a little?”

“Oh yes, you camehere looking for information on the Exsanguination Killer, the one who hashaunted your dreams for years, who tore your family apart, who has evaded yourbest efforts to find them.” Adam seemed pleased by the small cruelty of thosereminders, obviously knowing that they would have an effect on Paige and justas obviously wanting to watch the reaction he got.

She moved towardsthe door. “You don’t know anything,” she snapped. “You’re just playing gameswith me. So I’m going to walk out of that door, Adam, and you’ll never see meagain.”

“You said that tome once before,” Adam replied. “You were wrong then, too. Besides, I know morethan you think. I know everything. I know who the Exsanguination Killer is.”

Those words were enoughto freeze Paige in place, hope and fear vying in her. She didn’t want tobelieve that Adam might actually be telling the truth, but if he was… then shemight finally find an answer. She might finally find out who had killed herfather.

“How would youknow that?” Paige asked him. He could be lying, just for the pain it causedher.

“Because I mether,” Adam said. “We talked here. It was most fascinating. Ordinarily, as youknow, I find people weak and dull, but there is something about meeting anotherwho truly values control, who can watch for the moment of death…”

“You’re lying,”Paige said. It was the simplest, easiest thing to say, but at the same time,her heart was racing as she took in what Adam had just said. There had been twodetails there that were impossible to ignore.

“Am I? Do youactually believe that?” Adam looked at her coldly, daring her to disbelieve.

The trouble wasthat Paige couldn’t, not truly. She wanted him to be lying to her because thatwould make things simpler for her. It would make it easy for her to just walkaway and never talk to Adam again. But there was something about Adam’s casualcertainty that made Paige believe him. Not the least because she suspected thatthe truth would be harder for her in a lot of ways than lies.

“Tell me who,”Paige said. She needed to know.

“No.”

“No? What’s thepoint of telling me that you know if you’re not going to tell me?” Paigedemanded.

She saw Adamshrug. “Because it will hurt you. But also because of what you’re going to saynext. You’re going to ask me what it will take to get me to talk. You’re notgoing to say you’ll do anything, because you’re not that stupid, but you’rewondering if you can stomach what I’ll ask.”

“What do you want,Adam?” Paige asked, playing along. “What will it take for you to tell me?”

She expected himto ask for something that would hurt her, or perhaps for his freedom. Yet Adamwasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t ask for something that he didn’t think Paige couldgive. His freedom wasn’t in her authority to give.

“Oh, that’ssimple,” Adam said. His eyes seemed to look right through her. “I want you tokill someone.”

Paige almostlaughed, except that Adam didn’t make jokes.

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