Page 4 of The Girl He Wanted

"Why?" The pain was palpable in Christopher's voice. "Why would he do this?"

"She," Paige said. She couldn’t hold back what she knew, not now. "The Exsanguination Killer is a woman."

A wave of guilt swept through her at that because she knew in that moment exactly what this was about and why this had happened.

"I ... I went to see Adam Riker," Paige said.

"The serial killer we put back in a secure hospital the first time we worked together?" Christopher said.

He’d been the one to come to her on that investigation, first asking her questions because Paige had been studying Adam for her PhD, then asking for her help.

"He claimed that he knew who the Exsanguination Killer was. He said that he would tell me if I did one thing for him."

"And what's that?" Christopher's expression was stoney.

This was the hardest part to explain. The part that Paige hadn’t been able to agree to.

"He wanted me to kill somebody. Anybody. He still thinks that he can make me be like him. I said no, but I was able to work out two things from what he said: that the Exsanguination Killer was a woman, and that he'd met her there in the St. Just Institute."

Christopher's face was a mask of shock. "So, this is all connected. And ... he's behind this, isn't he? Riker. You went to talk to him, and now Jennifer is dead. That can't be a coincidence. He sent the Exsanguination Killer. He contacted her."

Christopher turned, heading for the door with a determination that was almost terrifying.

"Where are you going?" Paige asked.

"Where do you think? I'm going to go to the St. Just Institute, and I'm going to get the truth out of Adam Riker, even if I have to beat the answers out of him!"

CHAPTER TWO

Paige had spent a lot of time at the St. Just Institute for the criminally insane when she had still been a psychologist, back before she had joined the FBI. It had been where she worked on her doctorate, where she’d done her residency, assessing patients.

It had come to feel almost familiar to her. Now, though, the sight of it made her shudder as she sat in her car with Christopher.

"We can't go in there," she said. She’d only come this far with him because the alternative was letting him go off alone.

"We have to," Christopher said, his voice grim. "Riker knows something. We have to find out what it is."

“It's too dangerous," Paige said. "He's a serial killer. He's manipulative and dangerous. He won't just tell us the truth. He'll try to use us to get what he wants. We can't let that happen."

Christopher didn't look convinced. Paige could see the anger on his face. "What other choice do we have?"

"We can't just storm in and demand to speak to Adam at this time of night. He'll refuse to speak to us anyway."

"I'll make him talk," Christopher said with a dangerous edge to his tone.

Paige knew that she had to talk him out of this before he did something he couldn't undo. Something that would cost his job, maybe even his freedom. In his grief, Christopher looked ready to storm in there and try to hurt Adam until he gave up what he knew, but it wouldn't work, and it would get Christopher suspended at the very least.

Adam would probably laugh knowing that. He was probably expecting Christopher to react in exactly that way.

She took a deep breath and tried to reason with him. "Listen, I know you want to get justice for Jennifer, but we have to do this the right way. We can't just barge in there, not if we want information. We have to be smart about this."

"I don't care about smart!" Christopher snapped back.

Paige sighed. "I know. But this isn't about what you want, it's about what's best for the case. We need to do this the right way, or we won't get the information we need."

Even then, it looked as though Christopher might try to go in there. Paige put a hand on his arm.

"They won't let you in, and even if they do, even if you beat Adam, he won't give you anything. He's a psychopath. He doesn't care. He'll play his games with you, whatever you try. Please, Christopher."

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