She was going to die. Emma knew it with complete certainty. She was trapped in this room with an insane woman who’d been bent on killing her from the beginning. She couldn’t run faster than a bullet, and a single well-placed one would be all it took to drain the life from her.

But the longer Emma stared at that smirk that Patty wore, the angrier she became. God only knew how many people Patty had hurt beyond the carnage over her brother. Emma didn’t believe for a moment that Patty had been leading a blameless life since she escaped her mother’s grasp. People like Patty didn’t magically appear. They were crafted over time.

She killed Mrs. Pearson and the paramedic. She tried to kill Corrine in order to hurt Shaye, and Shaye was the one person who believed you when no one else would.

Emma’s jaw involuntarily clenched. She was going to die, but she refused to do it quietly.

She only had time for one play, and it had to be a good one. Even without the padding, Patty was still a large woman with four inches and at least forty pounds on her. She had to move fast. She had to be strong. She had to be clever.

Emma looked beyond Patty and out the window of the bedroom across the hall, and an idea formed. She stared over Patty’s shoulder for a few more seconds, then smiled. “You stupid bitch. You didn’t know the cops were coming to meet me here. They just pulled up. So you can kill me, but you’re not going to get away with it. They’ll be inside this house and standing at the bottom of those stairs the second that bullet leaves your gun.”

Emma pointed at the window behind Patty and prayed that she took the bait. Patty frowned and turned slightly to look across the hall. That tiny loss of focus was all Emma was going to get, and she was ready to use it. As soon as Patty’s eyes shifted off of her, she launched. She’d always stayed in good shape, but her recent martial arts training had made her quick and accurate. She hit Patty in the side with her shoulder, throwing all of her body weight against the woman.

Patty lost her balance and fell into the dresser, dropping her gun in front of her. Emma tried to run past her, but Patty managed to grab her leg. Emma twisted her leg and yanked, managing to pull it from Patty’s grasp, then bolted out the bedroom door and down the stairs. She heard Patty cursing and footsteps pounding behind her.

Emma had just jumped off the last step when the first gunshot whizzed by her. Ducking, she ran for the front door, praying that she could get to her car before Patty made it down the stairs. With no weapon of her own, she’d be an easy target outside, and Patty was far beyond caring about anything but killing her. As she yanked open the front door, a second shot boomed and she cried out as the bullet grazed her arm and embedded in the wall just inches from her head.

She wasn’t going to make it.

But by God, she was going to make sure everyone on the block knew exactly who had killed her. She practically tore the screen door off the hinges as she ran through it screaming. A third shot caught her in her shoulder, and the force and pain caused her to stumble down the stairs and crash onto the sidewalk. She glanced back as Patty ran out the door and leveled her pistol at her.

Patty smiled and started whistling. Emma closed her eyes and dropped into unconsciousness as the last shot rang out.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Are you all right?” A man’s voice sounded in Emma’s dream.

She knew it was a dream because she’d died. Or maybe they had medical personnel in heaven to help the people who came through injured. Maybe she could get a position there.

“Emma? Talk to me.”

Her mind sharpened so quickly that it sent a shot of pain through the top of her head, and her eyes flew open. She jerked upright, looking around wildly, and felt a hand on her arm. She turned her head toward the man kneeling beside her and blinked, bringing him into focus.

“Jackson!” She threw her arms around him. “Oh my God.”

Jackson gently wrapped his arms around her and whispered, “It’s all right. You’re going to be all right.”

“She’s dead.” Another detective stepped up beside them. “That was a hell of a shot, Lamotte. I’ve already called for a bus. Are you all right, ma’am?”

Emma released Jackson and looked up at him. “Hell no, I’m not all right. I’ve been stalked by a crazy woman and shot…twice.”

Her lips quivered as she managed a smile. “But I’m going to be.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Emma looked up from her scrambled eggs as Shaye stepped into her hospital room and broke out into a smile. “You’re up and out early.”

Shaye stepped up to the side of her bed and placed a bouquet of flowers on the table. “I could say the same for you, about the up part, anyway.”

“Don’t worry. The out part is coming soon. I’m an impossible patient. They’ll cut me loose as soon as they can.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been shot. God, I can’t believe I am actually saying that. This whole thing has been so surreal. I still haven’t quite processed it all.” Emma shook her head. From the time the paramedics had put her into the ambulance until the doctor finally gave her something to make her sleep, her mind had raced with everything Patty had said and the things Shaye told her about Hamet and Port Sulphur. If it hadn’t actually happened, Emma would have sworn it wasn’t possible. It was all so strange. So horrifying. So evil.

And so sad.

“I’m still working on processing it myself,” Shaye said. “It’s a lot to absorb.”

Emma nodded. “I’ve already made up my mind. I’m allowed to dwell on it until I leave the hospital and not any longer than that. We know the big factors, but all the small things…all the things that went into turning those kids into monsters…I don’t think I want to know.”

“I think that’s smart. So what are your plans after you ditch this rolling bed?”

“I’m still leaving New Orleans. I probably won’t drive as quickly on my way out of town, but I need to go somewhere else. Start over where there aren’t any reminders.”

“No one giving you sympathetic looks. No one whispering and thinking you don’t know it’s about you.”

Emma’s heart tugged and she reached for Shaye’s hand and squeezed. With what little she knew, Emma was certain she hadn’t been through a quarter of what Shaye had. More importantly, Emma had answers and the security of knowing that the people who’d hurt her could never do so again. Shaye didn’t have any of that.

Emma locked her gaze on Shaye’s. “I have never been as impressed with someone as I am with you. You are an incredible person, Shaye. I owe you my life, and I’m going to remember that every single day I have left on this earth.”

A flush ran up Shaye’s neck and she looked down at the blanket. “Thank you,” she said softly.

“You’re going to do amazing things.”

Shaye looked back up at her and smiled. “I hope so.”

Emma sniffed and decided a change of topic was in order. “So, all of this means I’m going to need a new real estate agent.”

Shaye’s eyes widened and she laughed. “I can probably help you with that. Corrine has a friend—she’ll pester you about fresh flowers and room deodorizers, but she’ll get you top dollar. The best part is Corrine’s known her and her family since preschool. They probably had gym together, so there’s a good chance she’s even seen her naked.”

“Sold!”

###

Shaye beat Jackson to the café. Black coffee and one sweetener were already in place in front of his chair before he arrived. He looked at the cup and smiled as he sat down. “We’re going to have to stop meeting like this.”