And he’d meant every word he’d said.

Don’t make me do this.

She’d fought against it, told herself that she could dip her toe in the ugliness that was Colby and not be pulled beneath the murky wasteland.

But she’d known in the end that it would come down to Colby and her.

She shut her eyes to close him out.

But she could still see him staring at her.

She opened her eyes. “I have to go in there.”

Metcalf shook his head. “He’s playing you.”

“He’s playing all of us.”

“He doesn’t care about the rest of us,” Reade said urgently. “It’s you.”

“Yes, it’s me. And that’s why I have to let him take his shot at me.” She got to her feet and left the observation room. She walked around to the interrogation-room entrance, where Lynch was already waiting outside the door to meet her.

“No,” he said flatly.

“It’s not your choice.”

“Whose choice is it? That maniac’s?”

“Mine. If I don’t go in there, this whole trip will be for nothing. And, in case you’ve forgotten, there’s still a killer out there we need to stop. It’s not all about Colby.”

“Isn’t it? I’m not entirely sure.”

“That’s right, you said that you were seeing possible connections since we got here. Why didn’t you mention it to me?”

“It was too far out.” He grimaced. “Colby was right, I think out of the box.”

“So do I. Next time, tell me. I won’t feel so alone.” She braced herself. “Open the door.”

He didn’t move.

“Open it, Lynch.”

“I don’t like this,” he said harshly. “He’s going to crucify you. I wish to hell we knew what his angle is.”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

“Let me go in with you.”

“No, you can’t protect me from Colby. I found out a long time ago that I’m the only one who can do that. Now let me get this over with.”

Lynch still didn’t move.

“Lynch.”

“Griffin is in there. Why not me?”

“I don’t mind Griffin’s being there. He won’t get in my way. You always interfere.”

He muttered a curse. Then he rapped on the door, and one of the guards unlocked and opened it.

Kendra entered the room.

Although she had already seen Colby through the glass, she felt the chill return as she breathed the same air as the man she had so long associated with pure evil.

“Hello, Kendra.” He smiled mockingly. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you at last.”

She froze for a moment. Could he see how his voice went through her like one of his knives?

“I want a name,” she said. “Who’s killing these people?”

Colby tilted his head. “You know … I still get headaches. All these years later, I still get horrible headaches from the concussion I got when you hit me with that rock.”

“I guess a fractured skull will do that to you. I had to force myself not to make the damage permanent.”

“That’s no surprise. I thought as much later once I delved into your character.” His smile faded. “You were very clever, Kendra. You forced me to revise my plans. That’s the only reason they all fell apart.”

“Give me a name.”

He ignored her request. “I was at a disadvantage. It was your first case, and I didn’t know you. I didn’t know how you worked. But things are different now. I know you better than you know yourself.”

She gave him a skeptical look. “You always were an egomaniac, Colby.”

“You may think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not,” he said. “Most people really don’t know themselves very well. It gives me a tremendous advantage.”

“Oh, because you’re smarter than all of us…?”

“I’ve had the benefit of a lot of time and a lot of motivation. And I’ve summoned you here for a very special reason.”

“You summoned me?”

“You’re here, aren’t you?” He smiled. “Just last week, if someone had asked you to get on a plane, come here, and stand three feet in front of me, there’s no way you would have done it. My, what a difference a few days can make…”

“I’m here because innocent people are being massacred.”

“And you thought I might somehow be able to help stop the massacre.”

“I never thought that. Others did, but I didn’t. I know you better than that, Colby.”

“And yet here you are.”

“You’re just an item that needed to be crossed off. We’ll catch this psychopath with or without your help.”

“Admit it. As you say, you know me and my little quirks. You’re aware that I never hide my cleverness and superiority from lesser beings. You thought that, in all my preening, I just might give you something you needed to solve your case.”

“You do preen with the best of them.”

“I do. I really do.”

“Okay, here’s your chance. How did you get your DNA on Corrine Harvey’s sweater?”

“I knew that would bother you.” His smile widened, his tiny teeth reminding her of a serpent’s fangs. “It’s kind of a wonderful magic trick, isn’t it?”

“You’re dying to tell us. You want to show the whole world how brilliant you are.”

He clicked his tongue. “You know … people think they want to know how a magic trick is done, but they don’t really. When they find out the secret, the wonder disappears. They’re suddenly not impressed. They respect the magician less, not more, regardless of how brilliant and mystifying his methods may be.”

“We’re not talking about magicians, Colby. Romanticize it all you want, but in the end we’re talking about killers. Thugs.” She forced herself to stare him in the eye. “There’s only you and your puppet on the outside. There’s no magic, there’s no wonder. Just a pair of pathetic psychopaths.”

If Colby was bothered by her words, he didn’t let it show. He nodded to where Griffin was sitting down the table. “Your FBI handler isn’t happy with your attitude toward me, Kendra. You’re not following the Bureau playbook. Don’t you know you’re supposed to stroke my ego in order to keep me talking, so that I’ll give something away?”

Kendra glanced at Griffin. He did indeed look tense and upset. She shrugged. “I told you, that may be what these agents are here for, but I wouldn’t waste my time. It wouldn’t work with you.”

Colby laughed. “Quite right.”

“So if you’re not going to answer my questions, why did you ‘summon’ me?”

“It was important to me that I see you one last time, Kendra. I have an announcement to make.”

“Then make it.”

He paused. “A drumroll please.”

“Say it.”

“I’ve changed our story.”

“What story is that?”

“The one where the gifted, formerly blind Kendra Michaels uses her intellect and powers of observation to stop a deranged madman in his tracks.”

“That story is over, finished.”

“No. To crib a phrase from Shakespeare, what is past is prologue.” He paused. “Because our story will not end until you know how it feels to truly suffer, Kendra. In every way imaginable.”

She took a deep breath. Don’t react. Don’t give this creep one shred of satisfaction.

“You’re trying so hard not to show your fear.” His voice dropped to almost a whisper. “But that terror is part of the new story. The terror and the pain have already begun and won’t leave you until the end. And it won’t even be over when the federal government shoots poison into my veins Monday night. Trust me on that.”

Kendra felt a chill that went to her very core. She had seen the many horrible ways Colby had backed up his promises.

“Enough.” Lynch had opened the door and strode into the room. “Get the hell back to your cell and talk to your paper-doll cutouts.” He nodded to guards. “Take him.”

Colby raised an eyebrow. “Giving up so easily, Mr. Lynch? That isn’t your reputation.”

“Like the lady said, you’re just another lead to be crossed from the list.”

Colby rose to his feet as the guards approached. “We all know that’s not true.” His gaze shifted from Lynch to Kendra, then back again. “I do believe he’s a trifle upset, Kendra. Interesting.” He held her gaze. “He’ll be more upset the closer we get to the end of the story.”