Shrieking, Shelia stumbled backward and fell to the concrete floor, landing hard on her back. Candy launched from her lab coat pocket and scattered at her sides like confetti. Sugary shells crunched under her palms as she scrambled toward the door.
Thumpity-thump-thumpity-thump.
Liz’s vision zeroed in on the woman’s neck where a pulse fluttered against the soft spot under her jaw. A raised vein was there, too, taut and ripe. Enticing.
She bared her fangs.
“Please, I have a baby,” the woman begged.
Liz stepped closer.
“Elizabeth? Elizabeth Miller? That’s you, isn’t it?” Shelia thrust the tag out. “Please don’t hurt me!”
Liz cocked her head to one side. Why is she afraid that I’m going to hurt her?
Because you want to,coaxed the devilish voice inside her head. Only blood will stop the madness, the pain. You can’t control what you are.
And what is that? Liz wondered. What have I become?
You’ve known since you opened your dead eyes, haven’t you, killer?
Liz advanced on the woman. The darkness embraced her, and she welcomed it.
Yes. I am a killer.
31
ROBERT
Robert called Olivia’s number once again. It went straight to voicemail, netting the same result as the dozens of other times he’d tried. He made another circle around the chamber, muttering obscenities. It was only a matter of waiting out the clock until the sun was fully down.
The phone rang.Damn it. Not Olivia.
“Carl! Has she shown?” he demanded.
“I’m sorry, she hasn’t, Robert. I haven’t taken my eyes off her apartment since I’ve been here.”
“Please, Carl, stay put. I want you to be there in case Olivia comes out.”
“I won’t move an inch.”
“Thank you, Carl.”
“Robert?”
“Yes.”
“The sun has gone down—”
Click.
Forty-five seconds later, a silver Bentley Flying Spur zoomed onto the highway and reached a velocity far beyond the speed limit. Robert did not slow until he entered Olivia’s neighborhood.
Carl glanced at his watch as Robert approached. “That was fast.” He was crouched down on the porch, picking the lock. The latch clicked and the door popped open.
“Why—”
“I’m afraid Olivia may have left town,” Carl said.
