“Yes, dear daughter, I have you on camera. Poor Teri Bearing. But I owe you for that one because it gave me an alibi for the other crimes. It’s almost as if you wished to assist me.”
She’d had no idea the bastard had killed the first victim. Hadn’t had a clue. If only she had discovered the identity of Delta Rivers before deciding to fuck with him. Teri Bearing had seen Abigail with Jason back during her last charity event, and she might’ve heard Abigail messing with the moron’s head. Abigail had been meaning to take care of her for a while, and after the finding of the first body, she figured she’d copy the killing. It was infuriating that she hadn’t known the full truth.
Zeke sneered. “I can’t believe you wanted to ruin my television show by leaving that woman’s body by my church. I could’ve had a megamillion-dollar church.”
She shrugged. Of course she’d wanted to ruin his big moment, which was why she’d dumped Teri’s body behind the church. “You don’t deserve a television show.”
He stared at her. “The USB shows you committing murder. How about ten million dollars wired into this account?” He rattled off the numbers. “We both know you just memorized those.”
The rage felt cleansing in her body, causing her blood to rush faster to her brain. Supplying more oxygen to that brilliant organ. “Of course I did.”
“I also need papers, a couple of passports, some credit cards, and a false name. Give me a rich-sounding one. I’m going to need to find dates down there, wherever it is I’m going,” he ordered.
“I don’t have ten million in liquidated cash, you moron,” she hissed, sounding properly angry.
“You own a pot farm, and I know you’ve invested wisely through the years. Make it happen, or that USB immediately ends up with good old Rachel Raprenzi atThe Killing Hour. She’s very involved in this case, as you know.”
“I know.” Abigail stood. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Oh, no, no, dear daughter. You won’t see what you can do. You will do it.” He also stood. “You’re lucky you’re alive. You’re lucky your sister’s alive. She’s tough.”
A rage enveloped Abigail such as she had never felt before. It was shocking, really. She hadn’t thought it possible to feel this much hatred for a simple human being. “You killed the baby. Our baby,” she spat.
He blinked. “Laurel was pregnant?”
“Yes.” The pain felt blinding.
He shrugged. “Whatever.”
One word. One simple word. Abigail went stone cold. Icier than those rivers he’d used to kill. “This isn’t over.” She shifted her weight.
He lifted his hands, laughing. “Of course it’s over. I win. I always do.”
Faster than he could track, she dodged forward, grabbed a kitchen knife, pivoted, and sliced right into his neck. His eyes widened and he grabbed below his jaw, falling onto the chair.
In a frenzy, she stabbed him over and over again, blood spraying, pausing once to reach for the small USB on the counter and shove it into her mouth. She gagged several times but managed to swallow it before turning and plunging the knife into his eye and his neck and his chest.
Hopefully, the damn USB wouldn’t perforate her colon.
He weakly lifted his arms and tried to ward her off, and she stabbed those, too.
“You never should have killed our baby,” she yelled, plunging and stabbing until he went limp. Even then, she kept striking.
* * *
Huck returned to Laurel’s hospital room to find her fully dressed. He shook his head. “What are you doing?”
“Abigail. She was just here. She’s going after Zeke Caine. Let’s go. Do you have a phone?”
“No,” Huck said, grabbing her shoulder, his arm in a sling and his stitches already pissing him off. “You’re staying here. You were drowned tonight, and you’ve just had a miscarriage. You have to be bleeding and in pain.”
She looked at him, her eyes luminous. “It doesn’t matter. I am bleeding, and the pain will dissipate. I can handle it. Nothing else can happen to me. I don’t have anything to protect. We have to go now.”
He understood her need to find Zeke Caine because he felt it as well. “Laurel.”
“I’m going.” She pushed past him.
Groaning, he followed her and nearly ran her over when she halted.
