“You must have mapped it out to the last detail, minute by minute.”
It was possible he’d tell her to shut up again—but if he wanted to brag about his plotting skills, she’d listen. That would eke out a few more minutes for her.
He took the bait.
“Yeah. I did.”
“I thought you left the night before Micah died.”
A smirk twisted his lips. “So did everyone else. But I hung out down the road.”
“And you came back Sunday?”
“Yes. Early. I went down to Micah’s cabin before dawn, hid outside, and played a YouTube video of a whimpering raccoon. He could never resist an injured animal. When he came out to investigate, I hit him with a pipe. Once I got him into the boat, all I had to do was inject him with the sux I’d brought and dump him over the side.”
At his matter-of-fact recounting of the ruthless murder, Cara groped for the tree next to her. Held on.
How could she have been fooled by the pleasant façade he’d displayed to the world?
But Natalie had been duped too, and she’d known Steven far longer.
Despite the nausea threatening to choke her, she forced out another question. “What’s sux?”
“A drug that causes short-term paralysis. Vets use a ton of it. I knew it would keep Micah immobilized if he woke up while I was trying to get him into the water.”
“Also while he was drowning.” This man was heartless.
“That too.”
“Weren’t you worried it would show up in the drug screening the coroner did?”
“No. He’d have to test for it specifically, and why wouldhe? The cause of death was obvious. Drowning.” Steven’s eyes narrowed. “You’re only delaying the inevitable, you know. And I don’t want to be gone too long from the house. Natalie will wonder what I’m doing. Start walking.”
She turned back to the path and began to climb again, her heart picking up speed as her palms grew clammy.
They were getting very close to the top.
And unless there was room up there to maneuver ... unless she got an opportunity to deliver a well-placed kick ... unless the clifftop offered an escape route ... her life could be over in a handful of minutes.
HE COULD CALL OUT TO CARA.See if she answered.
But as Brad took the path from the cottage toward the lake, his gut told him to stay quiet.
And he always listened to his gut.
In fact, he took extra pains to keep his footfalls as silent as possible.
Of course, there was a chance he’d come across Steven and Cara either individually or together, both out for an innocent walk.
That was the best-case outcome.
Worst case, he’d be plunged into danger.
That’s why Larry was en route, with instructions to come in quietly and text once he arrived.
It was also why his hand wasn’t straying far from his pistol.
As Brad approached the offshoot trail that led to the clifftop, he paused. Leaned close to examine the broken branches along the edge of the overgrown trail that indicated someone had ventured that way in the recent past.
