Page 17 of The Quiet Witness

The teasing grin he’d worn all morning faded away. ‘‘You’re a resourceful woman, Kate. Underestimating you would be a mistake. And I’m not in the habit of making mistakes.’’

“Yet, you made one with me.’’

Silence. Glancing to her left, she saw him tilt his head at her snarky comment. ‘‘I’m sure many would call it a miracle.”

“A miracle?”

Nodding once, his green eyes met hers. ‘‘You’re right on one thing, you weren’t meant to survive.’’ He waited a beat, letting the words sink in. “I traced my steps, double-checked the dosage, everything was done as it should be.’’ His fingers tapped the steering wheel as if in thought. “Which makes your survival… peculiar, to say the least. But it wasn’t a mistake.”

“Why am I still alive?’’ She wasn’t talking about the poison.

The answer rolled off his tongue with ease. “The DNA beneath your fingers is the only reason you’re breathing right now.’’

Oh Gods.

The white bandages still peeked out from beneath his sweater. And what was missing, plastered beneath her nails.

There was no hint of frustration in his tone. For him, it was nothing but a statement.

For me… a death sentence.

Her seconds were numbered, limited. He was waiting for the evidence to disappear. But then… why take her shopping for clothes? Why take the risk of exposing her to the people around him?

None of it made sense. She rested her forehead in her hand, pressing against the drum pounding in her head. It couldn’t be the only reason. There was something more. Something he wasn’t sharing.

Questions raged through her mind, but she asked only one. “Promise me something.’’

Lucien’s attention snapped to her. His eyes narrowed as he took in the seriousness etched on her face, he gave a slow nod.

“Promise me you’ll give me a heads up before you make your move. I want to see the end coming.’’ She didn’t look away.

His arm tensed, knuckles turning white on the steering wheel. But he inclined his head. “I promise, when that day comes, you’ll know.’’

She gazed out the window. Nodding, she bit back her tears. “Good. I’ll hold you to that.’’

Chapter 7

Psychopath Indeed

Aburner phone leaned against the fruit basket, next to it: a handwritten note.

All that was left on the kitchen counter the morning after their ‘shopping spree’.

Kate had grasped the phone right away, nearly dropping it to the concrete floor, fingers shaking while dialing 911, only to receive nothing but static on the other side. Whatever this phone did, it only connected to the number he had left her. As the note so gentlemanly mentioned: Need anything? Call me on this number. I’ll be back in a couple of days. Oh, and feel free to whip up some food for Ghost.

“Oh, by all means, stay far, far away.” she whispered under her breath, turning to glance at his humongous dog. Her company for the next few days had his head tilted on his paws. Amber eyes fixed on her. Food. The demand was nearly engraved in his intense gaze. “Yes, yes. But first.”

She let her feet and hands roam over the place. Two doors… locked. One she knew to be his bedroom. The other, a glance through the peephole told her it was his study. A large desk, two green-tinted comfortable chairs. And another door, leading to Gods knew what. A torture room maybe, stowed away from his civilized home. She blinked, vision double from staring.

Walking back to the hallway, her eyes fell on the wildlife photos littering the walls. A squirrel perched on a branch, staring right at the camera. A wild boar, and… Ghost, one with the winter scenery.

So he had taken those shots.

It wouldn’t be hard to imagine Lucien crouching in the bushes, breathing near-silent as he snapped shots of unsuspecting natural visitors. However, the idea of him hiding in the shadows with a gun in hand, trained on his next human victim… made more sense.

Maybe that was what he was doing right now.

Not helpful, Kate.