Page 129 of Coordinates of Death

I bolted upright. “What?”

“Yes, brother. All of them, even our dear stepmother.” She threw her head back and laughed. “I snuck into the back seat and watched her die. She saw me just before she croaked.”

I plunked back into the chair. “Wow, you’re not as sweet and innocent as I assumed.” I leaned forward and caressed her face. “But I like it.”

“Well, you’ll like who’s down in our dungeon, then.”

“Who?” I wiggled my fingers in anticipation of her response.

“Your favorite corporal.”

I sucked in a breath before running my lips across my upper teeth. “Ooo . . . now, that’s a plot twist.”

“Sure is, and that watcher should be here soon. I left him some clues.”

“Coordinates of death?”

“Yes, but he has to find them first.”

I dropped to my knees and drew her into a hug. “Thank you, sweet sister. We can end this game now.”

“Yes, for this round. I have others for you to kill.”

Perfect.

I like the way she thinks.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Aurora fought to open her heavy eyelids and clear her foggy brain. Dampness surrounded her, swallowing her whole as if she was sealed in a coffin. She turned her head from side to side, easing her eyes open. Stone-covered walls slowly came into view. Where am I? She placed her hands onto the concrete slab beneath her and pushed herself into a seated position. Her head throbbed, and the room spun, white spots flickering in her vision. She willed the room to still and took multiple deep breaths. After several moments, she swung her legs onto the stone floor and braced her hands on the wall before easing upright. Once again, the room spun but settled within moments. She scanned her surroundings. There was a midsize stone-encased dungeon with a crude toilet in one corner and a round table in the other. She staggered toward the large wooden door containing the only window in the room. She peeked through its metal bars into the hallway.

Another similar room appeared across the stone corridor.

Drip, drip, drip. Water trickled somewhere in the distance.

The stone floors revealed where she was being held. The dungeon of a mansion. Somewhere.

Lord, no! Help me get out of here.

Aurora tried the knob, but the heavy door wouldn’t budge. She gripped the metal bars and tugged on them. “Please, Lord! Get me out of here.” She yanked harder, but to no avail.

She was trapped.

In a dungeon.

And no one knew where.

Footsteps echoed throughout the lower level, and she staggered backward, the memory of what happened flying back into her mind.

Her captor wiggled the key into the lock, slid the dead bolt, then pushed the door open. It creaked as if in annoyance, revealing her kidnapper’s face in full view.

Jade Kramer.

Bile rested on the tip of Aurora’s tongue, turning her stomach to lead. “You’re the Shadow Box Killer?”

“Not exactly.” Jade’s lips curved into an evil smile.

Not the smile of the fun-loving evidence clerk Aurora recognized. Gone was her sweet spirit. It had been replaced by pure evil.