So she’d offered her friends a deal they couldn’t refuse. One that still cost her from raising the children herself, but she would become the favorite godmother, an important part of the girls’ lives. The plan had worked perfectly, and together they’d created the big family she’d always wanted.
But now she’d not only lost her baby but the twins and Claire, too. And she still had no idea who’d murdered them.
She cuddled closer to Mazie, terrified she was on the verge of losing another child.
Determination set in. She couldn’t let that happen. She had to figure out a way to escape and take Mazie with her.
Then she’d turn the tables and makehimsuffer.
NINETY-FIVE
The voices in his head would not be quiet. As hard as he tried to silence them, they flew at him, zapping his brain like the bug zapper that had sizzled mosquitos on the back porch of his uncle’s shack at night. The scent of swamp water swam toward the old house, a rattler hissing in the dark. In his mind, he saw their dead bodies stuck to the glass, the porch light giving them a macabre look. One sweltering foggy night they’d swarmed around him in circles as if they’d planned an attack. He’d counted ninety-nine, smiling as each one was fried in the trap.
Just as he was trapping the little girls.
The fear on Barbara’s face when he’d reached for Mazie stirred his excitement.
He’d waited a long time to punish her. Today she hadn’t recognized him because he was in disguise. Although he hadn’t disguised himself when he’d first seen her a few months ago, and she hadn’t recognized him then either. Instead, she’d looked right past him.
He wasn’t ready to reveal his face to her yet. He wanted her to sweat a little longer.
But today he would take the last little girl.
According to Claire’s phone calendar, the women were supposed to meet at Winterfest today. Claire would not be there.
He donned the Santa suit again, making sure the beard and bushy eyebrows were in place, then grabbed a couple of bottles of water and carried them to the building where he’d left Barbara and Mazie. He unlocked the door and saw the little girl asleep on the floor. Barbara stood, arms folded, her expression full of hatred.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked through clenched teeth.
A laugh rumbled from him, then he disguised his voice. “You’ll know soon enough.”
She lifted her chin with a challenge in her eyes. “You have me. Let Mazie go. She’s just an innocent child.”
He shook his head. “I’ll explain everything once you help me get Ivy. I want you all here together.”
Frustration clawed at her. “First tell me why you’re doing this.”
To get to you. But he bit back the words and tossed a bag of clothing to her. “Change clothes. And make one move to escape and Mazie will die.”
NINETY-SIX
Barb hated the bastard with every fiber of her being. She had no illusion that he was going to let her or the girls live. But if she cooperated, maybe she could buy some time.
He gestured to the bag he’d tossed her way.
“Change. Police are searching for both of us. We’re going in disguise,” he snapped.
She glanced in the bag, her stomach knotting. A Mrs. Santa Claus suit. Clever. They’d appear non-threatening.
But she wanted to see his damn face. “Don’t you think the police will be looking for a Santa?”
A deep laugh rumbled from him. “Won’t matter today. There’s a Santa parade. There’ll be dozens in town.”
Biting her lip in frustration, she indicated her bound hands. “I can’t change with my hands tied.”
He stalked toward her then gripped her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. “Try anything and you’ll be sorry.”
She was tempted to spit at him, to fight him. But precious Mazie’s life was at stake. He didn’t bother to turn his head so she pulled the outfit on over her clothes.