Page 1 of Devil's Deal

Filling the Void

DEVIL’S DEAL DUOLOGY #1

Prologue

BOSLEY

A whole month of watching,waiting, preparing. This had taken too damn long, but today was the day. Like clockwork, a rideshare pulled up. A grayKia Sportagestopped at the curb, and the sweet-faced redhead I’d followed on his errands the last couple of weeks ran out the door. I didn’t need to follow them. I knew exactly where they were going. Easing my car out onto the road, I passed the latestUberorLyftor whatever the hell he used as he drove the other way. I went to the end of the road and hooked a right, heading forTrader Joe’s. It was time for the weekly trip to the grocery store.

Parking, I strode quickly inside and easily found the young man in the produce section. Slipping up beside him at the cantaloupes, I put my hand on one and sighed forlornly. “I can never remember how to tell if they’re ripe.”

The kid jumped, startled, and gave a nervous laugh. “Right? You can smell it.” He demonstrated. This guy really was too cute. An easy mark. “This one’s good.” He handed it to me.

“Really?” I gave him my most charming smile. His own lips twitched, like he wanted to grin, but instead, they’d formed a straight line as he looked away.

“Ouch,” I said.

His gaze moved back to me, alarmed. I set the cantaloupe down and rubbed my shoulder.

“You, okay?”

“Yeah, old injury. I should’ve stopped at the chiropractor.” He visibly tensed. “You ever been? I go to Dr. Harry. Harry Henderson, and he’s the best.”

Fear flashed through the redhead’s green eyes. Maybe your average person wouldn’t see it, but I did. I knew fear. I knew how it looked. How it smelled.

“No, I don’t, but I gotta go. Have a nice day.” He scurried off to the other side of produce, near the lettuce and other leafy vegetables. I’d noticed he bought a lot of those. His boyfriend probably put them in his shake.

I let him go. The store wasn’t that busy on a Tuesday morning, but there were enough women and senior citizens shopping in this area, and I needed a quieter space. Leaving the cantaloupe, which I didn’t need since I wouldn’t be staying in town past tonight, I headed toward the bread aisle to wait. This was my third trip to the grocery store with this kid, so I knew his routine.

Like clockwork, he pushed his cart midway down and stopped in front of the bagels. A quick glance, and I knew we’d be alone for a second.

I sidled up beside him again. “Hello again.”

“Um, hi,” he said nervously, checking over my shoulder. Probably hoping someone would come so he could get away from me. Good. He had some survival instincts.

“Sorry, Jamie Baker. Am I freaking you out?”

He startled. “H-how do you know my name?”

“I’ve been watching you for a while. That’s how I knew you’d be here today.” All the color drained from his face.

He was ready to dart, which, fair enough. Under normal circumstances, he should. But these weren’t normal times, and I wasn’t here for him. I placed a staying hand on his shoulder. “Don’t be nervous, Jamie. I’m here to help you.”

His tongue flicked out quickly between his lips, moistening them. “Help me. How? I don’t need anything. How do you know my name?”

I chuckled. “I know a lot more than your name. Jamie Baker, twenty-four years old, shady parents. Good on you for cutting them off.” Underneath my palm, he started trembling. Leaning in, I lowered my voice. “But do you know what else I know?”

He glanced at my hand, then shook his head.

“I know that you have a sister out in Kansas who loves you very much.”

His gaze jumped to my face. “Jessica?”

So much for his self-preservation skills. If I was trying to lure him away for nefarious purposes, he’d just given me enough information to help him along. Lucky for him, I’d talked to his sweet, much more suspicious sister already, and she was expecting him. “That would be her. She’d be happy to see you. In fact, in that big old house of hers, she and her husband have a guest room all made up and waiting for you.”

“Jessica’s looking for me? That’s why you’re here?”

Hook, line, and sinker. It was better this way. He’d trust me. They’d figure out later that I’d played them both. But by then, they’d be together, so who cared. “Don’t you miss your sister, Jamie?”

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