Page 67 of Five for Silver

“How could he know…” Michael slapped a handto his mouth. “He … couldn’t have.”

Lucy lowered her gaze. “He must’ve … foundout for himself when he…”

Michael pushed off from the table and got tohis feet. He swayed, and Chad shot up to support him only to beswept aside by Michael’s hand.

“I’m okay,” Michael murmured. “I just needto lie down.”

“I’ll help you back to your room.” Lucysaid, rushing to take him by the elbow.

Chad dropped back into his chair and watchedthem go.

****

There was something about being slobbered onby an ecstatic Merc that cleansed Chad’s soul. He crouched in thehallway, stroking and rubbing him, until his shirt collar wasgrabbed by Romeo’s fist, and he got hauled to his feet.

“Whoa—”

Chad flung his arms around Romeo forbalance.

“I meant it when I said I would’ve killedJames’s whole family if he had crashed.”

“I know.” Chad kissed Romeo’s mouth.

“He was driving like a maniac.”

“This … situation is getting to him.”

Romeo hummed, and rested his chin at Chad’stemple. “Worked out what happened to Harriet that night yet?”

“Nope. Worked out Vincent’s motivation?”

“Partly.”

Chad leaned back in his arms. “What?”

“You. You’re the reason he’s doing this.Revenge for not visiting him, but I’m missing something, I can feelit.” Romeo’s gaze crawled up to the ceiling as he thought.

“I meant, why did he confess to a murder hedidn’t do?”

“That’s easy.” Romeo looked at him again.“To protect the killer. Us with our evil inflictions againsteverybody else. Serial killer solidarity.”

“You kill killers.” Chad reminded him.

“Only because those are the people you’veallowed me to kill. It’s our compromise, remember? You have a chainaround the monster.” Romeo shrugged. “And for now, he’s quite happyto wear it.”

Chapter Twelve

Candice Holmes.

Friend of Harriet and Lucy Hastings. Chadflexed his fingers before reaching for the doorknocker. He knockedthree times, then took a step back to wait. The curtains twitched.Chad heard a chain, then a bolt, before the door opened acrack.

“I’m Detective Chad—”

“I know who you are.” Candice opened thedoor wider. Grey strands ran through her long ginger hair, and shelowered her blue eyes to the ground before looking up at himagain.

“I need to ask you a few questions. Can Icome in?”

Candice nodded and retreated. She hugged hercardigan around herself as she led Chad through her house and intothe kitchen. Chad waited until she gestured to the table, then tooka seat.

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