Page 22 of The Taskmaster
“Yep,” I replied curtly. “Almost done.”
He lingered a little longer, rocking back on his heels, then turned and headed towards his apartment. “Just knock and leave the keys with us when you’re done,” he said over his shoulder before closing the door.
“You already said that,” I sneered, bending down to take more tools from my box and pushing the bloody towel to the bottom of it so it stayed hidden.
I got busy fitting the new lock on the door, pretending that I couldn’t hear the chino loser and his girlfriend arguing inside their apartment.
Once the new lock was fitted, I gave the inside of her apartment one last check and then locked up before packing my tools away. Picking up my box, I stood up and turned to knock on the loser’s door. It was his girlfriend who answered.
“All done,” I said, holding my hand out to pass the keys to her, feeling the sting on my arm as my skin pulled the cuts open again.
She gave me a tight-lipped smile and took them, said a curt, “Thanks,” then slammed the door in my face.
“You’re fucking welcome,” I replied to the wood of her door. “Assholes.”
I strode down the hallway, ignoring the pain in my arm and smiling as the jingle of the spare set of keys for her apartment jostled in my pocket. Yes, I could pick my way past any lock in this city. But there was something twistedly cunning and sadistic knowing I had a set of keys to her home. Like a trophy. The key to committing any kind of fucked up shit I wanted.
Hedidn’t have that.
Hehadn’t even put cameras in her home.
I left the building and walked around the back, where my van was parked. As I opened the side of the van to put my toolbox in, I heard a voice from behind.
“You all finished?”
I turned to see the asshole neighbour, chino guy, strolling towards me as he took the last drag of his cigarette and then flicked the butt into some bushes to the side.
“Yep, all done,” I told him, thinking that’d be the end of the conversation. Hoping it was. But he was a persistent bastard.
“You got the key?” He put his hand out, and I shook my head, gesturing to the building.
“I gave it to your girlfriend.”
I didn’t like the way he grimaced, or was it a scowl? Like he didn’t want her to have the keys. He’d wanted them.
“Sorry for her attitude back then,” he added, standing way too close. I’d already told him I’d finished the job, and his girl had the keys, what more did he fucking want?
“It’s no bother.” I shrugged.
“Women, hey?” he sneered, like a fucking creep. “Only good for one thing.”
He laughed.
I didn’t.
I’d had a bad feeling about this guy from the minute I’d laid eyes on him, and I trusted my instincts. In my van, next to my toolbox was my bag, and on the top, I saw a syringe ready to go. Without a second thought, I picked it up and stabbed it into his neck, draining the drugs into his system and catching his body as he became lifeless. He fell into my arms, and I managed to slide his body into the back of my van.
Quickly, I slammed the side of the van shut and scanned the area to make sure no one had seen me. I already knew there was no CCTV to catch me in the act. Then I got into the driver’s seat and started up the engine.
Yes, I had a code that I only killed people who’d hurt me or other vulnerable people out there. But that code went to shit if I was having a bad day or felt pissed off. What was this guy gonna do about it? Sue me?
Chapter Fourteen
THE TASKMASTER
“Wakey wakey, rise and shine,” I sneered as I stepped back and waited for the chemical I’d wafted under his nose to take effect and rouse him from his drug-induced stupor.
I’d gone rogue with this one. Done something I’d never done before. I’d brought him to my home. I could’ve taken him to my warehouse and used one of my games to taunt him to death, but I was in the mood for something more intimate tonight. Plus, I had questions that needed answering. I wanted to know if he was the one stalking Abigail.
