LITMIR.BIZ

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assumed the question was rhetorical, because surely the man knew she’d gone for backup. “You know my name, but I don’t know yours. You at least owe me the courtesy for using my land uninvited.”

      “Maybe I do, or maybe I don’t owe you a thing.” The killer shrugged. “But you’re going to die today. My name is Boyd Sullivan. My late granddaddy, on my mother’s side, once owned this land before the bank confiscated it and made the Wadsworth family pariahs in town.”

      Jason hadn’t taken enough of an interest in the neighboring properties to know the history of the land. “You’re the Red Rose Killer.” He needed the confirmation.

      Boyd walked around him and set the roses on the rickety table. “That I am.” He chuckled. “Don’t you just love the media? They get a kick on naming things so obvious.”

      “You’ve killed five people. Why?”

      “Why not? They deserved it.”

      Deserved it? Was he a religious fanatic? Some sort of crusader? “What did those women and men do to deserve being murdered?”

      “No-good, uppity so-and-sos. Every last one of them. They thought they were better than me. I showed them, didn’t I?” He cackled, an unhinged sound that raised the fine hairs on Jason’s arms.

      Jason was dealing with a psychopath. “So you killed them because they hurt your feelings?”

      “I’m doing the world a favor. I will not tolerate being disrespected.”

      “Tell me about your victims then. How did they disrespect you? I want to make sure I don’t make their mistake.”

      “You already have by stepping into a place where you don’t belong.”

      Fighting the urge to lunge at the man, Jason kept his voice calm and controlled. “You didn’t answer me. What did these people do that was so disrespectful?”

      Boyd sniffed and curled his lip but didn’t respond.

      Aware of the minutes ticking by, Jason became more determined to keep the guy close and talking until backup arrived. They needed this mentally unstable man off the streets. “Your ego that fragile that you can’t even talk about it?” He prayed he didn’t send the guy over the edge.

      “Oh, I can talk about it. Not that you knowing what they did is going to do you any good once your bits and pieces are scattered across the forest.”

      The threat made fresh sweat break out on Jason’s back. His leg was starting to cramp from being still. His back ached. The urge to shift his weight was excruciating. “Indulge me, then.”

      Boyd stared at him a moment then filth spewed from his mouth. Once he got his anger out of his system he talked. “Madison come crawling to me after all these years wanting to renew our relationship even though she dumped me in high school and then thought she could dump me again. I don’t think so.”

      Jason wondered if she had been Boyd’s first victim. He honestly didn’t know much about the case. He hadn’t wanted to get interested. He’d been too busy wallowing in his own grief.

      “And Lynn.” Boyd spat on the floor. “One date and she decides I’m nothing. No one decides I’m nothing. I showed her. Took her and her new boyfriend out.” He grinned. “Scared them spitless first though, with the rose and note. That was fun to watch.”

      Keeping an ear open for movement outside, Jason said, “What about the other two?”

      “Made them squirm. Joe was a real meanie in high school. Thought he was big man on campus. I showed him. And that rotten Ed. He was a horrible boss.”

      Serena had mentioned another targeted woman. “What about the waitress? What did she do?”

      “Slow,” Boyd stated. “But pretty. I would have forgiven her lack of hustle with my food if she’d said yes when I asked her out.” He gathered his things as if readying to leave.

      Needing to stall, Jason asked, “How did you learn to make an IED?”

      Boyd let out a disgusted scoff. “The air force.”

      “Where were you stationed? Overseas? Middle East?”

      “If only I’d been so fortunate. Those big uppity-ups over at Canyon couldn’t see my potential. Couldn’t see my brilliance.” He shook his head. “Poor Zoe.”

      “Who’s Zoe?”

      “Never you mind.”

      So there was at least somebody this man cared about. That was worth exploring. “Is Zoe your girlfriend?”

      Boyd pulled back his lips. “Ew. That’s disgusting. She’s my baby sister.” He shook his head. “She stayed in the air force like a dummy. She should have left when I did.”

      “What would Zoe think of your killing spree?”

      Anger flashed in Boyd’s eyes. “Don’t talk about my sister.”

      Jason lifted a hand of apology.

      Boyd hefted the rifle in his hands as the sound of running feet echoed in the shack. Anticipation and dread clutched at Jason’s heart. He heard only one set of footsteps pounding up the porch stairs. He had to warn her.

      “Don’t shoot!” Jason shouted as the door swung open.

      Serena filled the doorway, her sidearm drawn. A red bead of light from Boyd’s rifle shone bright on her forehead.

       SEVEN

      “We were waiting for you. Put down the gun, missy,” the Red Rose Killer instructed. “You don’t want your boyfriend here to die. And he will, because I’ll shoot you and then he’ll come after me. The moment he takes a step, boom.”

      Serena stared at the man on the other side of the room holding a sniper rifle aimed at her head. Her fingers flexed around the grip of her Glock. She wasn’t sure if Jason’s shout not to shoot when she opened the door had been directed to her or to the Red Rose Killer. Either way it was a lose-lose situation.

      She sent up a silent plea to God for help. She squared her shoulders and addressed the man holding them hostage. “You’ll die, too.”

      The killer’s lips bunched up. “Then we better come to an agreement, don’t you think?”

      She met Jason’s grim gaze. Saw the trickle of sweat running down Jason’s face. How much longer could he stand there like a statue? She hoped and prayed the FBI and the sheriff would arrive soon. She’d managed to call both of them from the top of the bluff. But if they came in with guns blazing...they would all die.

      From outside the door, she heard Ginger’s soft whine. Serena was thankful she’d had Ginger stay on the porch, but the dog understood something was happening.

      “Hide,” Serena said, directing the word to Ginger, needing the dog to find safety in case the shack blew up.

      “What?” the killer asked.

      “Stay calm.” She slowly holstered her weapon and lifted her hands. “Look, I don’t know who you are. I don’t want to know who you are. I just want all of us to walk out of here alive. You can defuse the bomb and we’ll let you go. You can just walk out, and we won’t follow.”

      The man stepped into a shaft of moonlight, giving Serena her first good look at his face. She didn’t recognize him. He got up close and personal, standing almost nose-to-nose with her. The muzzle of his rifle settled in the dip of her throat between her collarbones. It took every ounce of her willpower to not flinch away.

      “I know you called for backup. I know these woods are probably filling with officers right now, but you’re my ticket to freedom.”

      “Don’t touch

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