Shattered (LOST #3)(75)

“He’d been selling drugs! He was going to hurt—”

“Eliza Mayo—”

“She was a prostitute, Sarah. She was sick and she was—”

“Jennings White—”

“That bastard was corrupt. He was taking away money that was mine—”

“There was always a reason that you could come up with, but the simple truth is that you just wanted to kill. You came up with excuses so you wouldn’t have to admit to yourself . . . you’re a murderer, Dad. Murphy the Monster. You killed when the urge came to you.”

He was silent. A faint line of red stained his cheeks.

Most serial killers had preferred victim types. All blond women with blue eyes. Or college-age girls or—hell, a type. But her father had claimed victims of all ages, all races, and all sexes. That was one of the reasons he’d been so hard to catch. The cops had thought they were looking for multiple killers.

Not just one man.

“I thought you knew me better than this, Sarah.” The beam of pride was gone. He shook his head, disappointment slumping his shoulders. But . . . did he really feel disappointment? Did he really feel anything?

Or was he just pretending?

“Do you love me?” Sarah heard herself ask.

“Of course,” he said instantly. “You are the only thing that matters to me.”

“Then help me.” She couldn’t look away from him. “This man is coming for me. He wants to hurt me. He knows how to rig bombs and he knows how to fire a gun from a moving vehicle. He’s got training—”

“Sounds military,” her father said.

Because, yes, he’d been the one to teach her how to profile long before she’d studied psychiatry.

“He’s a white male, probably in his thirties, maybe early forties.” Because he was fit and strong. “He has blond hair. Blue eyes . . .”

Her father grunted. “Sounds like the guy next to you.”

Jax leaned forward and put his hands on the table.

“Nice tats,” her father murmured. Sarah shook her head. “Who does this perp match to? Who did you take from him?”

Her father glanced back at her.

“The blond man with military training. I gave you his description, his age. He’s in New Orleans now, but he could have been anywhere before.” And that was key because her father had crossed state lines. Another smart way to avoid detection. When the kills were spaced so far apart, it had been harder for the authorities to connect the dots and find their perp. “You took someone away from him, and now, Dad, he’s trying to take me away from you.”

Her father’s focus shifted to Jax.

“Not him,” Sarah said. “Dad, dammit, look at me! Tell me! I know there’s another victim out there. One that links to the man after me. I need that victim’s name. Give me the name, and then I can find this guy. I can unmask him, and I can stop him!” If her father would just give her a name.

“I never forget a face,” her father said.

“Dad . . .” He was still staring at Jax.

“I’ve seen your face, son.”

Jax stiffened. “We’ve never met. I don’t think I would forget you.” Anger hummed there, slicing in his words. Then Jax reached for Sarah’s hand. His fingers squeezed hers.

Sarah had often doubted her father’s emotions but when she saw rage burn in his eyes right then—she knew that emotion was real.

“I want you to get away from him, Sarah,” her father said in a voice that was low and intense. Then he shouted, “Guards! Guards! Escort my daughter out of here, now.”

They immediately stepped forward. When the Monster said jump, even the guards moved.

But Sarah didn’t.

“You can’t trust him,” her father said with a slow shake of his head. “Get away. Now. Go back to your LOST friends . . . go back to them, Sarah.”

Sarah didn’t move. “Jax is with me. I’m—”

“You look a whole lot like him.” His cuffed hands pointed to Jax.

Jax was frowning at her father. “Like who?”

“He screamed, in the end. Wanted to die.”

Sarah didn’t know who he was talking about then, but she wanted to push her father more so she said, “The man after me . . . he told me that he’d make Molly beg for death. He wanted her to beg before she died. When she didn’t beg, he didn’t kill her.” Her fingers were shaking so she balled them up in her lap. “Remind you of anyone?”

And, just like that, the rage vanished from her father’s eyes. All of the emotion just winked away. “If they ask to die, then where’s the crime? It’s just like putting an animal out of its misery.” His head turned, almost snakelike, as he gazed at Jax once more. “Isn’t that right, Jax Fontaine?”

Sarah stood up. “You’re not going to help me. You’re just going to let him keep attacking me. Keep coming until, what? He kills me?” Her hands were fisted at her sides. “Come on, Jax. We’re leaving. We’re—”

Sarah stopped. She stared down at her father. Jax was rising beside her. Standing so close. Normally, he made her feel warm, but, right then, she was ice cold. “I never told you Jax’s last name.”