Because they would need the patsy alive. They would need someone to pin the murders on.
And just like that he figured it out. Four women had died as nothing but a smoke screen for the one the killer really wanted. Terry Mills was damn good at deflection.
“I know where Karina is.”
* * * *
Karina fought her way back to consciousness. The sedative he’d given her made her head throb. She came to, shivering and unable to move her arms. Damn. She could feel the ropes against her skin. He’d been working for a while, it seemed. Cool air hit her flesh and nausea rolled. Naked. She was naked and trussed up in a not pleasant way.
Through the aching in her head, she tried to remember what had happened. Someone had drugged her. Starr. She was going to get so much hell from the guys for letting that happen. She’d been distracted. Will had shown up. He’d told her to run and then she’d seen Terry.
Terry was the monster. Terry was the one who had tied her up. If she didn’t get out of here, Terry would be the one who killed her.
How much time had passed?
“Don’t even try to move, bitch.” His voice was hard, deeper than she remembered, but then he’d hidden a lot from her.
“What are you doing?” She stayed as still as she could, but she could feel ropes around her wrists. He’d bound them tight. Too tight. She couldn’t feel her hands. Her shoulders were pulled and twisted. It was a perversion of what Derek did to her. Derek wrapped her up like a work of art. Derek made her feel safe and beautiful, as though it was his arms around her. This had been done to restrict her, to hurt her, to hold her down for the kill. How far had he gotten?
She forced her eyes open. The world was still blurry. Lights. She could see them, but they were like halos, making the rest of the world fuzzy. Stay calm. Beyond her head throbbing, she didn’t feel a ton of pain.
“What am I doing? I’m dealing with a problem, Karina. You always were a problem.” He came into view, his face frowning down at her.
“I don’t understand.” Her voice was a little slurred, but she was sure of one thing. She had to keep him talking. She had to take stock. Her hands were tied behind her back, but it felt like her legs were still free. From mid-thigh down she seemed to have some movement. She could use that. She just needed to get a little more control back.
Where the hell was she?
“You don’t understand that you corrupted my whole family?” He reached down and slapped her across the face. “Wake up, bitch, because I have a few things to say to you before I put you down.”
Pain flared, but it did a damn fine job of making her head clear up. Calm down. Breathe. Think. She could beat him.
“How did I corrupt Kevin? I loved Kevin.” Keep him talking because Derek was looking for her. He wouldn’t let hours pass. He would call in the cavalry and figure out where she was. He would be here and she had to be alive when he busted down the door.
“My brother was a hero and you turned him into a freak. Sometimes I’m glad he died because you would have brought him down, you junkie whore. It was bad enough you did all those drugs, but did you have to make him into a freak?”
“He wasn’t a freak. He was a good man.” And now that she was here, she could see she’d dishonored her former Master by building walls around herself. He might not have been as deeply affectionate as Derek, but he had loved her. He had given her everything he had. Kevin wouldn’t want her to mourn him for the rest of her life. He wouldn’t want her to hide. He was proud of her. He’d never hidden her past from his family and friends and co-workers because he thought it proved how strong she was.
“He was a good man until he met you. He arrested you. He should have sent you to fucking jail.”
He had the first time. Then one night he’d found her huddling in a building where a bunch of homeless kids had taken refuge. The NYPD had busted the entire place, but he’d led her out to his squad car and she’d been shocked when he took her to his house instead. In the morning, he’d taken her to rehab.
You got one shot at this, kid. You get through this and I’ll put you up at my place. I’ll make sure you go to school. You don’t and I will take you in next time.
She’d asked him why and he’d told her nothing so beautiful should be allowed to rot and that’s what she’d do in jail. He’d told her she’d never gotten a chance, so he would make sure she got one. When she’d gotten out of rehab, he’d been true to his word. He’d gotten her through her GED. He hadn’t touched her for two months. He’d given her space to find her footing. She’d had to kiss him the first time.