Total pages in book: 185
Estimated words: 180510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 903(@200wpm)___ 722(@250wpm)___ 602(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 180510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 903(@200wpm)___ 722(@250wpm)___ 602(@300wpm)
Emotion punches me so hard, my eyes can barely see past the burning tears in them. “Fuck you … Josie.” My words break into pieces as I barely get them out in a whisper.
As I take a step forward.
As I take her into my arms.
As I support her when her knees wobble beneath her.
As my lips press to her thinning hair.
I don’t even have to blink for the tears to release.
She doesn’t wrap her arms around me. Maybe she can’t.
It wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t by chance. I met Layla so that our path would bring us to this exact CVS pharmacy at six o’clock on this very Saturday night. So I would find my Artemis.
Josie was wrong. She isn’t a star. She is the galaxy.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
The Wedding
Reagan unzips my dress. I turn and press my palms to her face. She’s fighting tears. So am I. We are strong for each other.
“I love you. Okay?”
Her lower lip quivers. She’s so brave. She will get Colten through this life. Of that, I have no doubt.
When she gives me a tiny nod, I press my lips to her forehead. It’s warm, as it should be. She has so much life in her. “Bye, beautiful girl.”
A quick change, an Uber, a stop at home, and a long drive across town later, I arrive at Felix Trevino’s house. It’s a traditional, stone front two-story with a white mailbox that matches the snow and a neatly shoveled drive. Before I ring the doorbell, I kick some snow off my boots.
More than one dog barks before the door opens a crack. “Josie?”
I rub my hands together to keep warm. “Are you going to invite me in or leave me out here to freeze to death?”
Felix shoos the dogs away and opens the door. “I’ve never seen you with short hair.”
I step inside and remove my boots while the dogs sniff me. “I’ve never seen you with no hair.”
He frowns. “There wasn’t much left, so I shaved it.”
“Happy New Year, by the way. It’s been a while.”
“Uh … yeah. To what do I owe the honor?”
I shuffle my socked feet over his hardwood floor, snooping around his main level. “Is your wife home?”
“She’s out of town for a week.”
“Well, isn’t that perfect,” I murmur.
“Josie, I’m not trying to be rude, but are you going to tell me what you’re doing here? Are you looking for something?”
I turn, just inside his kitchen. “No. Sorry. Just checking the place out. You’ve done quite well for yourself. I read that you’re chief of cardiology, and you married the hospital administrator’s daughter. Well done. Glad I could help.” I offer him an exaggerated smile despite my heart bleeding out in my chest.
This is my wedding day. I’m supposed to be marrying the only man I’ve ever loved. Instead, I’m here, cashing in on a favor owed to me.
Felix turns a little paler than he already was.
“It’s payback time.”
Felix’s mom died while he was a first-year resident under me, the chief resident. He spiraled downhill with alcohol and drugs. I got him help instead of getting him kicked out of the program. I covered his ass on multiple occasions. He knows he owes his career to my grace.
“What do you need? A job? I heard you were out of a job. Is it true that you knew the whereabouts of those girls’ bodies?”
“It’s true.”
“And you think you were one of them in another life?” He gives me an unblinking expression like there’s a right answer to his question.
I’m about to fail the test. “No.” I smile.
Felix relaxes a fraction. Relief washes over his face.
“I was the killer. I was Winston Jeffries.”
He’s well over six feet, but Felix’s back straightening with my answer puts him another inch or so taller. “What’s the favor?” He clears his throat. His words are rushed like I stopped by for a quick cup of sugar that he can quickly give me before sending me on my merry way. Debt fulfilled.
“I need you to kill me.”
Felix’s lips part a fraction while he blinks slowly. Then he chuckles. “What?”
“If it makes you feel better, I also want you to bring me back to life.”
His brow furrows, head inching side to side. “Have you lost your mind?”
“Yes. But I’d like it back. And I’m hoping if that happens, it will be mine and only mine.”
“Josie …” He scratches the back of his smooth head and chuckles again. “I don’t understand. But I think you’ve got the wrong guy for whatever job you need help with. Have you looked into counseling?”
“I didn’t save any counselor’s career. Just yours.”
“So payback for me is life in prison? For what? Why the hell would you want to die again? You realize the stats on resuscitation aren’t exactly in your favor, right?”
“Yes, I know. But here’s the thing, I see dead little girls. I see him—me—poisoning them. Sadly, with the passing of time, these visions or recollections have only gotten worse. To the point that I don’t fully trust myself. Some days I have trouble separating the two lives. If I can’t erase these memories, then I can’t do this.”