Chapter 32 · Kyle's Last Rehearsal

"Seventeen times," Kyle said, gun steady on Emma's chest. "Seventeen times I've watched you try to run."

Emma didn't move. Mark was ten feet behind Kyle, still on the floor where Kyle had kicked him. Blood ran from Mark's temple into his eye. The shard of mirror glass was three inches from Mark's left hand. Kyle couldn't see it. Kyle never checked the floor on run seventeen.

"I'm not running," Emma said.

"No." Kyle smiled. "This time you're finally listening. Took long enough."

"You want me to listen? Fine. I'm listening."

Kyle's smile widened. He lowered the gun half an inch. "Tell me what your husband found."

"He found the list," Emma said. "The people you killed. The ones you made look like accidents."

"Not accidents." Kyle's voice went soft, proud. "Corrections. Every single one of them saw something they shouldn't have. Every single one of them was going to talk."

"So you corrected them."

"I fixed the timeline." Kyle stepped closer. Emma's spine pressed against the warehouse wall. Rust flaked onto her shoulders. "You understand now, don't you? Why I have to fix you too?"

Mark's fingers brushed the glass edge. Kyle still wasn't looking.

"I understand," Emma said.