Page 66 of Viper

“Troy said you found a lead? I hope that means you have an idea where Craig is.”

Havoc carried his coffee to the table and sat across from her. “Not quite. But we’ve figured out how he’s managed to evade police thus far.”

“How?”

“He seems to have one of the officers in his pocket,” Troy said, approaching the table.

She sipped her coffee and listened while the guys explained Craig’s ties to the area. The warm drink curdled in her belly as they spoke.

“Another thing,” Troy said, clearing his throat. “There was an incident at Craig’s college the year he graduated.” He looked at Havoc with hesitation before reluctantly meeting her gaze.

“Well now you have to tell me,” she said, hunching her shoulders. Maybe she shouldn’t press. After all, she knew enough about the sick man who was after her. More stories wouldn’t help her sleep at night.

Troy cleared his throat. “He wasn’t charged with anything. But a young woman was brutally raped and murdered off campus.”

“Ugh.” She covered her ears with her hands, wishing she could chase the words from her head. Tears stung her eyes.

Then her blood turned to acid. She hated him. Before, she’d just wanted Craig to pay for what he’d done to Annamay and her. But now there was another victim from decades ago—which meant there were likely more women since.

Some perhaps too afraid to come forward. If they’d even lived.

“Paige?” Troy’s fingers curled gently around her wrist.

Blinking away the unshed tears of frustration, she forced a shaky smile and glanced at the empty chair where Havoc had been. She hadn’t even realized he’d left the room. “I’m fine.”

“We’re going to get him.”

She inhaled slowly through her nose for strength. “I know.”

“Here’s what’s going to happen. Havoc’s making some calls now. We managed to track down a couple of Craig’s college friends. It’s worth a shot to see if either of them will speak to us.”

“Then?”

He placed a fist on the table. A muscle in his jaw jumped. “Then I pay a visit to Officer Hedley.”

She curled her lip. “Why would he talk to you? He’s not going to admit that he’s letting Craig slide. I mean . . .”

He rested his forearms on the table and leaned close. “Because I’m real fucking good at making men bleed until they talk.” He spoke each word slowly, his brow folded into a cold, dangerous line and the corner of his mouth curled with menace.

When she was with Troy, it was easy to forget why his callsign was Viper. Atlas had told her he’d earned it because he didn’t hesitate when he struck.

And because his bite was merciless.

None of that should’ve caused a delicious shiver to rush over her skin.

But god help her, it did.

Chapter Seventeen

“That was years ago. I-I don’t remember.” Veronica Welp’s statement leaked through the phone like terror-soaked sludge.

Troy sat next to Havoc at the dining room table. Paige was in the shower. He hadn’t wanted her to overhear the conversations with Craig’s college friends.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. It wasn’t as if they’d expected to get any leads about Craig’s whereabouts from this woman, but the smallest bit of information might help.

“Listen, Veronica,” he said, his tone curt. “Craig’s going to be dealt with real soon.” By bullets. “He’s a murderer. He nearly killed my girlfriend and is suspected of murdering a young woman here in Florida. Alls I want to know is if he has any friends from college that he might still speak to in the area.”

They’d learned through research that Veronica had moved to California after graduating and was now divorced with two kids.