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“No?” His hands clanked back on the table. “I don’t believe you.” Laughter. “See how that feels? Sucks, doesn’t it? When no one believes you. But, hey, guess what? I have help this time. I have people who believe me. People who are working to get my ass out of here. I got a whole college class eager to see me walk free.”

Hunter let go of Shelby’s shoulder.

She missed the warmth of his touch.

But he just edged around the table a bit, moving closer to Nate. “A whole college class, huh? A class run by Professor Gabriel Parker?”

A smile played at Nate’s lips.

“Is that what he told you?” Hunter questioned. “That he wanted to help you? Is that what Tiffany told you, too? Because it’s bullshit. Gabriel doesn’t want to help you. He wants to use you. You’re one of his high-level predators.”

Nate’s eyelids flickered.

“Ah, heard that term before, have you? I’m guessing Gabriel wanted to interview you for his project—because he thinks you’re guilty as fuck—but you didn’t want to be labeled as a high-level predator because that’s just not the kind of descriptor that works in an appeals process.”

“No,” Shelby chimed in to say. “That can’t work well.”

“So Gabriel used the bait that he knew would work well for you. A pretty little co-ed. Just your type, am I right? He got her to act like she was going to help you⁠—”

“Tiffany was going to help. She knew I was not guilty.” Spittle rocketed from his mouth.

“No, that’s not what she knew. She thought you were guilty as fuck. But she knew another predator was still out there. That’s what her project was really all about. That’s why she was killed. Because she was asking questions and closing in on your partner from all of those years ago.”

Shelby didn’t argue with Hunter. She figured he was just misleading Nate to get a reaction. After all, Tiffany had written NOT GUILTY on her murder wall. But…

“Tiffany thought I wasn’t guilty. That’s what she wrote on her wall,” Nate snarled.

Hunter flattened his hands on the table.

“Sir, don’t get so close to the suspect,” the tall guard warned.

But Hunter leaned toward Nate. “How would you know what she wrote on that wall? I don’t think that was in any news update. Someone had to tell you. Someone who saw it. You know, looking back, it was weird that she’d written that on the photo of you. I wonder if it was even her handwriting.”

“Shamus talked to me on the phone. He wanted my reaction to hearing the news. He told me what was found in Tiffany’s room. Said he was gonna follow-up today when he saw me.”

“How would Shamus know?” Shelby asked. She hadn’t seen him at the Desoto Dormitory.

“Because he had a cop who gave him info.” Nate’s teeth snapped together. “This is bullshit. Next thing I know, you’ll be saying I killed Tiffany.” He jerked hard on the shackles. “When I’m trapped here.”

“Maybe you gave the order.” Hunter’s voice was low and hard. “You’re the dominant in the killing team, aren’t you? You gave the order. Eliminate her. Eliminate anyone she talked with for her project who might have helped her figure out the truth. The truth being that you were always guilty as hell.” He leaned even closer to Nate. “You’re not getting out. Your appeals will all fail. In fact, you might even be convicted as an accessory to the new crimes in Hathaway. Really sucks to be you, doesn’t it?”

A guttural bellow erupted from Nate. He lunged up, and because Hunter was close enough, he was able to shove his cuffed hands into Hunter’s chest.

He struck first.

Before the guards could intervene, Hunter attacked. A fast punch to Nate’s jaw. A hard drive to his gut that had Nate barreling over. Another hit—a brutal punch to the face that made bones crunch. Nate toppled back and hit the floor. Hunter crowded down over him. Hunter’s fists flew fast and viciously, and Shelby jumped to her feet, jarred by the sudden violence.

The guards had to pull Hunter off Nate. They could barely get him to move. Hunter kicked back with his foot, driving it into Nate’s stomach.

Nate spat blood on the floor. “You bastard!”

The scene shifted before her eyes…

Nate spat blood on the floor of the kitchen. “You bitch!” He lunged at her with the knife.

“Stop it! Stop it!” The guard’s snarling voice. “Lady, call him off!”

She shook from her stupor. “Hunter?”