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Prologue

Is the girl still alive?” The question caent Jonas McKall

The guy had been with the unit for just over two years, tracking killers for a hell of a lot longer—and the man really should have known better

Keith Hyde grunted and reached for his weapon “It’s day four You know the perp’s MO Two days of fun and games” Sick, twisted fk

Would the girl still be alive? Doubtful Five other bodies had already been found Young girls, in their teens, slaughtered

Katherine Daniels had disappeared from her bus stop on Monday They’d finally tracked the killer to his hole today, but the knot in Hyde’s gut told him they were too late

Always too late

“Go in slow,” he ordered, aware of the sweat trickling down his back His tea anyway The guy inside that cabin—he was s shadows for the last year

While he sliced his girls apart

“If Katherine’s alive, we can’t take the chance of spooking hi him the opportunity to finish her off

The three agents around hiave quick nods

“Sir, but what about—” Quiet, nasally, the voice grated in Hyde’s ears

But he halted and turned to face the profiler

“What about Mary Jane Hill?”

The third girl who’d gone

The profiler’s gaze darted to the wooden cabin “Her body wasn’t found…”

Hyde’s back teeth locked “Because the bastard duot to her first” They’d found the other bodies, ravaged and torn, just before the beasts had

But not Mary Jane

Hyde figured they’d never find that poor girl

“But what if—”

“She’s been gone for over three months, Brown She’s dead” The freak never broke his two-day rule

The profiler should know that

But, Broith his perfectly pressed suit and too-thick glasses, was a replaceotten one lucky-ass lead

The last profiler, Jasper Peters, had bailed on the case Jasper had co hands I can’t do this shit anymore Can’t stop the monsters—they’ll never be stopped

“Just stay back,” Hyde growled Crickets chirped in the distance and a faint light glowed from within the cabin “Stay back”

He lifted his hand Motioned to the team

And prepared to enter Hell

Hyde picked the lock on the door—snuck in as softly as a whisper As soon as he stepped inside, the stench slapped him in the face Blood and decay Rancid and thick in the air

The girl wouldn’t be found alive

He sed the bile that rose in his throat and held his weapon steady Somewhere in this pit, the killer hid

They’d ed to find the builder who’d erected the cabin over twenty years before There was a base room down below

That here the man who’d been dubbed “Romeo” waited

Hyde’s heart slaainst his chest when he saw theloosely from a chain

Keeps theone No way to escape

But the lock was open now because the bastard was having his playtime below

No more

Hyde reached for the door, yanked back the handle

The hard squeak of the rated in his ears like a scream