“Oh, Detective Santiago, you have to help me. It’s . . . It’s Mia. She’s . . . I think she’s going to hurt someone. We’re at the lighthouse. Please come. Fast.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

MIA

“Izzy’s not even on the island, you know,” Mia said, with a calm she actually felt. The chase was over. This was no longer about predator and prey but rather opportunity. And Mia was good at opportunity.

Lacey tucked the phone away into her jacket pocket. “My sources say otherwise, darling.”

Mia hid her surprise beneath a question. “Sources?”

“You know, when you have a past to hide, it doesn’t take a lot of persuasion to agree to certain favors.”

“Ellen,” Mia said, and it wasn’t a guess. “You blackmailed her.”

“Oh, darling, that’s such a dirty word.” Lacey’s smug Cheshire cat smile was back. So pleased with herself. “She wasn’t even a challenge.”

“But I was?” Mia asked, because beneath everything else was an echo, faint but clear. You are my masterpiece.

“Deliciously so.” Lacey stepped toward her but then seemed to think better of it. There was still blood smeared in the dip between her nose and mouth from where Mia had slammed into her. “Even more now. Harder to read. But everyone has their buttons.”

“What are mine?” Mia asked. Izzy was on the island, Izzy was coming. There was no way she’d believe Lacey. All Mia had to do was stall.

“Hmmm.” Lacey tapped the barrel of her gun against her lips, thinking. “Asher. Always has been.”

Mia sucked in a breath, something slotting into place. “It was you, in the woods that first night.”

“Did you think you were going crazy?” Lacey’s voice was gleeful. “Did Detective Santiago think you were going crazy?”

Yes. To both.

“No.” Mia shook her head.

“Don’t lie, precious,” Lacey cooed. “I heard you call out his name.” She leaned forward. “It’s the guilt.”

“What else?” Mia said, ignoring the taunt. “My buttons, what else?” It was an obvious delay tactic, but Lacey didn’t seem to mind.

“Hmm, Cash,” Lacey said easily. “Though he should never have been. You were so much better than him. But he’s still there, isn’t he? Under your skin.”

Mia just smiled. “If you think so.” Anger. It was so much easier to work with. Maybe she could even provoke her enough to drop her guard.

“Oh, darling, don’t try to lie,” Lacey said smoothly, but she stepped closer. “I saw you two on the docks.”

Were you jealous? But Mia swallowed the question, loath to be predictable. She bet Lacey loved when people were predictable.

“Does he know?” Mia asked instead.

“Oh please, he’s an idiot.” Lacey’s lips twisted, dismissive. “You know he was there that night? He’s the one who stopped you from going through with it.”

Mia’s vision tunneled, her mouth tangy with her surprise. “What?”