“No,” Abigail drawled. “Jason doesn’t have the balls to kill me. Or you. While the doctors he took on might’ve been smart, they had nowhere near our intelligence. We’re probably smarter than his mama ever was.”

Jason’s face turned beet red, and he shoved the gun even harder against Haylee’s neck. She cried out, her hands lifting in the air.

“What are you doing?” Laurel hissed.

“I’m just explaining to the scared little boy with the gun that his only out is to shoot himself,” Abigail said evenly. “You and I each have more doctorates on our own than all the women he’s killed combined.”

Jason blinked. “You’re a doctor, too? Agent Snow?”

Abigail’s chuckle lacked amusement. “Several times over, Jason. Are you too dumb to know even that?”

“Stop it.” Laurel stepped in front of her sister and hip checked her so she landed back a foot. “Stay behind me and be quiet.”

“I can still see over your head,” Abigail drawled. “Mostly.”

Haylee whimpered. “I told you Dr. Caine’s study was bad for you. That she was bad for you.” A tear leaked down her face. “This isn’t your fault, Jason. None of it. She did this to you, and I’ll stand by you. Please let me go.”

Jason was staring at Laurel as if he’d never seen her before. His eyes darkened. “Maybe you’re the one.”

Abigail’s cackle stirred Laurel’s hair. “There is no one.”

“You said there was,” he spat. “You told me. You said the darkness is okay and I can let it out. Here in town where I’m safe. Where nobody will know who I am.”

Laurel’s ears heated. “What else did she tell you?”

“To deal with his anger in a healthy way.” Abigail elbowed her in the back. “He’s just a loser with mommy issues. I was only trying to help.”

“You came to me,” Jason roared. “I was in a paid study last summer that she conducted for people with insomnia. The techniques she suggested helped. Then she came to me before Christmas and told me about a new study. One about treating childhood trauma. She promised to help me become successful and get what I want.”

Abigail snorted. “Apparently what you wanted was to kill women in the snow? I’m fairly certain that wasn’t my idea.”

Laurel needed to get closer to him. She could take the shot, but she wasn’t as confident with her left hand, and she couldn’t risk Haylee’s life. “When did you start killing, Jason?”

He licked spittle off his lip and caught a piece of Haylee’s hair. Spitting it out, he grimaced. “I don’t know.”

“Was Sharon Lamber your first kill?” Laurel strained to hear any sirens. They might be coming in silent if they knew she was already inside.