Page 109 of When He Plays

“Not like I could let Evelyn live. She would have told you too much. Though it should be noted,” the disguised voice told her, “that Evelyn did not know that I intended to abduct Harper. All Evelyn thought she was doing was delivering champagne and making an offer to Harper. She was paid to do the job. She did it. She also didn’t know that your champagne was drugged. Don’t want you blaming the poor, dead woman for sins that weren’t hers.”

“No.” A quick swallow. “You just want me to feel guilty as hell because I didn’t save her. You want me to know she was a victim, not a villain, so that you can twist the knife inside of me even deeper.”

The shower water had just stopped, hadn’t it?

“I can’t wait to twist my knife in you, Charlotte. Just the thought fills me with delight.”

She was sure it did. Sick creep. “Where are you? Let’s make this meeting happen.”

“I’m in the hotel. Your hotel. Room 1648.”

For a moment, her heart stopped. That room—1648 was Jamar’s room. She’d seen the numbers on the door herself when she’d visited him. A glance at the bedside clock told her it was nearing four a.m. Jamar should be in his room, asleep. “Do not hurt him.”

“Too late.”

She leapt out of bed. Frantic, Charlotte yanked open the nightstand drawer and grabbed the gun that was inside.

The bathroom door opened.

“Charlotte?” Logan’s voice. “What’s happening?”

The light from the lamp near the bed shone so brightly. It allowed her to see him, wearing just a towel that he’d knotted around his hips, and it let him see her. Stark naked. Holding a gun and gripping the phone to her ear.

The voice on the other end of the line asked her, “Do you value your partner’s life?”

“You know I do,” she snapped back. Jamar is a great man. A loving father. A devoted husband. Do not hurt him.

“Excellent. Then take the gun in your hand…”

How did he know that she was holding a gun?

“And fire it at Logan. Shoot him now. Kill the bastard.”

He knows I have the gun in my hand. He could only know that if⁠—

He’s watching. That stunning realization made her sick. Because if he could see her now, then he’d seen her when she made love with Logan.

When they’d first come to the bedroom, the lights had been on when she and Logan got lost to pleasure. It had only been later that Logan had turned off the lights. Later that they’d curled together in the dark.

“Did you hear me? Shoot. Him.”

She did not aim her weapon at Logan.

Concern flooded Logan’s features. “Baby.” He did not move from the doorway. “What’s going on?”

Maybe he’s not watching. Maybe he’s just guessing. Profiling me the way I profiled him. Grabbing a weapon would be an instinctive response to the threat the perp posed.

The perp sighed. “You are going to make me do something bad, Charlotte.” Still rasping and distorted. “Aim the fucking gun at your lover. Shoot. Him.”

“I’m not killing Logan.” They could be one hundred percent clear on that.

Logan’s eyes widened. “Good to know,” he muttered.

She would never kill him.

I love him.

She also loved her partner. In a very, very different way. But she loved him and she was not going to let Jamar die. Charlotte just had to figure this out. She needed a plan. She needed help.