Alisanded the final blow. Maybe she hadn''t meant to, but her fingerprints were all over the de now. She was in it-there was no way to deny it.


    Harry burst outughing, wild and unhinged, riding the adrenaline high that onlyes after murder. The thrill of it lit him up from the inside.


    He let go of Alisa. She crumpled to the ground, her hand brushing against the corpse. A sharp scream tore from her lips as she recoiled, shaking so hard she could barely stay upright.


    "What are you screaming for? Want the cops toe running? Want everyone to know you killed somebody?" Harry sneered, the smile on his face twisted and cruel. "Face it, Alisa, you''re in this just as deep as me. There''s no walking away now." His voice dropped to a dangerous murmur. "Admit it, doesn''t it make you feel alive? Next time, I''ll let you take the lead. Tonight was just practice.”


    Alisa stared at him, and in that moment, it hit her-she''d made a deal with the devil.


    Her mind was spinning, fear flooding every inch of her. Through chattering teeth, she managed, "Why did you do it? Why did you kill her?"


    Harry shrugged, wearing the look of someone who thought he was doing the world a favor. “She deserved it. Scamming guys for their money-she had iting, don''t you think?"


    Alisa remembered their very first conversation, the way Harry had talked about women who used men. She''d guessed he had a thing against them, and now she knew she''d been right.


    Headlights swept across them. A car wasing. Harry grabbed Alisa''s arm, moving with the confidence of someone who''d done this before, and hustled them away-knife and all.


    They ducked into an empty alley.


    Alisa eyed the short, unimpressive man in front of her. She was terrified he''d turn on her too. "I won''t say a word," she blurted. "I swear, I''ll keep quiet."


    "We''re in this together," Harry replied calmly. "If you want to go to prison, go ahead-turn yourself in. Otherwise, you keep your mouth shut."


    Alisa''s mind shed to the string of murders Jason, the detective, had been investigatingtely. Her voice was barely more than a whisper. "Those murders— was that you?"


    Harry didn''t even hesitate. "Yeah. All of them. They all deserved it. I''m just cleaning up the trash. Stick with me, Alisa. The first kill is always the hardest. After that, it gets easier. You''ll see."


    Alisa couldn''t connect this fishmonger from the market-the guy who always gave her a good deal on snapper-with a serial killer.


    Harry rented a stall at the market, selling fish. Alisa always bought from him, sometimes getting discounts or even freebies. She''d been a little pleased, thinking he liked her, soaking up the tiny bit of ego boost it gave her.


    Now she realized he hadn''t wanted her heart, just herplicity.


    While Alisa''s thoughts churned, Harry knelt under a tree and dug up a ck duffel bag stuffed with cash. "Here. Stick with me and you''ll never worry about bills again. No more dodging collection calls, no more inw drama. You really want to go back to that life?"


    The sight of money jolted Alisa. She snatched the bag, thinking of her bleak existence. She was already an aplice-there was no turning back.


    "I''ll do it," she said, her voice taut with anger. "You help me get rid of Monica-the woman I pointed out to youst time and I''m in. I hate her. I can''t stand watching her have it all."


    Harry wiped the knife clean, thinking it over. "That Monica? She''s with that detective, right? He''s been getting too close. Maybe it''s time he learned a lesson. Sounds like a fair trade."


    Alisa''s heart beat quick and hard. "When?"


    He grinned. "Soon. I''ll make sure she doesn''t see another sunrise. For now,e


    by the market tomorrow I''ll save you a couple of fresh fish."


    With that, Harry strolled off, leaving Alisa rooted to the spot, numb and dazed. By the time she dragged herself home, the sun wasing up. As soon as she walked in the door her mother-inw, Malia, was waiting with arms crossed and a look that could curdle milk.


    "Out all night, huh? Where were you this time? Qut whoring around?" Malia spat the words, every syble dripping with contempt. Ever since Alisa had mortgaged the house to cover her debts, Malia and Daniel had made her life a living hell.