Page 85 of Killer Clone

“Trevor, you need to put those weapons down. It’s not too late.”

The young man laughed at Hagen’s order. He was excited. “You’re right, it’s not. Everyone can get out of here safely. Except you two. That’s the deal.”

Stella shifted to the left edge of the table. If Hagen went right and she went left, one of them might get a clean shot.

McAuley backed toward the wall, dragging Father Ted with him. His gun pressed against the priest’s ribs. “So what’s it gonna be? Your lives or his?” He reached the corner of the room. He had no way out.

And they had no easy way to take him down. They’d have to talk their way out of this problem.

“Trevor.” Father Ted’s voice trembled. “Is that your name? Trevor? Why don’t you tell me what you want. Maybe we can?—”

The deranged young man laughed at him. “We can what?It’s very simple. There’s no other way out of this. None of this is on me, you hear that? None of it.”

Stella knew this moment. Trevor McAuley wanted to talk. He needed to be heard. And that was fine by her. If he was talking, he wasn’t killing.

She grabbed onto that thread. “Okay, that’s fine. Why is it not on you?”

His grip tightened on the priest. “I have to do this. I have to! It’s for my future.”

That laugh again. Excited.

But what did he mean? His future?

Before she could ask, he went on. “I’m not like Mrs. King. I don’t care about that redemption bullshit.”

Stella stayed calm, patient. “You and Mrs. King killed Laurence Gill and Mark Tully?”

“That’s right.” His tone was almost conversational. “She had this idea one day that Laurence was the key to salvation. I never bought into it, but I’d do anything for her. And Mark…well, that was just for fun.”

Hagen’s jaw clenched. “Is this a game?”

McAuley grinned. “Nah. Furthest thing from it. But some people are worth more than others, that’s just the truth.”

Stella eased left, inching toward a shot.

McAuley didn’t notice. He was too caught up in his own voice.

“What about Patrick?”

“Bait. Something to lure you two back home.”

Bait. For her and Hagen.

But why?

Stella tightened her hands on her weapon. She wanted to shoot him there and then. If he just moved a little, she could take him.

And they’d struggle to catch the other players. She needed to keep him distracted. “And Otto Walker?”

McAuley scoffed. “Otto was my assistant. Or so I thought. He had this method…said he had a better way to take the blood we needed. We used his little trick on Patrick. Then Otto got cold feet.” His lip curled. “Can’t have that. Either you’re in, or you’re out.”

“So you killed him.”

“I did. I had too. But Otto didn’t matter. Or Patrick. It was you I wanted. Both of you. Then I’ll get paid and get out of here. No one from my old life will ever find me again.”

Paid.

Who was paying him?