RESOLUTION [BOOK II] | JENLISA

TWENTY-TWO

LISA

***

PRESENT DAY

The therapist needed to die.

I didn’t understand why Jennie couldn’t see that. She was a liability. We’d gone to see her with the understanding that we were scoping her out, trying to learn what we could about her before we eventually killed her.

It was unfortunate, but necessary.

We booked our session under the guise of needing couple’s therapy, but we were just biding our time.

Coach Chris had disappeared just a month earlier, and so far, no one seemed to be questioning it too much.

But the fact that he had a girlfriend—from what we could tell, that’s all she was—meant eventually, she would start asking questions that would get the police’s attention. If we could take her out before then, it would save us all the headache.

It was why we’d gotten off so easily with Taehyung, but Stefan’s disappearance had caused a full-on investigation. With my personal victims, I’d never had any true connection to them, and there was nothing to lead the police to me, but with Chris, all the evidence they’d need could surely be found if they only looked hard enough.

I didn’t regret it—not even slightly.

I’d do it a million times over, even knowing I was going to jail if it meant protecting Maisy from this predator. But still, if I had a choice, obviously not being found out was my preference.

That was why I went back to see Joanna St. James alone a few days after our first joint session. I wanted to know more about her, and fast.

She walked out of her office and saw me sitting on her couch.

Waiting for her.

She recognized me; I saw it in her eyes. She smiled with a warmth that reminded me of Christmas morning. There was a real beauty to her—something special. Something I couldn’t fully appreciate when Jennie was there.

“Lizzie.” My name was a full sentence on her lips, without having to consult her schedule. She knew me. She was happy to see me. “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I said. Cool. Casual. I stood, extending my hand. “Sorry to drop in like this.” I gestured toward her secretary. “Taylor said you had an opening, and I thought I’d try to get a one-on-one session. I mean, if that’s okay?”

“Of course it is.” She pushed open the door to her office and allowed me to walk past her. As I did, I inhaled the scent of her. Clean, like soap and a light lotion. Not too much. Just enough.

I liked that.

She shut the door behind her and I sank down onto the couch where Jennie and I had sat during our session.

“So, what can I do for you, Lizzie?” I liked the way my name sounded coming out of her mouth. She sat down across from me. She was more comfortable today. Happier. Because it was just us.

No distractions.

She leaned back on the couch, elbow bent on the arm of it so she could rest her head on her fist.

“Well, I just thought…as much as I agree we need couple’s therapy, Annie and I both have issues to work on by ourselves, too.” I bobbed my head sideways, admitting, “Her more than me, maybe.”

She didn’t smile at my joke.

“Anyway…” I cleared my throat. “I thought if I started coming for private sessions, I could convince her to do the same.”

“I see…” She adjusted her skirt, and I couldn’t help but think she wanted me to notice her legs. “Well, I’m happy to help you however I can. But I do think it’s important that you communicate with Annie the fact that you’re doing these sessions.”

“Of course,” I assured her.

“Okay, great. Should we get started then?”

She liked when I told her what to do.

“Yes. I’d like that.”

She smiled.

She’d liked that, too.