Simon Says Die

allowing Damon to go free.
    She crept toward the backdoor, hoping to catch Damon by surprise.
    â€œI didn’t really think you’d come.”
    Before Madison could react, Damon’s arms were suddenly around her, crushing her back against his chest. His hot breath tickled the hairs on the side of her neck, sending a shudder of revulsion coursing through her.
    â€œLet me go. You don’t have to hold on to me. I came here to see you of my own free will.”
    â€œTrue, you did. Surprised me quite a bit when I saw you creeping through the bushes out front. I didn’t think it would be this easy to get you here. But that doesn’t mean I trust you. Let’s get inside.”
    She stiffened against him, and he laughed as he forced her through the door into the back hallway and into the mudroom.
    When he let her go to shut the door, she dug into her pocket for the Colt .380 hidden there.
    â€œUh-uh-uh,” he clucked as he wrestled it away from her. “I’ll take this.” He ran a hand across her body, making her squirm away in disgust when his hands squeezed her breasts.
    â€œWhat’s this?” he asked as his hand pressed against her midsection.
    The electronic recorder she’d brought with her. She tried to wiggle out of his arms but he was too strong. He shoved his hand into her front pocket and pulled out the recorder.
    He eyed it with scorn. “What did you hope to do with this? Wring a confession out of me and record it? Send me to prison?”
    â€œIt was a thought.”
    He grinned and held the recorder up to his mouth like a microphone. “I confess that I killed Madison’s father.” He shoved the recorder into his own pocket. “It doesn’t matter what’s on that recording. No one’s ever going to hear it. Besides, I’m not the only guilty party here. You tried to kill me. You shot me, or don’t you remember?”
    â€œI wish I’d killed you that night.”
    â€œI’m sure you do. Good thing for me your aim was off. You only winged me.”
    He pushed her down the hall toward her home office. She balked, and he gave her a rough shove, driving her to her knees. Biting back a yelp of pain, she gritted her teeth and moved into the front room.
    â€œHow did you keep getting into my house?” she asked. “How did you get into it tonight, without tripping the alarm?”
    He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. Attached to the key ring was a security fob, like the one she used to have that had broken.
    â€œIt pays to have friends in the security alarm industry,” he said, “especially when the security company is the same one who changed your locks.” He pocketed the key ring.
    She glanced around the room, trying to play up her nervousness so that he wouldn’t feel threatened by her. Inside she was seething, and yearning to yank her other gun out of her ankle holster. But unless Damon lowered his guard, he’d shoot her before she had a chance.
    â€œWould you quit pointing that thing at me? You could accidentally shoot me.”
    â€œLike you shot me?” he sneered. He held the gun out in front of him, aiming it at her. There was no way he would miss at this range. “What? No pleading? You’re not going to beg my forgiveness and tell me you didn’t mean to shoot me?”
    â€œOf course I meant to shoot you. You were trying to leave, and I wanted to stop you. I wanted you to pay for killing my father. ”
    â€œTell me, dear wife, what did you think when my body was found—without a bullet in it? Did you realize I was still alive or did you just assume the bullet was lost in the fire?”
    â€œI . . . wasn’t sure.”
    He stalked toward her and leaned down in her face. “Does your boyfriend know you tried to kill your husband?”
    â€œHe knows I shot you. If I was trying to kill you, you’d be dead. I never miss what I aim at. Why did you marry me if it was all a lie?”
    â€œI don’t suppose you would believe I was in love with you.” He shook his head at her disbelieving expression. “I didn’t think so.” He shrugged. “I don’t know that I’ll ever love anyone, but I cared about you, enough not to kill you like I’ve done every other woman in my life. I wanted you to be happy, and if your dad had died when he was supposed to all of this could have been