Free The Killing Edge by Heather Graham

would—or could—get it right in the future.
    Brad caught her staring and lifted a brow. “Why the serious look?”
    “Just thinking, you two are getting kind of old for a life of nonstop partying and debauchery,” Chloe teased.
    “Excuse me,” Brad said, “but what’s so wrong with appreciating beautiful women?” He smiled. “Luckily for us, there will be at least twelve of them on the calendar shoot.”
    “Speaking of, you are doing the shoot with me, right?” Victoria asked Chloe. “Myra told me that she’s reserved June for you, so if you’re not interested, you need to tell her right away.” Victoria smiled. “Myra really loves your look. When you think of all the women who try to get hired by the agency, it’s really cool that she’s offered you a spot.”
    Chloe laughed. “Was that a compliment, or are you wondering why she’d choose me?”
    Victoria laughed. “It was a compliment. Cross my heart and hope to die. It’s just that you don’t care, and so many people do. I heard her talking to Harry Lee last night, and she was wishing you’d take a greater interest in a modeling career, and he agreed.”
    “But you are going to be Miss June, right?” Brad asked.
    “Yes,” Chloe said. “Yes, I’ll do it.” She’d been hoping she would be asked. She needed to be a part of things so she could get onto the island and see what was going on. And Stuckey didn’t need to be afraid for her; she would be in the company of dozens of other people the whole time.
    Of course, Colleen Rodriguez had been in the company of those same people, a little voice nagged. Then again, no one had been suspicious then; there had been no need to be. This time everyone would have their guard up.
    “And if anyone comes after you, you can just hit them with that jujitsu stuff you do,” Brad said, then grew suddenly pensive. “Not that even that would have helped…then.”
    For a moment she had no idea what to say. Finally she managed to mumble, “Mixed martial arts. I do mixed-martial arts.”
    He reached across the table, touching her hand. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up the past, not really,” he said huskily.
    Chloe shrugged and squeezed his hand in return. “You just took me by surprise, that’s all. It doesn’t bother me to talk about it. In fact, I do talk about it now and then. I still don’t believe the finale, though.”
    “Why not?” Victoria asked, frowning. “They found the guys. They were dead.”
    “Two guys, dead, and a suicide note taking full blame in the name of the Church of the Real People? I’m sorry—the rest of the world may have bought it. I still don’t,” Chloe said.
    Jared cleared his throat. “Chloe, the experts said it was a ritualistic murder and that it all made sense. And I dida lot of research into cults myself, after that, and I have to agree.”
    “The church officials were horrified, and of course their membership really dropped,” Brad said.
    Chloe looked back at Brad. They’d all grown up going to the same beautiful church in the Grove. She had found comfort in returning to that church, but Brad and Jared had gone in the opposite direction. It made her feel sad that Brad, in particular, had lost something that had once meant so much to him.
    “Earth to Chloe, you’re staring at me,” Brad told her.
    “Sorry,” she said. “But I still don’t buy it.”
    “Chloe, you’re the one whose sketch ID’d the one guy,” Brad said.
    “The dead man was one of the killers, yes. I just don’t think it stopped with the two of them.”
    “Chloe,” Jared said, “if there had been someone else—a Charles Manson or whatever—the killing wouldn’t have ended when it did.”
    “I know what you’re saying makes sense, but I’ve just never believed it, that’s all.” She picked up her menu to end the conversation. “I’m thinking waffles, but the eggs Benedict are really good, too.”
    She could feel her friends looking at each other and knew they