Free Curse of the Egyptian Goddess by Lisa Rayns Page B

necklace, I’ll be strangled to death tonight?”
    “Why don’t you try it and save us both the questions?”
    I couldn’t do it. When he reached across the table, I pushed my chair backward. “It’s not a joke. I don’t want to be responsible for any more deaths.”
    He smiled and pulled his hand back far enough to turn the tape recorder back on. “Now we’re getting somewhere. You just said you didn’t want to be responsible for any more deaths. Is that correct?”
    I remained silent.
    “Didn’t you, Miss Patrix? You admitted to being responsible for Chad Landchester’s and David Allvy’s deaths?”
    “That’s not what I said. You’re taking me out of context. I’m only responsible because I’m the one who’s cursed! That’s where my bruises come from.”
    Concern touched his face momentarily. “Your necklace does that?”
    “Yes. A giant, invisible snake wraps around me and constricts until I can’t breathe!”
    “Are you kidding me here? Is this a joke?”
    “No!” I persisted. “I’ve tried to stay away from people for years. Why do you think I’ve never had a boyfriend before Chad?”
    Cade slammed his fist down on the table. “I don’t give a flying fuck why you’ve never had a boyfriend before. People are dying and damn it, it’s gonna stop!”
    “That’s why I went to Egypt. I was trying to find a way to break the curse.”
    He stood and shook his head with disgust. “I can’t believe I’m listening to this. If you think you’re going to get off on an insanity plea, you’re sadly mistaken.”
    “Watch.” Reaching behind my head, I unclipped the necklace, held it in my hand, and then I threw it against the wall as fast as I could. It didn’t hit.
    Cade stood there dumbfounded. “Where did it go?”
    I pulled it out of my shirt to show him.
    “So you do parlor tricks,” he scoffed. “You better get yourself a damn good lawyer.”
    “Wait!” I called desperately when he turned toward the door. “I’ll prove it to you. Let me keep the necklace. Tomorrow night, I’m going to be attacked again around midnight. Put me in a cell by myself and get all the other prisoners out. All you have to do is show up and watch and hope it doesn’t go after you.”
    He scowled, but curiosity sparked in his eyes. “You’re telling me these attacks are planned? You know when they’re going to happen?”
    I nodded. “Normally they only happen during the new and full moon but lately they’ve been coming every week in between too.”
    He scratched his brow, like he was trying to decide if I was insane or just very confused.
    “You said you wanted the truth. Do what I ask and you’ll have all the truth you can handle.”
    He stared at the floor for long minutes before he finally nodded. “All right. I’ll make you a deal, Miss Patrix. I’ll do what you ask and if no phantom snake shows up, you admit to the murders. And not just the last two. All of them, your parents and all your relatives, any one whose death you say that curse is responsible for.”
    I agreed without a thought. “And when he does show, I go free.”
    “Agreed.”
    ****
    Within the hour, Cade escorted me a 12 x 12 room, half of it enclosed by strong metal bars. The only items inside the cell were a cot and a small toilet. “Nice,” I teased, but my voice echoed off the brick walls and made me feel uneasy.
    He nodded. “Yep. Consider this home until 12:30 tomorrow night when I take you out to get your full statement and finish booking you.”
    I winced at the threat. He’d let me keep my clothes and luckily he hadn’t made me go through the really uncomfortable parts of being booked–the body search. I shuddered at the thought.
    When he locked me inside the cell, I lay down on the cot and slept for twelve hours. I rolled onto my stomach when I absolutely couldn’t keep my eyes closed anymore. I wanted to sleep all day so I didn’t have to think about what the night held, but the attempt was