Perfect Victim (Nadia Stafford 3.6)

He shrugged. "It adds challenge."

"You are so full of shit."

"Ask Jack. Ask Evie. I don't lie. Now, if you're asking whether I've ever used a gun, yes, I have. That's unavoidable. But the last time I picked one up was yesterday, when I got yours and Jack's. I haven't touched a firearm since."

"There is no possible way you just happened to be behind Angela's yard when someone fired a shot at her."

"It's not the first time that's happened, right? He's probably been out there, waiting for another chance." Cypher met my gaze. "There's a psycho who wants Angela dead, Dee. That's who you need to focus on. The person who just tried to kill her."

"No one tried . . ."

I trailed off. Then I looked down at the bullet in my hand. It was ice-cold. Had been since I scooped it up.

"This bullet has never been fired from a gun."

Cypher squinted at it. "You sure?"

"Oh for God's sake. You really don't know firearms, do you? What did you do? Throw it at her?"

"That'd be kinda weird."

I glowered up at him. "Did you throw this bullet at Angela, Tyrone?"

He met my gaze. "No, I did not."

Jack walked out of the forest, holding something aloft.

"Is that a . . . slingshot?" I said as I took it. I turned to Cypher. "Seriously, Tyrone? You slingshot bullets? Are you crazy?"

"Probably. That's the general opinion, anyhow."

I thrust the slingshot at Cypher. "Take your bullshit and go. We're done." I started walking away.

"Whoa, wait!" Cypher lumbered in front of me. A look from Jack made him lift his hands and move aside a little. "Just hold on. When you say done . . ."

"Job terminated," I said. "We'll repay you for expenses if you want to press the point, but I wouldn't recommend it." I advanced on him. "I came here in good faith, to protect a woman who deserves protecting, and who am I protecting her from? The asshole who hired me."

"I slingshot a bullet. At your feet."

"Sending us into a panic--"

"Panic? Angela never even noticed, and from the way you marched out here, you already figured it was me."

"I don't know what your game is, Tyrone, but I'm not playing it. Angela is actually in danger and--"

"And that's my point. She's in danger, and she's too damned stubborn to leave her house and go somewhere safe. You're supposed to talk her into that."

"No, I'm supposed to stop whoever is trying to kill her. That's objective number two. Number one, obviously, is keeping her alive."

"Yeah, and how about we increase those odds by getting her out of that goddamned house?"

"No point," Jack said.

Cypher glanced over, as if he'd forgotten Jack was there.

"Where you gonna put her?" Jack said. "In a cell?"

"I'd like to," Cypher muttered.