Private Oz (Private 7)

“About you and me, babe.”

“What does that mean?”

Julie chuckled. “It’s about power, Yasmin, POWER!”

“I don’t …”

“You don’t understand? Doh! Maybe you are as stupid as you look.”

She didn’t know what to say. Just kept driving. She was trying to rationalize it all.

“So, the Rolex, Yasmin?” Julie said slowly.

Yasmin touched her wrist involuntarily.

“How many blow jobs did that take, eh?”

Julie could see Yasmin’s pretty, confused face in the mirror. “Everything costs, Yas, everything costs …”

“Is that it? You want my watch? Here, have it …” She reached for the clasp.

“No, you stupid, stupid bitch! I do not want your shitty watch … although I might keep it as a memento after I’ve drained you of blood.”

The car swerved.

“Careful, honey,” Julie mocked. She was pretty sure the woman didn’t have the guts to do anything radical.

The car swerved again. This time it was deliberate. Julie pushed the tip of the blade a fraction of an inch into Yasmin’s neck making her squeal.

“STOP DOING THAT … NOW!”

The car swayed once more. Horns blared. The LandCruiser crossed lanes. Cut in front of another car. More horns, screeching tires.

Julie pulled her mouth up close to the woman’s ear. “I will take your twins from preschool, Yasmin. I will take them somewhere very private …”

Yasmin abruptly slowed the car, brought it back under control, went to pull over.

“Don’t …”

She saw Yasmin’s face in the rear-view mirror, white as dead flesh. She was staring fixedly at the road ahead.

“You’re the killer!” Yasmin murmured, barely able to believe it, even now.

Julie felt a stirring of pride in the pit of her stomach. “Just drive,” she said. “Not much further now. It’ll soon be over.”

Chapter 58

MARY PULLED UP a chair as Darlene turned away from the monitor to face her. They were in the lab.

“I could tell by your tone on the phone you?

??re disappointed,” Mary said. Darlene shrugged. “Look, perhaps we were hoping for too much.”

“Alright, forewarned.”

She noticed Mary’s bandaged hand. “What happened?”

Mary glanced down. “Oh, silly accident.”