The Mistress: Book Four in The Doll Collector Series

Chapter 25: Kris

My project was complete, Marissa was beautiful, and would be forever. Her skin was clean, pristine, smooth. Her eyes shone underneath the lights I'd set up in the basement. Over the last few days, Alexandra had been nice enough to clean it up for me and helped me install lights and a refrigeration system for the summer months.

She was the perfect housewife despite that she wasn't mine, and had a completely separate life to mine. It was nice to have a companion who understood my lifestyle and my choices.

Footsteps echoed on the staircase leading up to the main house. Normally, a sound like that in an abandoned home would have set my nerves on edge. However, I knew who my visitor was. Boots made it down the creaky stairs until they were on the concrete.

Warmth flooded by body as a hand pressed against my back. I turned to find Alexandra beside me. In her hands were two white cups of coffee. Red swirls decorated the cup with green quasars and gold dots. Ah, Christmastime was near.

I thanked her, as we both turned to look at Marissa. Alexandra tentatively reached out, glancing at me for approval. With a nod of my head, her fingertips touched the skin of Marissa's arm. She ran a finger over the invisible stitching then moved onto the hair before finishing with the eyes. She remarked on how professional my work was.

She was sweet. Alexandra lifted up her other hand revealing a small white bag of pastries. We took a seat across from Marissa, and opened up the bag. Alexandra had brought me a chocolate croissant and a blueberry muffin for herself.

She had just dropped off her kids at school and stopped by the coffee shop before coming here. I was off today, but Maria thought I was still working Layla Delgado's case. I glanced over at Alexandra. Her killer was sitting right in front of me.

Off the record, I had to know. Alexandra looked up from her blueberry muffin seemingly shocked I had brought up the babysitter again.

There didn't seem to be an obvious reason for why she killed her, unless Layla was having an affair with her husband. Alexandra broke off a piece of her muffin and popped it into her mouth before explaining, it was actually my fault. After our first meeting, Alec asked her where she had gone off to. She managed to throw Alec off the scent, but she felt that Layla was a liability. She feared she'd give in and reveal all the times Alexandra had gone out with her victims.

Alec was smart, if given a chance, he would figure it out. He would deny it for a while, but eventually, he would come to terms with it. They had been together long enough that Alexandra knew he wouldn't be able to hide this from her.

For the wellbeing of her children and of her marriage, Layla had to go.

Fair enough.

I'd probably kill the babysitter, too.

She looked at her watch and quickly grabbed her purse. Tonight was hers and Alec's anniversary, so she had to get home and get started on their special night. As she said goodbye, she stopped, reaching into her purse.

Alexandra pulled out a small white box. My hands tingled recognizing it as the boxes she generally left at her scenes. She realized my expression, and laughed, offering the excuse that she didn't have another box to put it in.

She set it down in front of me, placing a hand on my shoulder, before she walked up the stairs. I lifted the lid removing the small piece of tissue paper hiding the contents. Inside was a Piranta Pro Trophy Skinner Knife.

I smiled as I held it in my palm. It had good weight to it. I lifted the blade letting the light catch it. A skinning knife.

What a woman.