Read Online Kill Switch: A Vigilante Serial Killer Action Thriller (Angel of Darkness Suspense Thriller Series Book 1) by Steve N. Lee - Free Book Online
Authors: Steve N. Lee
Tags: Action Suspense Thriller
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life, or you can let your past consume you and ruin any chance of happiness you’ll ever have.”
Elena meant well. But she didn’t know what had happened, what Tess had been forced to endure. If she did and if she had the power to do something about it, there was no way she could ever simply turn the other cheek and let the guilty go unpunished. Having suffered what she had, how could Tess ever just get on with life as if everything was rosy?
Elena cupped Tess’s cheek. “Promise me you’ll think about what I’ve said.”
Nonchalantly turning away, Elena pointed to a restaurant on the left-hand corner of the street they were heading toward. “Shall we see if this place has anything for us? I don’t know about you, but I’ve a good feeling about this one.”
Rooted to the spot, Tess watched Elena shuffle toward the restaurant. A good feeling? That was strange, because the feeling Tess was getting was worse and worse.
She was getting too close to this woman.
Too close to this problem.
She couldn’t afford that.
Emotional attachment was the surest way to a bad ending. If a person had feelings for someone, they’d sacrifice for them. The more feelings they had, the bigger the sacrifice they’d make. Tess had to pull back. Had to remain detached. Had to be able to do what needed doing without having to consider how it might impact others.
It was feelings for someone that almost got her killed in Shanghai. Feelings which almost made her sacrifice what she’d spent nearly ten years planning.
Tess barely knew this woman. Had never even seen her daughter. This was a job. Not a favor for a friend. Not an obligation for a loved one. It was a job for a nobody. If it came down to it, she wouldn’t be putting her life on the line for a couple of strangers. Oh, no. She had far too many plans, far too much justice to administer. After what she’d been through to get this far, there would be no sacrifices today. ‘Friendship’ ended here, now. She needed to stay detached. Objective. Focused.
Elena turned around and offered her bottle of water. “If you’re tired, you can rest here while I go and ask.”
Tess declined the water with a wave of her hand. “No, I’ll come in.”
She’d do what she’d promised. Then she was gone. No matter what happened. A doctor could slice away a tumor without needing to hug the patient afterward. That was why they didn’t break down in tears if the patient died, but went on happily living their life.
Sacrifice? Sacrifice was for losers.
Chapter 07
The restaurant on the corner was a bust. Just like everywhere on the first couple of streets they’d tried. A bistro just a few doors along was a bust too. And a hotel further along.
As they tramped into a hotel on the opposite side of the street with a lantern hanging over the entrance made of rose-colored glass, Tess wondered if they were ever going to find any sign Catalina had ever even been in Krakow.
It was strange they hadn’t. Very strange.
Elena had been adamant that this was the right area, so how come not one single person had seen Cat?
Then it dawned on Tess.
She looked at Elena waltzing over to the reception desk in a swanky hotel with tens of tiny lights scattered across the ceiling and abstract wall hangings inspired by the works of Pollack, Monet, and Kandinsky.
Any fool could see Elena was seriously ill. But who was to say her illness was purely physical? And even if Elena’s mind was as sharp as it always had been, Tess had witnessed firsthand Elena’s total disregard for the effects of mixing alcohol with her medication.
“Oh, God.” Tess drew her hands down her face. Her shoulders slumped as all the energy drained out of her like the sand falling through an hourglass.
In Shanghai, while she’d been recovering after the Leong incident, Sergei had persuaded her to down a few shots of vodka. Once the alcohol had mixed with her meds… Man, she could still picture Sergei’s dog levitating,
Elena meant well. But she didn’t know what had happened, what Tess had been forced to endure. If she did and if she had the power to do something about it, there was no way she could ever simply turn the other cheek and let the guilty go unpunished. Having suffered what she had, how could Tess ever just get on with life as if everything was rosy?
Elena cupped Tess’s cheek. “Promise me you’ll think about what I’ve said.”
Nonchalantly turning away, Elena pointed to a restaurant on the left-hand corner of the street they were heading toward. “Shall we see if this place has anything for us? I don’t know about you, but I’ve a good feeling about this one.”
Rooted to the spot, Tess watched Elena shuffle toward the restaurant. A good feeling? That was strange, because the feeling Tess was getting was worse and worse.
She was getting too close to this woman.
Too close to this problem.
She couldn’t afford that.
Emotional attachment was the surest way to a bad ending. If a person had feelings for someone, they’d sacrifice for them. The more feelings they had, the bigger the sacrifice they’d make. Tess had to pull back. Had to remain detached. Had to be able to do what needed doing without having to consider how it might impact others.
It was feelings for someone that almost got her killed in Shanghai. Feelings which almost made her sacrifice what she’d spent nearly ten years planning.
Tess barely knew this woman. Had never even seen her daughter. This was a job. Not a favor for a friend. Not an obligation for a loved one. It was a job for a nobody. If it came down to it, she wouldn’t be putting her life on the line for a couple of strangers. Oh, no. She had far too many plans, far too much justice to administer. After what she’d been through to get this far, there would be no sacrifices today. ‘Friendship’ ended here, now. She needed to stay detached. Objective. Focused.
Elena turned around and offered her bottle of water. “If you’re tired, you can rest here while I go and ask.”
Tess declined the water with a wave of her hand. “No, I’ll come in.”
She’d do what she’d promised. Then she was gone. No matter what happened. A doctor could slice away a tumor without needing to hug the patient afterward. That was why they didn’t break down in tears if the patient died, but went on happily living their life.
Sacrifice? Sacrifice was for losers.
Chapter 07
The restaurant on the corner was a bust. Just like everywhere on the first couple of streets they’d tried. A bistro just a few doors along was a bust too. And a hotel further along.
As they tramped into a hotel on the opposite side of the street with a lantern hanging over the entrance made of rose-colored glass, Tess wondered if they were ever going to find any sign Catalina had ever even been in Krakow.
It was strange they hadn’t. Very strange.
Elena had been adamant that this was the right area, so how come not one single person had seen Cat?
Then it dawned on Tess.
She looked at Elena waltzing over to the reception desk in a swanky hotel with tens of tiny lights scattered across the ceiling and abstract wall hangings inspired by the works of Pollack, Monet, and Kandinsky.
Any fool could see Elena was seriously ill. But who was to say her illness was purely physical? And even if Elena’s mind was as sharp as it always had been, Tess had witnessed firsthand Elena’s total disregard for the effects of mixing alcohol with her medication.
“Oh, God.” Tess drew her hands down her face. Her shoulders slumped as all the energy drained out of her like the sand falling through an hourglass.
In Shanghai, while she’d been recovering after the Leong incident, Sergei had persuaded her to down a few shots of vodka. Once the alcohol had mixed with her meds… Man, she could still picture Sergei’s dog levitating,
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