Chapter 1
My name is Catherine Holloway, CEO of a tech company in Seattle.
It was just an ordinary rainy night. I was driving my Porsche Cayenne toward the airport when a beat-up Ford pickup rear-ended me on the off-ramp.
I never imagined that this seemingly routine accident would drag me into a serial murder case — turning me from a witness into the police's prime suspect.
The impact slammed into me.
My body lurched forward, the seatbelt cutting into my collarbone, a line of fire across my chest.
I hit the brakes hard. The tires screamed against the pavement.
I took a breath and steadied myself.
I'd been rear-ended.
On this airport-bound highway off-ramp, my Porsche Cayenne had just been hit by a beat-up Ford pickup.
I didn't get out. Instead, I checked the rearview mirror—old habit.
A man stumbled out of the driver's seat, wearing a ratty flannel shirt, hair all over the place, panic written across his face.
He practically tripped over himself rushing to my window, pounding on the glass.
"I'm sorry! God, I'm so sorry!"
I lowered the window three inches. Just enough. I stared at him, waiting.
The man's name was Frank Rhodes—stitched right there on his shirt pocket. He pressed his palms together, eyes bloodshot, voice breaking.
"Ma'am, this is all on me! I wasn't looking! But please—please—don't call the cops!"
"My rear bumper's totaled, Mr. Rhodes." My voice came out flat. "This goes through insurance. I'm calling the police."
"No! You can't!" Frank's desperation spiked. He grabbed the edge of my window, knuckles white, eyes wild and frantic.
"Ma'am, listen—my mother's at City Hospital. She's dying. I have to see her right now, before it's too late! If the cops show up, they'll keep me here for hours. I'll miss her. I can't miss her!"
I kept my expression neutral, my eyes drifting to his crumpled Ford.
"And?"
"We switch cars!" The words tumbled out like he'd just solved everything.
"Your Porsche still runs, right? Let me take it to the hospital. I'll leave you my truck—keys, license, everything! When I get back, I'll pay for all the damage. Hell, I'll throw in an extra ten grand! Please. I can't lose my mom!"
Switch cars?
Red flags everywhere.
Some blue-collar guy in a rust bucket rear-ends a Porsche, and instead of worrying about the bill, he wants to leave his wreck behind and drive off in mine? Offering ten thousand dollars he clearly doesn't have?
None of this made sense.
"No." I didn't hesitate. My hand went for the phone on the passenger seat.
The moment I touched it, the temperature inside the car dropped.
The heater was still running, but cold pressed against the back of my neck, raising goosebumps down both arms.
Then a voice—raspy, hollow, soaked in fear—whispered directly into my left ear.
Don't agree… Don't get in his car…
My whole body went rigid. My heart kicked hard against my ribs.
I spun around. The backseat was empty. Just shadows from the streetlights outside.
Stop looking. I'm in the bed of his truck.
The voice came again. Closer this time. It carried the smell of rust and decay, sharp enough to taste.
See that black tarp in the back? The one with the stain? You get in that truck, you'll be the prime suspect in a serial murder case.
Ice shot down my spine.
Was I hearing things? Did I hit my head?
Didn't matter. My gut was screaming at me.
I looked back at Frank. Really looked. Behind the tears, behind the desperate-father routine, I saw it—the twitch in his jaw, the red veins in his eyes, the manic edge underneath.
He must have seen it in my face. Seen that I wasn't buying it.
"What's wrong with you, lady? You heartless or something?"
Frank's face twisted. He shoved his hand through the gap in the window, lunging for my phone.
I didn't scream. Didn't freeze. I brought the phone down hard, metal edge first, straight into his knuckles.
"Ah!" He jerked his hand back.
I didn't wait. I hit the button and the window shot up with a solid thunk. Then I locked every door.
"What the hell! Open the door, you bitch!" The sob story was over. Frank yanked at the handle, slamming his fists against the glass. Now there was just rage.
I stared at him through the bulletproof window, calm and cold, and pressed the call button. Speaker on.
"911, what's your emergency?"
"This is Catherine Holloway. I'm on the southbound off-ramp of Highway 5. I've been rear-ended."
My eyes moved past Frank to the dented pickup behind him.
"The driver's trying to break into my car. He's acting erratic and violent. I think he has a weapon. I need officers here now."
Outside, Frank went still.
He stared at me through the glass. Then, slowly, his hand moved toward the small of his back—right where his shirt hung loose over his belt.
