The Serpent laughed. “What are you going to do, offer me a snack?”
“Welcome to the neighborhood!” the woman chirped. “I’m Brenda. I live three doors down. Just brought you my famous tuna surprise.” Mrs. Undercover
“I’m retired,” Ellie said, setting the casserole on the counter. “And it’s Mrs. Undercover now.” The Serpent laughed
Somewhere in Langley, a dusty file was reopened. Across the top, in red ink, someone had written: ACTIVE. DO NOT DISTURB. SHE’S EXACTLY WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE. I live three doors down
“Oh, how lovely,” Ellie said, taking the dish. “Won’t you come in?”
“Not anymore.” Brenda pulled a sleek phone from her bra. “The Serpent is back. He’s built a new network, and he’s targeting the suburb of Oak Grove for a test run—a dirty bomb hidden in the elementary school. Detonation: 3:00 PM. That’s four hours.”
Ellie felt the old cold settle into her bones. The Serpent. She’d spent three years hunting him before she’d “died.” He was a ghost, a myth, a monster who’d murdered her previous partner.