Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace (Dexter) novel Chapter 438

"Phoebe, this world is crazier than we could've ever imagined," Annora said, backing away with a smirk. "Jaxon, that bastard, he's into domestic violence, statutory rape, running a prostitution ring, soliciting, human trafficking... he's despicable. But, he's a valuable pawn, a stepping stone. How else could we link all these criminals together for the ultimate takedown?"

Marrying Jaxon was a calculated move by Annora.

She even provoked him into abusing her, crafting a sympathetic persona, all while waiting for us to join the game.

"Now, Phoebe, you're intrigued by us, aren't you? Welcome to the fold..." Annora lifted her hand towards the sunlight. "Jaxon, he's one of Damian's cronies, a key figure for the Gene-Forge Collective's atrocities. His death is nothing to mourn over."

Jaxon was trafficking women of childbearing age to Damian and the Gene-Forge Collective for their gruesome experiments on human genetics and embryos.

It was barbaric.

"Everyone who dies here is guilty," Annora said as she moved to the wall, flipping a switch. The bricked-up windows shattered, flooding the room with sunlight.

She gave me a smile. "Phoebe, the game is far from over... The mastermind is still among you."

With that, Annora turned and leapt out the window, quickly disappearing in a waiting car.

I stood at the window, gazing out.

Where am I...

"Phoebe!"

Behind me, Dexter came running down with Melody in his arms, shouting my name.

Snapping back to reality, I quickly ducked behind the wall, avoiding the bullets flying in from outside...

"Everybody down! Get down!"

Through the breached wall, a group of mercenaries stormed in, guns drawn, rounding us all up.

"Get down, hands on your head!"

I exchanged a glance with Colin and complied, hands over my head.

Soon, the leader entered, his gaze falling on the barely alive Melody.

"It was... Annora." Melody's voice was raspy.

The traitor among us was Annora. "She ran, I saw her..."