• 160 •

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“Let’s go inside so you can tell us what happened,” Reese said.

“Okay, babe?” Bri kissed Caroline’s forehead.

“Uh-huh. I’m okay.” Caroline patted Bri’s chest and eased out of her arms.

Inside, Bri sat on the futon sofa with Caroline curled against her side.

“What happened?” Reese asked.

“I woke up and I heard something strange—after a while I realized it was the doorknob rattling. When I went to check, I saw someone standing on the landing. I knew it wasn’t Bri, because she would’ve used her key, and he was bigger than Bri.” Caroline’s voice cracked and she shivered. “I called Bri. I didn’t think to call nine-one-one.”

Stony faced, Bri rubbed Caroline’s arm and murmured, “You did good, babe. Real good. Don’t be scared.”

“Did you recognize him?” Reese asked evenly, needing to get the facts while they were still fresh in Caroline’s mind. When Caroline had time to think about what might have happened, her fear could cloud her memory. As difficult as it was for the victim to talk about the details of a crime, it was critical that they do so as soon as possible. And Reese needed to be the one asking the questions. Bri had done well outside, had handled herself with a clear head. But right now, Bri was completely focused on Caroline, as she should be. “Did he say anything?”

Caroline shook her head, staring at her fingers entwined with Bri’s. “I couldn’t see his face. I think I screamed when I saw him.” She lifted her eyes to Reese. “He laughed. He laughed like he was having a good time.”

“Fucker,” Bri muttered.

“Then I pushed speed dial for Bri and ran toward the deck. I didn’t know where else to go and I didn’t want to be stuck in the back of the apartment. I thought I could maybe jump off the deck if he got in.”

Bri made a low sound in her throat, like an animal in pain, and turned her face into Caroline’s hair.

“You did well, Caroline,” Reese said. “When you were outside, did you hear him run away? Did you hear what direction he might’ve gone?”

Caroline frowned. “It’s funny, I can always hear Bri on the stairs.

They’re kind of creaky and noisy and she usually runs up them.” She smiled and rubbed Bri’s leg. “I didn’t hear him go down, and I would have if he was running. I think he just took his time walking away.”

• 161 •

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“What about a car door slamming? A motor starting? Motorcycle, maybe?”

“No, nothing. And I didn’t see anyone on the street out front, so he must have gone down the alley to the back.”

“That leads to Center Street, and from there to Cemetery Road,”

Reese said. “Plenty of places to disappear back there.” She radioed the backup officers and instructed them to cruise through the streets directly behind Bri and Caroline’s apartment. “It’s a little early yet for recreational walkers,” she told the officers, “so take a good look at any single males who don’t seem like they’re on their way to work.

Make sure you have the description of William Everly I circulated earlier.”

Caroline gripped Bri’s leg tighter. “You think it was him?”

Reese was aware of both Bri and Caroline staring at her, waiting for her to announce that a nightmare had re-entered their lives. “I don’t know. I’m going to swing by his mother’s place right now, just to check.

You two went to school with him—or not that far behind him, at least.

If he was coming home, but didn’t want to stay with his mother, who might he crash with?”

Bri looked at Caroline. “Ned Phelps? They were pretty tight all through high school. Who was the girl he was dating right before…”

“Um, Suzy Silva, I think.” Caroline grimaced. “I never paid that much attention to him.”

“And I don’t want you to waste a lot of energy on him now, either,”

Reese said, standing up. “I want you to be cautious. I want you to be aware of your surroundings. All the things Bri has probably already told you and that you know anyhow.” Reese leaned down and kissed Caroline’s cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Bri started to get up, but Reese waved her back. “It’s almost end of shift for you. Stay here. Anything you need to write up, you can do tomorrow sometime.”

“No,” Caroline said instantly. “Bri, you go back to work.”

“How about this,” Reese suggested to Caroline. “How about we take you over to Rica’s—she won’t mind if we wake her up. In fact, it might be a good idea if you stayed over there the next few nights while Bri’s on the night shift.”

Caroline looked at Bri. “You okay with that, baby?”

“Absolutely. Come on.” Bri rose and put her arm around Caroline’s

• 162 •

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waist, her gaze on Reese. “Reese and I have to check on Everly’s potential locations. Right, Sheriff?”

Reese studied Bri, silently taking her measure. Bri’s eyes were hot, but steady. Things had changed since the morning, when she’d told Bri she didn’t want her involved in the hunt for Everly. This morning he was just a potential problem. Tonight, someone had threatened Caroline. She knew what she would do if Tory were threatened. She couldn’t deny Bri the same right, not until Bri showed she couldn’t handle it.

“Right,” Reese said. “Let’s get to it.”

v

An hour later, Reese and Bri had cruised past Everly’s mother’s house as well as the addresses of the high school friends Bri and Caroline had remembered. His mother’s house was still dark. The garage door was open, and his truck didn’t look as if it had been moved. At five thirty a.m., some of the other residences showed lights inside—people getting ready for work.

“What now?” Bri asked, her voice flat.

“I’ll send someone by the school this morning to talk to his teachers, the guidance counselors, and the principal. See if we can draw up a more comprehensive list of Everly’s previous associates.

Then we’ll question all of them.” Reese pulled into the parking lot at headquarters. “We’ll step up patrols in his old neighborhood and watch his friends. This is a small village. If he’s here, we’ll find him.”

“What about Caroline? What about during the day?” Bri scrubbed her face vigorously. “Jesus, I don’t want her to feel like she can’t go out, you know. She shouldn’t be the victim here.”

“You’re right, she shouldn’t be treated like one. Caroline is smart.

She’ll be careful.” Reese gripped Bri’s shoulder. “Trust her. She needs that from you.”

Bri swung her head around and stared at Reese. “I do trust her. But I couldn’t take him, and I’m tougher and stronger than Carre.”

“He’s not going to get that close to her.”

“How do you—”

Reese’s phone rang. She looked at the readout and took the call.

“Conlon.”

• 163 •

RAdCLY fFe

“Sheriff?” a woman said with a hint of irritation.

“That’s right.”

“This is Supervisory Special Agent Marilyn Allen. You have some sort of problem that can’t wait for proper channels?”

“Is Agent Robert Lloyd under your command?”

“Sheriff, I realize that in little towns like yours protocol is, shall we say, not really all that necessary,” Agent Allen said without bothering to hide her condescension, “but we don’t discuss Bureau affairs with just anyone who happens to call.”

“Agent Lloyd was murdered in my town last night. I thought you might like to know. But I certainly don’t want to interfere with your protocol, so when I find out who did it, I’ll be sure to call during business hours.” Reese disconnected.

“Did you just hang up on the FBI?” Bri tried to stifle a grin.

Reese glanced at her and half smiled. “I’d prefer you pretend you didn’t hear that, Officer.”

“Yes ma’am. I mean, no ma’am, I didn’t hear a thing.”

Reese’s phone rang.

“That will be the supervisory special agent calling back, I imagine,”

Reese said. “Conlon.”

“I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” Marilyn Allen snapped. “And I’ll expect a full report upon my arrival.”

“Give me a call when you land,” Reese said. “I’ll brief you.”

“Where’s the body?”

“With our coroner.”

“I know something of your reputation, Sheriff,” Marilyn Allen said. “You may have made a name for yourself busting drug dealers and arsonists, but you don’t want to get in the Bureau’s way on one of our operations.”

“Agent Allen,” Reese said quietly, “my town, my case. Call me when you arrive.” Then she disconnected and put the phone back on her belt. “Well. This is going to be an interesting day.”

“Can I stay and watch?”

Reese laughed. “Don’t worry, we’ll be crawling with feds before we’re done. You won’t miss anything. When you’ve finished reports, check that Carter doesn’t need you. Then go collect your girlfriend, take her home, and get some sleep.”

“Do you know this FBI agent?”

“Not half as well as Carter does,” Reese said softly.

• 164 •

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chapteR eighteen

Reese let herself into the clinic with her key. The reception area was dark. The first time she’d entered the clinic, it had been dark too. She’d been answering a call from Tory, who had come upon a burglary in progress. That was the first time she’d seen Tory, and at that moment, everything in her life had changed.

She threaded her way through the rows of chairs and walked down the hall to the one room with a light shining under the door. She tapped on it and pushed through. Tory, wearing scrubs, gloves, and a mask, glanced over at her. Deep shadows underscored her eyes. The body on the table beneath the round surgical light was nude, skin tinted the faint bluish gray of death. His clothes rested in plastic evidence bags on the counter behind Tory. His holstered weapon sat in the center of metal tray on a stand next to her. Apparently he’d had nothing else in his pockets, which wasn’t unusual if he was on the job. Loose change could rattle. A wallet was unnecessary. A badge and a gun were all that was needed, and Reese had his badge in her pocket.