Page 132

“You’re the victim?” Kenna snorted. “I’ve never heardthatbefore.”
“Me either,” Jax said. “Let’s get them out of here.” He helped Forrest by her elbows, and she gingerly stood. She wore only jeans and a knitted sweater, with tennis shoes. She was going to freeze outside.
Kenna wrapped her coat around Forrest’s shoulders. “You know I’ve got six layers on.”
He friendalmostsmiled. “Getting out of here sounds good.”
“Were there two of them?” Kenna asked. “Dr. Rayland and a man?”
Forrest nodded. “You showed me Stan Tilley’s picture.” She paused. “I almost thought it would be Theo and Alonzo who tracked me down.”
“They’re here,” Kenna said. “They’re our backup.” But she didn’t think Kenna would’ve come?
“Let’s go, doc.” Jax grabbed the woman by her elbow. “We can call the sheriff to come pick you up. Then you’re going straight to jail.”
Forrest glanced at Kenna.
“We can get a real doctor to check you out. Make sure you’re not hurt.” She just looked cold and freezing, but she might be injured. “Do you know where Stan is?”
“They were working together. But he did lock her in here with me. She was threatening to cut off my ear when you came in, but she hadn’t done it yet. I think you were right about her. She couldn’t do it herself.”
“But she killed her son and Pastor Bruce?”
“She told me she did.” Forrest frowned. “She was laughing.”
Kenna put her arm around her friend and walked her to the door. “What made you say they were working together?”
Forrest stepped out into the hall, moving with jerky nervous strides. She wasn’t going to relax until she was safe. “He said something about setting fire to her house just like they planned. Because you found her garage?”
“That’s right. It must’ve been Stan in that mask who shoved Jax and me into the garage and locked us in.” Apparently the plan to work for El Caminante and draw her out had changed to helping a local murderer try to kill them?Maybe Dr. Rayland made him a more lucrative offer…or another reason caused him to want to do what she agreed to.
Kenna didn’t need that much information.
The cops, sheriff, and the FBI could figure it out. She only wanted the Walker behind bars, where he couldn’t take any more innocent lives.
“I really thought you might not come to find me.” Forrest looked at her shoes, then folded the sides of the coat tighter around her.
“I wasn’t going to let you die.”
“So you were just doing your job.”
“Of course, I was, along with the fact I care about you. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Along with the adage she’d lived under for years. “Forrest, every case I work is personal. Every missing person I look for becomes part of my journey. No way would I have let anything happen to you without me doing anything and everything I could to get you back.”
“Thanks, Kenna.” Forrest looked up at her with tears in her eyes.
“Anytime.” She hugged Forrest to her side.
They carried on walking behind Jax and Dr. Rayland, all the way to the stairs that led up to the main level.
“She’s crazy.” Forrest winced. “I thought I knew who J.Pierce was, but it was wrong. She tried to get rid of me anyway, because I was too close to the truth.”
Kenna bit her lip. “Did she kill your family?”
Forrest nodded, a sharp movement. She cleared her throat. “She killed them because she thought I had figured it out. She didn’t want the book to see the light of day.”
“But you actually hadn’t?”
“I thought it was her father.” Forrest gasped. “When it was her mother.”