Page 83 of Girl Betrayed

“That there’s a serial killer playing Grim Reaper with a bunch of displaced rehab patients? Yeah, I sure as shit hope so. But I’m not holding my breath.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen lesser agencies hold pissing matches over parking violations. I want this thing in the right hands more than anybody, but I don’t get a say once it leaves my jurisdiction. The red tape alone is going to take months to weed through. Not to mention the chain of evidence nightmare. This thing has passed over more desks than a day-old donut.”

“I don’t think we have that kind of time,” Dana warned. “I’ve been looking into Grim Reaper lore. I think I found a connection, and if I’m right, this is going to escalate and quickly.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

She heard Jake’s voice in her mind.Facts first.Right now, she didn’t have any. Just a sinking feeling and a connection that was still out of reach. “It’s barely a theory. I need access to the evidence to see if I’m on the right track.”

“Don’t we all,” Hartwell grumbled.

“If this lands back on your desk, I want in.”

“You’ll be my first call, Dr. Gray.”

Dana hung up the phone, dreading what she had to do. She glanced through the open door of her office to Claire’s bedroom. The door was ajar, the house quiet. Too quiet.

She stood up and walked toward the kitchen. The coffee pot was still warm, but there was no sign of Jake or Claire. She was just reaching for her phone to call Jake when she heard voices on her back porch.

She poked her head out, shocked to find Claire and Jake in deep conversation. From the sharp edge to Jake’s voice, she knew whatever they were discussing was serious. If it were any other news, she’d resist interrupting, but this couldn’t wait.

“What’s wrong?” Jake asked, taking in Dana’s ashen face.

“Hartwell called.” She looked from Claire to Jake. “I think we should go inside.”

71

“They found another body.”

Claire’s knees buckled at Dana’s words. “Max?”

Jake jumped on the offensive. “Why would you think that?”

“It’s not Max,” Dana said.

Claire clutched the barstool for support, waiting for Dana to continue. Her face betrayed her when she had bad news to deliver. The smile lines near her mouth always bunched, chin twitching with melancholy. “Just tell me,” Claire begged.

“It’s Kylie Marx.”

Bile rose so suddenly, Claire barely made it to the kitchen sink before vomiting.

Dana held her hair back, while Jake looked on in concern.

Claire knew he would tell Dana everything now. He had to. The time for bargaining was over. She understood that, but it changed nothing, no matter how bad things looked now.

It was just Claire and Max now. The way it was always meant to be. If Jake wanted to launch a manhunt, he’d have to do it without her help.

She stood up. Squaring her shoulders, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked directly at Jake. “I need to go lie down.”

72

Dana closedthe door to Claire’s bedroom and walked aimlessly to her living room, sinking down on the couch.

“How is she?” Jake asked, walking into the room.

“The same,” Dana replied.