“We don’t know,” she told him. “Why?”
“He’s wanted for questioning in the murders of Dinah Green and four unknown women, and the disappearance of Mary Johnstone,” O’Reilly said.
18
They were nearly at the museum. Jeremy could read the banners out front that advertised the upcoming Harvest Festival, promising music, munchies and mayhem.
Jeremy jerked his car to a stop in front of the museum and leaped. Brad followed, but Jeremy didn’t even notice as headed straight for the door.
His heart sank. It was locked.
He looked at his watch. It was five-thirty. An hour after he’d promised to meet Rowenna.
He kicked the door in frustration.
He pulled out his phone again, afraid that it was futile, but he hit Redial anyway.
This time, to his amazement, she answered.
“Jeremy?” She said his name in a strangely tremulous voice.
“Rowenna, where are you? Why didn’t you answer before?”
A second’s silence made him think he had lost service again. His heart plummeted.
Then she spoke, and her voice was stronger. Defensive, maybe.
Or just indignant.
“I tried calling you,” she informed him. Anger. It was anger. But that was okay; she was all right.
“Where are you?”
“Looking at you,” she informed him dryly.
He turned, and there she was, coming down the street. She wasn’t alone, either. To his vast relief, he saw that Zach was at her side.
He closed and pocketed his phone as Rowenna ran the last few feet to him, and then he took her in his arms. He saw the amusement in Zach’s eyes, but he didn’t care. He just offered his brother a shrug and went back to hugging Rowenna. When she finally eased away from him, he greeted his brother with a hug just as heartfelt as the one he’d given Rowenna, though substantially less intimate.
Brad stepped up then, and he and Zach exchanged hellos, shaking hands.
“This is one active place,” Zach said.
“What are you talking about?” Jeremy asked, looking from his brother to Rowenna.
“I came walking down the street just when Rowenna was coming out of a place the police were raiding,” Zachary explained. “They told us you’d found four more bodies.”
Jeremy nodded grimly.
“Did they get Adam Llewellyn?” Brad asked anxiously.
“Not that we know about, not yet,” Zach said.
“Joe will let us know,” Jeremy told him.
“Eve is missing, too,” Rowenna said worriedly. She shook her head. “It’s all my fault,” she said miserably.
“Your fault?” Jeremy said.
“Maybe we shouldn’t be having this discussion out in the street,” Zach suggested. “My bags are still in my rental car. I wouldn’t mind a chance to wash my face, sit down and get the rundown on everything. And I think that Rowenna has a few things to tell you.” He looked over his shoulder, then looked back at Rowenna. “Where did your other friend go? I thought he was right behind us.”
“When the police let us go and you arrived, he said he was going to go get a drink,” she answered.
“What other friend?” Jeremy asked sharply.
“Eric. He was at the shop, too.”
“Wait a minute. You were at the shop? And Adam and Eve weren’t?” Jeremy demanded. He knew he sounded overbearing, but he didn’t care.
“I could hardly wait at a museum that had closed,” she replied sharply.
“Let’s get to that house of yours,” Zach suggested.
“Go on,” Brad said. “I’ll see you later.”
“Wait,” Jeremy told him. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to look for Adam Llewellyn. I have to find Mary, and he knows where she is.”
“Brad, no. If you lay a hand on him, you’ll go to jail and possibly ruin the cops’ case, as well,” Jeremy said. “You have to let the local police find him. Dammit, Brad, you’re coming with us.”
Brad stared at him, his eyes narrowing. “If Rowenna were missing, you’d be out looking for Adam, and don’t lie to me and say you wouldn’t.”
Jeremy stared at his friend, then turned to his brother, a question in his eyes.
“Rowenna, will you take me to the house?” Zach asked. “They can come along in a while.”
She offered them all an icy smile, then met Jeremy’s eyes. “I’m not going anywhere until I tell you what I know.”
“Okay, go on,” Jeremy said.
They all listened as she told them about everything Adam had confided about his blackouts, the book he was reading, and everything Eve had told her. Jeremy knew he was frowning when she told him about going to the shop, seeing Eve and then going back to find it empty.
“So even his wife thinks he’s a killer?” Brad said when she was done.
“That doesn’t mean she’s right!” Rowenna insisted. “But…” Her voice trailed off, and her brow was furrowed in a frown. Her eyes were a deep amber as she turned to Jeremy. “You say that…you found four more corpses? You’re sure it was four?”
“Yes, four. Why?”
“So with Dinah Green, that’s five.”