“I don’t know that you can find it.”
That bothered Max as well. She had never tackled such a difficult case—twenty years was a long time. And while on the surface there appeared to be a connection between the four cases, what if, in fact, they weren’t connected and there were four separate killers? How could she solve four separate cases where three of them were so cold?
“I need access to all the cases to see if there is another commonality … something that proves that we’re looking for one killer. If I can find that, I can open up far more avenues of investigation. I came here for two reasons. One, Justin is the first known victim. It’s the beginning for this killer. Second, you can get information from the other jurisdictions easier than I can.”
“Max.” Andrew leaned forward, his expression borderline hostile. “I didn’t want you here, but you said something yesterday on the phone that stuck with me. I am a prosecutor at heart. I’m not always a good person, I wasn’t a good husband, but I am a great district attorney. It sickens me that my son’s murder is unsolved. That someone killed him and destroyed my wife—my best friend—and tore her family to shreds with grief. It pains me that if you’re right, and Justin’s murder is connected to others, that the killer is still out there. And I keep asking why. Why, dammit! That question keeps me up late at night. It was a senseless murder, but until you contacted me, I never once thought that it was part of a pattern. If you and your resources can find the answers, I can work with you. But if—and only if—Lucy agrees.”
“Why is your former sister-in-law the decider for you?” That made no sense to Max, and it bothered her that she couldn’t figure it out.
“Lucy is not only good at her job, she has a unique skill set. Experience investigating serial killers—because honestly, if you’re right, that is exactly what we’re dealing with. And I think she’s the only one who might be able to figure out why. As I said, she’s the only Kincaid who will work with me on this. She’s the only one who might be able to convince her family to help. And if she doesn’t, then you’re back to square one, because I guarantee that the Kincaids will do everything they can to stop you. If you think they can’t, you’re lying to yourself.”
“Why wouldn’t they want the truth?”
“That’s not the question you should be asking. This isn’t about the truth, this is about protecting their family. Nell had an extremely difficult time after Justin’s murder. She hated me, hated herself, and I thought—her family thought—that she was going to kill herself. She moved out of our house, filed for divorce, lived with her parents. But I saw her—she wasn’t all there. When the police put the case on the back burner for lack of evidence, she moved to Idaho. Disappeared from everyone’s lives. The Kincaids will do everything to protect her. Carina went through hell and back during the investigation—she was interrogated, treated as a suspect. The Kincaids have powerful friends. You need a Kincaid on your side or you will get nothing.”
“I have two other cold cases.”
“But like you said,” he said, raising his eyebrows, “Justin was the first victim.”
He was right, and he knew he was right.
“If Lucy agrees to help, I’ll give you everything you need even if I have to go up against my former in-laws. If Lucy doesn’t, you’ll be on your own. And don’t be surprised if you end up in jail.”
“So the Kincaids would abuse the law to stop me from finding the truth.”
“The Kincaids would do anything to protect those they love.”
*
“You haven’t said a word since we landed.”
Sean pulled in to the US Grant parking garage. He turned off the ignition of the rental car and turned to face Lucy.
“Thinking.” A lot of thinking.
She reached for the handle but Sean took her hand. “Worrying,” he said. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I do.” She looked at Sean, saw the concern in his expression. Just having him here with her meant everything. She touched his face. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me—I would do anything for you. But this is going to hurt you and I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“I’ll get through it.”
“Of course you will, you’re a survivor. But I know you and I know your family. You’re going to tell them.”
Sean had suggested that she come to San Diego and work with the reporter without talking to her family—at least initially. She’d seriously considered it, but she didn’t think the situation was as awful as both Sean and Andrew thought it might be.
“My family may not be happy with my involvement in this, but they will understand. They want the truth just like I do, just like Andrew. I’m going to listen to what this Maxine Revere has to say first, then we’ll decide what to do.”
“It’s me you’re talking to, princess,” Sean said.
She leaned over and kissed him. “You know me well.”
“That I do. You want to wait until you hear all the facts, but in your heart you know you’re going to pursue it. No matter how thin a lead Maxine Revere came up with.”
“I read one of her books last night. Her college roommate disappeared over spring break in Miami. Karen Richardson.”
“I don’t know the case.”
“She went out with a group of people and never returned. Blood was found at the suspected crime scene—Karen’s blood, they proved later—but her body was never found. Revere hounded the police, the FBI, search and rescue, but the book was not just about the investigation. It was about predators, about knowing someone committed a crime but being unable to prove it. It was also about friendship and victims and survivors. How crime affects everyone.” She paused. “After the whole Rosemary Weber situation, I thought the worst. True crime writer? I wanted no part of it.”
Weber intended to write a book about the Cinderella Strangler, a case Lucy and Sean had assisted with before she was in the FBI. But Lucy had a great fear that some reporter would uncover her past and write about her. When Andrew first called her, she thought of how it would hurt her … which is why she had to read Maxine Revere’s books first. To see what she wrote about, how she wrote, whether Lucy could even trust her enough to work alongside her to see if maybe there were clues others had misinterpreted when Justin was killed.
“I think she’s different.” She hoped she was different, but Lucy didn’t think she was wrong.
“I did my own research,” Sean said. “The jury is still out.”
“You’re being protective.”
“Of course I am.” He caressed her cheek. “I’m going to be there when you tell your parents.”
Lucy hesitated.
“Lucy, you shouldn’t have to face your family alone. Not about this.” He frowned. “What’s wrong? Do you not want me here?”
“I do, but you have to promise to stand down. I don’t want to go through the conversation with everyone separately—I’m going to ask my mom to have everyone over for dinner. Bite the bullet. I think it’s going to be okay.”