The Hidden

When he hung up he recapped the call for them. “Gray has had people out on the street night and day, trying to find anyone who saw anything. They’ve followed up on all the calls that came in and talked to our leads from the Twisted Antler, but when it comes to useful information, his people are drawing blanks. I’ve told him about tonight, and he’ll be on call, ready to step in if anything happens. Believe it or not, Lieutenant Gray likes our idea of a séance. He’s feeling tremendous pressure from the mayor to solve this. He told me that for the first time in his life, he was glad for the Bureau to take over.”


“Brett and I are going downtown to follow up on Cassandra’s story. Maybe we can find something in that alley. He had to move fast there, so maybe he got careless in a way he hasn’t, at least so far, at the kill sites,” Diego said. He looked questioningly at Jane.

She smiled and told him, “Scarlet and I are going to read. Don’t worry, please. I can handle myself in a fight.”

Diego grinned. “I have no doubt, though I also doubt it will come to that. Just be careful and don’t trust anyone. My gut says our killer’s going to be one of those scary guys everybody likes and no one suspects. Let’s face it, if some guy was running around town dripping blood or spouting threats, someone would have noticed him by now.”

“We’ll stick to each other like glue, and we won’t trust anyone,” Scarlet promised him.

“Good. We’ll meet back here for dinner around six, then head over and ‘séance,’” he said.

“And I’d like to read Nathan’s journals with you guys, if you don’t mind,” Lara said, coming up behind them.

Scarlet found the day not only interesting, but also actively fun.

Jane talked about working as a sketch artist for Texas law enforcement before joining the Krewe, and Lara talked about how Meg, who she’d known since they were kids, had gotten involved with the Krewe and how that had ultimately led to her own involvement—and to falling in love with Brett.

“I’m not law enforcement—I’m in PR and I plan to stay in PR—but the Krewe sometimes hires civilian experts, so who knows?” Lara said. “If the Bureau tells Brett he has to move one day, maybe I’ll end up working for the Krewe, too. Right now, Brett can work from Miami—there’s a need for a Krewe presence there, trust me—and I can stay on at the Sea Life Center. But if he has to move, you can bet I’ll be going with him, because more than anything I want to spend my life with Brett. It’s hard to play second fiddle sometimes, but when someone’s life is at stake, I get it. It’s made me pretty tough and resilient, actually. I might actually make a good agent.”

“There’s no way to tell what the future will bring any of us,” Jane said. “I’m just lucky to be married to another Krewe agent. I guess when you’re blessed—or afflicted—with a sixth sense the way we are, it’s a real plus when you fall in love with someone who can see ghosts, too.”

“Hey,” Lara said, frowning as she delicately pried apart pages in one of the journals. “I think there’s something in here. Do you know what it is?”

“No,” Scarlet admitted. “I never even noticed those pages were stuck together.”

Lara handed her the journal. Scarlet dug around in her desk for a tiny tweezers and carefully extracted the folded note stuck between the pages.

“It’s a note,” Scarlet said, delicately unfolding the fragile paper. She looked up at the others. “It’s a note written by United States Marshal Tom Vickers—his eulogy to his daughter.”

Scarlet began to read aloud.

“‘Did ever a child bring greater light to a parent’s life? Could any man be prouder of a daughter’s beauty, that which shone on her lovely face, and that which eternally radiated from the sweet glory of her heart? Her child, her boy, is all that is left in life that matters to me, and by my daughter’s soul, I swear I will raise that boy to know of her beauty, and I will raise him in happiness and that blessed light which Jillian bestowed upon all others.’” She looked at Jane and Lara, and said softly, “Wow. Sure doesn’t sound like the words of a man who killed his daughter and her husband.”

“I really don’t believe Marshal Vickers killed his own daughter,” Jane said. “Admittedly, he doesn’t mention Nathan in the note, but it’s obvious he truly loved his own child and his grandchild.”