Page 52 of Deeper Than the Dead

She and Eve didn’t talk as they wove their way through the cemetery. What was there to say? There was a big chance they were in serious trouble here, but it wasn’t as bad as it could be. Based on Vera’s experience, it would be difficult to pin Sheree’s death on them—on anyone for that matter. Even if some evidence was found on or near her remains that implicated Eve or Vera, they had lived in the same house with the woman. Most things could be explained away.

The thing that worried Vera was the other victims. How had those happened? Who in this little town had killed three people without anyone noticing their disappearances? The only reasonable explanation was that the victims were not from the area. The biggest mystery was the identity of the person who knew about the cave. The answer to that one was what they needed.

“Has anyone around the county gone missing and the case remains unsolved?” she asked, more a thought spoken. Bent was likely looking into this already.

Eve slowed to a stop next to a tall headstone, seemed to consider the question. “People have gone missing for sure, but I can’t recall anyone specifically who was never found like Sheree. Not around here anyway. It would have been on the news and in the papers.”

They moved toward the street once more. If Vera had been at the top of her game, she and Bent would have talked about this already. Damn it.

Eve suddenly stopped again.

Vera almost bumped into her. She started to ask what was wrong, but then she saw the trouble. Someone had written words on the driver’s side window of her SUV.

I know what you did.

Before Vera could move closer and touch the letters, her cell vibrated. She ignored it and continued toward her car. The vibrating stopped but then immediately started again. This time she dragged out her phone and checked the screen. Could be Bent with more news.

Luna.

Vera accepted the call. “Hey, Lu. What’s up?”

Eve turned and stared at her, waiting for whatever was coming next. At this point they were both gun shy. Every call was like a warning blast.

“You need to find Eve,” Luna said sounding frantic, “and come home. Right now.”

Vera looked to Eve. “We’ll be right there.”

19

Boyett Farm

Good Hollow Road, Fayetteville, 12:30 p.m.

The message at the house was not at all like the one on Vera’s car. That one had been very specific—very pointed—yet made no actual threat.

But this one was different. This one was a direct threat.

I should have killed you all when I had the chance.

On the porch, Vera, Eve, and Luna stood shoulder to shoulder, staring at the words spray-painted across the front door in four lines.

This message was a scare tactic. For Luna, it had done its job extremely well.

“Who would do such a thing?” Luna wailed. She’d settled down after Vera and Eve arrived, but now her emotions were getting the better of her again.

“Someone who’s playing a game,” Vera suggested. “Who wants to take advantage of the situation.”

“It could be the person who hurt Sheree,” Eve said, her gaze glued to the words.

Vera wanted to shake her. What was the point of scaring Luna further with that suggestion? Damn it. “The person who hurt Sheree,” Vera challenged, “could be dead himself by now. Or too old to get around. We can’t know for sure that this is related to who hurt Sheree. It could be someone who wants to make us miserable. To capitalize on the situation. Grab a minute of fame.”

“Just saying,” Eve argued. “My explanation makes a lot more sense.”

Vera glared at her, but it did no good since Eve wouldn’t meet her gaze. Did she really think her suggestion was going to help?

Moments after Vera and Eve had arrived, a news van from Memphis stopped at the road in front of the house. Patricia Patton and her cameraman stood next to it, staying well away from the property line. Vera had wanted to walk out there and demand that they leave, but they were in the road, so she couldn’t. What she and her sisters could do was keep their backs to the camera, which she had warned them to do. Although the house sat back from the road a good distance, a zoom lens could zero right in on the situation.

Bent pulled up, and Vera, keeping her back to Patton, waited for him at the bottom of the steps. She and Eve had decided they weren’t going to tell him about the other messages. Those would only lead to questions neither of them wanted to answer. Fortunately, the message on her SUV had been written using one of those glass markers designed to put for-sale information on cars. The wet wipes she carried in her car contained alcohol, which made removing the words easy enough.

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