Page 38 of Secrets Along the Shore
Dickson frowned. “So. Who broke into your house last night, then?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m too close to something and he wants to stop me?” That was a stretch. How would Sophia’s killer even know I was involved even a little?
“Ok.” Reuben dropped his arms from behind his head and his palms slapped the table.
I jumped.
“We’ve got zero evidence to support your theory.”
“We have the demographics,” I argued.
“Sure. I can make them fit a lot of scenarios if I wanted to.”
“Yeah, I know.” I eyed him. “You keep trying to convince yourself they’re tied to my case and they’re not.”
“Ok you two.” Dickson held up her hands. “In your corners.”
Reuben glowered.
I glared.
Dickson gave small snort. “You’re like Zayn Malik and One Direction. You’ve got creative differences and you’re willing to break up over it. Get it together, Ghost.” Dickson leveled a warning. “We’ve hardly got much to go on. None of our leads so far have panned out. Including your theory that this has to do with the Serpent Killer.”
“Your point?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
I had a feeling that I’d won.
“My point is, start looking into this angle. Is there anyone we can tie to these women, who also had a bad upbringing? Probably someone raised by a grandmother and mother. Maybe they lost their sister or—she was killed or something. If there’s someone with that background who crossed paths with all three of our victims, then, we investigate them.”
“I could check the database for past offenders who fit the profile.”
“Right.” Dickson tipped her head in my direction. “If Noa’s profile is correct, the odds this is the first time our guy ever acted out are slim. He may not be calculated and methodical, but he’s thought it through. Enough to bring a dead snake to the place he abducted them.”
“And the Serpent Killer?” Reuben didn’t want to give up on the cold case.
Dickson shot a look my way.
I dropped my gaze. I knew her decision potentially affected me, but I really didn’t think I was tied to this in any way.
“Shelve it,” Dickson concluded.
“Wait—” Reuben protested.
“For now.” Dickson stated with authority. “If we find a tie, we reopen it. But right now, we have one dead victim and two others still unaccounted for. Let’s try to bring them home.”
I winced.
I lifted my head and looked to where Sophia had been standing.
She was gone.
In her place, I saw Rosalie, and behind Rosalie, was Lilian. Both of them looked intently at me and I felt their challenge emanating from their eyes. When I saw them blink, I was startled. Unlike Sophia, whose eyes were always glassy, Rosalie and Lilian looked—alive.
Be our voice. Sophia’s whisper tickled my ear.
I didn’t dare look at Reuben or Dickson. If they had any idea that in my world, we weren’t alone in this conference room, they would toss my theory out the window.
Be our voice,Rosalie mouthed the words.
