Page 36 of If She Stayed
"I'll come with you," Kate said, her training kicking in.She knew it was a stretch, but she couldn't help but wonder if the killer might already be watching Sandra's house, waiting for an opportunity."I'd like to do a quick check of the rooms before you go looking for anything."
Sandra looked puzzled but stepped aside to let Kate enter."Of course, if you think it's necessary."
Kate moved through Sandra's house methodically, checking each room with the systematic approach she'd learned during her years with the FBI.The formal dining room with its polished cherry table was empty and undisturbed.The kitchen showed no signs of forced entry or unusual activity.Upstairs, the bedrooms and bathrooms were clear, with no indication that anyone had been inside without permission.Overall, the house felt secure, but Kate remained alert as she completed her sweep.The killer had demonstrated an ability to gain access to victims' homes without leaving obvious signs of break-in.They'd been inside Jennifer's kitchen to poison her tea, and they'd approached Eleanor in her supposedly secure backyard without being detected.
When Kate returned to the living room, Sandra was waiting with a thick binder filled with what appeared to be handwritten notes and typed meeting summaries.It was all very thorough and borderline professional.
"I found the records from twenty years ago," Sandra said, opening the binder to a section marked with a tab labeled1995-1996."Here's Janet Klein's information."
Kate studied the neat handwriting that documented Janet's brief membership in the Willowbrook Book Club.Sandra had recorded not only attendance at meetings but also notes about each member's contributions to discussions, their book preferences, and their interactions with other members.Not for the first time, Kate got the impression that these ladies might be taking their book club a little too seriously.
The entry for Janet Klein was even more detailed than Kate had expected.According to Sandra's notes, Janet had joined the book club in its fourth month of existence, when the group was still small and intimate.She had been an active participant in discussions, demonstrating extensive knowledge of mystery fiction and often offering insights that impressed the other members.She and Eleanor had decided on meeting dates, snack choices, and even books—without the input of other members at the time, it seemed.
But Sandra had also noted some concerning behaviors.Janet had asked unusually detailed questions about other members' personal lives, showing particular interest in their backgrounds, family situations, and daily routines.She had volunteered to help with hosting duties, which gave her access to members' homes and schedules.And she had shown a pattern of reading the same books as other members, even when those books weren't part of the group's official selections.
Most significantly, Sandra had recorded Janet's final comment upon leaving the group:"I got what I needed from this.Time to move on to the next phase."Sandra had even typed up three question marks following this, as if to say, “What the hell?”
Kate read the entry twice, getting the sensation that she might be on to something here...she just wasn’t surewhatyet."Did Janet ever mention what kind of work she did?Her profession or background?"
Sandra consulted her notes."She said she worked in insurance, I think.Claims adjustment or something similar.She seemed to have flexible hours because she was always available for meetings and social activities."
Kate considered this for a moment and stepped to the far side of the room, pulling out her phone.“Excuse me a moment, Mrs.Morrison.”
She dialed DeMarco, whom answered immediately.
"Kate, I've got units en route to all the remaining members,” she said.“What did you find with Sandra?"
"Well, for started, Sandra isn't a founding member.And secondly, I might have a new lead.There was an original member named Janet Klein who left the group after just a few months, twenty years ago.And she did so under suspicious circumstances.She made strange comments about getting what she needed from the book club, and she showed unusual interest in other members' personal information."
"That sounds promising.”
“Can you meet me at the office to run a background check?"Kate asked.
"Why not just call it in to Records and Research instead?They should be able to pull information on Janet Klein within ten minutes.”
“Good thinking.Besides, I don't want to leave Sandra alone right now."
“I’ll call them up for you.Need anything else?”DeMarco asked.“Need me to come over, too?”
“No, I think I’m good.Just call when you get something back on Klein.”
“Got it.And I’ll send a unit over there to free you up, too.”
“Thanks.”
Kate ended the call and turned back to Sandra, who was reading through more of her old notes with growing interest.Kate noticed that she was shaking lightly, perhaps still trying to divert her welling emotions with whatever menial task she could.
"Mrs.Morrison, I'm going to stay here with you until a patrol unit arrives to provide backup.We can't take any chances with your safety."
Sandra looked up from her binder."Do you really think this Janet Klein could be responsible for these murders?After all these years?"
"People hold grudges for decades, especially if they feel they've been wronged or humiliated.If Janet was planning something from the beginning, if she joined the book club to gather information for some future purpose, she might have been waiting for the right opportunity to act on whatever grievance she's carrying."
Kate settled into one of Sandra's armchairs, positioning herself where she could see both the front door and the windows that faced the street.The afternoon sun was beginning to set, casting longer shadows across the elegant Victorian's interior.
"Agent Wise?"Sandra asked.There was definite sorrow in her voice now.The wrestling match taking place inside of her was apparently coming to an end, and sorrow was winning."Would you mind giving me some… some privacy for a moment."She was doing everything she could not to break in front of Kate.
“Yes, of course,” Kate aid, getting to her feet.“I’ll be right on the porch until a police unit comes to relive me.”
