After leaving Phoenix PD, Kari drove back to her hotel, her mind still working through the plan. Using media to draw out a reluctant witness was risky—it exposed their strategy, showed their hand to whoever was really behind the murders. But the potential payoff was worth it.
Tessa Crane might have seen something the night of the murder—a car leaving, someone watching the house, anything that could point toward the real killer.
Kari's phone rang as she was parking at the hotel. Ben.
"Hey," she answered. "How's the reservation?"
"Quiet. How's Phoenix?" Ben's voice carried concern. "I saw the news about Hatathli being charged. Are you any closer to proving he didn't do it?"
"Getting closer. We have a strong suspect now—Charles Sterling's girlfriend, Diana Gray. She has motive, capability, and opportunity. We just need evidence that proves it." Kari filled him in on what they'd discovered about Diana's background, including the private meetings with Victor.
"Sounds promising. But also dangerous. If she's already killed three people—"
"I'm being careful. Maria and I are working this together, and we're not confronting Diana alone or without backup." Kari unlocked her hotel room door. "What about you? Any progress on Evan Naalnish?"
"Some. I'll brief you when you're back. But Kari, the corporate security around that land... it's aggressive. Whoever owns it really doesn't want anyone investigating." Ben paused. "Your mom was onto something real. I'm sure of it now."
"I know. And we're going to prove it." Kari kicked off her shoes, feeling the exhaustion of the day catching up with her. "Once this Phoenix case is wrapped up, we'll focus on Evan full-time. Connect all the pieces Anna identified."
"Be safe down there. Call if you need anything."
After hanging up, Kari reviewed her notes on Diana Gray one more time before attempting to sleep. Tomorrow's press conference would either bring Tessa Crane forward or confirm that they'd have to build their case the hard way, piece by careful piece.
But Kari felt good about their chances. People wanted to do the right thing when they felt safe doing it.
And tomorrow, they'd give Tessa Crane the safety she needed to come forward and tell them what she knew.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Tessa sat on the edge of the motel bed, remote control in hand, flipping through morning news channels with the sound barely audible. Maya was in the shower, the water running in the cramped bathroom, leaving Tessa alone with her thoughts and the constant low-grade anxiety that had been her companion for three days.
Three days of hiding. Three days of checking the parking lot obsessively, jumping at every car door that slammed, imagining threats in every shadow. Three days of Maya bringing food and reassurance while Tessa spiraled deeper into the certainty that she'd made a terrible mistake by running.
The Desert Star Motor Lodge looked even more depressing in daylight—sun-bleached paint, cracked asphalt, the pool filled with murky water that looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months. This was the kind of place people came to disappear, and Tessa had done exactly that. Disappeared from her life, her apartment, everything familiar, all because she'd been too scared to tell the truth about finding Victor dead.
She landed on a local news channel and was about to keep flipping when she saw the words "BREAKING NEWS" appear on screen, followed by "PHOENIX PD PRESS CONFERENCE."
Tessa turned up the volume.
The image showed a podium with the Phoenix PD logo, two women standing behind it—one in a detective's blazer, the other in more casual attire. The taller one with dark hair pulled back stepped forward first.
"Good morning. I'm Detective Maria Santos with the Phoenix Police Department's Homicide Unit. We're here today to discuss the ongoing investigation into the murders of Richard Garrison, Margaret Hoffman, and Victor Sheridan."
Tessa's breath caught at Victor's name. She leaned forward, the remote forgotten in her hand.
"We're specifically appealing today to an important witness," Detective Santos continued. "A woman called 911 to report finding Victor Sheridan deceased in his Paradise Valley home. This woman provided the address and basic information but ended the call before identifying herself. We believe she was frightened—understandably so—by what she'd witnessed and by the prospect of becoming involved in a homicide investigation."
The camera zoomed in on Detective Santos's face.
"I want to be very clear about something," Santos said. "This woman is not a suspect. She did exactly the right thing by calling 911 and reporting what she found. She is a witness, and we believe she may have information that could be crucial to solving not just Victor Sheridan's murder but all three killings. We need her to come forward."
The other woman stepped forward. "My name is Detective Kari Blackhorse, and I'm consulting on this case," she said. "I want to speak directly to the woman who made that 911 call. I know you're scared. If you're watching this, you're probably trying to decide if you can trust us. I know you might have reasons—legitimate reasons—to be wary of law enforcement."
Tessa felt tears prick her eyes. It was like Detective Blackhorse was talking directly to her, seeing through the TV into this shabby motel room where Tessa was hiding.
"But I need you to know something important," Blackhorse continued. "Victor Sheridan was killed by someone who has murdered two others. And there is no certainty this person won't kill again."
The bathroom door opened and Maya emerged, toweling her hair. She stopped when she saw Tessa's face. She followed Tessa's gaze to the television.
