One of her eyebrows rose of its own accord. “What am I looking for, Jeremiah?”
His smile was charming. “Peace and purpose, just like the rest of us.” He tilted his head as if reading her. “And a sense of justice and truth, probably. The world you’ve entered needs to be exposed, and perhaps you’re here to do just that.”
“What world?” she challenged.
“I don’t know yet, but I am going to keep digging.” His gaze lightened. “Something tells me you know more than I do. Already.”
She lifted her chin. “What were you and Seth doing in the woods the night you found his mother murdered?”
Jeremiah exhaled. “We snuck some hooch from Old Man Barnby and went out to the forest to get drunk.”
“Fred and Frank Barnby’s father?”
“Grandfather. He died a few years back. The guy made great hooch.”
Connections upon connections existed in this darn town. “So you and Seth were friends?”
“No.” Jeremiah’s jaw firmed. “We played on the football team together and sometimes hung out. Seth didn’t have friends—wouldn’t let anybody get close enough to be his friend. Even before his mother died.”
A pang jabbed at Mia’s heart. So, he’d been lonely his entire life? That made her want to save him. Comfort him. But she needed the truth. “What did you see that night?”
Jeremiah paled. “I’m still not sure. We were drinking by the ridge, talking about the next game, and suddenly Seth lifted his head. Then he turned and ran. So I followed him. It was like he knew exactly where to go because we found his mother tied to the ground…dead.”
Mia swallowed several times. The entire situation was unthinkable. “What then?”
“I panicked. I ran to town and called the sheriff.”
Mia nodded, a piece of the puzzle clicking into place. If Seth had been alone, he never would have alerted the human sheriff. “What did Seth do?”
Jeremiah frowned. “I don’t know. I’ve always wondered.”
He’d probably shifted into wolf form out of pure pain. Maybe Eddy actuallydidsee Seth in wolf form that night. “Everyone reacts differently to trauma. Is that why you became a, um, shrink?”
“Maybe.” Jeremiah reached out and pushed her hair over her shoulder. “I can tell you’re a strong woman. But I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I didn’t at least give you a warning. Seth is dangerous. He was dangerous as a kid, then as a soldier, and now as a leader in the town. You should run, not walk, out of his life.”
“I can handle myself.” She pulled away from his hand, and her hair slid through his fingers. There was an edge to him that she couldn’t quite quantify.
Jeremiah frowned. “I’m sure. But, well, Seth was a suspect for a while in the killing.”
“He was with you.”
“No. We met up over by the ridge. I actually stole the hooch. Seth met me there and would’ve had time to kill his mom first.” Jeremiah scrubbed both hands down his face. “Though he didn’t act like he’d just committed murder or anything. But in my time as a psychologist, I’ve met with perfectly nice people who’d done evil deeds.”
“Psychopaths.” Mia had studied plenty of them.
“Yes. They’re usually charming, intelligent, and charismatic—like Seth.” Jeremiah shifted to the side.
“Do you really think Seth could’ve killed his mother?”
Jeremiah looked away and then back. “I honestly don’t know. Physically, yeah. Mentally, definitely. Emotionally? I don’t know. Even back then, he was over-the-top gentle and protective of women. I guess that could be a front because if it’s the truth, then it’s hard to imagine him doing such a terrible thing. I’ve gone back to that night in my head so many times over the years, and I still don’t have an answer. I don’t havetheanswer.”
The wind picked up, pricking along Mia’s skin. “If Seth killed his mom, then who killed the other two women in the same manner?” It didn’t make sense.
“His father?” Jeremiah asked.
Mia blinked, stepping back.
“I know.” Jeremiah held up both hands. “It sounds nuts, but as I told you, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it. Either we had a serial killer who brutally murdered three women and moved on, or the other two kills were a cover for Mrs. Volk’s murder. Or hers was a cover for one of theirs, but that isn’t as plausible.”
