“I just finished college and received my nursing degree after years of studying,” Uma said, her face lighting up. “I start work next week at the hospital and can’t wait.”
“Congratulations.” Laurel reached for her glass. “Have you ever met or heard of a woman named Delta Rivers?”
Uma pursed her lips, as if thinking. “No, I haven’t. Why? Is that the name of the first victim?”
Laurel took a sip of her sparkling water. “I can’t reveal that information at this time. Are you sure you’ve never heard that name?”
“I’m positive.”
Laurel pulled a picture of Delta out of her file folder. It had been taken during the autopsy. “This isn’t an ideal picture, but would you please double-check?”
Uma pulled the photograph toward her and cocked her head. “No, I’m sorry. She doesn’t look familiar at all.” Then she peered closer. “Maybe. It’s difficult to tell from this. There was a woman at the church who met with Zeke a week or so ago. She had blond hair, and I didn’t recognize her. But I just can’t tell from this picture.”
Laurel’s instincts started to hum. “There was a woman you didn’t recognize?”
“Yes, but you have to realize that is not uncommon. People come from Seattle all the time to meet with both Pastor Zeke and Pastor John regarding our outreach programs. I just figured she was one of those folks, maybe from the food bank.”
Laurel nodded. “That’s more than likely.” Yet she needed to follow up on this. “The church doesn’t have security cameras, does it?”
“Oh, no. Not at the church,” Uma said, as if shocked by the very idea.
How unfortunate. They really could use some CCTV. Laurel couldn’t think of any more questions. Unfortunately, the woman seemed like a good alibi for Zeke Caine. “I appreciate your coming in today,” Laurel said.
Uma leaned forward. “I was hoping I could also talk to you about your father.”
“We can’t get into personal matters here, Ms. Carrington. I’m sorry.”
Uma focused fully on Laurel. “No, really. He cares about you deeply and wants a relationship with you. He doesn’t understand why you won’t see the good in him.”
Laurel pushed back her chair and stood. “That’s because there isn’t good in him, Uma. He’s a predator and he harms women. He’s a narcissist and probably a sociopath.”
Uma stood and wrung her hands together. “You’re wrong.”
Laurel stared at her dispassionately. “Do what you will with the information I’ve given to you. But if you’re as smart as you appear, you’ll run fast and hard in the other direction.” She showed the woman to the door and then returned to her office, her mind clicking travel arrangements into place. She called her mom’s warehouse and spoke to the employees before phoning her local travel agent.
“What’s going on?” Agent Norrs asked, walking inside and dropping into a chair. “Did I hear you making plans to head to Asia?”
Laurel rolled her shoulders, unsure of how much to reveal. Norrs seemed to be a good agent with poor taste in women, and he didn’t have her trust. She missed her team, flashing back to being a child prodigy—all alone amongst her peers. “I’m rearranging a planned buying trip for my mother so she leaves tomorrow.”
Agent Norrs kicked out his legs. “Sounds like a good idea. Is it because the killer is murdering blondes?”
“That might be a coincidence since we only have two victims.” Hopefully they wouldn’t get any more. “I’m more concerned that Zeke Caine wants to speak with my mother. With both of us rejecting his overtures, he could become even more dangerous than he obviously is right now. A malignant narcissist or sociopath with his kind of ego can’t take such disrespect, and I’m concerned he’ll strike out at her.”
Norrs rubbed his smooth-shaven chin. “You think he’d actually hurt your mom because she doesn’t want to talk to him?”
“Without question,” Laurel said. “He has no moral compass, and I want her safe while I track his movements of the last few years. There’s a reason he won’t share where he’s been, and I have no doubt he’s victimized more people. I also need to figure out a way to talk to the female members of his congregation without being shut out. We haven’t hit on a method for doing that yet.”
Norrs whistled. “I spoke to your sister, and she truly doesn’t like your father. At all. She’d really like to meet us for dinner tonight.”
“I am unavailable this evening,” Laurel said.
He sighed. “I’m going to keep trying. For now, that was quite the scene outside with Haylee Johnson. The news keeps streaming it.”
Laurel pressed the palm of her hand into her eyebrow and gently rubbed it, hoping the increased supply of blood to the area would ward off her oncoming headache. “Yes, Haylee Johnson needs help. Make sure we have somebody on her at all times.”
“Fish and Wildlife is trailing her, but their resources are limited,” Agent Norrs said. “Do you think she’s in danger?”
“We all are, Agent Norrs.”
