* * *
STEFANIE DROVE DOWNPickford Street, away from Harriette’s Café, glancing up at the rearview mirror to see that Campbell’s car was no longer there, as if his vehicle had disappeared into thin air. She almost wished he had followed her home, and they could have talked some more. Apart from getting the scoop on what his investigation had uncovered on Mia O’Dell’s death, Stefanie welcomed the conversation beyond that unsettling news. It had been a while since she had opened up like that to a man, and she felt good about this. The fact that he had indicated an interest in seeing each other again, while not necessarily in relation to police work, was something she was totally amenable to. She wanted a full life in Reston Hills, beyond her yoga studio and hanging with Bella. Now was the time to push forward with that and see where she landed.
After pulling up to her house, she went inside and was greeted by Curlie. “Hey, you,” Stefanie said, chuckling as the cat lifted it paws onto the leg of her boot-cut jeans. “Looks like you’ve missed me. Well, back at you.”
Picking her up, Stefanie kissed the cat on the top of her head, which Curlie evidently enjoyed. Or at least the attention.
Stefanie fed her and left her alone, while she walked into the living room and took out her cell phone. After sitting on a gray mid-century-modern accent chair, she called Bella for a video chat, wanting to fill her in on the latest in case she hadn’t heard.
Bella accepted the chat and said cheerfully, “Hey.”
“Hey.” Stefanie kept a serious look on her face. “Got a sec?”
“Yes, I’m all yours. What’s up?”
“I just met with Detective Sawyer… Campbell,” Stefanie told her.
Bella’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes, we had coffee at Harriette’s Café while he provided an update on the case.”
“I see.” Bella narrowed her gaze. “What did he say?”
“The woman’s name is Mia O’Dell,” Stefanie told her.
“What?” Bella looked shocked. “Mia…?”
“I take it you knew her?” Stefanie said, based on the reaction.
“She used to work for my father as his housekeeper,” Bella pointed out. “We weren’t close or anything, but I’d see her in town every now and then.” She sighed. “Now she’s dead. How?”
“Drug overdose,” Stefanie told her. “Campbell said that she died from fentanyl poisoning.”
“That’s terrible.” Bella’s brow furrowed. “Didn’t realize she was into that.”
“She may not have been,” Stefanie pointed out. “Campbell’s investigating how she came to have the fentanyl in her system and if the death was accidental or deliberate.”
Bella reacted, a thin brow shooting up. “He thinks someone could have intentionally caused Mia to OD on fentanyl?”
“Possibly. Or otherwise played a part in her ending up naked, alone and dead in the park.” Stefanie took a breath. “Apparently, Mia was involved with the Braison Family cult. Are you familiar with them?”
“Yes,” Bella answered matter-of-factly and as a localhistorian. “They’ve been around these parts for decades—started by a controversial and charismatic man named Wendell Braison—attracting those most susceptible to life outside the mainstream. As far as I’m aware, they haven’t caused much trouble, apart from occasional skirmishes with the law, and don’t seem to be a hot bed for drug activity. But then, what do I know?”
She became thoughtful, prompting Stefanie to ask curiously, “What?”
Bella licked her lips and answered, “Well, I do seem to recall years ago when another woman who belonged to the cult was found dead at the park—on Founder’s Day, of all things. I’m sketchy on the details, but I don’t believe the case was ever solved…”
“Hmm.” Stefanie found that intriguing. What were the odds? “Coincidence?”
“What else could it be?” Bella offered. “Just popped into my head. Let’s see if Campbell can reach the right conclusions in the death of Mia O’Dell.”
“Agreed.” Stefanie had a sense that he would. She could only hope that Mia’s fatal drug overdose wasn’t nefarious in intent.
After disconnecting from the video chat, Stefanie pondered the tragedy while also wondering if the Braison Family could have been behind it. Or were they truly harmless for the most part, as Bella had suggested?
Maybe I need to see for myself, Stefanie thought. If only to put her mind at ease in feeling a kinship of sorts to Mia, whom she’d happened upon, as though to help her rest in peace, if at all possible.
Chapter Five
