She hopped in the passenger seat of Conner’s Jeep. “Who found her?”
“Reverend Mahaney.”
What the ...? His niece’s accusations echoed in Sarah’s ears. She started to demand the time of discovery when Conner asked, “Where’s your coat?”
“Forget about it. Let’s go.”
He hesitated.
“Let’s go, damn it!”
He held her gaze half a second then turned his attention to getting them the hell out of here and over to the chief’s office.
But in that ephemeral instant he looked directly into her eyes, she saw the agony. As pissed off and upset as she was about this, he knew this girl, knew her family. He, like everyone else in Youngstown, was devastated. Sarah thought of Rachel Appleton ... there were no words to describe how she must feel.
Sarah closed her eyes and banged her head against the headrest. This place wasn’t that big. How long could this go on before the cops identified the killer?
Forever.
Just like last time.
She thought of Rachel Appleton again and Sarah’s misery sharpened. She had to do something.
I’m glad you’re here.Rachel Appleton had said that to Sarah when everyone else wanted her to go.
Sarah clenched her jaw. She would find the truth. For Alicia and her family. For Valerie and hers.
The parking lot at the Public Safety Office was packed with reporters and probably locals wanting to hear the facts. Conner parked up the street.
Sarah climbed out.
“Let’s go this way,” he suggested as he set a course leading between two buildings. “We’ll cut over to the next street and go around back.”
“Good idea.”
She hustled to keep up with his long strides. They made it to the rear entrance of the Public Safety Office without being spotted—an outright miracle.
The deputy posted at the door to ensure only authorized personnel entered greeted Conner, then sent a disapproving glare at Sarah.
“She’s with me,” Conner said bluntly.
The deputy didn’t like it, that was clear, but he nodded and let them pass.
Though Sarah was thankful to have gotten inside without time-wasting complications, Conner’s automatic assumption that he had to take care of her grated. Like showing up to pick her up this morning. And asking about her coat.
A phone call would have sufficed. She could have driven here. Could have talked or bullied her way past the guard.
She would set Conner straight. Later.
Cops were rushing from office to office in the small police station. All six phone lines appeared to be ringing. Sarah glimpsed Karen Brighton and a couple other deputies she’d seen before and a lot of them she hadn’t. Reserve deputies, Sarah surmised. Not the first sign of a fed. She thought of running into Lex August and her gut clenched again.
Two city councilmen she recognized entered the conference room. She elbowed Conner and pointed in that direction. He headed that way.
Before they reached the door, the chief’s booming voice competed with the bustle. So did Mayor Patterson’s hushed cadence.
Conner let Sarah go in first. To say that the tension in the room upped about twenty notches would be an understatement. Six sets of eyes glared at her with the same disdain as the back-entrance deputy’s. Those scornful gazes belonged to the chief, the mayor, and all four of the other village councilmen. This morning she was no longer a tolerated nuisance. She was an unwelcome intruder.
“Ms. Newton, this is a closed briefing,” Willard barked. “You’ll have to get your information at the next press conference just like the rest of the general public.”
