Page 87

Account switches–who was killed first – what she saw

Silence = trauma response or deception?

CANNOT PROVE!!!

It was heartbreaking. Were there holes in Geneva’s story? Of course. I had the same doubts about her myself. Had those doubts caused Dan to stop looking for the answers that could have solved this case for good? There was no smoking gun here. Dan’s theory seemed to amount to nothing more than conjecture. Rage filled me. We’d wasted so much time. Now, Geneva might be out there somewhere paying for it.

I found more scraps of paper. Notes written on anything from cocktail napkins to the back of business cards.

Then I picked up a separate stack. The notes were written on smaller, 5½-by-8½-inch sheets of off-white, linen-textured paper. It was personal stationery.

The witness had written the names of Geneva’s primary physician at the time. Her school guidance counselor. Her teachers. Geneva’s father, perhaps her mother even, had written these. But that’s not what made my blood run cold. It was the paper itself. It was personalized with a name at the top. “From the Desk of Kevin Bell, CPA.”

“Dad,” I said, my throat scratchy and dry.

I reached for a stack of letters written to Derrek Sidney.

Dad came closer. My hands shook. I picked up one of Sidney’s letters. It came from a group of seven. Those on smaller, note-sized paper with the tops torn off.

I laid one of Kevin Bell’s notes to Holland flat on the table. I placed one of Sidney’s torn notes on top of it.

The paper size matched. The texture and linen stock matched. And when I lined the jagged torn edge up with Kevin’s intact stationery, it felt like locking in a last puzzle piece.

“Mercy,” Dad whispered.

“Dad,” I repeated. “Call Mac. Now. I think they’re headed to the wrong place.”

“Over my dead body,” Dad said.

Mac wasn’t answering. No one was. The entire Helene and Down County Sheriff’s Departments were en route to Deadwater Lake, it seemed.

“If I don’t go over there, it’s going to be too late,” I said. “I walked right into it. Kevin knows I know he’s a liar. Now both he and Landon know Dan Holland is looking for Geneva. If Kevin’s done something to her, do you think he’s dumb enough to stick around? If he runs, we may never get to the truth.”

“You need to let Mac handle this,” Dad insisted.

“And I will. I’m not planning on barging into that house again. All I’m gonna do is sit there and watch the house until we can get a hold of Mac to get a crew out. That’s all.”

He grumbled, but in a way I knew he knew I was right. “Fine,” he said. “But I’m going with you.”

“There’s no need. Just stay here until the others get back or Mac sends someone over to the Bells.”

“It’s not up for debate. What are you worried about, you’re driving.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. Now was not the time to take his bait.

I grabbed the keys to the Nautilus and ran out the front door with Dad on my heels. I climbed into the driver’s seat and turned the key. Nothing happened. Just clicking noises and the flickering of my turn signals. I tried again.

“For the love of ...”

“Battery’s dead,” he said. “When’s the last time you drove this thing?”

“It’s September,” I said. “Why would the battery die?”

“Forget it. Take the Five Hundred.”

He was already out of the car and headed for the alley. When I caught up to him, Dad hesitated next to the driver’s-side door. He squeezed his eyes shut and pounded on the roof of the car.

“Dad ...”

He put a hand up and walked to the other side of the car. He climbed into the passenger seat. Thunderstruck, I slid behind the wheel.