Page 48 of Fallen Creed

Maggie kept her voice low. “And if you confirm that we’ve found Kristin Darrow, then all of this just got more complicated.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Kristen wasn’t supposed to work the night she disappeared. She was filling in for Libby.”

Maggie brought out her cell phone, took a few minutes and pulled up the photos side by side. She set the phone on the table and slid it over to Lucy.

The medical examiner glanced at the photos. Her eyes widened and slid up to meet Maggie’s.

“I know,” Maggie said. “They could be sisters, they look so much alike. The manager told me Kristen was wearing Libby’s name badge because she forgot hers.”

“Coincidence?”

“You know what I think about coincidences. I’m wondering if the killer made a mistake. Maybe it was Libby he wanted. She could have found out and disappeared. Or, and I hate to think about this possibility, maybe Libby played a part. She could have set Kristen up.”

Lucy put the phone against her chest and sat back suddenly. She nodded at Maggie to do the same. The waitress appeared and placed a platter with a cheeseburger and fries, along with a bowl of salad, in front of Maggie.

“Anything else for you gals, right now?”

“No, this is great,” Maggie told her. “Thanks.”

As the waitress left, Lucy’s eyes darted up and behind Maggie again. This time, she simply slid over. Pakula took the place next to her. Before he settled in, he was already searching for the waitress. Maggie shoved her platter of food to the center with the fries facing him.

“She just left. Go ahead,” she told him. They had shared enough meals over the course of the week that they’d gotten into a routine like an old married couple.

“Thanks. I’m starving.”

As he grabbed a couple of fries, Lucy showed him the photos on Maggie’s cell phone.

“Who am I looking at?” he asked as he grabbed a pair of reading glasses from his jacket pocket.

Maggie glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to them. Then she said, “On your left is Kristen Darrow. She’s the hardware store worker who disappeared last Thursday.”

“The one we might have found,” Pakula added.

“On your right is Libby Holmes. Both women work at the same store. The manager told me Kristen was actually filling in for Libby on Thursday. She was even wearing Libby’s name badge because she forgot her own.”

Pakula looked up over the frame of his glasses to meet Maggie’s eyes. He handed her phone back to her over the table. Folded up his glasses and tucked them into his jacket. All the while, his eyes never left hers.

“Okay, before you ask me why Spencer didn’t know about her yesterday,” Pakula said. “The family only reported her missing this morning. She lived alone in an apartment in Hastings. Her family lives on a farm about fifty miles away, but she was usually in touch with them a couple of times a week. When they didn’t hear from her, and she didn’t answer her phone, they started getting worried. Her father drove in. Checked her apartment. Found her cat all alone and hungry. Last night, they found her car still parked in the Menard’s parking lot.”

“Does Spencer know now?” Maggie asked.

“Not yet. I haven’t shared with anyone except present company. As far as I know, we don’t have a confirmed ID,” he glanced at Lucy. “Is that still true?”

She nodded.

“Spencer is Clay County. Hastings is in Adams County. Plus, Hastings has its own police department, so they’re investigating her disappearance. Nothing suspicious here, O’Dell. Really, I think it all just happened quickly. Spencer’s a part of my task force, so his guys have been working with us for the last several days.”

“Does the Darrow family know anything about what we’ve found?” Lucy asked.

“I’m told they’re asking questions. Officially, we’re the only three who know. The heart hasn’t been found yet.” He paused and glanced at Lucy again. Waited for her confirmation, then continued, “I’ve been granted temporary jurisdiction until that happens. Of course, with the assistance of local law enforcement and the State Patrol.”

The waitress appeared again.

“What can I get for you, sir?”

Maggie and Lucy exchanged a look. Pakula was “sir.”