Page 287 of Rangers Unexpected Return

No one spoke.

Until Judy finally looked up.

Tears shimmered in her eyes.

She met mine across the table.

"I think..."

She swallowed hard.

"...we've been asking the wrong question."

"What question?" I asked softly.

She took a slow breath.

"We've been trying to find Emily's killer."

She looked down at the cassette.

"We should have been trying to find Emma."

34

JUDY

No one spoke for several long seconds.

Emily's voice still echoed through the quiet library.

"Find Emma."

Those two words settled over the room like a promise.

Not a request.

A promise.

I carefully removed the cassette from the player and slipped it back into its case.

"We're not putting this in evidence yet."

Sheriff Tate looked at me.

"You don't trust the chain of custody?"

"I trust people."

I looked around the room.

"I don't trust whoever has been one step ahead of us for eighteen years."

Every Ranger nodded.

Wolf crossed his arms.

"Then where does it go?"