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“What does that mean?”
I didn’t want to answer.
I had to.
“The seven women murdered in Dallas worked with you at Camp Eagle River.”
Rylie’s hand moved to her mouth.
Mace stepped into the room.
The casual humor had disappeared from his face.
“If the killer murdered everyone else in that photograph,” he said, “why is Rylie still alive?”
No one answered.
We all knew.
I looked at my old college friend standing in her husband’s arms.
Eight women from that photograph were dead.
Emily had drowned nineteen years ago.
Seven more had been murdered during the last eleven months.
Rylie was the only one left.
The Keeper hadn’t merely led us to Eagle River.
He had led us to his final victim.
7
MACE
Trigger didn’t move.
His arm remained locked around Rylie while he stared at the photograph on the table.
Nine young women smiled beneath the Camp Eagle River sign.
Eight were dead.
Rylie was the only one left.
“We’re leaving,” Trigger said.
Judy closed the folder.
“No.”
Trigger looked at her.
The room changed.
He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.