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“Have you felt anything at all? Like maybe there’s just something in the wrong frequency?” She could speak from experience on that one.
“No,” Elizabeth insisted. “Nothing.”
Ravinia gave up and glanced down at the cards. “These seem off.”
“Ya think?” Rex said.
“They sound wrong for Declan Jr. and he’s the one out there you need to worry about.” She suddenly had a thought. “Detective Dunbar’s the one you should talk to. She dealt with Declan Jr., and I bet she would help.”
“Who’s Detective Dunbar?” Rex asked.
“I called her last after you left,” Elizabeth said at the same time.
“She knows Declan,” Ravinia said, ignoring Rex who clearly didn’t like being left out of the conversation. “She knows him too well. He tried to kill her.”
“He tried to kill a police officer?” Elizabeth asked, looking to Rex in alarm.
“He wants us all dead,” Ravinia told her. “All of us connected to Siren Song. All of us who are related. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. He’s the reason I came to find you. To make sure you’re safe. That’s what Aunt Catherine wants. To make sure you’re safe. But you’re not safe. This . . .” She waved a hand to the letters. “Maybe it’s him. I don’t know. But you should really get away from here as soon as possible.” She snapped her fingers. “Go to Siren Song. Meet Aunt Catherine, and you can talk to Detective Dunbar in person. She’s with the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Department which is right there,” she added for Rex’s benefit.
“You just said this Declan is a killer,” Rex stated flatly.
“But he’s not there anymore. He’s somewhere else. That’s why Aunt Catherine was worried about you,” Ravinia repeated, exasperated. “With everything that’s happened to you, he’s probably here.”
“I can’t just go,” Elizabeth said, though her tone suggested that she was rolling the idea around. “I’ve got Chloe to think of. And Detective Driscoll would take it as a sign of guilt.”
“Chloe can go with you.” Ravinia was firm. “I don’t care what that detective thinks. It’s not true.”
“She’s right,” Rex said, shocking Ravinia and making Elizabeth’s head turn. “This killer’s making his move. You need to go somewhere safe.”
Elizabeth shook her head slowly. “I can’t just drop everything and go to Oregon. For how long? Driscoll will come after me and lock me up, and who’s going to take care of Chloe? I can’t be away from her. I can’t.”
Ravinia stared down at the handwritten notes. They were giving her a headache, messing with her mind. She walked to the sink and stared outside to Rex’s backyard. “Siren Song is a safe place and it’s far away. Aunt Catherine has made it like a fortress. She’s in charge. And she’s your mother.”
“We’re not sure about that,” Elizabeth said.
“You’re not sure about it. I am. Besides, Aunt Catherine’s a strong woman. Not afraid of looking evil right in the eye and doing whatever she has to, to protect us. All of us.” Ravinia dragged her gaze away from the window and stared at Elizabeth. “The same goes for you. Maybe even more so.”
“Why don’t we shift you to a hotel for the time being,” Rex said. “Think about what you want to do, but get out of your house. I want you to talk to Cunningham, get your defense started.”
“I have a job . . .” Elizabeth said. “And I can’t afford a hotel.”
“We’ll work that out. You just need to be safe,” Rex said.
“But if I call Driscoll with these letters . . . maybe he’ll realize someone else is out there and go after him. Driscoll seems entirely capable.”
“But what about you?” Ravinia demanded. “And Chloe?”
“I can’t think,” Elizabeth muttered, climbing to her feet. “I have to go to the office.”
“I’ll go with you,” Rex said.
She held up her hands. “I’d rather have you take the notes to Driscoll. I don’t want to see him or talk to him. I have appointments at work. Thanks for the offer, but I can’t afford a hotel and I’m not letting you pay for one.”
“I’ll go with you, then,” Ravinia said, echoing Rex.
“No. Thank you.”
Ravinia saw the way Elizabeth looked away from her and realized that, though she seemed to trust Rex, she didn’t share that feeling about her. Elizabeth hadn’t completely accepted Ravinia’s tale of their family. It was damn frustrating.
