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Sondrashifted her weight uneasily, her shoulders lifting in a noncommittal shrug. “Me and Joanne work at the textile factory down the road. We’d head there together whenever we were on the same shift. I called for her in the afternoon – no answer. I guessed she was sick or something, but when no one heard from her all day, I decided to check on her.”Sondratried to remain composed, butthe tearsthreatened to fall.
“Her front door was unlocked?”
Sondra nodded as she smeared her cheek with tears.
“I’m sorry you had to find your friend like that. Did you see anyone else in the area around the same time? Anyone suspicious?”
“No. I’d remember if I had. Everyone knows everyone around here.”
Their unsub had to be a familiar face, a member of the community. This wasn’t some outsider who’d chosen this town because of its lack of cops or isolation. He was one of them. A drinking buddy. A good neighbor.
“I know it doesn’t make anything better, but Joanne seems like a wonderful girl.”
SondraregardedEllawith an expression of incredulity, her eyebrows arched in disbelief. “Joanne? A wonderful girl?”
Ella hadn’t expected such a turn. “You mean she wasn’t?”
Sondrahastilyzipped up her jacketasthe windhowled,its icy fingers gripping Ella’s neck. “Joanne had problems. Demons. She was nice enough, but sometimes…” Sondra trailed off.
Ella’s inquisitive nature took over. “How do you mean?”
“I’ve only known Sondra a couple of years, and when I met her she was the life and soul. Then she changed, like someone flipped a switch.”
“Changed how?”
Ella realized it was a broad question, but a sudden change in personality or lifestyle would mean she had something in common with David Harper. Connections between victims was always preferable to the alternative.
“Miserable. Angry. She stopped caring at work. Showed up drunk a few times.”
“What triggered it?”
“No idea. I know her husband left her recently, but she started acting weird way before that. Joanne kept her personal life close to her chest.”
“Got it. Do you know her husband’s name?”
“Chris Murphy, but I don’t know where he lives or what he’s doing now. He used to work with us too, but then he just disappeared.”
Ella noted the name. They needed to talk to him pronto. “Thanks so much for the information Sondra. Please call the precinct if you think of anything that could help us.”
Sondra gave a slight nod in agreement, then cautiously asked, “Is it true? There’s been… another one?”
David Harper’s body was still warm, but it seemed that the sheriff had been right. Secrets didn’t stay secrets for long around here. “Yes, we had a second homicide last night.”
Sondra gripped the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut, as though she was attempting to ward off an oncoming headache. “Who was it? Man? Woman? We have a right to know.”
“Yes you do. It was a male. Found dead in a unit at Securicall Storage.”
Sondra’s face paled at the news. “Oh God, that’s barely two miles from here. Are we in danger? What should we do?”
The query hung unanswered in the air. To compare aheinous crime likeserial murder tosomething as trivial ascar theftwas almost sacrilegious, yetthe twooffenses sharedonekey similarity.You couldn’t stop a thief from stealing a car, but you could stop them from stealingyourcar. The same rang true for serial killing. This unsub wouldn’t stop until he’d completed his mission, whatever that might be, so the only thing that potential targets could do was to keep themselves safe.
“Lock your doors. Don’t trust anyone. Keep your eyes peeled. Whoever did this is a member of the community. You might have seen him before. You might even know him. If you suspect anyone, contact us immediately.”
“I will. Please catch him.”
“We will.”
Sondra clutched herself as she headed back up the street and into her own house at the end of the row. With her interviewee gone, Ellawas suddenly engulfed in a heavy blanket of stillness, the kind that could only be found in the dead of night. No distant traffic, not even the gentle hum of wildlife.The street wasas silent as a graveyard, as though Joanne’s passing had drained the place of its life and energy.Ella’s heartsankto thedepths of her being,ableak emptiness rising within.The sudden, overwhelmingurgetotextBen itched at her fingertips, longingfor his comforting words. Attimes likethese,he alwaysknew the perfect thing to say.
