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A sudden chill skittered through Cole’s blood. He’d tried to avoid thinking that very thing, but now, it was staring him in the face. He heard Nita’s indrawn breath.
“I’ve thought of that,” he said, his throat suddenly too tight. “I keep hoping I’m wrong, just connecting too many dots.”
No one said a thing for a very long minute. Then Scott stood up. “All right. Is there someplace Nita and I can work?”
“The conference room. I’ll put a note on the door and keep everyone out. You’ll have to break to meet with the deputies because it’s the only space we have for that.”
“No problem.” Scott turned to Cole. “When we’re finished, I’d like you and your senior deputy to join us, and we’ll see where we’re at.”
“Okay.” A they all exited his office, his cell rang. He pressed Talk. “Hey, darlin’. What’s up?”
“Don’t be mad at me, but Ivy Winslow called. She’s gotten some of the mothers to meet with me at her place. I’m heading there now.”
“Dana, listen.” His hand tightened on the phone.
“I know what you’re going to say, but what can happen to me at the Winslows? And I’ll keep checking in with you. Please, Cole? This is a real breakthrough.”
“I guess I can’t stop you, right?”
“I promise to be careful. Really.”
“You call me when you get ready to leave there. You hear?”
“Word of honor.” Her voice lowered. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“No doubt about it.”
When he disconnected the call, he couldn’t help the smile tugging at his mouth. Something good came out of everything.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Dana knew Cole was unhappy and worried for her safety, but she couldn’t let him lock her away until this was over. Especially now when things were beginning to turn her way.
The women seated around the table in Ivy’s sunny kitchen wore expressions that were a mixture of fear and defiance. There were five of them, as Ivy had said, and she introduced each one to Dana. Natalie Grimes. Sharon Colton. Letha Milton. Sonja Escobedo. Mila Garza, who was on her list. Two of them, Ivy had told her, never recovered from the crimes, so Dana was surprised they’d agreed to come.
She slipped into the vacant seat at the head of the table, accepted a cup of coffee from Ivy and smiled softly at everyone. But when she brought out her little tape recorder—her phone wouldn’t be enough for this meeting—the women froze.
“If you’d rather I didn’t use this, I’ll shut it off. But I find if I’m taking notes, I’m not paying full attention to what everyone’s saying.”
“We had it on when I talked with Dana yesterday,” Ivy put in. “If there’s something on there you want her to erase or not use, all you have to do is ask.”
“First of all,” Dana told them, “let me assure you, I’m not looking to sensationalize what happened. If any of you have read my books, you’ll know I turn them into full length books based on truth, and I’m very matter of fact about things. I don’t want you to say anything you don’t want to, and I’m not looking to hurt anyone.”
“I’d like to ask a question.” Natalie’s voice was tentative. “If you don’t mind.”
Dana nodded. “Anything at all.”
“Why do you do this? Dig up all this…this”—she opened her hands—“sludge and slime? Make celebrities out of the people who do these awful things?”
It was a question Dana had often been asked. She looked at each woman as she answered. “I’m not trying to glorify them or give them celebrity status. I’m trying to solve a puzzle, to finally give people answers they’ve never had. And to let them see the rotten underbelly that could easily belong to the person sitting next to them in a restaurant. Maybe help people be more aware of the evil that’s out there and how to avoid it.”
“It’s a wonder you don’t have nightmares,” Sharon put in.
You don’t know the half of it.
“What exactly are you looking for with this book?” Mila asked, slightly defensive. “Haven’t we been through enough?”
“Answers for everyone. When a crime is never solved, when there’s no resolution, it’s very hard to move past the heartache.” She let her eyes travel from face to face as she spoke. “I’m hoping to either turn up new evidence, as I’ve managed to do many times before, or find a different angle. I’m looking for anything that might make people take a new look at things. Maybe even solve the case.”
