Alyssa knew what Grace couldn’t say – she hadn’t thought she’d be walking into a slaughterhouse.

Blinking rapidly, Grace tried to stem the flow of tears that now ran in a steady stream. ‘The door was open when I arrived. That’s when I found Gabriel and Lydia. I thought—’ Squeezing her hands into fists, she pressed them against her sternum as she tried to get her breathing back under control. ‘I thought she, Addis, was—’ Grace’s head whipped violently back and forth. ‘I ran through the house to find her. I needed to find her.’

When her pained stare finally found its way back to Alyssa, she was no longer reliving what she’d stumbled upon. Speaking more clearly, she whispered, ‘I didn’t find them, but I found Addis’s phone in Ga—Gabriel’s office. And Emerson’s phone near the wet bar.’ Her face twisted in torment. ‘Oh God, Alyssa, please, you’ve got to find them; they’re only seventeen.’

Chapter Three

Thursday, October 3

Nearly thirty minutes after walking into the Kensington house, Alyssa had gotten as many details out of Grace as she could. ‘Can I call someone to drive you home or at least be with you?’ she asked now.

‘No, thanks. I prefer to stay here until you’re finished.’

Because the two were similar in so many ways, Alyssa understood Grace’s need to oversee what was happening. They were both strong women, used to protecting others, and it didn’t sit well when outside influences threatened their inner sanctuary of security. She also knew through personal experience how nearly impossible it was to release the reins of power to someone else, regardless of who that person was or how much she trusted her. Knowing and understanding that, however, changed nothing. ‘Grace, you know I can’t allow you to remain in my crime scene while it’s being processed.’

Grace opened her mouth to argue, but when her eyes strayed toward the kitchen where her brother and sister-in-law still lay, uncovered, she cast her anguish-fueled gaze in Alyssa’s direction. ‘Find who did this, Detective. And bring Addis and Emerson home,’ she choked out before allowing herself to be escorted out by an officer Alyssa didn’t immediately recognize.

With Grace’s final words ringing in her ears, she headed back to the kitchen where her eyes traveled along the wall before settling on a phone encased in pink rhinestones with decorative lettering down both sides – Emerson on the left, Childress on the right. Splatters of partially digested food smeared the screen. According to Grace, she’d been frantically searching for Addis when she’d heard what she thought sounded like a text message notification. Racing back to the kitchen, she’d spotted Emerson’s phone.