Crane got up and started pacing, his hands on his hips. “I’m really not comfortable talking about this.”

“You said Steve is a complicated guy. In what way?” Mendez asked.

“He’s your friend, man. Tell me about him.”

“I just meant that Steve is very driven. He’s passionate about the work he does for the center. Steve comes from a tough background—single mom, not much money, desperate times. He had to fight his way to get where he is—including being married to Sara. She’s from a good family, educated, beautiful.”

“She’s a trophy for him?”

“No! I don’t know.” He shook his head and closed his eyes. “I should have kept my mouth shut. Why don’t you talk to Steve? I’m sure he’ll tell you anything you want to know. He doesn’t have anything to hide.”

“Except a mistress,” Mendez said. “What time did you leave O’Brien’s?”

“One thirty, quarter to two.”

“Where did you go from there?”

“I went home. Steve was going to check into the Holiday Inn.”

“All right,” Mendez said, getting up from his chair.

Crane looked at him, a little suspicious. “I can go?”

Mendez spread his hands. “Sure.”

Peter Crane breathed a sigh of relief and started for the door. Pausing with his hand on the knob.

“How is Karly Vickers?” he asked. “Has there been any news?”

“Much better,” Mendez lied. “She’s a tough cookie. The doctors are pretty confident she’s going to come around soon.”

“Really?”

“I guess there won’t be any questions left then.”

“I guess not.”

The door opened from the outside then, and Hicks leaned into the room, a grim look on his face. “We’ve got to go. There’s been a stabbing in Oakwoods Park. Multiple victims.”

The EMTs were already on the scene and loading a gurney into their bus when Mendez and Hicks pulled into the parking area.

“Who’s our vic?” Mendez asked, running up to the back before they could close the doors.

“A kid. He’s bleeding out! We gotta go!” The tech shouted at his driver. “Go! Go!”

A couple of deputies slammed the back doors shut, and the rig turned around, siren bleating, scattering onlookers like sheep.

“What the hell’s going on?” Mendez called out, holding up his shield.

One of the deputies said, “The call-out was a stabbing with multiple victims—both children. They’re both on their way to Mercy General.”

“Does anybody know what happened?” Hicks asked.

“Several people reported hearing a little girl scream. They ran over here,” he said, pointing to the woods in the direction of the place where Lisa Warwick’s body had been found. “And they found the subject attacking the little girl. Blood was everywhere.”

“Mother of God,” Mendez said. “And the subject?”

“You aren’t gonna believe this,” the deputy said, leading them over to his cruiser.