When she looked up, she was startled by the sight of a woman—the crazy lady from the ice cream store. She was standing too close, her pupils saucers.

“They said you were here,” she said in a raspy voice. The woman blinked several times.

Still clutching Tommy’s hand, Liv put her body between the woman and her son.

“I’m sorry?” she said, trying to sound polite.

“My Ronnie was a good cop, and he didn’t kill himself,” she said.

Oh God, Liv thought. It was the cop’s wife. She clicked the key fob, turned, and picked up Tommy. “I’m sorry, we really need to go,” she said, avoiding eye contact.

Liv opened the door with one hand, ushered Tommy safely inside, and shut the door and locked it. The fear she’d felt for her son’s safety turned to rage. First Danielle Parker at the convenience store, then the cop yesterday, now this. She’d had enough of this goddamned town and its lunatic residents. Liv gave the woman a harsh stare.

Examining the woman more closely, though, Liv’s anger dissipated. Detective Sampson’s wife was frail and sad-looking and a mess.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Liv said. She was ashamed that she wasn’t sure she meant it. Ron Sampson had railroaded her son.

The woman didn’t reply, just dug through her bag.

“They say I’m nuts. They won’t listen to me.” Liv could smell alcohol on the woman’s breath. But this was more than booze. Pills, painkillers, maybe.

“But my Ronnie didn’t kill himself.”

“I really need to go.” Liv started to walk around the car to the driver’s side. Tommy had his nose to the window. He waved to her, oblivious.

The woman started bawling.

“I’m sorry,” was all Liv could manage.

“Ron was sorry too,” the woman said. “About what he did, about what happened to your boy. He said he was gonna fix it.”

This grabbed Liv’s attention. What on earth was she talking about? Ron Sampson had bullied Danny into confessing.

“He scheduled a meeting with those movie people,” the woman continued. “Was gonna tell them everything, and then…” She started crying again. “He wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t leave me.”

The woman started digging in the bag again, and Liv feared for a second that she’d produce a weapon. But Mrs. Sampson pulled out a wrinkled manila folder.

“Ronnie told me that this proves everything.” She shoved the file into Liv’s hands. “I’m sorry about your boy,” Mrs. Sampson said.

And then she ran off.

CHAPTER 37

EVAN PINE

BEFORE