Back Every Last Fear
Chapters (72)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. PROLOGUE
  4. CHAPTER 1
  5. CHAPTER 2
  6. CHAPTER 3
  7. CHAPTER 4
  8. CHAPTER 5
  9. CHAPTER 6
  10. CHAPTER 7
  11. CHAPTER 8
  12. CHAPTER 9
  13. CHAPTER 10
  14. CHAPTER 11
  15. CHAPTER 12
  16. CHAPTER 13
  17. CHAPTER 14
  18. CHAPTER 15
  19. CHAPTER 16
  20. CHAPTER 17
  21. CHAPTER 18
  22. CHAPTER 19
  23. CHAPTER 20
  24. CHAPTER 21
  25. CHAPTER 22
  26. CHAPTER 23
  27. CHAPTER 24
  28. CHAPTER 25
  29. CHAPTER 26
  30. CHAPTER 27
  31. CHAPTER 28
  32. CHAPTER 29
  33. CHAPTER 30
  34. CHAPTER 31
  35. CHAPTER 32
  36. CHAPTER 33
  37. CHAPTER 34
  38. CHAPTER 35
  39. CHAPTER 36
  40. CHAPTER 37
  41. CHAPTER 38
  42. CHAPTER 39
  43. CHAPTER 40
  44. CHAPTER 41
  45. CHAPTER 42
  46. CHAPTER 43
  47. CHAPTER 44
  48. CHAPTER 45
  49. CHAPTER 46
  50. CHAPTER 47
  51. CHAPTER 48
  52. CHAPTER 49
  53. CHAPTER 50
  54. CHAPTER 51
  55. CHAPTER 52
  56. CHAPTER 53
  57. CHAPTER 54
  58. CHAPTER 55
  59. CHAPTER 56
  60. CHAPTER 57
  61. CHAPTER 58
  62. CHAPTER 59
  63. CHAPTER 60
  64. CHAPTER 61
  65. CHAPTER 62
  66. CHAPTER 63
  67. CHAPTER 64
  68. CHAPTER 65
  69. EPILOGUE
  70. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  71. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  72. Newsletter Sign-up

Judy Adler gave Keller a knowing smile. “There’re photos of you with Matthew Pine all over the internet. It took our people about five minutes to identify you.…”

The damn paparazzi from the dorm.

Before Keller responded, Judy Adler said, “We’re filmmakers. We made a documentary about the Pines. Maybe you’ve seen it—‘A Violent Nature’?”

“Some of it,” Keller said, not offering a compliment. She actually thought it was well done—the Adlers were good storytellers. The old family photos of the Pines, the eerie string music, the interviews and news clips expertly interspersed for dramatic effect. Keller realized that Judy Adler was the interviewer, the faceless voice off-screen who’d probed subjects about Charlotte’s death.

“We had our investigator go down to Mexico,” Judy said. “He found something, and our lawyer said we should talk to the FBI.”

She had Keller’s attention now. By the look on Judy Adler’s face, she knew it.

“Why don’t you come back to my office.”

The Adlers signed in and secured guest badges, then followed Keller to her office. Keller gestured to the visitor chairs and took her seat behind the desk. She subtly closed the computer research file on the Pine family.

Keller said, “Just so we’re clear, whatever we discuss is off the record.”

Judy frowned but gave a resigned nod. Her husband still hadn’t said anything. They struck Keller as one of those couples where the husband needed to be the strong, silent type.

“You sent an investigator to Mexico?” Keller asked.

“We stuck him on the first plane out after we heard. We’re making a sequel to the documentary. And obviously, what happened is relevant to the story.”

“What’s the sequel about?” Keller asked.

“Today?” Ira Adler said, speaking for the first time. He had a husky, breathy voice, friendly, nonthreatening. “We started off focusing on Danny’s appeal,” Ira said. “There were some famous appellate lawyers working the case, and we had lots of public support.”

Judy spoke now. “But it turns out famous appellate lawyers”—she put the word in air quotes—“are about as interesting as Nebraska. Do you know the state’s official slogan?”

Keller shook her head.

“I swear I’m not making this up.” Judy raised her hand like she was taking an oath. “Nebraska’s slogan is ‘Honestly, it’s not for everyone.’” She coughed out a laugh, then said, “I’ve spent months there and they aren’t lying. We’re going back tonight.”

Keller suppressed a grin.

“Anyway,” Judy continued, “our big climax—the Supreme Court’s decision—went to shit when those nine idiots denied Danny’s appeal, so we almost scrapped the whole project.”

“But then we decided to focus on the girl,” Ira said. They had the rhythm of a couple who had been married a long time.

“You mean Charlotte?” Keller said.