“And you sent the first letter to Shana . . .”

“Three months ago, give or take.”

“And the first woman was killed by the Rose Killer,” she filled in, “what, six, seven weeks ago?”

Sgarzi stiffened. His hands had fisted unconsciously by his sides. His eyes narrowed warily. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, here you are, ostensibly trying to sell a book that features a thirty-year-old case very few people—no disrespect to your family—even remember, and all of a sudden, a fresh string of murders occur with ties to your book subject. Interesting, if you ask me. Might even say convenient.”

“Wait a minute—”

“Where were you Sunday night?” Phil asked.

“Fuck you!”

“You invited us in,” D.D. said mildly. “Said we could talk crime.”

“I’m a reporter! I look for the truth. Something you might want to give a try. I mean, unless you don’t really mind women being murdered in their own beds.”

“How do you know that?”

“Please, that detail is common knowledge. What you should know, without me having to tell you, is that Shana Day is just as crazily clever now as thirty years ago.”

“How would you know? She never wrote you back.”

“She didn’t. But again, trick to this trade is to keep on digging. I tracked down some of her fellow inmates—”

“She’s in solitary.”

“They all share a corridor. Think they don’t talk across the hall? Let alone cross paths in medical, or on their way to visiting hours. There are opportunities enough to socialize, even in solitary. It’s not like they have anything else to do.”

“Who did you talk to?” D.D. asked, eyes narrowing.

“Please, like they’d even be willing to talk to you. As you can imagine, they’re not so partial to law enforcement. Whereas, a good-looking guy like me . . .”

“Just tell us what they said,” Phil spoke up.

“Shana has a friend.”

“Who?”

“A fan. From way back. Maybe even someone she knew in the neighborhood, or foster care. No one really knows, but a supporter from all those years ago, who keeps in touch, even performs small favors for her.”

“Such as?”

“For starters, spies on her sister.”

“Dr. Adeline Glen?”

“Yep. Shana’s obsessed with Adeline. Her sister’s job, apartment, car. Adeline has everything Shana’s ever wanted. Course she can’t let it go.”

“And how do Shana’s former fellow inmates know all this?”