Rachel walked over to the area where shed seen the blood the night before, out off the edge of the bridge. It was still there, though harder to see against the metal side because the blood had dried. As she looked out to the water below, she again found herself wondering what that sense of falling might be like. Shed never gone bungee jumping or cliff diving or any nonsense like that, but she figured that sort of jump was one of pure thrill. You knew you were safe, that in the end all was going to be well. But that plunge to certain death had to be something entirely different. She couldnt decide if it made the sensation of falling more thrilling or if it was like a totally separate form of death in and of itself.

The sound of a ringing cell phone broke her from her morbid thoughts. It took two rings for her to realize that it was her phone. She dug it out of her pocket and was surprised to see that it was Peter calling. It was nearing three in the afternoon and it was very much unlike him to call her in the middle of the day…especially if he knew she was out on a case. It made one of her worst fears instantly spring to mindthat something had happened to Paige.

Trying to remain calm but with a hint of caution in her voice, she answered the call. Hey, Peter. Everything okay?

Im not sure, honestly, he said. Rach, I just got a really weird phone call.

Weird how? she asked. She was legitimately confused now. If it wasnt about Paige, was it maybe about Grandma Tate? Had she called and not made much sense?

It was a man, and he said he knew you. He said that you were keeping secrets.

Alex Lynch. A plume of hot, white fury sprang up in her. She kept it at bay, though. She had no idea what Alex had said. She was also very much aware that a strange man calling a husband to insinuate that his wife was keeping a secret might make most men think of an affair.

Did he give a name?

No. I asked him a few times and he said he wasnt going to tell. But he said youd know who it was.

What did he say, exactly?

Rachel…whats he talking about? What do you know?

I think I know who it might have been, but I need to know what he said.

He told me that you were keeping secrets from your family. And then he asked me where I thought youd be in a year.