Her answers were coming quickly and with very little pause between his questions. There was a slight pause from his end and then a very brief sigh. Okay. Well, if that changes, feel free to call my office and Ill be happy to set something up. Id love to have you come in so we can talk face-to-face about some of your options.

Hed barely gotten the s-sound out in options before Rachel responded. Ill be sure to do that. But at the risk of sounding rude, I really do need to go.

Of course. Enjoy your day, Mrs. Gift.

She ended the call and placed her phone in the cupholder in the center console.

I take it that wasnt Anderson or anyone at the office?

Nope. Family stuff. Which reminds me…I need to call Peter and fill him in to sort out a babysitter and school stuff for Paige.

Jack nodded. He was accustomed to being present for brief family-oriented calls. He even made a habit to speak with Paige every now and then if a call to her daughter during work could not be helped. She picked her phone back up and called Peter and when the phone started ringing, she could all but actually see that other presence in the back seat, the personification of her tumor, taunting her and asking how long she really thought she could keep up the lies.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Because the scene was obviously fresher, they visited the home of the second victim first. When they arrived, local PD was scattered around the back yard. The body had been moved, but the area where the victim had fallen was marked off with tape. There were also splatters of blood on the bright green grass that appeared almost startling under the morning sun.

A sickened-looking officer gave them a suspicious glance as they stepped towards the area, coming around the side of the house. Rachel showed her badge and the look dropped away; he let them into the back yard. The three other officers looked to them, an elder-looking one stepping in their direction right away.

You with the FBI? he asked.

We are, Jack said. Im agent Rivers, and this is Agent Gift.

Im Sergeant Owen, the elder-type said. Glad you made it so quickly. Were starting to worry this is going to get out of hand.

Rachel looked back down to the ground and saw one particularly large streak of blood. The grass around the area was slightly compressed. It made her think the victim had not died right away; shed been alive for at least a few minutes, dragging herself across the yard, likely towards the stairs.

How long ago was the body removed? Rachel asked as she took in the scene. The tape to mark the body was no more than two feet away from the edge of the deck. She supposed the drop was somewhere around ten feet.

A little after six this morning, the officer said.