Carter announced that the silent auction was closing in half an hour, and everyone started milling around again. Blaire got up, wanting to check on a pair of pearl drop earrings and a framed lithograph she had bid on. She looked around the room and saw Selby whispering to Carter. She looked angry. Good, Blaire thought. As she scanned the room, she suddenly wondered if the killer could be there, and a chill ran up her spine. Blaire knew as well as any cop that some psychopaths got off on watching their victims. If the killer had in fact come, he might have made a hasty retreat when he saw that Kate wasn’t here. She’d ask Kate to have Selby give her a list of anyone who didn’t bid on the silent auction or who left before collecting their winnings. Or maybe he was still here. It could be anyone, really. The thought that a cold-blooded murderer could be standing inches away from her made her shudder again.

9

Kate woke up drenched in sweat. The familiar feeling of dread washed over her as she opened her eyes, and it was a herculean effort to sit up and get out of bed. A wave of nausea made her sink back down. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Rising, she plodded to the guest bathroom and turned the water on for the shower while she brushed her teeth. She had hardly slept all night, primed to hear the ping of her phone and another menacing text message. Simon had tried to convince her to leave her phone downstairs, but she wanted it next to her in case she had to call 9-1-1. What if someone cut the lines to their home phone? The latest twisted nursery rhyme played in her mind, and she struggled to find a clue in its words. It didn’t make any sense to her. Maybe someone was out for revenge. The police were going through the applications from patients who Children’s Heart Foundation hadn’t been able to help, but so far, they hadn’t mentioned anyone to her.

After a quick shower in the guest bathroom, she went back to her bedroom and threw on a white cotton shirt over jeans. Blaire was on her way over, and Kate was hoping they might make some progress today. Kate was coming down the stairs just as Blaire arrived, and she took her friend right to the living room.

“Did you get any sleep?” Blaire asked.

Kate shook her head. “No. I can’t stop thinking about these horrible texts . . . those dead animals.” She lowered her voice when Fleur, a slight woman with prematurely gray hair, walked in with a French press of hot coffee and two cups. They’d asked the staff to be on high alert, but she didn’t want Fleur to hear all the sordid details.