“Okay,” she said. “Well, we’ll do another walk around the house, but he’s gone now. So lock up tight, and then give us a call later this morning so we can finish up this paperwork.”

“Okay, I will. Thanks.”

After they all left, I went back into the bedroom with Shelby and closed the door.

This time, I had my cell phone with me, along with a heavy kitchen knife on the nightstand beside me. Shelby lay in the bed beside me, but her eyes were wide open, and she kept her eyes trained on the door.

“It’s okay, girl,” I said, stroking her head. “You need to get some sleep too.”

But sleep wasn’t going to come for either of us.

As I lay there, I couldn’t help but wonder.

Had Hooks had a change of heart?

Was he the one who did this?

And most important of all, was he just after the money?

Or had he been after me too?

I crept out of bed and walked to the kitchen to grab a bottle of red wine and a glass.

When I woke up again, it was nighttime, and the wineglass was tipped on its side in the bed next to me, a single droplet staining the sheets near the rim.

Chapter 27

Claire

Three days after

Claire was sitting at her desk on Tuesday night when the woman came in. Later, Greg would say that it was their lucky day, but Claire didn’t feel like it was luck at all.

The woman was about five foot seven, with dark hair.

And she was drunk as a skunk.

“Hi, Detective Puhl,” the woman said quietly, her hands clasped in front of her. She was shaking like a leaf, but she spoke assertively, as if she was trying to show that she wasn’t nervous.

“My name is Paula Wileson. I saw you on television. I need to talk to you about the Beverly Brighton murder. I think I know who did it.”

Claire blinked a few times and then let out a small gasp when the woman stepped forward and Claire saw that she had the most striking eyes she’d ever seen.

One brown and one blue.

“Okay, uh, yes, let’s go find a room, and we can talk.”

• • •

Claire tapped her pen against the desk in front of her and listened as the woman detailed the most ludicrous story she’d ever heard in her life. She tried to keep a straight face while Paula—or Chris—went through her story.

She wanted to get as much as she could out of the woman before she let her know that the jig was up. With an amused Greg sitting beside her, Claire let the woman talk before probing for details.