“I told everyone, even Quinn, not to go out alone. Right now she’s safe at SPD, but when she learns that her grandmother may be in danger, she’ll go there.”

“I’m looking at the photos and also that she’s the one who saw him outside of Chief Maddox’s house. He’s going to know that she was the witness who helped with the sketch, which is an up-to-date image.”

“And?”

“He’s going to be angry. Perhaps she should leave town with her grandmother, until you find him.”

Matt didn’t know Kara well, but he could pretty much assure Catherine that Kara would never run away, especially now that Hamilton killed Andy.

“Did you hear about the blizzard? All flights delayed. Roads are shit. I’ll put them someplace safe.”

“He’s angry, which makes him reckless,” Catherine said, “but he still has a plan. Remember that. Be alert.”

48

Liberty Lake
5:15 p.m.

Kara packed her grandmother’s suitcase because Emily wouldn’t do it herself.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Emily said.

“You have to.”

“I don’t have to do anything.”

“Grams, Detective Andy Knolls was murdered. We know who killed him, and the FBI found photos of your house at the killer’s place. He knows where I’m staying. You’re not safe here.”

Emily frowned. “I just don’t understand what’s going on.”

Kara wanted to beat Glen Hamilton to a pulp for putting fear into her grandmother’s heart. “I’ll stay here if you want me to,” she said. She didn’t want to. She wanted to find this bastard before he hurt anyone else. “If you don’t want to leave, I’ll stay here and protect you.”

Emily frowned. “You need to work with the police and find him.”

“I am the police, Em. He killed Andy. I don’t have a lot of friends, Em. But Andy was one of them. But you’re family, and I will do anything to make sure you’re safe.”

Kara pushed aside the competing guilt. Over what she’d said to Andy the other day, and wanting to work this case even though her grandmother needed her.

“Can you take me to Flo’s house?”

“Flo Abbott? Sure. No problem. Call her, tell her you’re coming for a few days.”

“She has cats. I like cats. I thought of getting a cat or two to keep me company.”

Leave it to her grandmother to find the bright side of a terrible situation.

While Em called her longtime friend, Kara finished packing everything her grandmother would need—clothes, medication, toiletries, even her marijuana stash. She found two books on the nightstand and put them in, too.

“Flo’s excited. Said we’re having a slumber party. Can you get the whiskey on the top shelf? Flo likes whiskey.”

Kara brought it down and put it in the top of the suitcase, then helped Em on with her heavy coat.

“Two police cars,” Em said as Kara helped her out to the street. “I’ve never had a police escort before.” She smiled at the officer assigned to escort them to Flo’s house. “You look too young to be a policeman.”