Kara motioned toward Andy’s truck at the base of her driveway. “I’m helping Detective Knolls with his case—we’re talking to everyone who lives around the lake about whether they saw something suspicious on March 2 or 3.”

“Poor woman! I read about it in the paper. The FBI is working on it.”

“Yeah, they’re all over the place,” Kara said. “So March 2—a Tuesday.” She didn’t need the small talk, she needed information.

“Right. I was home all day. I’m going stir-crazy—Maddie’s been sick for over a week—she’s better now, so we’re going hiking tomorrow—supposed to be a beautiful day.” She froze. “Unless we shouldn’t go out. Should we stay inside? Is the killer still at large? The newspaper said he killed nurses and cops. Charlie is a civil engineer.”

“Go out, have fun. Don’t let the papers freak you out. Where’s Charlie now?”

“He works for the county—they had some pipe issues near the border—I don’t know exactly what he’s doing out there. Probably drinking coffee and getting away from the little monsters. Just had an idea—maybe I’ll have my mom come over and watch the trips and I’ll make Charlie take me to a nice dinner tonight.” She nodded at herself.

Kara still only vaguely remembered Ranie Woods—they had been in the same grade, but Kara didn’t think they had any classes together. Kara had straight As, but stayed out of the advanced classes Ranie was in because she never planned to go to college. She wanted to keep a low profile because she didn’t trust that her mother or father wouldn’t come back and pick her up just as easily as her mom dumped her here. She was surprised Ranie remembered her—again, low profile. Blend in.

“Did you hear or see anyone on an ATV Tuesday or Wednesday?” Kara asked again. She glanced over her shoulder. Andy was approaching the third house on the cul-de-sac.

“I don’t—well, yeah, you know what? Early Tuesday morning the dogs started barking. Like before five—before Charlie has to get up for work, so it pissed him off. We thought it was deer or fox—but I heard what I thought was a truck. I couldn’t go back to sleep—stupid, I know. I made coffee and told the dogs to knock it off. It sounded like a truck behind the house—which wouldn’t be possible because there’s no road back there—it’s all forest. But with the echoes and stuff, it could have been on the road.”

“Before five in the morning you heard what sounded like a truck. Could it have been an ATV behind your house?”

“Yeah. That’s possible.”

“Are there any trails back there?”

“Lots—you know the area.”

Kara didn’t. She’d lived in Liberty Lake for only three years and couldn’t wait to get out. She wasn’t much for exploring the mountains. The path around the lake? Sure, that was fun, but hiking? Never.

“Thanks for your help, Ranie.”

“There’s a few of us from high school who’ve settled in the Spokane Valley—we get together every Thursday for coffee, and once a month for drinks. You should join us while you’re here—catch up with everyone.”