Chapters (97)
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Praise
- Booklist
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Eighty-Eight
- Eighty-Nine
- Acknowledgments & A Personal Note
- Excerpt
Eating an egg salad sandwich at her desk for lunch, she went online to look for the latest on the homicide in the park. Nothing new on the news sites.
Wait. The Register had posted an update ten minutes ago.
Detectives Appeal for Help in Homicide
Orange County homicide detectives are appealing for witnesses and information in the stabbing death of a 34-year-old woman whose body was found this morning in Suntrail Sky Park.
The woman’s body has been taken to the Orange County coroner’s office to determine official cause of death and identification. However, sources have told the Register that the victim is Rita Mae Purvis of Lufkin, Texas.
Rita Purvis.
Emma’s eyes widened. Her mouth fell open as she read.
A man walking his dog at dawn made the discovery in a wooded section of the trail that winds along the communities of Cielo Valle, Lake Forest and Mission Viejo.
“We’ll be canvassing surrounding neighborhoods, talking to residents, checking security cameras,” said a source with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Anyone with information concerning the case is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department or submit an anonymous tip through the crime line website.
Emma’s heart beat faster; dizziness rolled over her in waves.
Balling her shaking hands into fists, putting them to her mouth, thinking. She went numb.
“Emma.” Roxanna, the office admin, stood in front of her. “Are you ill? You don’t look so good. Want me to call the nurse?”
Emma looked around as if waking. “No, umm.” She shut down her computer, closed and gathered files. Got up and put them away. “Thank you, Rox. Please cancel everything I have this afternoon. I’m going home.”
“No problem. Are you okay to drive?”
“Of course.”
Slipping her bag over her shoulder, Emma walked fast to the parking lot, casting around, looking across the street for anyone watching her. As she drove, Emma checked her mirrors.
Stay calm. At least Rita is out of my life now and forever.
Wheeling through her neighborhood, Emma took extra care not to speed as she scoured the streets for any signs of police going door-to-door.
Nothing.
She could hear a helicopter but couldn’t see it.
Police? TV news?
In the house, she was greeted by Tug, and welcomed the fleeting relief of his affection. She got him some treats and fresh water. She paced in the kitchen, taking deep, shaky breaths.
Rita’s dead but that doesn’t end the threat. When she confronted me in the parking lot, she said ‘we.’ I have to do something. Come on, think.
Emma halted.
She’d glimpsed the backpack she’d used in her search for Tug sticking out from the closet, and a memory came tumbling back.
No.
Emma seized the backpack, finding the treats, bowl and empty water bottle—but no knife.
The knife I took with me. Where is it?