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
Ben’s phone rang. He snapped it up hoping it was Kayla or Emma.
“Have I reached Benjamin Grant?” asked a man whose voice he didn’t recognize.
The number was blocked.
“Yes, who’s this?”
“Chuck Doan, ABC News, Los Angeles. Mr. Grant, is your wife, Emma Grant, the school counselor?”
Oh God, were they in an accident? Wouldn’t I hear from police first?
As a former reporter, Ben knew police were not always the first to call. He squeezed his phone. “Yes. What’s this about?”
“I’m calling for your response to the case involving your wife?”
Was ABC onto the Eternity case so fast? They couldn’t be…
“What case?”
“Police want to question her in relation to the recent homicide.”
Recent homicide?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Rita Purvis. Her body was found in Suntrail Sky Park not far from your home. Would you comment for our cameras? We have a crew…”
Rita Purvis…
Suddenly, the floor felt like it was shifting, Ben forced himself into a chair.
“No.” He swallowed hard. “I’ve no comment at this time.”
Ending the call, Ben cupped his hand to his face, blinking at the fear enveloping him.
My God, what’s happening? Emma wanted for questioning? Rita Purvis. Nothing makes sense.
Ben looked around the kitchen, seeing nothing except—my laptop. He went online to news sites and within minutes he’d devoured the reports of the investigation into the homicide of Rita Purvis, of Lufkin, Texas.
One of the Skull Sisters.
Her body was found in Suntrail Sky Park. Indications were that she’d been stabbed to death. There was a breaking development on all sites: recently obtained video taken a short time before Rita Purvis’s body was found. The video had no sound but showed Purvis in an exchange with a woman in a parking lot.
Emma.
Confusion flooded Ben’s brain when his phone rang again. Praying Emma was calling, he answered.
“Hi, this is Juliet Williamson with the Associated Press. I’m calling for Benjamin Grant—”
Without speaking, he ended the call and thrust his hands into his hair when the doorbell chimed. He went to the front of the house and looked through the window. Several vehicles were parked on the street including news vans for KTLA, KRVZ and KTKT.
On his doorstep, he saw a man and woman. They made eye contact with him. Ben gave his head big negative shakes to convey no interviews when the man held up a badge and pointed at the door.
Detectives.
Ben’s gut twisted and he opened the door. Standing behind them he recognized Maggie Shen, who shouted over their shoulders.
“Ben, Maggie Shen! Could we just have a minute, please?”
“I’m sorry, I’ve got nothing to say.”