“Didn’t you think it odd that both assaults happened on the same day?” Al asked.

Susannah blew out a breath. “Of course. But I’d gone to that hotel of my own free will.” By then it had become a dark obsession. “I chose that date specifically. It was supposed to be my declaration of independence. Later, I told myself it was… an omen. God’s punishment, call it what you want. I’d royally erred and I was paying the price. The date was a message. Clean up or else. It sounds stupid when I say it out loud.”

“You were a victim,” Luke said. “Twice. You weren’t thinking like an ADA, you were thinking like a human being who had to make sense of something horrific. There isn’t any sense to it, though. Bad things sometimes happen to good people. Period.”

I wasn’t a good person. I wasn’t. But she nodded gravely. “I know.”

Luke’s dark eyes flickered and she knew he hadn’t bought her easy acceptance of his words. “What about the man who assaulted you? Can you describe him?”

“Of course. I’ll never forget his face. But what will that help? It was six years ago. The trail went cold a long time ago.”

“We’ll still sit you down with a sketch artist, just in case this guy is still around and involved with that black sedan.” He turned to Al. “How can I talk to Darcy’s killer?”

“Michael Ellis,” Susannah murmured.

Luke frowned. “What did you say?”

“Michael Ellis,” Al supplied. “Darcy’s killer. Why?”

Luke scraped his palms down his stubbled face. “We found two passports in Granville’s firebox. Both had his photo, but neither had his name. One name was Michael Tewes. The other name was Toby Ellis.”

“Sonofabitch,” Al muttered. “Granville set this up.”

“Either with black sedan man or he told him later,” Luke confirmed. “Sonofabitch.”

Susannah sat down, her heart in her throat. “It was all planned,” she said tonelessly, dropping her eyes to her lap. “I was set up. They’ve been laughing at me. All this time.”

Luke crouched in front of her, taking her cold hands in his warm ones. “Granville’s paid. This other guy will, too. Does the name Rocky mean anything to you?”

She shook her head. “No. Should it?”

“We think that’s Granville’s partner’s name.” He gave her hands a squeeze.

She looked up, met his eyes, another thought taking root, just as crazy as the others. But this wasn’t crazy. It was reality. “Simon stalked me. In New York.”

“What do you mean?” Luke asked.

“Daniel didn’t tell you?” she asked, and he shook his head. “When we were in Philadelphia the detectives had several sketches of Simon. He’d become very good at disguise, one of which was an old man. It was how he lured his victims. I recognized the picture. I sometimes saw the old man when I was walking my dog in the park. It was Simon. He’d sit five feet from me and chat, and I never knew it was my own brother.”

“But Simon can’t be Granville’s partner,” Luke said. “Simon’s dead.”

“I know. But…” She sighed. “I don’t know what.”

Luke squeezed her hands. “Just try to relax and keep your eyes open at the funeral. I’m going to be there, too.” He looked at Al over his shoulder. “You’re going?”

“You couldn’t stop me,” Al said grimly.

“Good. We can use all the eyes we can get.”

Ridgefield House, Saturday, February 3, 9:45 a.m.

Bobby hung up the phone, feeling elation and trepidation in equal measures. Paul’s analysis had been spot on as usual and now, after a minimum of persuasion, Bobby had a new informant on the GBI team. But the informant’s information was unsettling. Beardsley not only had lived, he’d talked. The police knew about Rocky. After the nerve she’d shown today, this was Rocky’s final straw.

“Mr. Charles is here to see you,” Tanner said from the doorway.

Meddling old man. “Show him in, Tanner. Thank you.”

Charles came in, dressed in a black suit, his ivory box under one arm. “I thought I’d stop by.” He patted the box. “Maybe play a game of chess.”

“I’m not in the mood for games.” Bobby gestured to a chair. “Sit. Please.”

Charles’s lips twitched condescendingly. “What’s stuck up your craw?”

“DRC119,” Bobby said, and had the pleasure of seeing Charles blink in surprise for the first time ever.

But he recovered quickly, his smile returning. “How did you know?”

“I have a source on the GBI team investigating the incident at the bunker.” Bobby suspected the GBI mole was holding out, but there had been enough information shared to establish an action plan.

“My star pupil,” Charles said mildly.

“Don’t change the subject. Were you driving that black sedan?”

“Of course. I didn’t want to miss the expression on her face.”

“What if you’d been stopped? Caught?”

“Why would I have been stopped? I wasn’t speeding.”

Bobby frowned. “That was an unacceptable risk.”

Charles’s expression went from genial to glacial. “You’re behaving like an old woman.” He leaned forward until their eyes locked. “I taught you better than that.”

Chastised and feeling five years old, Bobby looked away.

Charles settled in his chair, satisfied. “What else did your GBI mole tell you?”

“Beardsley heard Granville talking about Rocky, by name,” Bobby said, subdued. I hate you, old man.

“By Rocky or by her name?”

“Well, by Rocky, but that’s still too close for me.”

“I agree. What will you do?”

Exactly what you’d do. Kill her. “I’m not sure yet.”

Charles nodded, his expression now disapproving. “I drove by Randy Mansfield’s house. It’s still standing.”

Bastard. Just rub it in. “Yes, I know.”

“Why is it still standing?” He lifted his brows, reproach in his eyes. “It’s not like you to miss a detail as important as that.”

Bobby wanted to squirm. “I didn’t miss a detail. My guy didn’t do the job correctly.” And for that Chili Pepper would die as soon as he was located. GBI was already looking for him. I need to find him first. God only knew what Pepper would tell them.

“Then you failed.”

Bobby started to speak, then looked away again, deflated. “Yes. I did.”

“So what happened?” Charles asked, more kindly, in the way one rewarded a dog with affection after punishing it for bad behavior.

I hate you. “Mr. Pepper got too technical. In both houses he left a firebomb with a timing device, then wired the house to blow if the cops went in before the timer went off. The cops tripped the wire at Granville’s, which alerted them to the bombs at Mansfield ’s. The bomb squad disabled both devices at Mansfield ’s before they could blow.”

“There were cops all over Mansfield ’s place when I drove by.”

“I know, but all they’ve found is his gun collection and his library of kiddie porn.”

“His father was so smart,” Charles lamented. “Randy was such a disappointment.”

“I know. Granville’s house burned to the ground. The only thing they found was his fire safe with his fake passports inside.”

“Why didn’t your firebug just use gas and a match?”

“I don’t know. I’ll ask him when I find him.”

“But you know where Mr. Pepper is now,” Charles said.

No, but I’m not about to admit that to you. “Of course. Just like I know where Garth and Toby’s wives are, right now.” Which was, fortunately, very true. “The cops think the wives can lead them to the infamous Rocky, who they believe is Granville’s partner and the brains of the operation.”

“And what else?”

Bobby hesitated. “Did you know Susannah Vartanian was raped by Granville’s club thirteen years ago?”

Charles lifted a shoulder. “Let’s just say it was a… private performance.”

“Susannah Vartanian just signed a statement accusing Garth Davis of rape.”

“Interesting,” was all Charles replied. “Anything more?”

“You obviously knew about the incident with Darcy Williams.”