“And here I sit,” Daniel said mildly. “Get out of my face, Garth.”

The mayor didn’t budge. “I want an update.” He was speaking loudly, for his audience, Alex thought. His constituency. Politicians.

Daniel leaned in closer. “Get out of my face, Garth,” he murmured, leveling the mayor a look so cold even Alex flinched. “Now.” The mayor slowly straightened and Daniel drew a breath. “Thank you, Mayor Davis. I can appreciate your wanting to have the most recent information. You need to appreciate that even if I had anything to tell you, this isn’t the place for me to share it. I did call your office this afternoon with an update. The phone rang, but no one answered.”

Davis narrowed his eyes. “I was out at Congressman Bowie’s this afternoon. I didn’t get the message. I’m sorry, Daniel.” But his eyes said he was anything but. “I’ll be sure to talk to my aide and find out why he didn’t answer your call.”

“Do that. If you’d still like an update, I’m glad to talk when I’m not in a public place.”

The mayor’s cheeks flushed. “Of course. This has been a terrible day, finding out about Janet and Claudia.”

“And Bailey Crighton,” Alex said coldly.

Mayor Davis had the good grace to look embarrassed. “And Bailey. Of course. Daniel, I’ll be in my office most of the evening. Call me if you would.”

“That’s enough to spoil your appetite,” Alex said when he was gone.

“Alex.” Meredith’s voice was strained and Alex immediately saw why.

Hope had pushed the cheese off the pizza and had smeared sauce all over her own hands and all over her face. She looked like she was covered in blood. And she was rocking in a way that made Alex’s blood run cold.

Daniel was quick to react. He stood up, wiping the sauce from Hope’s face and hands with a napkin. “Hope, honey,” he said, injecting a humor into his voice that Alex knew he didn’t feel. “Look at this mess. And on your pretty new dress, too.”

The couple in the next booth turned around and Alex recognized Toby Granville and his wife. “Can I help?” Toby asked, frowning his concern.

“No, thanks,” Daniel said easily. “We’re just going to take her home and get her cleaned up. You know how kids are.” He pulled his wallet from his pocket and Sheila came from the kitchen, a wet towel in her hands.

She’d obviously been watching. As had everyone else in the place.

Daniel handed her a folded-up bill and Alex could see the white edge of his business card poking above the green ink. “Keep the change.” He pulled Alex from the booth and she winced, her knees stiff. But she made her legs move, following Meredith to the door. Daniel scooped Hope up into his arms. “Let’s go, pretty girl. Let’s get you home.”

Alex gave Sheila a last look, then followed Daniel to his car.

In less than five minutes they were back at the bungalow. Meredith ran ahead of them, and when Alex limped across the threshold, Meredith had the Princess Fiona hairstyling head on the table. Meredith took Hope from Daniel’s arms and put her in front of the styling head, then crouched to look into Hope’s face.

“Show us what happened to your mother, Hope,” Meredith said urgently. She grabbed the can of red Play-Doh and shook it out into her palm. “Show us.”

Hope smeared a glob on the Fiona head. She repeated it, until red Play-Doh covered Fiona’s face and hair. When finished she stared at Meredith helplessly.

Alex felt the breath seep from her lungs. “She saw it all.”

“Which means she may have seen who did it,” Daniel said, his voice tight. “We’ll go to the shelter tomorrow, Alex. I want to get Hope in with a forensic artist tonight. Meredith, my boss wanted me to take Hope into our department psychologist tomorrow morning, but I think that needs to be tonight, too.”

Alex bristled. “Meredith is a fine child psychologist. And Hope trusts her.”

But Meredith was nodding. “I’ve gotten too close, Alex. Call your consult, Daniel. I’ll help in whatever way I can.”

Atlanta , Tuesday, January 30, 9:00 p.m.

There were a dozen pretty girls at the bar already, but Mack knew exactly which one he’d be taking home. He’d known for five long years, ever since the night she and her two friends had pulled their cute little trick and taken his life away. They’d thought themselves so clever, so smart. Now Claudia and Janet were so dead. And Gemma would soon follow. A fine buzz of anticipation singed his skin as he approached her. However she responded, her evening would end the same.

Done, dead, and wrapped in a brown wool blanket. Just one more tool to terrify the pillars of Dutton. He leaned against the bar, ignoring the protest of the woman behind him as he crowded her off her stool. He had eyes only for his prize.

Gemma Martin. She’d been his first fuck. He’d be her last. They’d been sixteen and her price had been an hour behind the wheel of his ’Vette. She’d been drunk and put a dent in his left fender that night. She was well on her way to being drunk tonight, and the dent he left would be in her. Mack planned to enjoy his revenge very much.

“Excuse me,” he said over the blare of the band.

She turned her head, sweeping her eyes from his head to his feet in blatant assessment, her eyes sharpening with interest. Five years ago she’d laughed at him. Tonight, she was interested and completely unaware of who he was.

She tilted her head. “Yes?”

“I couldn’t help but notice that gorgeous red Corvette you drove in. I’m thinking of buying one. What do you think of yours?”

Her smile was feline and Mack knew he wouldn’t be needing the little bottle of Rohypnol in his pocket to lure her away. She’d come because she wanted to. It would make her end that much more delicious. “It’s the perfect car. Hot, fast, and dangerous.”

“Sounds like exactly what I’m looking for.”

Atlanta , Tuesday, January 30, 9:00 p.m.

“Please call me if you hear anything,” Daniel said into the phone, then hung up just as Chase came into his office, looking as tired as Daniel felt. Chase had just come from a meeting with the brass and from the look in his eyes, it had not ended well.

“Who was that?” Chase asked.

“ Fort Benning. I’d left a bunch of messages for that army chaplain.”

“The one who came to see Bailey yesterday morning and ended up talking to Alex.”

“Yeah. He’d flown into Benning for his R &R. He was headed south of Albany, to his parents’ house, but he never showed up. Even with his stop in Dutton, he should have been in Albany by suppertime, easily. They’re declaring him missing.”

“Hell, Daniel. Tell me some good news.”

“I think I know where Janet was grabbed. I canvassed the area where the phone call to her boyfriend originated and found a guy behind the counter at a sub shop that remembers her, down to the meatball sub she ordered. They have her on their security tape making the order. Felicity didn’t find the sub in Janet’s stomach contents, so she never ate her dinner. I’m thinking he broke into her minivan and overpowered her when she came out.”

“Did we get the van on camera?”

“Nope. No cameras in the parking lot, only inside. And none of the surrounding businesses have cams either. I checked.”

Chase glared. “Then at least tell me the artist’s making some headway with the kid.”

“The artist isn’t available until tomorrow morning,” Daniel said, holding up a weary hand when Chase started to explode. “Don’t fight with me about it. Both artists are with victims. We’re next in the queue.”

“Then who’s got the kid now?” Chase demanded.

“Chase.” Mary McCrady came into Daniel’s office, giving Chase an admonishing look. “The kid’s name is Hope.”

Daniel had always liked Mary McCrady. She was slightly older than he was, slightly younger than Chase. She had a no-nonsense attitude about the world and never allowed anyone to intimidate her-or any of the patients she took under her wing.