“This leads us back to Missy Hovater,” Morgan said.

“Her father sexually abused her for years. She hated him, wanted him dead.”

“And yet none of us believes she killed him,” Karla said.

“Our killer is screaming. We just can’t hear her. All the rage is inside her, but it’s not evident to anyone looking at her. Missy Hovater might have hidden her rage in the past, but now it’s out there for the world to see. Our killer’s rage isn’t. The Fire and Brimstone Killer has internalized her anger, kept it bottled up inside her. Oh, she’s screaming all right-screaming in silence. And we all know that silence is often the deadliest kind of scream there is.”

Cathy had been awake all night. Right after Jack stormed out of her house, she had called Lorie, who had come over and stayed until half an hour ago, when she’d gone home to shower and get ready for work. They had talked until Cathy was hoarse. They had cried until Cathy’s eyes were red and swollen. They had damned all men in general, but Jack and Mike in particular. And now, in the cold, hard light of day, Cathy had to face the truth-she might have lost Jack forever. And then there was Seth. She needed to talk to Jack again as soon as possible to find out if he intended to tell Seth that he was his biological father. But regardless of what Jack did or didn’t do, she realized that she owed it to her son to be totally honest with him.

After turning on the shower to let the water get steamy warm, Cathy stripped out of her gown and robe, kicked off her house shoes and laid out two clean towels and a washcloth. She took her time, lathering her hair, scrubbing her body, shaving her legs and underarms. In a way, she felt that she was preparing for battle. The normal routine that usually took her less than half an hour took nearly fifty minutes, but by eight-thirty she was dressed, her hair done and her makeup applied.

She was battle ready.

And she had made some decisions while the deliciously warm water had peppered her body. To hell with Jack. If he couldn’t forgive her, then losing out on their second chance would be his fault, not hers. She had to talk to Seth. It was her place to explain things to him, to help him understand why she had kept the truth from him and from Jack all these years.

With her stomach tied in knots, she decided to skip her regular breakfast and prepare coffee and whole-wheat toast. But just as she slid two slices of bread into the toaster, she heard a knock at the kitchen door. When she looked through the half-glass door, she saw Seth standing there, a frantic expression on his face.

Oh God, had Jack already spoken to him? Was he here to confront her?

Bracing herself for the worst, she wiped her hands off on the towel hanging over the sink and hurried to the back door. The moment she unlocked the door, Seth stormed in, a wild look in his eyes.

“We’ve got to go to the sheriff’s office right now.” Seth’s words ran together as they rushed out of his mouth so quickly that Cathy barely understood what he’d said.

He held up what Cathy assumed was her morning newspaper. “Slow down and tell me what’s going on.”

“Here, take a look for yourself.” Seth opened the newspaper and held it out for her to see. “It’s happened again. Just last night.”

Cathy read the headline: Fire amp; Brimstone Killer Strikes Again.

“Who?” she grabbed the newspaper out of his hands and scanned the article. “Deacon Perry Fuqua?”

Seth grabbed her by her shoulders, startling her so that she dropped the paper to the floor.

“Mom, you have to go with me to talk to Sheriff Birkett. Please, let’s go now. I have to tell them I was with Missy last night.”

“What are you talking about? Why do you have to tell-?”

“Felicity called me to tell me that Mike Birkett came to their house just a little while ago and talked to her parents. The sheriff took Missy in so that the task force can question her. They think she killed Mr. Fuqua, just like they think she killed her dad. She didn’t. I know she didn’t.”

“Calm down, Seth.” Cathy pulled his hands off her shoulders and held them securely between them. “How do you know she didn’t?”

“Weren’t you listening to me? Because I was with her last night when Mr. Fuqua was killed, and I have to tell them that I was.”

“Seth, look at me.”

Reluctantly, he lifted his eyes, and his gaze connected with hers.

“Were you really with Missy last night?”

“Yes. I…uh…I slipped out of the house, and she did, too, and we met. It’s not the first time.”

Cathy suspected that Seth was lying to her. When he was a little boy, she could always tell when he wasn’t telling her the truth, and even now her maternal instincts still acted as a lie detector.

“Mom, please, please…”

“All right. Let me get my car keys and purse.” She picked up her purse off the kitchen counter and then lifted the keys off the rack by the door. “By the way, how did you get here? I didn’t hear a car drive up.”

“I walked. I left a note for Nana and Granddad.”

Cathy moaned. She’d deal with J.B. and Mona later.

“Hurry up, Mom.”

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the sheriff’s office in downtown Dunmore. She barely got the car parked before Seth opened the door and jumped out. Rushing to keep up with him, she got out, locked the car and ran to the front entrance. Seth paused long enough to hold the door for her.

“We need to see the sheriff right now,” Seth told Mike’s secretary.

“Sheriff Birkett is in a meeting,” she replied.

“You don’t understand. I’m a witness,” Seth said. “Well, sort of. He’s questioning Missy Hovater right now, isn’t he? I’ve got important information about Missy.”

The woman looked from Seth to Cathy, apparently uncertain if Seth was dangerous or just overzealous.

Before Cathy could reassure Mike’s secretary, Seth blurted out, “Get Jack Perdue. He’ll vouch for me. He and my mom are dating and-”

“What the hell is going on out here?” Jack opened the door marked with Mike’s name and stopped abruptly when he saw Cathy and Seth.

Oh God, please don’t let him assume that we’re here because I told Seth the truth about his paternity.

Seth ran toward Jack. “I’ve got to talk to the sheriff. Missy didn’t kill Mr. Fuqua. She was with me last night. I swear she was. I’m her alibi.”

Cathy held her breath as Jack reached out and laid his hand on Seth’s shoulder. Tears burned her throat, and it was all she could do not to cry out loud.

“Missy isn’t here,” Jack said in a calm, authoritative voice. “Reverend and Mrs. Harper are bringing her in later for questioning, along with her lawyer. I don’t think Missy will need an alibi, but if she does, I’ll call you and you can come back in and give a statement.”

Seth’s shoulders sagged as he released a pent-up breath. “She didn’t kill anybody, not even her father, that son of a bitch.”

Jack glanced past Seth, his gaze settling on Cathy. Her heartbeat accelerated alarmingly. “Take him home.”

“Come on, Seth, let’s go,” Cathy said.

“Thanks, Jack,” Seth said. “When Felicity called me, she thought for sure y’all believed Missy was the Fire and Brimstone Killer.”

“Go home with your mom,” Jack said. “The three of us will talk later. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Jack squeezed Seth’s shoulder as he looked at his son. Cathy knew that he wanted to grab Seth and hug him. But he didn’t. He released his hold on Seth and then turned and walked back into Mike’s office.

He had all but ignored her.

As soon as his mother took him to his grandparents’ home and his grandfather met them at the door with a reprimand, Seth knew what he had to do. He’d been thinking about it for a while now and had already pretty much made up his mind. After the way his mom had responded to his hysteria about Missy this morning, he felt certain he was making the right decision. His grandparents loved him and needed him, but his mother understood him. She didn’t expect him to be perfect. She just wanted him to do the very best he could.