“Damn it, Perreth,” Bobby said under his breath. Of course, it might have nothing to do with Perreth or the copycat case. The news that they suspected he was active again shouldn’t be out yet. But he had a bad feeling about it regardless. Bobby circled the block and turned into a back lot.
A single man was standing near the door.
Bobby bit back a curse. “I should have known.”
“Who is he?”
“Reporter for the Lake Loyal Leader. Name is Aidan Powell. And I can only think of one reason for a Lake Loyal reporter to be down here.” Bobby pulled into an empty space and lowered his window.
Powell scurried over. “Got a chance to talk, Detective? I hear rumors the Copycat Killer might be active again.”
“We don’t know anything solid yet, Aidan. But when I do, I’ll be sure to call you.” Bobby and Diana climbed out of the car and started for the door.
“You know I’ll hold you to that,” Powell called after them.
“You’ll be hearing from us. I haven’t forgotten.”
Once they were inside, Diana frowned. “Haven’t forgotten what?”
“The woman from the Dells. The first victim found. They were friends. Lake Loyal’s a small town, you know. This is personal for him.”
“So you’re going to talk to him?”
“Not me. This is above my pay grade. Probably the sheriff himself. Or someone from Madison. Hopefully not Perreth.”
“I thought you didn’t want anyone talking to the media.”
“Perreth’s right. They can be useful. But only if we can control what they report.”
“So you just wanted control…” Diana rolled her eyes then gave him a little smile.
“What can I say? Guilty.”
Once inside, an officer showed them to the space set aside for the taskforce. Stan Perreth was already there, sitting at a computer in one of the cubicles. The detective flipped an unlit cigarette in stained fingers. When he spotted Diana, he stood and smiled awkwardly then turned a glare on Bobby. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to meet with Trent Burnell?”
“Slipped my mind.” Bobby eyed Perreth’s computer screen. “I haven’t approved a press release.”
“No one needs your approval.”
True enough.
Bobby skimmed the form. Just as he’d feared. Perreth or whoever had written this had sprinkled Diana’s name throughout, even going so far as to identify her as Ed Dryden’s daughter. “You can’t mention Diana’s role in this. And you’re not admitting she’s here.”
“Better to come out with it than look like we’re hiding something.”
“You need to see the video of her meeting with Dryden today. Then you’ll understand why we need to keep her presence here quiet.” He gave the flash drive with the video to Perreth. “Make some copies while you’re at it.”
For a moment, Perreth looked as if he might protest. Then he took a seat at one of the desks.
Val walked into the office suite. “You’re back.”
Bobby gestured to the video Perreth was loading. “You’re going to want to see this.”
“Good news?”
“Not exactly.”
Val made a face. “I really would prefer good news.”
Voices erupted from outside the offices. Bobby had just turned around when a tall brunette lawyer-type woman burst through the door.
“Who the hell gave you permission to talk to my client without me present?”
Bobby stared at her for a long moment. “Who’s your client?”
“Don’t play dumb.”
Bobby threw up his hands. “Who’s playing?”
The woman glared at Diana. “This is her, isn’t it? The daughter?”
For someone who was trying to protect Diana, Bobby was doing a damned awful job. “Let me guess. You’re Meredith Unger. Ed Dryden’s attorney.”
Meredith raised a plucked brow. “I’ve seen all I need to see. Don’t bother denying it.”
“Denying what?”
“This woman isn’t visiting my client because she’s his long-lost family. She’s working as an agent of the police. She’s manipulating him.”
Diana
Dryden’s attorney thought she was manipulating him?
Diana folded her arms around her middle and stared out the windshield of Bobby’s car. She hadn’t stopped shaking since Meredith Unger had burst into the offices.
Actually, if she was being honest, she’d been rattled since she left the prison visiting room.
“Don’t let her bother you,” Bobby said.
“She doesn’t.”
“Could have fooled me.”
After the rabid attorney had made her appearance, Bobby had quickly swept Diana out of there, leaving Val and Perreth to deal with the fallout. The move had been protective and overbearing and all the things Diana had told him she didn’t want, and yet she’d let him do it anyway.
She’d even let him drive.
“Can she do anything to us?”
“Beyond making our lives hell?” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I suppose she’s going to say we’re trying to set Dryden up or some kind of garbage.”
“And she can get away with that?”
“I didn’t say that. Just that she’ll try. The worst thing is that she’ll tell Dryden you were here.”
Diana stifled a shudder. Every time she saw Dryden, she became more terrified of the man. And not just because he was somehow in contact with a very free serial killer. Around him, she felt so muddled. As if she couldn’t think for herself anymore. As if she could only react.
Once at the hotel, Bobby insisted on walking her to her room, and she’d let him. They crossed the lobby and caught an elevator. Once inside, Diana leaned against the mirrored wall, fatigue descending into her body and hissing through her mind.
It would feel good to be alone for a few hours. Quiet. Safe. After suffering through the jangle of activity at the taskforce’s new offices, Diana could hardly think. She had no idea how Bobby could force himself to go back there and work through the night, but she had little doubt that was his plan.
Nadine was still out there and time was ticking away.
The elevator opened and she followed Bobby into the vacant hall.
Bobby checked his watch. “Perreth said he’d arrange for an officer to keep an eye on you. I’ll stay until someone arrives.”
“You don’t need to waste your time babysitting me. I’ll just lock myself in.”
“You’re not staying alone.” He flipped open his phone and punched in a number.
Diana felt so passive, so needy, but again, she just nodded.
She sure couldn’t blame Bobby for coddling her this time. He’d lived up to their bargain today. He hadn’t hovered. He’d let her help with the case. He’d even been straight with her. She hadn’t believed he’d be able to keep up his end, but he had.
She had been the one who’d crumbled.
She fished her key card from her purse and swiped it through the lock. Light flashing green, she turned the door’s handle. “We might as well wait inside.” She pushed the door open.
A sickly-sweet smell smothered her like a blanket. Choking her. Gagging her. Bringing her to her knees.
Bobby
Bobby grasped Diana’s arm, keeping her from going down. “Diana, it’s okay. It’s okay.”
She teetered for a moment, then regained her balance. “Is she…”
“Dead? Yeah.”
There was no point checking for a pulse. Like the copycat’s other victims, Nadine Washburn was nude and had a slice from throat to pubic bone. Even from this distance, Bobby could see there were no organs left inside. Her head was thrown back, as if frozen in agony. Blond hair streaked with blood tangled around her face. Dull eyes stared up at the ceiling.