Page 67 of A Cry in the Dark

“Hey!” she exclaimed. “Let go of me!” She tried to yank free, but Violet tightened her grip.

“Violet,” Ty said sternly. “Let go.”

Violet shoved the woman’s sleeve above her wrist, and the branded tree came into perfect view.

Identical to Reeva’s.

“You have it. You knew Adam. Tell me how you got this.”

“Let me go!” The woman ripped her arm away, and Ty grabbed Violet’s arm before she could reach out again. She had to know. This was a break, a lead. An opportunity.

Adrenaline raced through her veins, and her pulse pounded.

“What’s going on?” Wanda demanded, approaching with a scowl.

“She has the brand. How?”

“Leave me and my daughter alone. Come on, Loretta.”

But Loretta’s eyes were locked on Violet. There was no hiding it.

Loretta Boyd had been one of Adam’s victims.

Did Violet have a half-sibling in Night Hollow? Who?

And could it be the Blind Eye Killer?

Chapter Thirteen

Saturday, October 21

5:52 p.m.

Violet’s hands trembled as she stormed from the car at the B and B. Ty had attempted to pry, but she didn’t want to speak. It was all too much. She hadn’t expected that, hadn’t been prepared.

That was Adam’s mark. His brand. Here in Night Hollow. How was that even possible? Violet hadn’t been tracking a lead or pursuing that particular case, yet the very case she was working led her to this?

Violet didn’t always believe in coincidences, but she had no idea what else to call it. She wanted that woman to talk. Loretta. Wanda Boyd’s daughter. Mother’s granddaughter.

Mother said Lula was her great-great-granddaughter. Her mother might be Violet’s sister. She also had a purse like the other women. Which meant she was potentially in great danger.

Or maybe she had a brother. Could she have a brother wreaking havoc in Kentucky? It wasn’t that far-fetched that all of Adam’s offspring would be corrupted moral failures. Even killers.

Violet herself had...pushed that girl.

John’s car was here. He must be inside. She wanted to know what Greg had to say, but she didn’t want to talk right now. Her thoughts were all over the place.

Ty blocked her at the porch. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, but this isn’t the first time you’ve freaked out on a total stranger. Need I remind you about what you did back in July? You’re the lead investigator now, so you have to act like it. And I can’t even believe you’re forcing me to be the level-headed adult here.” Ty scoffed and stomped up the porch then turned back. “I’m going to wash out the lecture taste, it’s sour.” He entered and slammed the door behind him.

He was right. She couldn’t go grabbing people and demanding information. At least not when she was the senior investigator. Asa left her in charge because she was generally the responsible one who didn’t get all up in arms and emotional about things.

Bypassing the front door, she tromped across the spongy yard, her feet sinking into the wet earth, leaves sticking to the bottom of her boots. The rain had been off and on all day and was going to start up again later this evening, bringing a cold front. She folded her arms over her chest and hunched forward, taking the crisp gales head-on.

The house was built on a hill that sloped down toward the river. As she made her slippery descent, the wind grew colder, harsher, and dots of water sprinkled her face. Leaning against a large pine, she kicked at wet needles and tried to wrap her brain around what she’d just experienced. Could she get information from Mother? Would she be willing to speak of the past and help Violet? She was all about helping people.

“Hey,” John softly said as he trekked down the hill to the tree she stood under. A pinecone fell in front of her feet.

She wanted to tell him to go away. Being alone was the whole reason for coming down here. She’d handle her feelings and the circumstances alone. But instead she said, “Hey.” Because below the surface, she didn’t want to handle it alone. Be alone. She wanted him to be here, and that terrified her.

---