Page 115 of The Dollmaker

“She overdosed.”

“Were you at her funeral?”

“Yeah. She was in one of my classes, and it was a small community.”

“Do you remember the last time you saw Kara?”

Madison shook his head. “What does Kara have to do with Diane?”

He ignored the question. “When was the last time you saw Kara?”

“The night of the Halloween party. She was there with Diane and Tessa.”

“I understand you caused a fight between Kara and Tessa?”

“I might have stirred it up between them, but it wasn’t that big a deal.”

“It was a big enough deal for Tessa to leave the party distracted enough to get hit by a car. It was enough of a big deal for Kara to leave the party alone and end up with the guy who fed her the pills that killed her.”

“What the hell? I didn’t have any connection to that. I was young and trying to hook up.”

“Do you remember what Tessa, Elena, and Diane were wearing at the Halloween party?”

“Sure. Doll costumes.”

“What did you think about the outfits?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Sure you do. How did they look to you?”

“Sexy as hell. Half the guys at the party couldn’t stop looking at them.”

Sharp flexed the fingers of his right hand. “Do you have a fetish for dolls?”

Madison rose, his gaze hardening with a survivor’s glint. “Do you have any solid evidence connecting me to Diane’s murder?”

“Not yet. But I’d like a DNA sample from you.”

Madison shook his head. “Cops get DNA samples from suspects.”

Sharp considered reaching for his cuffs but knew the instant he detained Madison, he’d have to read him his Miranda rights, and the whole dynamics of this interaction would change. “They also use DNA to weed out the innocent. I’m looking for a killer, and I need to keep my focus on the target.”

“You mean me?”

“DNA will rule you out.”

Madison balled up his fists. “I’m not some fucking monster!”

“I’m not arresting you. I’m asking you to come to the station with me and answer a few questions. I need help solving this case.”

Madison shook his head. “I’ll meet you downtown as soon as I get ahold of my attorney.”

Sharp chewed on two or three choice words before nodding. “I’ll wait while you call.”

When Tessa didn’t come home by seven as the Dollmaker had expected, he backtracked to her office, where he found her car. Her routine was still new and remained unpredictable, so it was important he kept a close eye on her so he could figure out her pattern. Watching and planning for his next doll offered him a thrill as tantalizing as the transformation process.

He sat for another thirty minutes, waiting and watching. To calm his nerves, he dug a small sketchbook from his glove box and sketched her face. At first he drew her as she was. Pretty, in an ordinary sort of way. And then he reimagined her new face on the opposite page. He made her face appear more round. He thinned and arched the brows. He stippled her cheeks with freckles. Transformed her lips into a heart shape. She would be so pretty. He was rock hard with anticipation.

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