Page 34 of Every Deadly Suspicion

“Because. He’s at the end. Maybe he’ll finally do the right thing and tell me where my parents are.”

Hanna saw desperate hope in her friend’s eyes. Surprise hit like a blow. “Wow.”

“What?”

“I never looked at it that way, from your perspective. I—” The sound of a car pulling into the school parking lot stopped her. It was a county car. Nathan. That he was here, now, meant not-good news.

Mandy jerked around and followed her gaze. “I sincerely hope he just misses you.”

Nathan got out and walked toward them. He looked tired. His clothes were rumpled, and the shadow of a beard darkened his jawline. Hanna bet he’d not been to sleep yet.

“Good morning. I thought I’d find you two here,” he said as he approached.

“What gives? You look like you’re the bearer of bad news.” Hanna tried to keep her tone light even as her stomach turned.

He nodded, expression grim. “Afraid I am.” He looked away from Hanna, and his voice softened. “Mandy, we found a body last night. Another woman.” Nathan took a deep breath. “There is no easy way to say this. It was Edda.”

“Huh?” Hanna felt as if all breath left her body.Auntie Edda?The pain she felt was real and ragged, but she held on to her emotions and watched the color drain from Mandy’s face. Reflexively, she reached out and gripped her friend’s elbow.

“You’re sure?” Mandy asked, voice soft, unsteady.

“As sure as I can be. I talked to her enough. I know her son is gone. Is there any other family I need to notify? News agencies were all over the scene. I don’t want any of her family to find out from a news broadcast.”

Mandy shook her head. “Her husband passed a while ago. She spoke of a niece in another state, but how close they were, I’m not certain.” Her voice broke, and Hanna felt for her friend. Then Mandy seemed to brace herself and swallow the tears.

“I know who did it.” She folded her arms, anger rapidly replacing grief. “I tried to warn her. It’s a guy she met online. Someone named Diego.”

CHAPTER 17

HANNA STARED ATMANDY IN SHOCKat this revelation, but it was Nathan who spoke up.

“Diego? Someone she met online—like a date?” Nathan asked.

Mandy gave a sharp shake of her head. “Someone she felt sorry for at first. He claimed to have substance abuse issues and that Edda’s connection with him was saving him from suicide.” Mandy told Nathan what she knew.

The frown on Nathan’s face deepened.

“What is it?” Hanna asked.

“The other two victims, they were both involved with online relationships. But they were dating relationships. Obviously, catfishing scams, at least on the surface.” He stopped and looked at Mandy. “What do you meanat first?”

“She didn’t tell me everything. She just said she thought he was pretending.”

“Pretending about what?”

Mandy shrugged. “I just told Hanna I was afraid she was looking for Bobby’s dealer. Maybe he gave her a fake name. I don’t know.”

“Edda sent me an e-mail, asking about something with legalramifications, I think,” Hanna said. “She wanted to talk to me, and I didn’t get back to her. I just got busy.”

Hanna looked at Mandy. She’d shed some tears and wiped them away. But mama bear was emerging now.

“Have you been to her house yet?” Mandy asked.

“Next stop is to meet my partner there.”

“Edda had a dog, Gizmo, her baby. He’ll need someone to take care of him now. You won’t take him to animal control, will you?”

Nathan hesitated.

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