Page 10 of Among the Innocent

A pressing alarm closed in as she followed him outside. “Tell me what it says,” she asked when he wasn’t forthcoming.

Dalton’s brows slanted together. “Are you sure you want to hear?”

Did she? What choice was there? “Yes, I want to know.” Shehadto know.

Dalton put on new gloves and took the paper out of the evidence bag. He slowly unfolded the note and read it aloud. “I’ve waited ten years for you. You thought he’d protect you, but I proved he was no match for me.”

The meaning behind those chilling words threatened to take her legs out from under her. “He’s admitting to killing Ellis.” She couldn’t believe it. John, or whatever his real name was, had killed Ellis.

“It appears so,” he said quietly. Dalton’s gaze swept over her. “Are you okay? We should have someone look at that.” He pointed to her head.

She dismissed his request with a wave of her hand. “It’s nothing. I’ll be fine.”

Dalton took a deep breath. “All right. It seems that for whatever reason, the killer is obsessed with you, which means you’re in danger. From this minute on, you are going into protective custody. We can’t afford to take any unnecessary risks.”

Leah barely heard what he said. “Marge could be in danger too.” The thought of her sweet, adoptive mother who suffered from dementia being subjected to the killer’s brutality was terrifying. “I need to see her.” Leah didn’t think she could bear it if something happened to Marge.

“I’ll send Sam to her house right away. He’ll bring her to the station and we can explain what’s happening there. I want you with me.”

Dalton’s intense gaze held hers. For a moment, it was hard to think clearly.

“Marge doesn’t do well outside her home. She’s having problems with her memory.” Leah did her best to explain Marge’s condition. “She knows Sam. If you have him tell her I asked him to stay with her for a while, it’ll be better.”

Other than attending church services, Marge rarely left the house anymore. Sometimes Leah was able to coax her out for a walk and the occasional visit to the grocery store. She couldn’t imagine how Marge would react to having to leave the security of her home and go to the police station.

Dalton hit the mic on his radio and spoke to Sam. Once he ended the transmission, he shifted his full attention to Leah. “We need to speak with Beth’s family right away. With all theadditional police presence, they’re bound to wonder what’s happening.”

Leah pulled her thoughts together. There would be no hiding the truth for long. “You’re right. They should know what happened to their daughter.”

“They trust you, and your relationship with the family will help.” Dalton scanned the activity taking place around them. “We have to set up a command post. With three separate law enforcement agencies working the case, we need a central location to compare notes.” His focus returned to her. “Once we’ve spoken to the family, let’s head back to the station and start analyzing what we have so far.”

Several techs from the crime scene unit arrived with Ethan. Dalton handed them the note and explained where he’d found it. “Ethan, can you assist here?”

“Sure thing.” Ethan pressed Leah’s arm briefly and gave her a reassuring smile. “The medical examiner just arrived. Hopefully, he’ll give us some idea of the time of death soon.”

“Thanks, Ethan. Leah and I are going to speak with the family now.” Dalton turned toward her with a solemn expression on his face. “Ready?”

She wasn’t. Any more than she was ready to play the killer’s games again. But the choice had been taken from her. She’d play because she had to know the truth if she was ever going to lay those ghosts to rest.

Dalton stared up at the Zooks’ house. The midmorning sun cast a glare on everything around. “I hate having to deliver news like this. Especially to these good folks. They don’t deserve it,” he murmured and shifted toward Leah. “You didn’t either.”Despite what happened to Harrison and the secrets that drove Ellis Petri to come after him so aggressively, Leah was another innocent victim like the rest of her family.

Climbing the porch steps felt like summiting a mountain, each one laden with dread. He opened the door and stepped inside the house, his heart as heavy as his footsteps.

The family remained where he’d left them. No one stirred as he and Leah entered the living room. If he didn’t know differently, he’d swear these were wax figures made in their likenesses.

Leah sat beside Miriam Zook. The woman turned. Saw something in Leah’s expression and collapsed against her in a fit of sobbing.

The inevitable couldn’t be postponed. Dalton pulled the rocker over near Josiah while Henry watched from the corner, the dark news to come keeping him glued to the spot.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but we found Beth at the Millers’ barn.” He took a breath before delivering the worst news of their lives. “I’m afraid she’s dead.”

A wail ripped from the depths of Miriam Zook’s soul. It tore through Dalton’s mind and burrowed in his heart.

Josiah seemed incapable of blinking, much less forcing out a coherent sentence. Out of the corner of his eye, Dalton noticed the little girl coming down the stairs. She stood in front of her mother, watching as she grieved. Katie didn’t comprehend what was happening. She would in time.

“Henry, why don’t you take Katie into the kitchen to get her mother some water,” Dalton suggested.

Henry steered the child away from the devastating adult conversation taking place.

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