Page 26 of Cold Threat

“And she spoke in a whisper?”

River nodded. “Hey, are you putting stock in my dream? I mean, it was just a dream.”

“God speaks to us in dreams, River. Especially with some people. I’ve never had a dream from Him, but my mother has. Several times.”

“I ... I don’t know. It might just be your mother’s cookies talking.”

Tony laughed. “Maybe, but there’s something about this that feels ... real. Regular dreams are usually disjointed. Strange. Full of symbolism. But this is pretty specific.”

“But just because Isawa woman in the dream, that doesn’t mean there are two people behind these homicides.”

Tony leaned back in his chair. “That’s what we thought about the Salt River Strangler. That there was just one UNSUB. Butwe turned out to be wrong. I think we need to consider that there could be two people committing these crimes. It would explain why the victims were found in their beds—and no one ever escaped.”

“One UNSUB subdues them and the other sets the fire.”

“Right.”

River studied her partner for a moment before saying, “We can’t take something from a dream and make it part of our profile. It’s not ... evidence.”

Tony laughed lightly. “Writing a profile isn’t based entirely on facts, River. You know that. It’s also conjecture. True, we use criminal psychology as the basis of our profiles, but many times they come from our experiences as well.”

“But they’re certainly not based on dreams.” She got up and walked over to the window. It was snowing harder. She felt her body tense. Was the killer out there now? Had he picked his next victims?

Tony got up and joined her at the window. “Look at me,” he said gently.

River gazed up into his grey-blue eyes. A lock of his curly black hair lay on his forehead. She fought a desire to push it back.

“God speaks to us in dreams. I know you weren’t brought up to believe that, but it’s true.”

“Then why would God pick me to talk to? I’m not special.”

Tony put his hands on her shoulders. “That’s not true. You’re very special. To God, all His children are special. I don’t understand how He decides what gifts He gives to us, but I assure you, He knows what He’s doing.”

He hesitated for a moment. River could feel his hands touching her. It was as if they radiated warmth. It was disconcerting, but she couldn’t pull away.

“River, humility isn’t thinking you’re worthless. True humilityis believing you’re who God says you are. His beloved child. His chosen. His anointed. Valuable. Gifted.”

“But...”

“No buts,” Tony said firmly. “It’s not based on your works or your goodness. It’s based on God living in you. Making you into the person He destined you to be. The Bible mentions God speaking to His people in dreams many, many times. If He wants to use you that way, accept it. Take it seriously.”

“And if I’m wrong? If it really was the cookies?”

His eyes seemed to gaze into her soul. “River, do you think the dream really was the result of the cookies?” His hands tightened on her shoulders. “Don’t tell me what you think you should say. Tell me what you feel down deep inside. Please.”

River could hardly believe the words that came out of her mouth, but she couldn’t seem to stop them. “No,” she whispered. “It wasn’t the cookies.”

Tony grinned and let go of her. “I believe that too. It’s important and we need to pay attention to it.”

“Okay, I give in,” she said. “But can I ask one question?”

“Sure.”

“Why doesn’t God just give me the name of the UNSUB? Wouldn’t this be a lot easier?”

Tony laughed. “I wish I could answer that. My guess? He sends us what we can accept. What we have the faith to receive.” He shrugged. “I’m afraid the answer to your question is above my spiritual pay grade.”

“I figured you’d say something like that,” River said. She smiled at him. “So what does ‘It’s about the children’ mean?”

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