Page 78 of Cold Threat

“So, what do we do now?” she asked Ray.

Ray shrugged. “Nothing we can do. Hopefully, Duggan will give us something to work with.”

“Will your chief put out extra patrols tonight?” River asked.

“First of all, he’s not convinced that the killer will strike tonight, although he’s concerned about it,” Ray said. “The problem is that every available officer we have will be dealing with the storm.”

River had been thinking of snow in relation to the Snowman but had forgotten that the forecast was for something much more serious than a few snowflakes. Obviously, the town would be dealing with stranded motorists, portions of the city without electricity, along with all the other headaches that come from a major winter storm.

“Churches and homeless shelters will be out looking for anyone living on the streets,” Tony said, “but unfortunately, there are people who will escape the searches. The police will also be trying to find anyone who needs help before it’s too late.”

“I just don’t understand people who stay out in terrible weather instead of seeking help,” Beth said.

“We’ve profiled this behavior before,” River said. “Some people with mental illness are more afraid of the people looking to help them than they are of being outside, no matter how dangerous it is.”

Tony nodded. “Chief Munson is probably hoping thatifhe has a serial killer, the storm will keep him inside tonight. He’s got to put the safety of citizens first.”

Beth set a plate in front of River with two perfectly cooked over-hard eggs. River was a good cook, but the one thing she’d never been able to master was flipping eggs without breaking the yolk. Not sure why it was hard for her, but she’d finally given up. When she made eggs, they were either scrambled ortake your chances.

“Thank you,” she told Beth. She reached for the bacon and then the toast. After praying silently, she looked at Ray, whose forehead was creased with worry.

“We just need to take what we’ve done, give it to God, and listen to Him,” she told Ray gently. “We don’t have any other choice.”

“I know you’re right,” he said, “but I can’t stop myself from going over everything again and again. Do you ever feel like you’ve missed something? Something that’s right in front of you, but you just can’t bring it into focus?”

“Yeah, I have,” River said, frowning. “And almost every single time I was right. Call it intuition or just a gut instinct, I’ve learned to listen when that happens. I’ve had the same feeling about this case.”

Ray nodded. “It’s driving me crazy.” He looked at her. “I’m praying we figure it out before it’s too late.”

CHAPTER

FORTY-FOUR

Iwas ready. I’d gone over my mental list twice.

“I really want to go,” she said, her bottom lip stuck out in a childish pout.

“I know I promised, but I didn’t realize how dangerous it was going to be tonight. This isn’t just snow, it’s a major storm. I can get around much faster without you. I can’t take the car, I have to ride a bus over there, and then get out and walk the rest of the way.”

“But how will you get home when you’re done?”

“I have a plan.”

“Tell me.”

I sighed. Why was it always like this? “Will you just trust me? I know what I’m doing.”

“But you’ve never faced a situation like this before. Maybe you should pick another night, when the weather won’t be so bad.”

“No, I have to do it now. They have to understand that they can’t stop what we’ve decided must be done.”

“I’m worried,” she said.

“I told you. I’ve got it all figured out. Trust me, it will be fine.”

“I don’t know...”

I was getting frustrated with her, but I forced myself to stay calm. She was concerned about me because she loves me. How could I get angry with her for that?

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