Page 89 of Cold Threat

“No, son. I’m right about this.”

River wasn’t certain what to say. She didn’t want to lie to Beth, but she’d already decided to leave Tony once they returned home. She felt awful about having to walk away from her mother too, but it couldn’t be helped. Until the Strangler’s partner was captured, her brother, Dan, would just have to step up. At least Rose had Mrs. Weyland to care for her. The truth was, the last thing she wanted to do was to push Tony away. It was going to break her heart, but she loved him too much to let some crazed psychopathkill him because of her. It was even clearer now that she’d met his family. She couldn’t allow them to lose him.

“I hear you, Beth,” she said. “He really is kind of needy.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”

“So how is Wilson doing?” River asked Ray.

“He’s going to be okay. After he gets out of the hospital, he’ll be arraigned. I’m not sure if he’ll end up in prison or in a psychiatric hospital. He’s pretty delusional.”

“He really believed his sister had found him, didn’t he?” Aimee asked.

Tony nodded. “Since he’s been in the hospital, he’s been having long conversations with Stacy. He believes she’s actually there with him. I think he had an emotional breakdown when he couldn’t find her when he was younger. His mind brought her back so he could convince himself that she was still alive. Somewhere inside he probably knows she’s dead, but unless he gets help, he won’t be able to face the truth.”

“After listening to River and Tony, I called Chief Watts in Des Moines,” Ray said. “On a hunch, I suggested he send crime-scene techs to the Greers’ old house. Sure enough, they found Stacy’s remains buried in the backyard. She was just a child when she was killed by those monsters.”

“I realize that Wilson is delusional,” River said, “but besides those who really did abuse children, he killed some innocent people too. Their families deserve justice.”

Ray shrugged. “It will be up to the courts to decide what happens. You’ve done everything you could. Time to let it go.”

“I wish you could both stay for Christmas,” Beth said, “but I know you can’t.”

“I told you to stay here,” River said to Tony. “I can drive home alone.”

Tony frowned at her. “You know I won’t let you do that. It’s not safe.”

“But...”

“Just hush,” he said. “I don’t want to spend our last night here arguing.” He looked at his mother. “I know I said I’d try to come back for Christmas, Mom, but I can’t. Not this year.”

Beth held her hand up. “I know. It was a nice thought, but you need to stay with River. Maybe you can both spend Christmas with us someday. Now, let’s have a great meal and share some time together. I want you to both relax and enjoy yourselves. You deserve it.”

River smiled at her. She’d grown to love Tony’s family. Hopefully, authorities would find the man who was determined to kill her, and she could come back here when it was safe. She prayed God would find a way to make it happen. But for now, she was happy to spend this last night with them. Whatever the future held, she was glad she’d come to Burlington.

HE KEPTWATCHING THEIR OFFICE,awaiting their return. Maybe they’d found his bug, but it didn’t make any difference. Neither would their new cameras.

It wouldn’t be much longer, and he would finally be able to complete his objective. After that, his new quest would begin.

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