Page 437 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

And now this?

They’d all been blind to the truth, not just the police department.

“Crazy.” Stella shook her head. “A cop?”

Addie spotted a flash of something in her eyes. She knew a shadow well because she would see it in her expression in the mirror. Addie glanced at Kyle, but he only shook his head.

The two of them knew each other well. Had worked with each other for nearly two years and clearly had a rapport. One day she hoped to consider them friends as well as colleagues. But she might never be part of the bond they shared.

Addie wanted to hear their story. “Thank you for coming here. Both of you. I appreciate it because I don’t know what I’d have done if this happened to me, and I was alone out here.”

“Of course,” Stella said.

Kyle nodded. “Happy to.”

“You guys aren’t worried you’ll get assigned here permanently?” Maybe they couldn’t wait to get back to Seattle.

Stella made ahuhsound. “It’s not so bad here. I think it’s growing on me.”

Kyle didn’t say anything, but when Addie glanced over, she saw a ghost of a smile on his face.

Definitely some history there.

Addie started to answer but caught herself. Would it be so bad? Being close to Russ and Mona. Having Jake back in her life. “I’d love the company.”

“You’re not worriedyou’llget stuck here forever?” Kyle chuckled.

With the threat over, she would be able to move on.

“We have to find them first,” Addie said. “When Hank is in custody and we have this all straightened out,thenI’ll figure out the next step.”

Stella shifted. “Bet no one thought you’d figure this out in a week.”

Kyle snorted.

“Unfortunately we know now why the police weren’t able to put it together.”

One of their own had been assigned to investigate most of the cases. A cop had committed the crimes, so he knew exactly what they looked for when they worked a case.

“So why didn’t he work to stall you as soon as you showed up?” Kyle asked. “Surely he wouldn’t want you to figure it out.”

“I’m thinking he has a plan, and I needed to be here for it.” Addie tapped her finger on her knee. “I think he did try to throw me off in a way since he pointed me to a victim, and it turned out to be nothing. Maybe he knew she was killed by someone else.”

And then there were her other theories. “I also think maybe he wants to get caught and that hewantedme to figure out it was him. I think that’s why he orchestrated it to get me back here.”

Stella said, “Some killers do draw attention to themselves just so it can end.”

“And given what I know he went through because I went through the same, I think he might hate who he is and what he’s done. I think he might want me to stop him because I understand, and he’s so guilt ridden he doesn’t want to go on being this person.”

She knew it was a long shot. She was concluding with not much evidence and theorizing about Hank’s state of mind. Instead, she needed to sit him down and talk to him—in an interrogation room.

Her office didn’t have one, so she’d have to use the PD.

Addie blew out a long breath.

Kyle pulled the car into a neighborhood. Addie waited as he headed for the third street down. The blue house at the end.

She glanced at her colleagues. “This is the house Hank lived in as a kid.”

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