Page 38 of Shiver

“Any bumps?”

“No. I wasn’t hit.”

“You weren’t?” She hadn’t mentioned that.

“No. I smelled something. Something chemical. Maybe chloroform?”

“Pretty sophisticated. Why didn’t he just hit you?”

She shrugged as she sat at the table.

“Tony here.”

Riley turned his attention back to the phone. “Listen, Tony. I need you out here right away. Something else has happened.”

“No problem. I’m almost there.”

“Almost here?”

“Yeah, the nurse at Children’s worked with a police artist on a sketch of the man she saw watching Miss Morgan. The kid identified him as the guy he gave the locket to. I’d like for you and Miss Morgan to look at. See if you recognize the guy.”

Riley raised his eyebrows. That was fast. “Good work.”

“Also, I got the results back from her house. No prints on the rock.”

Riley was afraid of that.

“But the prints in the house came back to a Miss Devra Miller.”

Riley’s grip tightened on the receiver. “Miller?”

Devra looked up at him, her eyes wide.

“Yep, apparently, she goes by a different name.”

She’d refused to be printed when they had her at the station. Now he knew why. He remembered seeing the name Miller written in the top corner of the papers describing Michelle’s murder. Her deception had been right there and he’d missed it. He sat down in the chair across from her and watched as her scared gaze turned wary.

Riley hung up the phone and speared his hand through his hair. Uneasiness churned in his stomach. Villain or victim? Had she staged her little kidnapping? He shook his head, he just didn’t know. Why would she lie about something as simple as her name? She had to know he’d find out.

“Tony’s on his way.”

A worried frown creased her brow. “I know.”

“Are you Devra Miller?” He said the words casually, hoping for a small look of guilt or the embarrassed smile he’d seen numerous times cross her face. It didn’t come.

He waited for her to explain who she was and why she’d felt the need to go by a different name. Perhaps it was as simple as wanting a pen name for her books. She could give a little laugh and apologize, stating that she just didn’t think it was important.

But she didn’t say a word.

Her eyes turned cold and blank and her chameleon’s mask moved into place.

“Talk to me,” he demanded softly.

“There’s nothing to say.”

“There’s a lot to say and I think you owe it to me to be honest.”

“Why? Because you took me in?” Her voice was hard, her body rigid. “I don’t recall you giving me much choice.”

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