Page 42 of Shiver

She wouldn’t let that happen.

“I must have slipped,” she said, touching her head. “Yes. The ground was wet and muddy. Lots of leaves.”

They nodded in agreement and relief filled their faces.

“We should call a doctor,” Tony said. “She could have a concussion.”

“No,” she said a little too forcefully, then made herself smile. “Please. Just let me rest. It’s been a long day. I’m fine. Really.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Riley said and she looked at him with gratitude.

Tony sighed. “All right. I’ll come by first thing in the morning and see if you can remember anything more about our mystery man in the sketch. Okay?”

She nodded and breathed a huge sigh of relief when both men left her room and shut the door behind them. They were getting too close. Now they knew who she was. They knew about Tommy. It wouldn’t be long before they knew everything else, too. She had to leave as soon as possible. She’d find a new town, a new name, a new life. She wouldn’t let them send her back to the institution.

Not ever.

* * *

“What do you think?”Riley asked Tony as they left the house and walked toward the barn.

“I think our Miss Morgan is coming apart at the seams.”

Riley had to agree.

“What was all that talk about the devil?” Tony asked.

“I don’t know. I tell you, though, nothing seems to be adding up, and she’s becoming more and more unstable.” They stopped outside the barn’s entrance and Riley turned back to glance at Devra’s window. He speculated what she was planning and how much longer it would be before she disappeared. He’d have to keep a real close eye on her.

“I’ll agree with that,” Tony said, following his gaze.

Riley turned and opened the door, then entered the barn. They approached the horse stalls and made sure all the horses were fed and buttoned down for the night.

“If there’s any possibility she’s our killer—” Tony started.

Riley knew what he was going to say. He didn’t want to admit that perhaps he’d been wrong. Maybe bringing Devra to his home had been a terrible mistake. “Let’s look at the facts,” he started. “We’ve had four women killed.”

“All dead ringers for Devra,” Tony added.

“All women who were murdered in the same city she had been living in.”

“But why leave her jewelry at the crime scene?” Tony asked. “That just doesn’t make sense.”

“Maybe she’s left tokens at all the crime scenes and this was the first time they’ve been able to trace one back to her. Make sure to check out that angle.” But even as Riley said the words, it didn’t sound like Devra. He couldn’t imagine her killing, let alone methodically placing clues on the victim, hoping the police would find her.Would stop her?

“All right, but what about our mystery man? Our devil in the sketch,” Tony asked.

“There has to be someone. Both the nurse and the boy couldn’t be wrong.”

“An accomplice?” Tony asked.

“Or a stalker.”

“Then why not take her out when he had the chance this afternoon?”

Riley shook his head. “I don’t know, and I don’t understand what any of this has to do with me and my family.”

“You mean the picture of your mom in the treehouse?”

---