Page 162 of Everything She Feared

82

Seattle, Washington

This time Ryan’ssources had been right.

Sara Dawn Harmon was Hayley Vryker, the daughter of Magda and Herman Vryker.

The Vrykers’ DNA was in the national database of convicted criminals. The samples Ryan had provided were tested against the Vrykers’ DNA and resulted in establishing a “familial DNA” connection with Sara’s, which Ryan had gotten from a discarded toothbrush he’d found the night he rummaged through Sara’s trash.

After Ryan’s mother alerted him to the successful DNA results, he drove to the Jet Town Diner, even though it was evening. He was aware from his research and surveillance of his Seattle subjects that Sara tended to work earlier shifts. But he was hopeful he might see her here.

Sitting alone in a booth, he ordered a coffee.

It wasn’t busy.

But it took everything he had to remain still and think.

All these years he’d been searching for a way to find Carrie. Despite every close call, every miss, every false hope and every failure, he kept going. He’d never given up and now, now he had done it. He’d found the connection, the irrefutable path to Magda.

Years ago, DNA collected from the crimes, and later from Magda and Herman, had eventually been submitted to the Combined DNA Index System, CODIS, the national DNA database. Through his mom and police friends Ryan was able to have the cast-off DNA he’d collected from every major subject in his research compared with Magda’s and Herman’s DNA through familial DNA searching.

Time and time again they consistently found that nothing matched.

It was looking futile.

Ryan’s mom had wanted him to abandon his search for Carrie.

But this time, they got a hit. This time the DNA he’d collected from Sara Harmon showed she was a biological relative of Magda and Herman Vryker.

For nearly thirty minutes Ryan studied the tranquil diner.

Sara wasn’t here.

He reached into his thoughts. For years he’d planned and rehearsed this moment in his mind, as to the best way to approach Magda’s daughter if, and when, he found her. Now that he’d found her, he weighed his options and the dark deeper concern that Sara and her daughter had played a part in the tragic death of her daughter’s babysitter.

Is there no end to the wickedness that runs in Magda’s bloodline?

Ryan shut his eyes for a moment.

He’d held off on approaching Sara. But that was before he had confirmation of who she was.

He could call Sara or send her a message, requesting to talk. But she could ignore him. He could also show up at her house. No doubt it would upset her, even scare her. But, if he had that one moment to tell Sara that their lives were connected, that he needed her help, it might work.

This could be my only chance. I can’t let it slip away.

He placed several dollar bills on the table. He was light in the chest, his entire insides vibrating when he left the diner for his car.

It had started to rain.

83

Seattle, Washington

Night had fallen.

Pierce and Benton were wearing body armor, sitting in their unmarked Ford Explorer half a block from the Blue Rose Bay Apartments.

As they waited for the all clear from the arrest team, Benton worked over the stick of Juicy Fruit in his mouth.

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