Where the Blame Lies

“Thank you, Linda. I appreciate you answering my questions so honestly. For your time.” Josie paused, her eyes moving to the mantel where there were several photos. She stood and Linda did too, following her to the place where there was an eight by ten headshot of a boy in a cap and gown. Josie picked it up, brought it closer. Only her profile was to him, but Zach saw her neck move as she swallowed. She replaced the photo on the mantel, her hand trembling slightly.

She turned toward Zach. “We should go.”

Zach waited until they were back in the car, pulling away from the curb. “What is it?” he asked quietly. There was something haunted in her eyes, and it’d been there since she’d looked closely at that photo.

“His eyes.” She shook her head. “They weren’t right. The color was . . . similar. But, not exact.”

Zach frowned, his hands tightening on the wheel. “Josie, it’s been a long time—”

“No.” Her voice burst forth and she took a deep breath. “No. His eyes were all I could see of his face. I . . . I can’t forget them. I’ve never looked at Marshall’s photo up close like that. And . . . no. They’re not right. Something was off. Zach”—she looked at him, shock and fear in her expression—“those weren’t Marshall’s eyes staring out of that mask.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

The farmhouse wavered in the afternoon sun, the trees surrounding it swaying softly in the breeze. At the sight of it, something in Josie clicked into place causing peace to spread through her body. At first she didn’t recognize the feeling. But then she realized what it was—homecoming. She was home. She wondered if she’d ever had the feeling before and couldn’t recall if she had. It felt good, necessary, a balm to her soul. This was her home. And whatever it meant she had to do, she was going to fight for it.

Jimmy was waiting on the porch for them, and he raised his hand when they pulled into the driveway. Zach had called his boss the night before, and he had approved Josie leaving the safehouse. Zach had completed his interviews in Tennessee and would keep in touch with the police there now investigating the case of the missing girl. There hadn’t been a peep from the suspect, the campus had gotten budgetary approval to add some of their own security, which meant the police could patrol more areas, and whatever flu had taken out surrounding forces had passed.

Plus, Jimmy had supervised while her house was set up with something they’d called the RAP alarm, a temporary security system that the city had paid for.

As they stepped from the car, Josie noticed that the railing was no longer leaning. It had been fixed and the whole thing painted a bright, crisp white. Tears sprang to her eyes, though she put her hands on her hips as she approached Jimmy. Sweet, sweet man. “Extra porch railing from your boat?” she asked, not able to hide the wobble of her lips.

He squinted at her, his jowls shaking as he nodded. “Didn’t need it. It was just taking up space.”

“Right,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his pockmarked cheek. “I don’t deserve you, you know that?”

“You deserve the world,” he said, his expression going serious. Zach approached and she caught the look Jimmy shot him. Zach’s expression morphed into concern, and Josie looked back and forth between the two of them.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Jimmy looked at her, seeming to come to some decision. “Reagan Hutchison has gone missing.”

Josie’s heart plummeted to her feet. “What?” she whispered.

“When?” Zach asked. “She had a tail.”

“Yeah. This morning. She went to an exercise class. Entered the building and never came out.”

Zach swore softly. “Cameras?”

“No video surveillance in the gym. There’s one across the street, but so far, nothing unusual on it.”

Josie’s mouth felt dry, her heart pounding with dread. This could not be happening. She leaned back against the pillar behind her. She pictured the warehouse room, waking up shackled to the wall. Was Reagan in a room like that now? She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. How did he know? Why now? “What else?” she asked, her eyes flying to Jimmy’s face. “What else is being done?”

“We just don’t have any leads righ

t now. Her husband is being questioned. He’s cooperating. Claims everything was fine between them.”

“Merrick?” Zach asked.

“He has an alibi. He was in a meeting with his lawyer this morning when Reagan went missing.”

“And now?”

“Home. He’s being watched. If he goes anywhere, we’ll know about it.”

“His ex-wife too?” Zach asked, and Jimmy nodded.

“The boss wants us at the station,” Jimmy said. “Oxford is sending a couple officers. They should be here shortly.”