Linda lay on her back, her eyes closed and her face pale.She was wearing the same jeans and sweater she'd had on yesterday morning at coffee, but now they looked rumpled and wrong.Her hair, usually styled perfectly, was disheveled as if she'd fallen suddenly.
Samantha pressed her hand to Linda's chest, feeling for a heartbeat or any sign of breathing.Her sister's body was cold and still, with no sign of life.Linda's skin had taken on a waxy appearance that Samantha had never seen before but somehow recognized as the look of death.
"No, no, no," Samantha whispered, pressing harder against Linda's chest as if she could somehow restart her sister's heart through sheer determination.
But even as she tried to find a pulse, Samantha knew it was too late.Linda's body had the stillness that came only with death.More than that, the cold and stiffness she felt indicated she'd been gone for hours.Her face was peaceful, almost serene, as if whatever had happened had occurred quickly and without struggle.
Samantha sat back on her heels, her hands shaking as the reality of the situation crashed over her.Linda was dead.Her sister, who had been so excited yesterday about Ben's homecoming, who had been planning and preparing and hoping for their family to finally heal, was gone.
The prepared apartment around them felt like a cruel mockery now.The carefully chosen bedding, the small touches Linda had added to make Ben feel welcome, the work she'd put into creating a space where her son could start over.All of it was ready for a reunion that would never happen.
Samantha realized she was crying, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her sister's still form.Linda had been only forty-six years old, with no serious health problems that Samantha knew of.She went to her doctor regularly, took care of herself, and had been looking forward to the future in a way she hadn't for years.
With trembling hands, Samantha reached for her phone where she'd dropped it on the floor.She needed to call 911 and report what she'd found.As she dialed the numbers, Samantha looked around the converted garage one more time, trying to understand what could have happened to her sister in this space that was supposed to represent hope and new beginnings.
The irony was devastating.Linda had died in the room she'd prepared for Ben's recovery, surrounded by all the symbols of the second chance she'd worked so hard to create for her son.Tomorrow was supposed to be the beginning of something better for their family, but instead it would be the day Samantha and Ben had to accept that Linda was gone.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Kate was three blocks from home when she remembered the Indian restaurant—the new one that had just opened up over on Grove a few weeks ago.She'd been thinking about dinner since leaving the safe house, chiefly because she knew all she and DeMarco could do for now was wait.And if that was the case, she’d be waiting at home with her family, over dinner.It was one of the ways she kept reminding herself of the balance she was looking for—between career and family.
Allen had mentioned wanting to try the new Indian place, and after the frustration of the dead-end interview with Michael Torres, the idea of bringing home something exotic and flavorful felt like a small way to salvage the evening.She reached for her phone to call Allen, already imagining his reaction when she suggested they order takeout from somewhere new.Michael would probably love the rice, and they could get something mild enough for his toddler palate while still giving themselves a chance to try the more adventurous dishes.
But before she could dial Allen's number, her phone rang in her hand.Director Duran's name appeared on the screen, and Kate felt her stomach drop.Calls from Duran rarely brought good news, especially not during an active case.
"Agent Wise," she answered, setting the call to hands-free mode as the car’s Bluetooth system picked it up.
"Kate, I need you to respond to another scene,” Duran said.“We've got what might be a third victim."
Kate heard the words clearly but struggled to believe it."Where?"
"I'm sending you the address now.It's actually not far from your neighborhood, which is why I'm calling you first.DeMarco is tied up with forensics right now, trying to track down where those poison pills might have originated from, so she'll be arriving after you."
Kate's phone buzzed with the incoming address.She glanced at it and realized Duran was right; it was only about ten minutes from her house."What makes you think it's connected to our case?"
"Local police responded to a 911 call about an hour ago.A woman found her sister dead in a converted garage.The responding officers noted a prescription bottle near the body, the cap off."Duran paused."Could be completely unrelated, but given what we know about the pattern, I'd rather have you take a look."
"I'm on my way," Kate said, already looking to the address.The thought of dinner with Allen and Michael suddenly felt very far away, the idea of Indian food little more than an afterthought.
"Kate, if this is connected to your case, that's three victims in less than a week.We need to figure out how this killer is selecting targets and gaining access to their medication."
"Understood."Kate ended the call and immediately dialed Allen's number.
He answered on the second ring, with a bit of cheer in his voice."Hey, perfect timing.Michael just asked where Mama is."
"Allen, I'm sorry, but I need to respond to another scene.There might be a third victim."She said it simply, very matter-of-factly.She hated the tone of it.She thought it sounded too bossy, as if saying there was nothing he could say to pull her away from it.
The pause on the other end of the line told her everything she needed to know about how he was processing this information.When he spoke again, his voice was carefully controlled.
"How long do you think you'll be?"
"I honestly don't know.It could just be an hour or two, or it could be longer if it's connected to our case."Kate hated the uncertainty in her own voice."I was about to suggest we try that new Indian place for dinner, but…"
"We'll save that for another night," Allen said."Be careful, Kate.And keep me updated."
"I will.Give Michael a kiss from me."
Kate ended the call and focused on the route to the address Duran had sent.As she drove through the familiar streets of her own neighborhood, she found herself thinking about the pattern they'd identified.Empty-nesters whose adult children had recently moved back home, all killed by poisoned pills added to their prescription medications.If this third victim fit the same profile, it was just another piece in a case that was starting to feel like a very morbid lottery.
