Josie spent two hours on the scene with Holcomb, leading his team to the bunker and giving him her version of events. As she grew more and more exhausted, Holcomb suggested that she let his team transport her to the hospital to be checked out and then to a hotel to get cleaned up, eat something, and get some rest. He put a female agent with her. Josie was grateful for the company. The last thing she wanted was to be alone.

Once at the hotel she thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but after a shower and two painkillers she fell into a dreamless slumber. They let her sleep until early the next morning, but then it was time to get back to work. The FBI needed to know everything she knew in as much detail as she could give. The female agent set up an impromptu interview area in the hotel room, recording Josie’s lengthy statement while Holcomb remained at the Gosnells’, overseeing everything.

Josie was told that Rena Garry had been transferred to Geisinger Medical Center under guard. Josie was allowed to contact Carrieann to let her know that she was safe and to arrange for the FBI to take custody of June and Lara Spencer. There had been no change in Luke’s condition. Josie was relieved, but disappointed. She needed Luke now, more than ever.

Noah and Trinity were allowed access to Josie at the hotel. It was Noah who told her that they still had not found Isabelle Coleman. “There are some graves up there,” he said. “Some relatively fresh ones, but none fresh enough to be Coleman.”

Josie shivered. “Gosnell and his father have been at this for decades. Noah, there could be a hundred bodies up there.”

Noah sat down beside her at the foot of her hotel bed. “I know,” he said. “Listen, I didn’t get the chance to tell you, but I’m sorry about Ray.”

She stared at the threads of the carpet beneath her sneakered feet. Maroon, mauve and more shades of pink than she could count. “Ray knew,” she whispered. “He knew they were doing something bad up there, and he didn’t try to stop it.”

“But he was still your husband,” Noah offered.

All she could manage was a stiff nod.

“Josie,” he said. “There are a couple of things. Gosnell had videos—”

“I know,” she said. “He told me.”

She glanced up in time to see Noah’s grimace. “Holcomb wants us to review them with him. We need to ID as many of the men in them as possible. If this goes as far as you think, it’s going to be a delicate operation rounding up all these assholes without tipping them off first.”

“Did Trinity run the story I suggested?”

“Yeah. She had to get her producer and the station to agree, but Holcomb worked that out pretty quickly.”

Josie smiled. “Wonder what he promised her. Trinity doesn’t do anything for nothing.”

Noah shrugged. “She’s not so bad.”

The story that Josie had suggested was that both Gosnell and Chief Harris were alive and well and assisting the FBI in an investigation into a cache of illegal drugs found on Gosnell’s property, including a meth lab being run out of the old house on the back end of the land. Josie had suggested they take footage of the FBI appearing to search Josie’s great-grandparents’ old house. It was far enough away from the bunker that it might keep Gosnell’s regular customers from panicking. The fake story would keep Gosnell’s associates from coming onto the property but also keep them from fleeing. Still, Josie knew there would be a lot of nervous men in Denton and the surrounding counties. Based on what Ray had told her, they knew without watching any tapes that Dusty was involved.

“Did Holcomb get Dusty?” she asked.

“He’s cooperating fully,” Noah said. “I think he’s trying to work out some kind of deal. Holcomb barely said two words and he was rolling over like a goddamn dog in heat, ready to give everything up.”

Revulsion rippled through Josie’s body. “What a creep.”

“Yeah. I never liked that guy.”

“I don’t even think his own mother ever liked him.”

Noah laughed. The sound was alien after the few days she had had, and yet it felt good to hear it. Noah nudged her leg with his. “Dusty already ID’ed all the culpable Denton PD officers. Holcomb had them all picked up this morning. You’re officially interim chief now. You outrank everyone anyway, even without Grizz promoting you. Everyone else is still operating as though it’s business as usual. We’re a little short-staffed, but things are being handled. I’ve got teams trying to locate Isabelle Coleman around the clock.”

“That’s good,” she said. “Hey, did you talk to Holcomb about going to see my grandmother?”

“He can give you one hour, but that’s it. He wants to review these tapes immediately. Once that’s done you can go back and spend more time with her.”

“An hour? Is he kidding?”

“No. I can take you by Rockview on the way to the station.”

“Ray’s mom? The chief’s wife? Do they know?”

Noah’s chin dropped to his chest. “I know you wanted to tell them yourself, but it couldn’t wait. They kept calling. They knew something was up.”

Josie squeezed her eyes shut, “Not Holcomb. Please, God, tell me you didn’t let Holcomb tell them.”

She opened her eyes and Noah met her gaze. “No,” he said. “I told them myself.”

“Thank you.”

“You ready to get to work?”

Josie took a deep breath, bracing herself for what was to come. Reliving her ordeal for Lisette’s sake, breaking the news of Ray’s death to her, watching the videos, and finding Isabelle Coleman. “Yes,” she said.