Hunter surged past Sarah, his gun drawn. Together they went through Donna’s house, clearing rooms as they progressed.

In the foyer, Hunter opened the front door and briefed the police officer on what he was doing. Officer Martin contacted the station while Hunter and Sarah continued through the rest of the house. Tension gripped Hunter as he moved through the bedrooms with Sarah behind him. Approaching the last one, the only closed door in the hallway, he glanced over his shoulder at her. She’d been through the wringer the past few days. She nodded once, and he pushed the door wide and moved inside, his weapon raised.

Empty. He made his way to the half bath off the master bedroom. Nothing out of place. “Clear.”

He returned to Sarah. “She isn’t here, and her car’s in the garage. Check her dresser and see if anything looks like it’s been moved like Alicia’s stuff had. I’ll look in the closet.”

In the small walk-in, clothes were tossed on the floor with only half hanging up on the rods. Was that normal for Donna, or was the killer leaving them a message?

“Hunter, her lingerie is gone.”

He hurried into the bedroom and inspected the top drawer, which was pulled open with only two panties in it.

“Do you think the killer knew we talked to her?” Sarah asked as she completed her search of the dresser.

“Maybe, especially if he’s connected to the college. He might have seen us there and followed us, although I didn’t see anyone tailing us.” He thought back to the trip between the school and Donna’s house. Even with Sarah in his SUV, he kept his usual vigilance when he drove. “He could have decided to take care of a loose end.”

“I’m a loose end.”

His chest constricted. “I know. That’s why you can’t go off by yourself. We’re a team working this together.”

Although he didn’t ask a question, Sarah nodded. “When Dad and I were talking earlier, I got a brief image of the guy who offered to help me at the lake party. Medium build. On the thin side but after fifteen years that could have changed.”

“You didn’t remember anything about his face?”

“No. I don’t remember what he looks like. I’ve blocked it from my mind—if I ever got a glimpse of him. I was too woozy.”

“I’m calling this in. This house will need to be thoroughly examined from top to bottom.” The urgency doubled, solidifying his gut into a huge knot. Two women’s lives were at stake. Make that three. He didn’t want to lose Sarah again. That thought came unforbidden into his mind, taking him by surprise. When had he stopped being angry with her for leaving him?

Hunter exited Donna’s bedroom and strode toward the foyer. “Officer Martin, I’m taking Sarah to Chief Kimmel’s house. Then I’ll be back. Don’t let civilians inside. This is a crime scene.”

Hunter opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch, waiting for Sarah to do the same. She moved to the living room entrance and scanned the area then joined him outside.

On the walk to his SUV, she stopped halfway there. “I think Donna knows the killer. The same for Terri and Alicia. He took her today because he fears she could identify him.”

“Why didn’t he try to take her earlier?”

“With Terri’s death, he stepped up his game probably because he couldn’t take the chance she would remember something. Like me, she might be blocking something from her mind. Trauma will do that to witnesses and victims.”

“You still haven’t heard back from the FBI about a similar pattern in other places in the U.S.?”

“I should soon. Even though it seems like an eternity since this case began, it’s only been a few days. The agent working on this is one of the best at tracking down information. He’ll call, hopefully, today.”

After Sarah slipped into in the front seat, Hunter started toward the back of his SUV, putting on a latex glove. He paused at the right rear wheel and checked for trackers. Nothing. He rounded to the side and ran his hand over the places a tracker could be. His fingers encountered a small rectangular object held in place with magnets. He withdrew an evidence bag from his pocket and dropped the tracker into it.

When he slid behind the steering wheel, Sarah reclined in her seat, eyes closed. Hunter secured what he’d found then started the car.

Her eyes popped open. “The lack of sleep is catching up with me.”

He gestured toward the console where the bag sat. “I found a tracker on my car.”

Sarah folded her arms over her chest. “Well, now we know how he’s following us. What made you look?”

“The fact I didn’t see anyone following us from the college to Donna’s.”

“We have to find her, too. We led the killer to her. Gave him a reason to go after her again.” She scrubbed her hands down her face. “I need lots of coffee. I can’t afford to rest until he’s caught.”

“I have just the place, and it has a drive thru window. I could use coffee, too.” Hunter gripped the steering wheel tighter. Although the killer most likely knew where Donna lived, he should have called for an officer before they left Donna’s home. Was his sleep deprivation causing him to make mistakes? That fifteen minutes from her place to when he left after talking with Mark could have made the difference between life and death for Donna.

While Hunter returned to Donna’s house, Sarah sat at the computer in the rec room reviewing the library surveillance tapes from the night Donna was setup. She’d gone through all the camera footage from the entrances to the building and noted when people came in and left. The process was time consuming and tedious.

She drank the last of her extra-large cup of coffee as someone she knew came through the library’s main double doors. Sarah straightened and paused the tape. Ben Woodward. Why had he been there? He worked in administration at the college.

As she watched him cross the main floor to the stacks on the left, her cell phone rang. She stopped the tape again and answered the call from the FBI agent in her office working on scouring the records across the country for similar crimes.

“I hope you have good news for me, Dale. Have you got any cases?”

“Four cases of multiple rapes and deaths in an area by one killer all over the United States—Oregon, California, New York and Colorado.”

“In one area in those states?”

“Maybe two victims from the same city but others spread out over the state.”

Sarah stared at the still screen on the computer. It wasn’t possible for Ben to have committed this crime. For just a second she’d considered him. Although Ben had moved to Cimarron City from New York, he wasn’t in this town when she was fifteen years ago. He was too young. “How many victims are we talking about?”

“Sixteen. In Oregon, there were three women. The same in Colorado. In New York four victims and in California six.”

“Send me the information you believe shows a connection to what’s happening in Cimarron City.”

“I have.”

“Thanks. Let me know if you find any other information that might be related.”

When she hung up, she immediately started the video again. Five minutes later, Alicia and Ben came from the back of the library and made their way to the main front doors, Ben’s arm slung around Alicia. Sarah hadn’t realized that Alicia had been in the library. She must have arrived prior to the times Sarah had requested for the tapes.

A few feet from the exit, Donna entered and stopped to talk to her niece and Ben. Sarah quickly wrote down on her pad Donna’s time of arrival and where she went.

For the next half hour, she followed Donna’s progression through the library until she couldn’t see the young woman on any tapes. Chief Scott had said there were no cameras in that part of the library where Donna had been. She’d listed everyone Donna talked to. She would have to track down who they were. She hoped the campus police would help her with that. They’d gone through this footage already.

She printed out two sets of pictures of those who entered the library that she was unable to identify. After placing them into a folder, she made a call to Chief Scott and informed him Donna was missing.

“You think the killer’s taken her?”

“Yes.” She hoped they were wrong. “I’ve been reviewing the video from the evening she was drugged in the library. Can you come over and help me ID the people she interacted with and who went back to the area of the library where she was studying?”

“I can’t believe she’s been taken. Why was she?”

“Don’t know. Come around to the patio and use that door. It’s locked, but you can knock, and I’ll let you in.”

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes. I’ll help you any way possible. I can show pictures of the ones I can’t ID around the campus and in the library as well as to my officers. See you soon.”

After she disconnected the call, Sarah rose and stretched, her muscles aching from sitting for so long, her eyes tired from looking at the computer screen for hours. She needed more coffee. As she left the rec room, she nearly ran into Officer Quinn near the doorway. “Why are you standing out here?”

“Detective Davis asked me to watch you while he was at the crime scene.”

“I’m going upstairs to get coffee. Do you want some?”

“Sure.”

When she started for the steps and the officer did too, she stopped. “I’d prefer you stay down here and keep an eye on the evidence in the rec room. I’ll be fine. My brother-in-law is your chief, and he’s upstairs.” She patted her weapon she’d removed from her purse and placed in a holster at her side. “I’m armed and can take care of myself.”

“Yes, ma’am. I will.”

“I should be back down here soon, but if I’m not, I’m expecting Chief Scott from the college campus police to come to the back door. Let me know if he arrives.”

Sarah continued her trek to the kitchen and poured two tall mugs of coffee. The smell invigorated her momentarily as she exited the room and headed for the stairs.

Mark came down the hallway from the bedrooms. By the exhausted look on his face, she didn’t know how he was upright and walking. “Has Hunter returned from Donna Conroy’s house?”

“Not yet.”

“I feel like the whole department is working these cases, and we aren’t getting anywhere.” He stopped a few feet from Sarah. “I’ve been trying to reassure Rebecca that we’ll find Alicia, but you and I know with each passing day the odds are getting worse. Now that Donna’s been kidnapped, will we find Al—Alicia’s,” he closed his eyes for a few seconds, “body somewhere like Terri’s?”

“I’m hoping the killer made a mistake at Donna’s house that will lead us to him. Her kidnapping could have been a spur of the moment decision. Is Rebecca finally sleeping?”

“I wish I could say yes, but I have a feeling that when I left the bedroom, she returned to looking through her photos of Alicia.”

“I’ll go and check on her.”

“Thanks. Maybe talking to you will help her.”

“Is Nana taking a nap?”

“Yes.” As Sarah passed him to walk down the hall, Mark touched her arm. “I’m sorry about earlier with your dad in the rec room. When you left Cimarron City fifteen years ago, he was devastated.”

“You mean angry.”

“No, devastated. He thought you and Hunter were made for each other and couldn’t understand why you left Cimarron City. He threw himself into his job, and after working long hours month after month, he collapsed at the police station from exhaustion. I found him in his office. He let me take him to the hospital where he ended up staying overnight. After that he took a week off. Nana and Rebecca never knew what happened to Paul.”

“Why didn’t you tell them, especially Rebecca?”

“Because he said he wouldn’t take the week off if I told anyone.”

“This family has more secrets than I realized.”

“Secrets always have a way of coming out. Rebecca knew by the end of that week.”

“Like mine, coming out this trip.”

“And I have a bone to pick with you.” One side of Mark’s mouth tilted up. “Making my wife keep a secret from me.”

“No more. I promise.”

“Then you should tell Hunter you still love him.”

“No, I don’t…”

“I’ve seen how you look at him when he’s not looking. I’m good at my job because I can read people, and you’re shouting your love for Hunter.”

Mark started for the steps leading downstairs.

“Wait. Take this coffee to Officer Quinn. Chief Scott should be here in five or ten minutes. If I’m running late, have your officer tell him I’ll be there shortly.”

“Why is he coming? About Donna?”

She nodded. “I need someone to help ID people in the library the night Donna was drugged.”

“I’ll take care of the chief until you return. I’d like to see the people on the video, too. I might know some of them.”

Sarah hoped Rebecca was asleep, but when she quietly opened the door and peeked inside, her sister sat in the middle of her bed with picture albums spread out everywhere on the coverlet. “You’re supposed to be taking a nap.”

“Every time I close my eyes, I see Alicia. I can’t sleep.”

“Looking through all these photos might be why you see her when you close your eyes.”

“She’s all I have. I’m not ready to lose her.”

“You have Mark Junior. Have you let him know about his sister?” Sarah eased down onto the bed, her gaze riveted to a picture of Alicia looking for Easter eggs in the backyard. David had loved doing that until he couldn’t anymore because of the Huntington’s Disease. Although she’d had several years to prepare herself for her son’s death, she hadn’t been ready to lose him. She missed his smile and laugh although he’d rarely been able to do that in his last year.

“He’s out on a patrol. His commander will get a message to him and try to get him a pass to come home.”

“Good. You need him here. I’ll do whatever I have to bring Alicia home safely. Time’s running out. He’s taken another woman. Donna was the first victim he went after here in Cimarron City, but he wasn’t successful in kidnapping her the first time. He’s changed what he’s done in the past. His MO is evolving.”

“I need to do something. Sitting around doing nothing is driving me crazy.”

“Pray, Rebecca. When David was dying, I felt your prayers halfway across this country. It helped me keep a brave front for my son.”

Her sister touched Sarah’s arm. “Pray with me.”

“Of course.”

With their hands clasped together and heads bowed, Rebecca started with the prayer, and Sarah finished, saying, “Lord, please protect Alicia and Donna and show us who the killer is. He needs to be stopped. Anything is possible through You. We need Your help. Amen.”

Sarah started gathering the albums. “Let’s put these on the dresser. Even if you don’t feel like taking a nap, close your eyes and imagine being held by God. Lean on Him.”

Rebecca picked up the nearest open album and closed it then stacked another on top of it while Sarah placed them on the dresser.

“You have a ton of pictures of Alicia. You must have followed your daughter around with a camera.”

“I have an album for each year for each of my children. I hadn’t looked at them in ages. When Alicia comes home, it’ll be nice to go through these albums with her. The same with my son.” Rebecca lay on the bed, her eyes shut.

“I love you, Sis. Rest.” Latching onto her sister’s positive thinking—when, not if—Sarah quietly left the bedroom.

She rushed downstairs as fast as she could go holding a mug full of coffee. She hadn’t relied on the Lord when David was dying. After the rape, she’d been angry with God, but then David came along. She had loved her son in spite of how he’d come to be. David loved hearing about the Lord. But when she’d learned David had Huntington’s Disease and there was no cure, she turned away from God again. How could He take such a sweet, loving child?

Both times she’d faced devastating circumstances, she’d run away from God. She wasn’t going to now. Alicia and Donna are safe in Your hands. That maniac can’t harm them.

Officer Quinn stood guard by the door to the rec room. Sarah moved inside, surprised to find Hunter had returned while she was upstairs. Also, Mark and Chief Scott were still there, discussing the case.

Hunter caught sight of her first and bridged the distance between them. “Is Rebecca okay?” he whispered.

“No, but we prayed for Alicia. I think that made her feel less helpless.” She smiled at Hunter, his staunch presence reinforcing all the things she’d missed because she’d fled in fear and shame years ago. That action led to what was happening now in Cimarron City. “Chief Scott, thanks for coming to help with the identification.”

“Where are the pictures you want help with?”

Sarah moved to the table and picked up the folder sitting next to the computer. “I printed pictures of all the people I want identified.”

Chief Scott took the file and sat in a chair nearby. “Let me see what I can do. I may have to take the photos back and show the other officers. Would that be okay?”

“Sure. I made a second set in case you needed to do that. I didn’t expect you to know all four thousand students at the college.” Sarah smiled. “Only three thousand ninety-nine.”

Chief Scott laughed. “I may fall short by one or two.” By the time he went through the thirty-two pictures, he had named fifteen of them. “I’m sure my staff can come up with more, if not today, by the end of tomorrow. If we can’t identify everyone, we’ll ask around the college and see if the people at the library know who they are.”

“I appreciate the help. The sooner the better.” Sarah gave the second set of pictures to Mark. “I’d like you to look at them, too. While watching the tape, I saw Ben pick up Alicia from the library. I didn’t see her come in because she must have been there for hours.”

After the head of the campus police left, Mark flipped through the photos. He held three out and laid them on the desk. “I know these three young men, but the guy we’re looking for should be in his thirties or forties if we’re going on the assumption the perpetrator who attacked you is behind this.”

“How do you know them?” Sarah asked.

“They went to high school with Alicia. She was friends with them.”

“Write their names down. We’ll interview them. Not every place in the library was on the video. Our killer could have been there but avoiding the camera. Maybe someone saw something to help us.”

Mark scribbled their names at the bottom of their photos. “That’s something I can follow up with. I’ve got to do something more. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know. Anything in particular I need to ask them?”

“Yes. Donna was on the top floor of the library in the back corner on the west side at a study cubicle. Did any of them see her? Was anyone else around her?” Sarah gave her brother-in-law another picture. “That’s Donna Conroy.”

“I’ll check on Rebecca, and then I’ll find out where these three people I identified live and talk to them.” Mark walked from the rec room.

“We can start with the fifteen people Chief Scott identified from the video.” Hunter picked up the stack of pictures and shuffled through them.

“Do you know any of them?”

He pointed at a large, bulky guy. “He’s on the football team as a tackle. He could be drafted into pro football.”

“We need to also talk with Alex Peterson. He was one of the two men who helped Donna in the parking lot. She didn’t know the other one, but Alex should. They may have seen something she didn’t since she was lightheaded. They called 9-1-1 when she passed out.”

“We could start with Peterson. Mark is right about focusing on men ten or fifteen years older than these, but we can’t rule them totally out. What if we’re wrong, and Terri’s murder had nothing to do with what happened to you?”

“From Donna’s interview and the video, I know that Dr. Carter was at the library the evening Donna was.”

“Ben’s friend?”

“Yes, we met him Saturday at the church.”

Hunter ran his fingers through his hair. “We need a background on Dr. Carter and anyone else who has a connection to the three women, especially through Cimarron City College.”

“Like professors they all have?”

“Yes. Do any of them have family members with Huntington’s Disease? I’m going to call Officer Harris to dig into Noah Carter’s background. Anyone else off the top of your head?”

Sarah remembered Donna talking about taking a class with Alicia. “Dr. Carey Allen. Alicia and Donna were in his class. Check the list to see if Terri took the course at a different time. I’m going to see what Nana and Rebecca are doing. Then we need to interview as many as we can.”

“I’ll add what we know on the board.”

Sarah glanced out in the hallway. “Have Officer Quinn go through the library video. I could have easily missed something. There’s a lot of footage. I can’t shake the feeling the killer was there. Someone had to spike Donna’s drink.” Sarah exited the rec room and ascended to the ground floor.

Did she look as tired as Hunter? She needed to get some sleep or she’d soon become ineffective. Upstairs in the kitchen, she filled a travel mug with coffee. She reached for the drink and noticed how much her hand shook from too much caffeine. This would have to be her last cup.

Staring at the dark brew, she suddenly envisioned that night fifteen years ago. The stranger who offered to help her held out his hand, and she caught sight of a class ring from Cimarron City High School with the same year she graduated with over five hundred others. It gleamed in a stream of light from the campground.