“So if Natalie is the person you suspect she is, how long do you think she’s been doing this?” he asked, realizing that his greatest fear was that Mo was right and Natalie would kill again.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that this started a lot longer ago than we know. I’m sure there has always been a lack of evidence. Maybe she wasn’t even a suspect in most of the cases. Natalie seems to have the ability to be whatever she thinks other people need. Her father aside, I do believe there is something very wrong with her and that her childhood played a part in making her the woman she is now.” Mo looked over at him. “Or maybe she is completely innocent of not just Joey’s death but the others that are now being reinvestigated.”
“Maybe,” he said, though no longer sure of that. He realized that he was tired of thinking about it. Right now he was more interested in the woman sitting in the pickup cab next to him. “What about you?”
“What about me?” she asked, sounding surprised by the question.
“I’ve told you my life story—”
“Hardly.”
“And you haven’t told me anything about you.”
She shook her head. “You know everything that is of any interest.”
He scoffed at that. “So, where did you grow up?”
“Really?” She sighed. “Southern California.”
He waited, but of course she wasn’t forthcoming with more. “A surfer girl.”
She scowled. “What is it you’re looking for?”
“Maybe just polite conversation.”
She gave him a look that said he’d come to the wrong place for that. But after a moment, she said, “My aunt raised me after my parents divorced and couldn’t hold it together long enough to raise a child.”
He hadn’t been expecting that and he was sure his expression showed it. “What about your sister?”
“She was eighteen months older, so she went to live with our grandmother who said she could use the help.” Mo shrugged. “Gram was a sour old woman but Tricia got along with her fine, I guess.”
“So how was it living with your aunt?”
“I loved my aunt and uncle. They were wonderful to me. My uncle was from Mexico and they owned an authentic Mexican restaurant. I worked there from the time I was nine. I loved it. In fact, my happiest memories are of hanging out in the kitchen as they cooked. There was always music playing and laughter. My uncle cooked the best mole sauce you have ever tasted.” She kissed her fingers. There were tears in her eyes.
“Are they still—”
“They were both killed in a drive-by shooting when I was weeks away from eighteen. Before you ask, yes, it is probably why I studied criminology in college and became a cop. I’d already gotten a scholarship so I headed to the same college where my sister was enrolled, Montana State University. Enough?”
“I’d ask about your love life—”
“But you’re way too smart for that,” she said. “Stop up here. I need something to eat.”
As he pulled into a convenience store on the edge of a very small town, his cell phone rang.
“Want me to get you something?” she asked.
“Surprise me.” As she climbed out of the cab, he took the call.
“Where are you?” his father asked without preamble.
He felt his pulse jump. “What’s happened?” he asked, hearing something in his father’s marshal voice.
“Natalie Berkshire has been found. She’s dead. She died of her injuries from the car accident.”
The breath he’d been holding came in a whoosh as he watched Mo moving around inside the convenience store. He wondered how this would impact her. He felt shaken.
“Herbert Lee Reiner and his wife Doris have been arrested in Ennis for her abduction and her death.”
Brick didn’t know what to say. “Maybe if we hadn’t gone after her—”
“Son, there have been more investigations being reopened. It appears there were a lot of suspicious injuries and deaths at her past jobs.”
“You’re telling me that she was guilty.”
“She might have seen them as mercy killings.”
Brick shook his head. He’d wanted to believe she was a victim. He’d wanted to believe he could save her. Or at least keep her safe until she could have a proper trial. His father was right. He’d gotten too involved. Maybe he wasn’t cut out for law enforcement after all.
“It’s over. You need to come home.”
Brick couldn’t speak for a moment as he thought of the night Natalie had stumbled into his headlights and how that had led to this moment and the blonde homicide cop standing at the register inside the convenience store.
“It’s not over. Not yet. If Natalie was telling the truth then she wasn’t responsible for the baby’s death and Mo’s sister was murdered.”
His father swore. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. Even if you don’t get killed, you could end up in jail.”
“That’s a chance I have to take. Mo needs my help.”
The marshal swore. “You’ve always led with your heart instead of your head.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” he joked as he watched Mo finish paying inside the store.
“Not according to your mother,” his father said with a sigh. “I wish you’d come home.”
“Pretend I’m up in the mountains camping until you see me again.” Mo headed out of the store. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“Brick? Promise me you’ll be careful. Maybe especially with your heart.”
As he disconnected, Mo looked up at him, stopping in midstride as if seeing the news etched on his face.
He got out of the truck and went to her. “That was my father. They found Natalie. She died of her injuries from the car crash. The older couple has been arrested.”
Her expression didn’t change as she nodded. And then she was in his arms, sobbing against his shoulder. He held her, unsure if her tears were of relief or of grief. Like she’d said, she’d known the woman, she’d liked her. But she’d been terrified that Natalie would kill again if not stopped. Now, though, there was no chance of finding
