“That’s not true,” Zach said as the elevator opened and we stepped out onto the ground floor. “The more information we have, the better chance there is of solving the case.”
It was overcast when we went outside. “Should we take the car? It looks like it might rain.”
“It’s just a block. Let’s walk it.”
“That’s fine with me.”
As we walked toward Grady’s office, I asked my husband, “Should we call first?”
“No, I don’t want to give him the chance to get away before we get there. It will be best if we can catch him off guard.”
“I never dreamed this case would take this direction when Davis called you, did you?”
“No, but I can’t help wondering what Grady was doing the first day we got here.”
“You mean when he disappeared?”
“Exactly. He couldn’t have been jogging the entire time, not if he just took it up. I keep trying to put each of my suspects in the killer’s shoes. It would have been easy for Grady to take that photograph of you in his truck, and then stash the camera somewhere safe until he could get back to it.”
“Davis could have taken it, too. Or Steve, for that matter.”
“If we’re naming suspects, I’d like to add Lorna’s name to the list.”
I was surprised by that addition. “Honestly, do you think she could have had anything to do with these murders?”
“Why, because she’s a woman?”
“No, I fully realize that women can kill just as easily as men can. I just don’t see her motivation.”
“What if we’re looking at it all wrong?” Zach asked. “What if these murders are part of a bigger puzzle?”
“What do you mean?”
“It might explain the clues on the backs of the notes and photographs, if they are indeed important, and not just a way to throw us off the killer’s scent. What if the two murders are connected, but not in a way that we’ve been considering so far?”
“You’ve got my attention,” I said. “But I’m not sure where you’re going.”
“Let’s say Lorna is our killer. She could have killed Cindy and Hank as a part of a frame-up to make Grady look bad.”
“Would she commit multiple murders just to get back at an old boyfriend? She seems so happy now.”
“Did you know that a lot of people who are about to commit suicide act more serenely than they ever have in their lives? Once they make the decision to do it, a kind of peace comes over them.”
“Do you really think she’s going to kill herself?”
“No, I don’t mean that. All I’m saying is that once she came up with a plan to ruin Grady, she could very easily have become more content with her life. She keeps pushing these breakfasts on you, and the two of you have never really been all that close before.”
“I thought she wanted to make amends for the past.”
“It’s possible, but she could also be trying to get information about the investigation out of you.”
I thought about that for a few seconds. “She
“When are you getting together again?”
“We were supposed to have breakfast tomorrow,” I admitted. “But I’m going to have to cancel on her. I’m eating with Sherry instead.”
“Do me a favor. Put Sherry off and meet with Lorna. Try to find out if she knew Cindy Glass, since we already know she danced with Hank the night he was murdered.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m not crazy about doing that.”
“That’s fine. I’ll ask her myself.”
I shook my head. “No, she’ll never tell you anything she doesn’t want you to hear. I’ll do it.”
“You could always ask Sherry for a rain check.”
“I’m going to do better than that. I’m going to see if she’ll have lunch instead. It’s going to be your treat, by the way.”
“Fine, I’m more than happy to pay for it.”
As we got closer to city hall, I pulled out my telephone.
“Who are you calling, Savannah?”
“I have to be sure Sherry’s okay with the change of plans before I agree to do this.”
I called my friend, and after a minute of conversation, I hung up. “She’s fine with it. But we’re going someplace nice.”
“You should.”
“Zach, it’s no fun teasing you if you’re just going to roll over like that.”
