Page 20 of Security Breach
“She didn’t want people in town or her friends to find out. She begged me not to tell. That’s why Anne spent so much time at the homes of her friends or my apartment.”
“You made her life more bearable and provided her with a safe haven. So, James went after Marian that last morning. You threatened him with the police and me, and he backed down. What happened after that?”
“Anne and I left the beach house and walked to the middle of town where the festivities were taking place.”
“What time did you arrive?”
“Does it matter?”
“I’m gathering facts. I don’t know what’s important and what’s not. Details add to the total picture and might help us break the case wide open.”
“We helped Mom clean the kitchen and make a fresh pot of coffee, then left. We walked about an hour so I think we arrived in Seagull around 10:00. I didn’t look at the time.”
She and her sister had walked for an hour? He scowled, thinking about the risk to their safety. “Why didn’t you drive?”
“Dad wouldn’t let us use the car.”
Of course he wouldn’t. James would drive himself wherever he wanted to go, but wouldn’t think twice about inconveniencing his family or putting them in danger. David had seen the same behavior when he and Emma were in school together. At the time, he’d assumed her dad was tightfisted with money. When he figured out what was happening inside that house, David recognized the behavior as a control mechanism. He wanted his wife and daughters to feel helpless.
He nuzzled Emma’s neck. Instead of feeling cowed, his girl had used that frustration to fuel her plans to escape her father’s tyranny. “Go on,” he murmured, his lips brushing her petal-soft skin.
Emma drew in a sharp breath. “You’re distracting me.”
“Am I?” Another kiss. “What did you and your sister do when you arrived in Seagull?”
“Visited every booth. Anne enjoyed herself. She bought inexpensive gifts for her friends and one for herself to remind her of the trip.”
“Where did she get the money?” He had a pretty good idea. James wouldn’t hand over money for souvenirs.
“I gave her money as a graduation gift. We took our time visiting all the booths and food vendors.” She gave a soft laugh. “By the time we left, both of us were ready to pop we’d eaten so much.”
“Sounds like a fun day. What time did you leave the festival?”
“Five. Dad decided that we were having dinner at 8:00 that night. I thought it would be plenty of time to get back and help Mom with food preparation.”
“You must have arrived at the beach house around 6:00. Did anything catch your attention when you were walking back?”
Emma glanced at him, a puzzled expression on her face. “How did you know?”
“A lucky guess.” The serial killer must have locked onto Emma while she and Anne walked around Seagull.
“A car seemed to be keeping pace with us until I looked back. The vehicle turned off onto another road a block later.”
“Did you see it again?”
“I think so, but I convinced myself that it was a coincidence. You wouldn’t believe how many black cars I saw on Seagull Island.” She looked at David. “Was the driver the serial killer?”
“It’s possible. Then again, black cars abound in the US. You might have been right to think it was a coincidence.” He didn’t think that was the case, though.
More important, if he was very lucky, his computer friends might be able to locate traffic cam footage showing the vehicle that trailed Emma and Anne. If he was right, the killer had stalked Emma, trailing her to the beach house and her family.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“What happened when you arrived at the beach house?” David asked. He tucked Emma closer to his chest when she started to tremble.
“Mom was in the kitchen, peeling potatoes. Cupcakes were in the oven, and a roast simmered in the crockpot. I remember thinking the food smelled terrific.”
“Where was James?”