The sergeant arrived to find her team already swarming the scene. Blue and red lights flash across the desolate parking lot, brightening the dark, starless sky. Kirk and Jeff are talking to forensic techs near the perimeter. While Jerry, her second in command, continues to bark orders.
Rachel takes it all in as she climbs out of her car. The cold air nipped at her cheeks as she crossed the lot. I've got the best crew, she thinks, with a smile. Straightening her uniform, she scans the activity, then strides toward Kirk. The medical examiner's van passes her as she continues towards the scene.
In a brisk, steady tone she asks, "What did Sharon find?"
Kirk flips his notepad open, reviews what he's written, and then says. "Our victim is Lisa Burk. Sharon believes she was killed between midnight and four this morning."
Rachel recalls Millie's neighbor's statement. Could the two of them have conspired to commit this crime? If so, why? And who is this mystery man? She glanced at her watch, mentally calculating the time lapse. "I'm surprised that nobody reported it until now."
Kirk gestured toward the store. "She is parked at the farthest end."
Turning towards the building, Rachel shakes her head. She then recalls often circling the lot hoping for a closer spot. "Nobody would willingly park this far out," she agrees. "How did she die?"
"She took two to the chest, like the others," Kirk replied grimly. Forensics found shell casings nearby. They believe it's a match to the previous shooting and said they'd confirm it once they compare them at the lab."
Nodding, Rachel pulls her flashlight from her belt. Her boots crunch in the loose gravel as she walks toward Lisa's vehicle. She shines the high-powered beam through the glass and peers inside. Her brows furrowed, an unease forms as she takes in the scene. Why would she even be out so early? Why did she choose Walmart when it's closed—and why did she pick this deserted corner of the parking lot?
"Maybe she's meeting with someone she shouldn't be seeing." His brows arch, and a faint smirk curves his lips when he adds, "Get a little something on the side."
Rachel recalls gossip among the hospital staff. Rumors about Lisa's revolving door of dates. It was the reason she'd earned the not-so-pleasant title of "the hospital's bedhopping drama queen." Exhaling sharply, Rachel clears her thoughts. "Or Lisa was lured to her death. Since she agreed to meet here late at night, it's only logical to assume she knew and trusted them."
She turned to Kirk. "Have forensics pull all of the footage from the parking lot cameras and have them check her call log."
"I've already got them working on it," he smiles, proud of himself for being a step ahead.
"Joe has trained you well."
"I'd say it was a group effort—you, Joe, and Jerr."
"Who found her?"
"A cart pusher. He said he was collecting buggies when he saw her lying sideways in the car. He thought she was just napping at first; people tend to do that out here, but he saw the blood when he got closer, so he called 911."
*****
Millie had tried everything she could think of, hoping to get some sleep, warm milk, and a hot bath with lavender bubbles. She even tried a generous coating of warm lotion. The combining scents usually work well together, but tonight her antics failed. If anything, her old tricks only seemed to wind her up more.
The recording on her mom's phone keeps replaying in her head. She doesn't remember agreeing, but the video shows she does. What if the audio was also recorded on the USB port?
She realizes now that agreeing to Lilly's plan was reckless, but how could she have known what she thought of as their secret pact would spiral into this?
Millie tried to reason that it wouldn't be held against her considering she was so young and they'd both just suffered a tragic event, watching their mother die.
That sweater looked so familiar. Millie suddenly recalls why. "I have one just like it," Millie says. Rushing to her closet, she flings the door open. She shoves the hangers aside and begins searching but soon discovers it wasn't there. Could someone have taken it hoping to frame me? She feels a hard knot form in the pit of her stomach. She shakes her head and says, "I'm sure the company made thousands of the same sweater that year. I need to get a handle on my sudden paranoia before it sends me to the loony bin. She snickers, recalling the last wild idea she had.
Millie turns to the rumpled bed and sighs. I might as well finish cleaning the house since sleep doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon.
Throwing on her housecoat and matching pink slippers, she shuffles towards the staircase, freezing at the landing.
The front door was open. A gust of icy air rushed inside, chilling her to the bone.
I locked the door. I know I did. I set the alarm, too. I think I did.
Another blast of wind surged in, pushing the door further back. She then recalls having trouble with its tricky latch. That might explain it.
Millie was halfway down the stairs when she heard a soft clatter in the kitchen. It sounded like something shifting against the tile floor. She stops midstep, her breath catches in her throat. Someone is in here with me.
Her heart pounds furiously in her chest as she creeps back upstairs. She slips into her bedroom and locks the door. Running over to the nightstand, she searches for her phone, but it isn't there. I always put it here at night. She checks around it, thinking it might've fallen. Not seeing it there, she checks Steven's nightstand. She sees a half-empty bottle of water and a paperback but not her cell.
Panic surges in her as she races to the bathroom. She flips on the light, but her phone isn't there. "What am I going to do?"
Her eyes flicker to the window across the room. Unlatching the glass barrier, she glances down. I could break an arm or leg trying to climb down. She then recalls her intruder lurking around downstairs. It might be my only chance. Her mind races trying to think of a plan. I could tie the bedding together to help me shimmy down. She's stripping the bed when another thought comes to mind. Steven's gun.
She darts for the closet and shoves the clothes aside. Steven had always insisted on keeping the safe locked, up high, and out of sight, claiming it's good practice for when they had kids someday. Millie punches in the code. She yanks the small metal door open to find the gun gone. She then hears the intruder coming up the stairs.