Forgotten Past by Mary Alford

Chapter Thirteen

Faith rolled her shoulders to relax her cramped muscles. She’d been sitting at the kitchen table, her coffee untouched, trying to make sense of the memories. It seemed once the floodgates opened, all her locked-away memories were rushing back. The only problem was none of what she remembered added up to the precious few things she knew about her life. Were they truly her memories or was she losing her mind?

She remembered very clearly the ranch outside of Austin. Her bedroom. Her favorite horse, Cinnamon. Her father gave her the horse for her thirteenth birthday. The only problem was that they were not her memories. They belonged to Rachel. Was it possible she’d taken on Rachel’s memories as a way of dealing with her grief? Or worse?

Outside the wind’s howl grew more threatening. Even the weather seemed aware of the impending showdown.

“Want some more coffee?” She hadn’t realized JT was there until he spoke. He was so exhausted. She doubted he’d gotten more than a few hours’ sleep in days.

“Yes.” She tried not to show him how worried she was, but those disturbing memories were still fresh in her mind.

He didn’t move. “What is it?” he asked, watching her carefully.

She shook her head. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Nothing makes sense.”

“You mean the memories. Have there been more?”

“Yes.” She could hear all the uncertainties in her voice. “I keep remembering things about the ranch and the time I spent with Carl. The vacations we took together and yet they have nothing to do with my past. Those are Rachel’s memories. Why am I remembering my dead friend’s past?”

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. His response did nothing to settle her nerves. “But I do know we have some of the best people around searching for answers.”

He stepped closer and pulled her to her feet. She caught her breath at the tenderness in his eyes.

She reached up and touched his cheek. He was working so hard to help her get her life back.

He drew her near, his arms circling her waist. They watched each other for a moment. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you again.” JT cupped her face and kissed her softly. She kissed him back with all her heart and soul. She loved him, but how could she possibly hope to have a future when she couldn’t remember her past?

Faith reluctantly pushed against his chest and he let her go. They faced each other across the tiniest of spaces, their emotions raw, and she couldn’t hide her doubts.

“Give us a chance, Faith. Give me a chance. I care about you and I believe you have feelings for me as well. If you do, it doesn’t matter what the past held or where the future takes us.”

She’d give just about anything for that to be true. “I want to believe you.”

“Then do.” She had never seen him so impassioned. “I know I’m saying this all wrong, and my timing couldn’t be worse, but what I’m trying to say is, you’ve made me believe in things I thought were over for me after Emily’s death. You made me believe in second chances. And when this nightmare ends, I don’t want to walk away from you and I don’t think you want to, either.”

She didn’t. “You’re right. I don’t want that any more than you do, but I have to know what happened in my past before I can move on. Once and for all, no matter what the truth may be, I need to know what happened to Carl and Rachel. I need to know I wasn’t responsible for their deaths.”

◆◆◆

JT stared out the window in Mason’s study. His emotions were all over the place. He wasn’t sure when his feelings for Faith had turned to love, but they had. He loved her and he was scared to death he might lose her to the past.

He shook his head. He needed a distraction. He couldn’t afford to let those feelings cloud his judgment.

He’d give the perimeter one last check just to make sure everything was battened down before the hurricane hit.

It was just a little past one in the afternoon and already the outer bands of the storm had reached them. Rain pelted the windows and the wind howled with renewed anger.

He’d left Faith sleeping in the great room earlier to check his laptop for any updates. There hadn’t been any, which was in itself unsettling.

He cracked the door and peeked in on Faith. She lay curled up on the sofa. He slipped inside. The room was cold, so he grabbed a nearby blanket and covered her with it. She moaned softly but didn’t awaken. She was exhausted both physically and emotionally.

After checking the windows to make sure they were secured, he left her alone once more.

JT unlocked the front door and struggled to keep it from flying from his hands as a gust of wind whipped through the house.

Outside, something tipped over onto the porch. JT stepped closer to examine it. A small, brown paper-wrapped package had been propped against the door.

He bent over and picked it up. Out of the corner of his eye, JT saw the outline of something moving in the distance. A figure perhaps, but he couldn’t tell for sure through the heavy fog. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. He didn’t like it. Was it possible...?

He went back inside and locked the door before opening the package.

As he removed the final pieces of paper, sheer horror at what he saw there threatened to buckle his knees. He’d been here. The killer had been here.

◆◆◆

Faith couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that someone was watching her. She’d fallen asleep in the great room. The room was empty. Was it just a bad dream? She glanced around the room, but nothing seemed to be out of place. The clock next to the fireplace read just past one in the afternoon. It felt as if time had slowed to a crawl. Outside, the storm battered the house relentlessly and she didn’t want to be alone any longer.

The minute she saw JT standing by the front door she knew something had happened. He held a small picture frame in his hand. When she got closer, she saw it was the one taken from her house.

“Oh, no...”

He turned when she spoke. Someone had put a red X over her face. Rest in peace, written in the same red pen above her head, and I’ll be seeing you, at the bottom.

Her hand flew to her mouth.

No. Please, no.

He’d found her. After all their precautions to keep her safe, he’d found her again and it had nothing to do with her phone.

JT went to her and he drew her into the protective circle of his arms. “Hey, it’s okay. I’d die before I’d let anything happen to you.” She could hear the steady beat of his heart. In his arms, she felt safe. “I’m okay,” she said at last.

“Is it the same picture?” JT asked gently.

She swallowed hard. “Yes. Where’d you find it?” JT held the frame carefully by the corner.

“By the door. I wanted to check the locks once more before the storm got worse. I stepped outside and it was propped against the front door.”

The blood-red X drawn over her face sent the urgency of the matter off the charts.

“I thought I saw someone running off in the distance but I couldn’t be sure. I don’t know how he managed to get close enough to the house in this storm to put it next to the front door.”

She recalled the feeling of someone watching her. “Do you think he came into the house?”

“I don’t see how with the door locked. I’m going to call the local chief of police and let him know we need his help right away. JT dialed the number, listened for a second, then disconnected the call.

“What is it?” Faith asked apprehensively.

“The storm must have knocked the phone lines out in town. I’ll see if I can reach Will. I want someone to know what’s going on here. Until the storm passes, we’re sitting ducks. The Whaler’s Point police won’t be able to help. We’re on our own.”

◆◆◆

Six-foot waves pounded the rocky coastline below, washing up debris from miles away. The wind screamed with a renewed fury.

It was almost as if Hurricane Tyler were determined to get in one last punch before it disappeared into the history books.

The fear churning inside Faith was just as unsettling.

It was as if the killer were conducting some macabre opera, directing their every move. Only he knew the ending.

“The storm’s getting worse. Why don’t you see if you can find some candles or maybe a flashlight in case the power goes off? I’m going to make sure everything’s secured outside.”

While she searched through the cabinets and drawers, it was almost impossible to concentrate on what she was doing.

She’d put so many lives in danger thinking this was the right thing to do, but they were really no closer to finding out what happened and more people stood a chance of losing their lives.

“I think the hurricane has made landfall,” JT said as he struggled to close the door against the wind and rain. As if to accentuate the point, the lights flickered once. Even though it was barely three in the afternoon, outside it was almost as dark as night.

“How bad do you think it will get?” Faith’s voice was less than steady. Her nerves frayed.

“I don’t know. It could blow itself out with landfall, or it could get quite bad. This one’s pretty unpredictable.”

She still couldn’t believe this was happening on top of everything else. “The coffee’s fresh if you’d like some. I thought I’d make us something to eat since we skipped lunch.”

“Thanks. I could use something to warm me up. The temperature is dropping like crazy.

It’s...eerie.” He came over to where she was, his gaze lingering on hers. “Can I do anything to help you?”

She handed him a steaming cup of coffee and cleared her throat. “No, I’ve got it. You’re exhausted. You should take a break.”

JT grinned for the first time and her heart did a little flip. “I do want to check in with Declan, Eli, and Janine. Maybe something’s turned up by now.”

Faith placed the Glock that JT insisted she carry with her on the countertop next to her while she went about gathering ingredients to make a quick beef stew. She knew there was a real chance the storm would take out the power and the meal might be ruined, but she needed to keep her hands busy.

She’d experimented with lots of recipes since taking her cooking class, but her favorite by far was homemade beef stew. There was something almost therapeutic about doing the simple tasks like chopping vegetables for a one-pot meal.

With the stew simmering on the stove, Faith went to the walk-in pantry to get the ingredients to make homemade rolls. Her entire body was on edge, reacting to every little noise as the wind continued to howl like a siren outside.

She grabbed the flour, baking powder and baking soda and started back to the kitchen when the lights went out without warning. Instantly, the pantry was plunged into complete darkness and she dropped everything. No flicker. Just a frightening darkness that made it impossible to see her hand in front of her. She’d left the Glock on the counter, along with the flashlight and candles.

Faith groped her way to the kitchen. She’d just reached the stove when she heard a crashing noise at the back door. The once-locked door now stood wide open. A gust of wind and rain covered everything close by, including her.

Then he stepped inside. She spotted something in his hand. A knife. Instinctively, she knew it was him. She felt her way to the Glock, her heart pounding in her ears, keeping perfect time with her movements. Just a couple more inches. Almost there. She had to reach the gun.

Her fingers barely touched the weapon’s barrel when he grabbed her from behind and the Glock flew from her hand. Before she could scream, a hand clamped hard over her mouth. Just like before.

No. Please, Lord, no.

She clawed at the hand covering her mouth, her heart thundering in her chest. His arm tightened around her, cutting off her air. He held the knife against her side. She could feel it's cold blade through her shirt. If she wanted to live, she’d have to find a way to escape. She drew air into her lungs and kicked him in the shin with everything she had. He let out a yelp and loosened his hold. The knife slipped from his hand and slid across the floor.

Faith scrambled free and out of his reach. Her foot collided with something hard. The Glock.

Before she could reach it, he caught some of her hair and she went sprawling on the floor.

Desperately, she crawled on her hands and knees. She could hear his heavy breathing close by. He was gaining on her.

With her hands stretched in front of her, she found the Glock, flipped on her back and pointed the weapon in the direction she believed him to be.

She wasn’t going to die on his terms. She’d fight to the bitter end because she wanted to live. She had a reason to live. She had JT.

With the knife forgotten, he dropped to his knees, grabbed her legs and yanked her toward him. The weapon went off and he screamed in pain, but didn’t let her go. He jerked her against his body and knocked the air out of her. His hand pressed hard over her mouth once more. She could feel his hot breath on her face. “Did you really think I’d let you go?”

She recognized his voice. She recognized him. This was the man of her nightmares. She even knew his name. Phillip Masters, Jr.

Faith fought with all her strength, but his grip tightened around her waist. He staggered to his feet and pulled her up with him. She could feel him smile against her cheek. Her terror pleased him.

“Hello, Rachel. You seem surprised to see me. Didn’t you believe me when I told you you’d never leave me?” She pushed as hard as she could at the arm restraining her and he laughed. She frantically tried to make sense of what he’d said. Rachel. He called her Rachel.

She struggled to hold on to the faintest of memories. They’d been close at one time. She’d imagined herself in love until he revealed the monster within.

“There’s no need to be afraid. I’m not the one who hurt you.” He laughed and her darkest fears became reality. She’d seen that expression a thousand times in her dreams. “I only want to talk.” She knew this wasn’t the truth. In the past, he never liked talking. Phillip loved showing his power through violence. Faith fought to keep herself from losing control. She couldn’t if she wanted to live.

He pulled her closer. “No...” she whimpered.

“Let her go.” A shaft of light from a flashlight hit her eyes, blinding her and startling Phillip. He loosened his grip a little more and she broke free. She ran toward the light and straight into JT’s arms.

“Get behind me,” he whispered without taking his eyes off Phillip.

“Who do you think you are?” There was no mistaking the rage in Phillip’s tone. He took a threatening step closer. “You think you can replace me with him, Rachel? You’ll never replace me.”

“Please, Phillip, you have to stop this. Please, just leave me alone.”

Phillip’s anger exploded around them. “I’ll never let you go. You belong to me. This will never be over until you’re mine, Rachel.”

He lunged for JT. Before JT could dodge the attack, Phillip plowed into him with the full weight of his body, knocking JT backwards. The gun and flashlight flew from JT’s hand and skidded on the floor. Faith raced for the gun first and then grabbed the flashlight as the two men scuffled around the room, knocking over a lamp in the process.

Phillip attempted to strangle JT, but JT latched onto his wrist and twisted it, breaking Phillip’s hold.

“Stop or I’ll shoot,” Faith yelled, training the flashlight on Phillip’s face.

Startled, both men turned to her. Phillip stopped in mid stride. The look of disbelief on his face was almost comical when he spotted the weapon in Faith’s hand.

JT moved past Phillip and took the gun and flashlight from her, his breathing labored. “See if you can find something to restrain him with until the police get here. I think I have some zip ties and rope in my bag in the office. Can you get them for me? Here, use the flashlight app on my phone.” He handed it to her.

Faith nodded and grabbed the knife Phillip had dropped earlier, along with her lost Glock, and shoved them inside a kitchen drawer.

With another fearful glance Phillip’s way, she went to the study and found the zip ties and rope.

JT took them from her and handed her the Glock and flashlight. “If he moves, shoot him again.” He waited while she trained the weapon on Phillip’s chest. “Get your hands behind your back. Now,” JT barked when Phillip continued to glare at them.

JT grabbed Phillip by the arm and twisted it behind his back. Phillip grunted in pain and stumbled against the kitchen island. Before he could make a move, JT forced Phillip’s legs apart and did a quick search for any further weapons. Then he snatched Phillip’s free arm, pulled it behind him and tied both hands together with the zip ties.

It felt as if time had slipped into slow motion, yet things around her were happening at a rapid pace.

JT led the raging man into the great room while Faith held the flashlight and kept the gun trained on Phillip. JT forced Phillip into a chair and tied him to the chair with the rope.

With Phillip secured, JT took the Glock from her and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans. Then he pulled her close. “Are you hurt?” He touched her hair, her face, trying to reassure himself she was okay.

“No, I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”

JT held her tighter. “Thank goodness, I was so afraid when I heard the gunshot.”

She’d been scared out of her mind as well. “I remembered what you told me about using the Glock. Right before I pulled the trigger, he hit my hand and the weapon flew out of my grip.”

“I’m glad you had the gun with you. It probably saved your life. I need to get the power back on so I can take a look at his injury. From what I could tell, it doesn’t look too serious. The breaker box is behind the house.” JT handed the Glock back to her. “Watch him.”

“You,” JT said to Phillip, “keep your mouth closed.”

Phillip did as JT suggested, but the pure evil in his glare made it next to impossible for Faith to stay in the same room with him. This was the man responsible for killing four people and for terrorizing her life for two years.

It took only a matter of minutes before the lights flickered on and JT returned. “The storm is affecting cell service. Mason has a satellite phone and I was able to reach the police chief and explained what happened. As soon as the storm clears, they’ll be on their way.” JT carried a first aid kit over to Phillip and cut the shirt free of his shoulder. “It’s just a slight graze. You’ll be fine,” JT said as he finished bandaging the wound.

With everything that had happened, Faith had almost forgotten about the storm. She could hear it still raging outside. Windows rattled. It felt as if the house might implode around them as hard rain battered the windows. The wind screamed around the side of the house, thrashing trees against it.

JT came to her and took her hand. They moved out of Phillip's earshot and JT tucked her into the shelter of his arms. “We’re safe.”

Even Phillip stopped his silent fuming and stared fearfully out the windows as the deluge continued to grow.

“How long do you think before it passes?” Faith asked.

“We’re only getting a glancing blow from Tyler so I’d say maybe half an hour. Perhaps longer.”

Faith couldn’t stop shaking. She remembered Phillip. She’d imagined this moment so many times in the past, never truly knowing how she would react and now she just couldn’t stop shaking. He’d called her Rachel.

JT’s arms tightened around her. “It’s over, Faith. It’s finally over.”

If that was true, then why didn’t it feel over?

◆◆◆

Once the storm passed and cell service was finally restored, JT contacted Will to tell him what had happened.

“Thank goodness you’re both okay. I’ve been trying to reach you for hours. As it turns out, Phillip Masters Jr.is a doctor, too. He’s a surgeon like his father and, as I’m sure you’ve seen for yourself, he fits the description Faith gave us of the man who held her hostage.”

JT found it hard to believe what had just transpired. “I still don’t understand how he tracked us down, in a hurricane no less. Not to mention how did he get past all of Mason’s security measures?”

“It might have something to do with the power outage.”

JT had considered that possibility, but his gut told him it was something more. Mason had installed a backup generator a few years back. It hadn’t kicked in, either. That bothered him the most. “Maybe. Still, it’s strange. Anyway, it sounds like most of the storm has passed. I spoke with your friend, the police chief. As soon as the roads are passable, he’s sending help. They’ll take Phillip to the station for the interview. I’d really like it if you were there.”

“We’re on our way now. I picked up Eli, Janine and Declan as well. We should be at Whaler’s Point in a couple of hours. We’ll meet you over at the station.”

JT hung up the phone with a sense of relief. Hopefully, within a few hours’ time, they’d finally have some answers for Faith.

Once the police arrived and the EMT was satisfied Phillip’s injuries weren’t life-threatening, they took him out to the patrol car and read him his Miranda rights.

“I understand you’ll be sitting in on the interview, Mr. Wyatt? Do you need a ride to the station?” the officer who took their statements asked.

“No. I have my vehicle. We’ll be right behind you.” JT closed the door and went to the great room where Faith waited for him.

Something niggled at his mind. Since Phillip Masters Sr. was Carl’s friend, it made sense Junior would be acquainted with the Jennings as well. Was that how Faith had come to know him? If so, why did he keep calling her Rachel?

Faith had suffered from a terrible shock, coming close to death once more at this lunatic’s hands. Giving her statement had been difficult. He hated having to ask more questions, but he needed answers for his own peace of mind.

He closed the door, went over to the sofa and sat next to her. “Do you remember how you met Masters?”

She sat up straight and looked at him. “Yes, we dated.”

“Then why does he keep calling you Rachel?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

It didn’t add up in JT’s head. “But you recognize him?”

“Yes.”

“And he clearly recognized you,” he said almost to himself. What was he missing? “I’m going to sit in on the interrogation and see if we can find out more from Masters. I want you to come with me to the station. You’ll be safe there.” He wasn’t sure why he added the last part.

He gently pulled her to her feet, drew her into his arms and held her close. He’d give just about anything if they could just stay here for a little while, but there were still so many things that needed to be settled. He kissed the top of her head and reluctantly let her go. “Come on, let’s find Ollie. He can keep you company.”

Even though the brunt of the storm had moved out to sea before it reached Whaler’s Point, the wind had done some damage. The power was out up and down the coastline. Debris cluttered the roads, making the drive into town twice as long.

A sense of uneasiness gnawed at JT throughout the harrowing trip. He had gotten a good look at Phillip Masters’ eyes and he was almost certain he wasn’t the man who had attacked him on Hope Island. In addition, Masters was quite a bit shorter, not to mention thinner, than the man who had stabbed him. Yet even if he wasn’t the same person, he’d clearly been tracking Faith. JT didn’t believe the murders and Faith’s stalking were unconnected.

JT parked the truck outside the Whaler’s Point police station. He took Faith’s hand and they went inside together. JT stopped in front of the police chief’s office. “He won’t mind if we use it for a little while. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She managed a tiny smile. She’d been unusually quiet on the ride over. He wondered if she was having the same misgivings he was. He so wanted this to be over for her, yet as he headed for the interrogation room, the doubts continued to crowd in around him.

Why had Phillip Masters confused Faith with Rachel? It made as much sense as Faith reliving Rachel’s memories unless... Impossible. What he was thinking couldn’t be possible. Rachel Jennings was dead. Her body was identified.

JT opened the door to the interrogation room where Phillip Masters sat cuffed to the table, defiantly refusing to answer any questions. They’d need to find a way to make him talk to find out why he believed Faith was a dead woman.

“I’ve called my father. He’ll have my attorney answer any of your questions,” Masters proclaimed arrogantly to a clearly annoyed Will.

When Masters spotted JT, his face flushed bright red and he became livid. “She’s mine. Rachel will always be mine. You have no right to her.”

JT turned his full attention to Masters. Phillip Masters didn’t call to mind a stalker, but there was definitely a monster lurking beneath his polished exterior. He’d seen it firsthand. The only question left unanswered was this: Did he have an accomplice or was Faith’s stalking just a huge coincidence and totally unrelated to the murders?

“That’s the second time you’ve called Faith Davenport by Rachel Jennings’s name. Rachel is dead.” JT watched the man’s expression closely.

Masters made a derisive sound then. Unable to stop himself, he answered, “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I know Rachel. Everything about her. There is no mistake. The woman I saw tonight is Rachel Jennings.”

Will carefully laid out photos of Rachel and Faith in front of Phillip. While there was a slight resemblance between the two women, anyone who knew them should be able to tell them apart easily enough. “Rachel Jennings is dead. Murdered along with her father,” JT repeated. “What do you know about their deaths?”

For a moment, Masters let his guard down. The anger inside him warred with the madness. The man was definitely unstable.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. My father has hired one of the best attorneys in Maine. He’ll be here soon. Until then, I have nothing more to say to you.”

JT ignored Phillip’s outburst. “I have one more question. How did you know where to find us? You couldn’t have tracked us by Faith’s phone. We made sure of that.”

Masters’ arrogance returned. “We followed you, of course.”

Will and JT looked at each other. “We?” Will latched on to the word. “Who else is involved in this?”

Masters quickly backtracked. “No one.”

He was clearly lying. “Check his hands.” JT couldn’t believe in all the chaos of the night they had forgotten one crucial piece of evidence. The man who’d stabbed him would likely have cut marks on his hands.

Will had one of the officers force Phillip’s hands open. There were no injuries. “Maybe you were mistaken about the cuts,” Will said.

JT knew better.

Will motioned for JT and the others to follow him out into the hallway while Masters continued to spout angry, venomous words.

“He’s not the man who attacked me. He’s not the same height or build. His eyes aren’t the same, either. This isn’t our guy,” JT said the minute the door closed.

“That doesn’t make any sense, JT. He’s obviously the one stalking Faith. Are you positive he cut his hands?”

Before JT could answer, Will’s phone rang. “Chief Kelly here.” Will listened for a second and then said, “What? Are you sure? All right, thanks.” He disconnected the call and shook his head. “That was the fingerprint tech. Phillip Masters’ prints do not match the ones we found on the hood.” They stared at each other in stunned silence.

“I’m telling you he’s not the man who attacked me, and I’m guessing he’s not the one who murdered your men or Carl and Rachel.”

“Then why was he following her?” Will asked.

“I don’t know. Why is he so insistent Faith is Rachel?”

“Yeah, that doesn’t make sense. He has to know Rachel’s dead—of course he knows,” Janine said.

“Agreed,” JT said. “Even in the delusional state he’s in right now, he knows. It was all over the news for months. According to my friend, everyone within a hundred-mile radius of Austin knew about the murders.” Her brow furrowed. “Do you think he’s transferring his feelings for Rachel to Faith? If so, then I don’t think we’re going to get much out of him.”

“Probably not.” Will blew out a weary sigh. “I’ve asked Dr. Blake to stop by and speak to him before his lawyer arrives. Since he came to the house armed with a knife, we can hold him on attempted murder, and I will see if I can confirm he tampered with Faith’s prescription. Unfortunately, once his attorney gets here, we won’t be able to talk to him. Barrett Montgomery may be a piranha and the biggest sleaze-ball in Maine, but he’s the best attorney money can buy.”

“Something else occurred to me on the drive over.” JT hesitated because he knew how crazy his theory would sound. “How did he find us? We made sure Faith’s phone didn’t have a tracking device on it and, with the exception of you, Eli, Janine, and Declan, no one knew where to find us.”

“Maybe he tracked you through your phone. Maybe he was able to follow you somehow,” Will said at last.

JT didn’t believe any of those scenarios were true. “I don’t think so. I’m telling you, something doesn’t compute here. I think we’ve been investigating this from the wrong angle all along.” The doubt in their expressions didn’t surprise him.

“We’ve been over every aspect of Faith’s life we could uncover,” Will said as he watched through the two-way mirror as Phillip Masters jerked against his restraints.

“That’s not what I’m talking about. We’ve been digging into Faith’s past, thinking this was about her. Because of the calls, we just assumed everything was connected.” JT motioned toward Phillip’s disgruntled frame. “But we barely skimmed the surface of what was happening in Rachel’s life. What if we’re wrong? What if the murders were about Rachel, not Faith?” Before Will voiced his obvious concerns, JT added, “There’s no doubt in my mind Phillip Masters was infatuated enough with Faith to come after her—in a hurricane no less. I just don’t think he committed the murders.”

“He’s obviously delusional and delusional people do dangerous things,” Will reminded him. “Then there are the statistics. Two out of three stalkers end up committing a violent crime against their victims eventually.”

“I know all this. I just can’t help but believe we’re missing something.”

The gravity of the situation was reflected in Will’s tone. “What do you want to do? We don’t have a whole lot of time here.”

If JT’s instincts were right, they were quickly reaching the critical stage. Because if Phillip hadn’t committed the murders, then a killer was still out there, and he didn’t want to leave Faith alone for a moment longer.

“I think we need to dig deeper into what was happening in Rachel’s life before her death. Call me crazy, but I believe Rachel is the key to solving this thing, not Faith. This has nothing to do with Faith Davenport and everything to do with Rachel Jennings.”