Sergeant Lewis stopped his police vehicle at the impound office and turned to her. "Now I have terrible news for you on another subject. Many people in the department are coming down hard on Huress for attacking you in his pickup. He blames you for that, for bringing charges and for putting it all in the newspaper. He never gives up on a grudge. He'll get back at anyone who's ever caused him a problem. He's the type to take revenge on you, Sandy."
"Thanks, Sarge, that was in the back of my mind. I'll be careful."
"No, you're not getting it. He told his drinking buddy at a bar, he intends to see you laid bare and wasted. I can't say his exact words."
"What did he say? I must know."
"Isn't what I just said bad enough? I'm not saying his words."
She stared waiting.
"He said you think you're too good for him."
"And?"
"In so many words, he said when he's through, you won't be good enough for anyone." The sergeant couldn't look at her. "I'm telling you, he definitely will come after you. He knows who he's up against now. And it will be unexpected."
"Well, I'm not going to hide, and I'm not going to start carrying a gun." She wasn't so certain about the second part. She signed for Ray's car at the pound. They walked together to find the car.
"Here it is." Lewis compared the number on the windshield to the number on the key tag.
"This can't be it," she said, "this is a stupid Ford. Not just a stupid Ford, it's green! I can't drive around in a stupid green Ford?"
He laughed. "You could wear a disguise."
"Yeah, a clown costume." She got in and slammed the car door shut. The glove compartment flopped open. She reached over and banged it shut hard, and the compartment door fell completely off. After three long heart-stopping cranks, the car groaned to life, more or less. She thanked the sergeant and blew him a kiss.
Her phone buzzed. It was attorney Kagan. "Miss Reid, glad you're okay. I know you're close to that reporter, Linda Call. Did you know the police picked her up and brought her to the station? She was seen in the interrogation room with Goddard."
"So what? She's probably interviewing him."
"Definitely the other way around. They brought her in for questioning. They tested her gun. She was at the murder scene."
"The gun won't be a match, and I know she was up there with CSI, she told me."
"No, earlier that day she was up there with Towson."