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nodded, she was still uneasy regarding what they were about to do. “Have you heard how hysterical Natalie Stevens was last night?” she asked Ms. Connors. “I worry about how she may react when you try to take the kids.”
    â€œI can handle her.”
    â€œOkay, if you say so. I really don’t think they should spend time alone with her, at least not until she’s seen a doctor.”
    â€œI agree. I’ve interviewed some of the hospital staff.Their description of Ms. Stevens’s behavior this morning was not comforting. If she hadn’t sounded so calm and lucid when I phoned to tell her I was coming over later, I’d have called the police then and there.”
    â€œAll right,” Mitch said. “Let’s stop standing around wasting time and get this show on the road. Jill and I’ll follow you in my truck. Do you know how to get to Natalie’s from here?”
    â€œI have GPS. I’ll find it. Just promise you’ll both keep your distance when we arrive and let me do all the talking. It’s what I’m trained for.”
    Jill heard Mitch mumbling to himself as he turned away. She couldn’t make out every word but she was pretty sure he was either commenting on the job he was trained for or lamenting the loss of his friends. She shuddered. Murder. Here. It was unbelievable. This was a nice, peaceful, little country town, not a big city where crime seemed to lurk in every alley and behind every locked door, and to ooze from the very cracks in the sidewalks.
    Beginning to climb into Mitch’s truck, she stopped in midmotion, one foot inside, one on the ground. An even more dire thought had just occurred to her. Whoever had placed that bomb and started the fatal fire was still out there somewhere. Loose. Dangerous. Perhaps planning another attack. And since there didn’t seem to be any motive for harming Rob and Ellen, that meant their next victim might be just as sweet and innocent and well liked as they were.
    â€œYou all right?” Mitch asked, frowning and waiting for her to finish sliding into the passenger seat.
    â€œNo.” Jill fastened her safety belt, then pulled the jacket of her dress closer and folded her arms to keepfrom shaking. “I can’t help wondering who’s going to be next.”
    â€œDon’t borrow trouble. The fire last night was probably an isolated incident.”
    She eyed him across the seat, waiting ’til his gaze met hers before she asked, “Do you really believe that?”
    It didn’t surprise her one bit when he looked her in the eyes and answered bluntly, “No.”

FOUR
    T he modest, red brick house Natalie Stevens occupied sat by itself at the far end of a cul-de-sac. The blinds were drawn and a folded newspaper lay at the base of the asphalt driveway. A few scraggly daffodils nodded in a narrow flower bed in front of the small, covered porch. Other than that, the place showed little landscaping and even less TLC.
    Coming to a stop at the curb behind the social worker’s car, Mitch looked at Jill. “Maybe she’s not home.”
    â€œShe has to be. Ms. Connors said she spoke with her. Remember?”
    â€œThat doesn’t mean Natalie was here at the time. She could have been on a cell phone.”
    Growing more concerned by the second, he climbed out and circled the truck. By the time he reached Jill’s door she was already standing there waiting for him.
    He started to cup her elbow then thought better of it. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and simply fell into step behind her.
    Brenda Connors was retrieving a briefcase from the trunk of her car. She straightened her short, fitted, wool coat as Jill and Mitch joined her. “Let me approach Ms.Stevens first, one-on-one. But stay available. I’ll signal if I need you.”
    â€œIf Natalie attacks you, you’ll need us for sure,” Mitch said. “She was all over me like a