Race Against Time Read Online Free PDF Page A

he slowly nodded. “I knew she wasn’t capable of suicide, especially not with that boy of hers. He means everything to her. She wouldn’t leave him.”
    “This crime was calculated, Sheriff. Every last detail was planned, all the way down to using her egg timer to count down the minutes until he attacked her. He had a suicide note already written and the noose stocked under her bed. The only thing he didn’t plan on was that I’d be jogging and hear Madison scream.”
    Sheriff Carl, a man whom Brody had come to respect because of his even temperament and measured wisdom, nodded again, obviously soaking in all of the information Brody threw at him.
    “Do you usually jog at the same time every day?”
    “No, sir. I usually jog as the sun comes up. But since today was officially my day off, I decided to sleep in.” Not to mention that he couldn’t sleep last night because he’d had nightmares of Lindsey, about his old life back in New York. And like every nightmare he’d beaten himself up through, the ending was always the same. He’d woken up covered in sweat, laden with guilt and uncertain of his ability to ever change into a better man.
    “So your routine was off. The suspect was probably counting on you jogging this morning as you always do.”
    “Sounds accurate to me.”
    “Madison’s a sweet girl. I hate to think of her going through this. Her husband was a good man, a true patriot. For someone to target a widow with a young child is just beyond me. Of course, sometimes I think this whole world has gone mad.”
    “Sometimes it feels like it has, sir.”
    Sheriff Carl glanced at the papers and files covering Brody’s desk. “What are you looking at?”
    “Those other two suicides we’ve had here in York County recently.”
    “You think there’s a connection?”
    “I need to investigate the cases, Sheriff. I don’t believe in coincidences.”
    “You’ve got a good instinct. Go with it. I have to say, I hope you’re wrong. If you’re not, that means there’s a serial killer on the loose here in York County.” He sighed heavily. “The whole county will go crazy if that leaks out. Let’s not say anything until we know for sure.”
    “Got it.”
    Brody couldn’t help but think that maybe the whole county should be going crazy. Until this man was caught, no one was safe.
    Especially not Madison.

FOUR
    A sheriff’s deputy drove Madison to Kayla’s house. Madison was forever grateful to Bonnie, Sheriff Carl’s wife, who brought her some clean clothes and a few toiletries. The last thing Madison had wanted was for Lincoln to see her in her previous state: torn shirt, disheveled hair, busted lip. He’d already been through enough. No need to traumatize him further.
    She sat silently in the front seat as the rookie deputy rolled down the quiet streets toward Seaford. How could such an attack have happened in such a peaceful little fishing community? She’d always felt safe here. It was against her instincts to leave her doors unlocked, but she knew people who did and she understood their reasoning. The worst crime that usually happened here was a drunk driver or a brawl between neighbors. Nothing like what had happened to her today. As soon as the news media found out it wasn’t an attempted suicide, they’d be on the story like a crab on seaweed. The fact that she freelanced for the newspaper wouldn’t give her any immunity.
    “Can I stop and get you anything, ma’am?” Deputy Young asked kindly.
    She shook her head. “No, I just want to see my son. Thank you, though.” She twisted the tissue in her hand until it ripped. Looking at her lap and the evidence of her anguished thoughts, she collected the scraps of tissue and stuffed the pieces into her pocket.
    Her thoughts drifted to Brody. She wished he was with her now instead of the fresh-faced deputy. There was something she’d found comforting today about the man and his demeanor.
    She wondered about the torment she’d briefly