Surprise claimed the older woman’s face. “I could see her coming to visit Asher since he moved to Birmingham, but as far as I know, she didn’t. Are you certain you have the right Lana Walsh?”

“I am. Can you think of any reason Lana would come here without telling you or Asher?” Though he hadn’t been here so long, one would think Lana would visit her only child if she came all the way to Birmingham. Obviously, she had not, or at least Asher hadn’t admitted as much to Sadie or Naomi.

Naomi appeared baffled by this news. She shook her head. “Lana has always hated everything about the South, particularly Alabama. I can’t imagine any reason she would visit so frequently. Did you say every month?”

“Yes. Could she have some other family or friends here? Maybe there are distant relatives your mother never told you about.”

Naomi shook her head. “There are no other relatives on either side. As for friends, all my sister’s friends are in Boston. She only came here a couple of times. Asher most always traveled alone when he came for his visits. Lana would put him on a plane in Boston and pick him up when he returned. She hates Alabama. Always has.”

Moving on, Sadie asked, “Is it possible your father left her some sort of property or share in some kind of investment?”

“Absolutely not. I executed my father’s will. Lana was not mentioned.”

“But could he have passed something along to her before his death? Something you didn’t know about?”

She exhaled a heavy breath. “Just because I adore you,” she said to Sadie, “I will double-check. I have an old friend who retired from public records. I’ll see if she can dig anything up.” Naomi’s gaze connected with Sadie’s. “However, there were no secrets between me and my father. I am utterly confident that you’re barking up the wrong tree on this one, my dear.”

Sadie hoped Naomi was right.

19

4:00 p.m.

Jefferson County Morgue

Sixth Avenue South

Birmingham

Kerri parked. Shut off the engine and collapsed against the seat. She had spent the past five hours tracking down information on the Cortez family and surveilling their house. She’d watched as the black Cadillac Escalade arrived home with Alice in tow. The woman and the girl had climbed out of the vehicle and walked into the house. Alice had a haughty walk about her. Kerri hadn’t noticed that before. Maybe she only noticed it now because of what Sue had told her.

Tori had sent a text saying Diana had picked up her and the boys. They were going for ice cream. Kerri had called Tori back immediately. A text wasn’t good enough anymore. Not after Amelia. She had needed to hear her daughter’s voice.

Tori had sounded tired and . . . depressed. The idea that Kerri couldn’t protect her daughter from this kind of pain broke her heart all over again. But she couldn’t. All she could do was support her, love her, and try to find the truth. Before ending the call, she’d spoken to Diana and urged her to keep a close watch on Tori. Her emotions were so fragile and unstable right now. She needed to feel their unwavering support.

At three thirty Falco had called with news that the ME wanted to meet with the two of them at his office. Moore wouldn’t call for a face-to-face unless something was up. As much as she wanted to stay on the Myers case, this was a meeting she couldn’t miss. It wouldn’t take long.

Falco’s Charger pulled into the lot, and she climbed out. Met him at the halfway point between their vehicles.

She summoned a smile. “You have any idea what this is about?”

He shook his head as they walked toward the entrance. “No idea.”

Moore’s assistant waited for them in the lobby. Kerri exchanged a glance with Falco. This couldn’t be good.

The assistant ushered them toward an autopsy room and left them at the door. Falco took a moment to survey Kerri. “You okay?”

She nodded. “I’ll catch you up after this.”

He opened the door, and they entered the room. Moore stood next to the table where Leo Kurtz’s body lay covered with a sheet from the waist down. The usual closed incisions made after an autopsy were visible.

Once they’d gathered around the table with Moore, he began, “Leonard Kurtz died of a single gunshot to the back of the head. The weapon used was a .22 caliber. All his lab work came back clean. No drugs were found. His blood alcohol content was well below the level considered to cause impairment.”

He couldn’t have told them this on the phone? Kerri liked the man, but dragging her over here for this was a little frustrating. She could have picked up her daughter from school and spoken with her face-to-face if not for having to come to this urgent meeting.

“Kurtz isn’t why I asked you here,” Moore said quietly, as if he feared someone overhearing even though the door was closed.

Kerri’s frustration fizzled as Falco asked the question that suddenly cleared through the worry in her brain: “You have something to share on Walsh?”

Moore nodded. Kerri and her partner shared a look.

“Dr. Moore,” Kerri cautioned, no matter that the cop in her was dying to hear what he had to say, “as much as we appreciate anything you’re willing to share, we don’t want to put you in the line of fire. You’re aware of the protocol established for the task force investigating this double homicide.”

Moore chuckled. “Your concern is duly noted, but I’ll take my chances. This is your case. I’ve never cared for the way certain federal agencies play.”

Kerri nodded her understanding.

“Asher Walsh died by the same manner and cause as Mr. Kurtz. Except,” Moore qualified, “his lab work came back with a positive hit. He had used cocaine before he died.”

Kerri and Falco shared another look. Asking the ME if he was certain wasn’t necessary. He was, or he wouldn’t have released the information.

“Thank you, Dr. Moore,” Falco said. “This could be very helpful.”

Kerri thanked him as well before following Falco from the room. They didn’t speak until they were out of the building and halfway to their vehicles, but tension throbbed as thick as coagulated blood between them. Words weren’t necessary to understand something was way, way off.

Falco stopped and turned to her. “Are you buying this?” He shrugged. “I mean, there’s plenty of people out there who preach one thing while doing the other. Just because Walsh stayed on his soapbox about drugs doesn’t mean he didn’t dabble.”