Free The Beginning by Catherine Coulter Page B

was,” the sheriff said. He rose. “Ms. Brandon, could you try to pinpoint the direction and the distance of those screams you heard? Were they from the same direction and distance both nights?”
    â€œThat’s an awfully good question,” Sally said slowly. “It would help, yes, it would. Both nights the screams were close, that or she really screamed loudly. I think they came both times from across the way. It was close, so very close—at least I think it was.”
    â€œAh, there’s a nice long row of neat little cottages lining the street across from this house. Surely someone must have heard something. If you remember anything else, here’s my card. Call me anytime.”
    He shook Quinlan’s hand. “You know, what I can’t figure out is why someone was holding the woman prisoner.”
    â€œPrisoner?” Sally said, just staring at the sheriff.
    â€œNaturally, ma’am. If she wasn’t being held against her will, then why would you have heard the screams two different nights? The killer was holding her for some reason, a reason so powerful he only killed her that second night when she got loose and screamed again. But I’ve gotta ask myself, why keep someone prisoner if you’re not planning on doing away with her anyway? Or maybe he was thinking of ransom and that’s why he kept her alive. Maybe he was planning on killing her all along. Maybe he’s a real psycho. I don’t know, but I’ll find out. I haven’t heard a thing about anyone missing.
    â€œQuestions, I’m filled with them. As soon as we can get a photograph of the woman, then my deputies will be crawling all over the subdivision like army ants. I hope she’s local, I really do.”
    â€œIt would make your job a whole lot easier,” Quinlan said. “Give me a relative or a husband any day and I’ll find you a dozen motives.”
    â€œYes, Mr. Quinlan, that’s surely the truth.”
    â€œNothing like a good mystery to stir a man’s blood.”
    â€œI prefer mine to yours, Mr. Quinlan. Finding two missing people after three years isn’t likely. Well, I’ll be on my way now. A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Brandon.”
    He said to Quinlan as they walked to the door, “Now, this murdered woman, I’ll find out who was holding her and then we’ll see what kind of motive we’ve got for a brutal murder. I wonder why they threw her body over the cliff?”
    â€œInstead of burying her?”
    â€œYeah. You know what I think now? I think someone was furious that she got loose and made a racket. I think someone was so furious he killed her and just threw her away like so much trash. I want to catch him badly.”
    â€œI would too, Sheriff. I think you might just be right.”
    â€œYou in town long, Mr. Quinlan?”
    â€œAnother week or so.”
    â€œAnd Ms. Brandon?”
    â€œI don’t know, Sheriff.”
    â€œA shame about the cancer.”
    â€œYes, a real shame.”
    â€œShe gonna be all right?”
    â€œThat’s what her doctors believe.”
    Sheriff David Mountebank shook Quinlan’s hand, nodded back at Sally—who’d heard everything they said, even though they’d been speaking low—and took his leave.
    Sally wondered why her aunt had left before the sheriff came. Amabel had said only, “Why would a sheriff want to talk to me? I don’t know anything.”
    â€œBut you heard the screams, Amabel.”
    â€œNo, baby, you did. I never did think they were screams. You don’t want me calling you a liar in front of the law, do you?” And with that, she took off.
    Sally said now to Quinlan, “The sheriff isn’t dumb.”
    â€œNo, he isn’t. But you got him, Sally, with that chemo business. Where is your aunt?”
    â€œI don’t know. She left.”
    â€œBut she knew the sheriff would be here.”
    â€œYes, but she