out to Joseph’s, and I saw them give him the Kewpie. Caroline should have minded her own business, just as you should have.”
“So you made the silver wig and wore it when you killed Martha.” Gretchen felt cold fingers of fear. Pale, chilly fear.
“I thought I could get to Martha before she gave the doll to Caroline, but I was too late. Caroline had already hidden the most valuable doll in the collection. I don’t care about the rest of the dolls. I’ll wait until this all dies down, and I’ll sell them in the future, one by one. I can wait. But I need some cash to get by, and the French fashion doll is my ticket.”
That’s why he needed to alter the list, Gretchen realized. He needed to sell off some of the dolls, and he didn’t want them traced back to Martha’s collection.
He came closer. “I thought I killed Caroline when her car left the road. I thought, What a break to see her on the highway. What an opportunity. Eliminate the prime suspect in the murder investigation. Closed case with all the pieces in place.”
“It must have been quite a surprise to find out you almost killed Daisy.” Gretchen glanced around for an escape route or something to use as a weapon. She was trapped between the ledge hanging over a sheer drop and a determined killer with a gun.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. Caroline strikes again, as you can see.” Larry patted the wig with his hand. “A double murderess. Or make that triple, because I hate to inform you, but your dear aunt is next. I assume she knows about the French fashion doll as well, and I consider that deadly information.”
“My mother’s been arrested,” Gretchen said desperately. “You won’t get away with this.”
“It’s time for you to take a little dive.” Larry smirked, gesturing with the gun. “I dislike noise, and would prefer not using this little toy, but I found it in Caroline’s closet. Wasn’t that convenient for me? One more piece of incriminating evidence against her.”
Gretchen thought she saw movement in the gloom, a flash of motion behind Larry. Coyotes would be on the prowl as darkness swept over the desert. And mountain lions.
A dark shadow loomed up behind them, and Gretchen hoped it wasn’t a mountain lion. The cougars were known for occasional attacks on humans, usually young children and dogs, but occasionally an adult.
A fist-sized rock flew through the air and hit Larry on the side of his head. His head snapped forward, surprise registering on his face as he raised his left hand to his face.
He spun away from Gretchen and fired.
Another rock flew out of the gloom, soaring straight and true, striking Larry in the face.
Gretchen, aware that this might be her only chance, hit the ground and rolled away from the ledge toward a pile of rocks. Larry fired wildly into the dark, unable to see his attacker.
Another rock. Another direct hit to his face.
Larry had temporarily forgotten about Gretchen, intent on stopping the assault.
He fired several more times.
Gretchen’s hand found a jagged rock the size of her palm, and she rose and hurled it, striking him in the back.
Another large rock sailed from the shadows.
The onslaught drove Larry backward toward the ledge, and Gretchen continued to edge away.
His head jerked in her direction, and he aimed the gun at her. She flinched as he pulled the trigger.
Gretchen heard a click.
He tried to fire again.
Another click.
Realizing he had used the last bullet, he flung the gun at Gretchen, then took a step in her direction, stumbling to find a solid foothold.
Another rock flew, and Gretchen saw movement. Silver hair shone in the rising moonlight, and she expected to hear the moaning howl of a werewolf rising from the apparition. The vision approached with the wrath of a mother bear protecting her cub. Then Gretchen saw a goddess running forward, Gretchen’s oasis in the desert sands.
Gretchen’s hand found another rock, and she put everything she had into launching it.
“I’ll kill you both,” Larry shouted, his face puffed with rage.
He took a step back, then another, lifting his arm to protect his face, teetering on the brink of the abyss. Another rock hit him, and he flung his arms overhead, struggling to maintain his balance. His foot slipped from underneath him, and Gretchen watched as he fell backwards over the edge.
His screams reverberated through the aptly named Echo Canyon as her mother’s arms encircled her.
Gretchen cried for the first