gone for a walk last night? Would there have been someone out there watching me? Would I have ended up lying dead on that slope instead of that cocaine dealer?” She shook her head. “I never thought I was a coward before all this began happening.”
“You’re not a coward. You’re just being smart and cautious. That’s exactly what you should be until we catch this killer.” She paused. “And that’s why I’m here. You were very helpful to me when I came to see you before. But I might need more help if you can give it to me. We’ve found a possible connection between Elaine’s dog, Harley, and what was going on here. You seem to have been more familiar with Elaine’s schedule with her dog than anyone else. But you didn’t mention whether she took Harley on walks when she brought him to Oceanside with her.”
“Of course she did,” Maddie said. “That dog was full of energy, and it was the only way she could keep him under control. Not at first, but once he began to heal and behave more normally, she started to take him for a long walk every evening before she went home.”
“Here at Oceanside?”
“Yes, she only had a small yard at home and Harley needed to stretch his legs.” She frowned. “Why are you asking?”
“Everything about what Elaine did in those last days is important, and if she took Harley with her, that’s also important.” She added, “Do you know where Elaine usually walked Harley?”
She thought for a moment. “Elaine always liked to take him along the cliff path. The students weren’t permitted up there, and she didn’t have to worry about Harley barking and scaring them.”
“That makes sense. Anywhere else?”
“Not that I remember. Do you need to know anything else?”
Kendra shook her head. “You’ve been great. If I think of anything else, I’ll call you.” She turned toward the door. “I’ll see you soon, Maddie. Take care of yourself.”
“I intend to do that,” Maddie said grimly. “But it would help if you can persuade the FBI to get on the ball and offer a little protection, too. As I said, I’m a coward these days.”
“They’re trying their best. So am I, Maddie.” Kendra lifted her hand in farewell as she left the room. She stopped as soon as she got outside and drew a deep breath. It had been no more depressing than she’d expected, but she hadn’t anticipated the fear that she’d felt in Maddie. This latest killing had almost paralyzed the woman and probably the entire campus. The deaths were mounting and they were feeling helpless to stop it.
And Kendra was feeling a bit helpless herself. But she wasn’t, she told herself. There was work to be done and she had to do it. She had gotten the information she needed from Maddie, and now she needed to follow up on it.
She turned and gazed toward the cliff path where Elaine had walked Harley. If that photo of Harley had been taken here at Oceanside, it had probably been done on that rocky cliff path that overlooked the sea.
And what had Elaine seen that had gotten her killed because she’d walked her dog on that cliff path? The only thing to do was to go up and walk that path and try to see what Elaine had seen.
She started across the campus toward the tree-lined path that bordered the trail. It took her another ten minutes before she made it through the stand of trees and reached the path. She stood looking out at the sea. No wonder Elaine had chosen to come here. Not only for privacy but also for this wonderful view. There was a stone wall that looked weathered and ancient following the line of the cliff and acting as a barrier against the steep slope. Not much of a barrier, she thought. It was only four feet or so high and sloped even lower in some places. Elaine would have definitely had to keep Harley on a leash. She took a step closer, her fingers touching the warm stone of the wall as she lifted her head to listen to the sound of the sea.
She suddenly stiffened. Because she was hearing more than the sea. She was hearing the dull roar of some kind of vehicle. She took another step closer to the edge of the cliff and looked down.
She inhaled sharply as she realized that from here she could also see the slope where Cardona’s