the years, especially on the coast where the water table is higher.”
“The body is in Villa Rica.”
“Your odds just got much better. That’s some good soil around there. There’s three homes servicing the area. They all use composite and they know how to air-seal. Villa Rica is in part of my stomping ground.” Brock pointed to the map of Georgia taped to the wall. Sara gathered that the shaded blue counties were serviced by AllCare. She saw White County, where Alexandra McAllister had been found, was outside Brock’s area.
He said, “I’m a little confused, Sara. We don’t do the digging. That’s the local funeral home. Do you need me to reach out on your behalf?”
“Oh, no, that’s not what I’m here for.” She explained, “Two older cases have come back up. Rebecca Caterino and Leslie Truong.”
The smile disappeared from his face. He looked as horrified now as he had eight years ago. “God forgive me, I haven’t thought of those poor young women in quite a while. They’re the reason I resigned from the coroner’s position.”
“I know.”
“Goodness.” The shock did not abate. “I guess it’s been about ten years. Is that girl, Rebecca, still in a wheelchair?”
“Yes.” Sara spared him the details. “The exhumation I told you about is tied to their cases.”
“Oh no, don’t tell me they let that fella out of prison?”
“Daryl Nesbitt, and no, he’s still in prison. But there is evidence that possibly exonerates him. At least as far as the attack and murder are concerned.”
“Evidence? Well, that’s—” Brock went silent. He looked around his office as if the books and piles of papers could explain how this happened. “You know I don’t like to be contrary, Sara, but it seems to me Jeffrey caught that Daryl fella dead to rights. No one in town was surprised it was a Nesbitt. Daddy always said those Dew-Lollies killing each other over a chicken bone is what kept our doors open during the economic downturn. I just can’t see how Jeffrey could’ve been wrong on this one.”
“He was,” Sara said, which felt like a betrayal but was still the truth. “The GBI has uncovered new information that indicates the killer might still be active.”
“Active?” The color had left his face. “There are more victims?”
“Yes.”
In the silence, Sara could hear the pumps working outside.
“Are you sure it’s not somebody who’s trying to look like the bad guy?” Brock shook his head, dismissing the possibility. “That’s a pretty bad guy, Sara. I feel sick about this. What did we miss?”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Of course. You’ll need my coroner’s report. I’ve got your autopsy notes, and the labs, and—” He went to his desk. He found a ring of keys in the drawer. “Everything’s at the U-Store. Unit 522. I just got back from a meeting, so I need to be here. We can both go tonight after work or you can go now on your own.”
“I’d like to go now.” Sara watched him slide the small padlock key off the ring. “We’re chasing down leads as fast as we can.”
“I can’t see what we missed. It all lined up to Daryl Nesbitt. And then there was all that stuff with the hammer.” Brock shook his head, clearly coming up with the same non-answer as Sara. “You said there’s evidence that exonerates him?”
“Yes.”
“What—of course you can’t tell me. I’m sorry I even asked.” He freed the key. “Can you let me know what happens? I mean, as much as you can say. I know you’ve got to keep this quiet for now, but good Lord, more women murdered. Plus poor Leslie Truong. That’s a serial killer, Sara.”
Sara took the key. The metal felt clammy from his hand. “We’ll find him this time.”
“I pray that you do, but I’m glad Jeffrey didn’t have to hear about this,” Brock said. “You know how much he loved our little town. It would’ve killed him all over again to know that he got this one wrong.”
Sara bit her lip to fight back an unexpected flood of tears.
Brock looked mortified. “Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think about—”
“It’s okay.” Sara had to get out of here before the dam broke open. “I’ll let you know what we find out.”
“Let me walk you back to the—”
“I’ve got it. Thank you. I’ll call for dinner soon, okay?”
“Sure, but—”
Sara left his office before he could finish the sentence.
She kept her head down as she walked through the warehouse, mouth open because she couldn’t breathe through her nose. She