Dannie hung up too. She stood on unsteady legs and walked away, down a long hallway, through security, the door locking behind her. She stepped outside and took a deep breath of cold air.
Sharon was right. She couldn’t let a man like Lester keep her away from her daughters. She had to think of them. She had to be the best mother she could possibly be. She had to be the kind of friend she’d always meant to be.
Dannie would do what Sharon had asked of her.
They all would. They’d bury their secret and go on with their lives.
Dannie stopped by her car, looked across the street. Scott leaned against his car, hands in his pockets, feet crossed at the ankles. If Sharon had wanted him to confess, Dannie was supposed to cross the street, and together she and Scott would go to the police station.
Dannie opened the driver’s side door, got in her car. She slipped on her wedding ring and the necklace. She touched the gold cross, prayed. Her guilt was the reason she’d had what her girls had called the “Jesus room” in her mother’s house, a place where she could lay bare her sins, search for forgiveness. She’d have to find another place, a closet perhaps, where she could set up another altar, where she could ask for His forgiveness. Maybe her mother would put in a good word for her.
She wiped her eyes dry, started the engine, turned the wheel, and headed for home. There would come a day when they would be punished for what they’d done. There would come a day when they would be judged.
But that day wasn’t today.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I dedicate this novel to my mother, Johanna Houck, for not only teaching me the importance of having girlfriends but also the significance of maintaining those lifelong relationships. Which brings me to the novel’s other dedication, my childhood friends—Tracey Evans Golden and Mindy Strouse Bailey. There’s a special place in my heart for these two, because really, does anybody know you better than your childhood friends? This by no means takes away my love and dedication to all my girlfriends who have stood by me through the decades for better or worse, and I refer to them lovingly as the usual suspects—Tina Mantel, Jenene McGonigal, Kate Weeks, Karin Wagner. And Mom, I speak for all my friends when I say thanks for bailing us out. : )
When my kids were much younger, we met a family on the beach in Avalon, New Jersey. At the time I hadn’t secured an agent or a publisher, but I’d told the mom of this family that I loved her first name so much that one day I would put it in a book. I’m excited to share that the day has come. Thank you, Carlyn “From the Beach” McCarthy, for sharing your name. I hope the fictional Carlyn lives up to it.
A special thanks to my agent, Carly Watters, who continues to be a constant in this ever-changing business. And a big thank-you to Megha Parekh, Sarah Shaw, Dennelle Catlett, Grace Doyle, Hai-Yen Mura, and the entire Thomas & Mercer team for allowing me to continue to do what I love. Thank you to Charlotte Herscher for understanding exactly what the story needed and for helping me make it shine.
To all the readers, bloggers, reviewers, booksellers, and librarians, thank you for your love and support. Please know that I do this for you. Although I’m shy and don’t always shout my gratitude, it doesn’t mean it’s felt any less.
And to my local readers in Northampton County, and especially the Slate Belt, thank you for your constant support. For creative purposes, a few changes have been made regarding the geography and history of the location.
And now for the technical stuff. I spent many hours researching the field of forensic anthropology, but most of what I learned didn’t make the book for one reason or another. Some examples of online articles and information I obtained about identifying trauma in a skeleton came from the Smithsonian Institution. Also, Dove Medical Press provided information in the Research and Reports in Forensic Medical Science journal on the investigation of cranial injuries as well as reports on the forensic investigation of skeletons. I had so much fun on an interactive website where I virtually processed a crime scene in which a skeleton had been found in the woods. If you want to give it a try and learn about some of the challenges a forensics investigator faces during a case, check out this website from the Simon Fraser University Museum of Archeology and Ethnology: www.sfu.museum/forensics/eng/.
Although I rely on the internet for a lot of my research, nothing takes the place of talking to the experts in their fields. A huge thank-you goes to Capt. Joseph Sokolofski of the Pennsylvania State Police, as well as to Sgt. Glenn Langston of the New Jersey State Police (retired), for answering all my questions. I would also like to thank Lt. Kreg Rodrigues of the Pennsylvania State Police for taking time out of his busy day to give me a tour of headquarters and for continuing to answer all my never-ending questions. Any and all errors regarding police practices and procedures are mine and mine alone.
Thank you to former prison guard Rob Brands for answering my questions about prisons and visitation. Again, any errors are my own.
Thank you to Jim Lasko for the in-depth tour of Bethlehem’s casino and for explaining the etiquette of gambling. I had no idea there were so many rules and signals when sitting at the tables.
And last but never least, to Philip and our two daughters: none of this would mean anything if I didn’t have you to share it with . . . always.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2012 Sally Ullman Photography
Karen Katchur is an award-winning suspense novelist with a bachelor of science in criminal justice and a master’s degree in education. She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. You can learn more at www.karenkatchur.com.
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