“I heard that there were murders at two other pageants.” Leigh spoke up, her usually singsong voice shaking. “But remember, we can all be our best selves in the most trying circumstances. This is our chance to join together, to rise to be our best selves.”
“Do you really believe your own lies, Leigh?” Becky, on crutches and standing next to the stage, was clearly not in the mood for fluffy sayings when they were all at risk.
“There’s no reason to believe anyone here is a target.” Holden didn’t meet Bella’s gaze. “I’m just pageant security, but we’re surrounded by Mustang Valley PD, and the officers are conducting regular inspections. No one can get in here who isn’t a part of the pageant.”
“But what if there’s a killer amongst us?” Delilah asked the same question that had given Bella nightmares all week.
“We’re not going to allow negative energy to affect the positive motivation we all have to win this pageant, are we, ladies?” Dawn spoke up, her background in motivational speaking evident. “This is scary—I’ll grant you that. But we’ve got MVPD on our side, and I’m willing to be here today to do the work. How about you?”
Bella was stunned at how quickly the panic turned to enthusiasm with the group. It wasn’t the sticky-sweet platitudes from Leigh, either. It was genuine.
Pageant women were strong, and had reason to fight for their privilege to compete. They all wanted to improve their lives, and education was a valuable ticket.
* * *
Later that evening, Bella faced what she thought of as her firing squad. Holden, Spencer and Jarvis sat on her crimson sofa and looked at her with a gravity she wasn’t certain she could ever remember her brothers having before. Holden was almost always serious, especially about this case, so his granite expression didn’t surprise her.
She sat in her recliner, a birthday gift from her brothers last year. It was one of her favorite places to write, but at the moment it felt more like an interrogation seat.
“What gives, guys?” Her brothers had already been in her driveway when she and Holden pulled up.
“Selina’s brakes were cut.” Spencer went for the jugular. “This matches all the information that Holden has on the killer. He goes after anyone who insults his target. Selina and Becky both criticized you. At the last pageant he c
ut brakes, too.”
“And we’re closing in on the time when he usually strikes. He likes to do scare tactics beforehand, but kills during the last week of pageant preparation, no more than three days out from the final performance.” Holden’s eyes held concern, but something else. An apology for not telling her these details sooner?
“When did you find this out?” She kept her focus on Holden.
“I found out about Selina’s brakes while you were going through your talent portion this last hour. I’ve known about the killer’s MO since I arrived in Mustang Valley but wasn’t able to share everything.”
“Yet you didn’t mention it in the car. The part about Selina’s brakes.”
“There was no point. I thought you’d need your brothers here for support, and I wanted you to be able to ask Spencer any questions, too.”
“What’s different now? We know there’s a killer, and he’s after me because I made the unfortunate decision to streak my hair red.” What had possessed her to do it? Not that it would have discouraged the serial killer, she suspected. He’d have found a target one way or the other. At least this way Holden could protect her, and she could protect herself.
“You should come stay with me at the ranch, sis. You can disappear until this blows over.” Jarvis looked at her. “No one gets on or off the Triple R without having to pass their incredible security system.”
“What, and stay with the other hands in the bunks? No offense, Jarvis, but I’m, we’re thirty-one, not thirteen.”
“Whoa, that’s not nice, sis. And you’d be able to stay in the big house, that’d be no problem if I asked.”
“I know you have to live in a bunkhouse as a ranch hand, but I wouldn’t be comfortable there or in the Colton mansion. You know that, Jarvis. We’re not from that cut of Colton. Why are you still working on the ranch, by the way?”
“Hold it.” Spencer stood up. “This isn’t about Jarvis and his career, or about me, or Holden. This is about you and your safety. I know you’ve already refused to quit the pageant, and we can’t make you, but Holden and I agree that there needs to be an undercover MVPD officer working to distract the killer.”
She looked at Holden. “You told me it would take too long to find someone. We only have days left until the pageant finals.” Until the killer tried to end her life. Shudders shook her but she crossed her legs, folded her arms in front of her, hoping none of them noticed.
“An FBI agent, yes, it would take too long. But Spencer has an officer who can do it.”
“No.”
“Bella, this isn’t your decision.”
“Hear me out, Spencer. I’m the one who entered the contest to get information, remember? And not just for Gio. I can help you close this investigation and catch the killer like no one else, being a contestant. I’m not quitting. If you let your undercover cop come in now, it’ll spook the killer. Sure, it’ll keep me safe but we won’t catch the murderer and it will put more women at risk. That’s the point with serial killers, right? Catch them or they’re going to do it again. And again.”
Jarvis shook his head. “I’m sure glad I’ve stuck to horses and ranches these past months.”