Thirty-one.

AnnaLise had never driven that fast down the Blue Ridge Parkway. The fact she was recrossing the viaduct and piloting a large and unfamiliar vehicle the Explorer Ben Rosewood had rented from Earl Lawling made it even more remarkable.

Passing within range of the Toyota on the way out of the overlook, she'd employed the Camry's fob once more, this time pressing 'unlock' on the remote once. The engine shut off just as Earl had promised.

'"The Key is in Your Hands,"' AnnaLise yelled back. 'Too bad you didn't practice what you preach for once.'

She wasn't sure Ben would appreciate the irony, even if he'd heard her. 'The Key is in Your Hands' was a campaign he'd spearheaded to reduce car theft by enforcing a law already on the books fines for car owners who left their keys in their vehicles.

And now he would pay. Having left his own keys and cell phone in the SUV that AnnaLise was now driving and unable to start the Camry without the fob that she also held Benjamin Rosewood would be going nowhere fast. Walking or hitching a ride were his only options and whichever he chose, AnnaLise would be safely to Sutherton before Ben was even off the Parkway.

As her fear started to subside, it left behind anger. Since she didn't have her phone, her plan was to drive directly to the police station.

She didn't get the chance.

At the sound of the siren, AnnaLise pulled over, having gotten as far as the state highway. The squad parked behind her and, as it did, another squad pulled past and stopped at an angle across the front end of the Explorer.

The officers exited the cars with their guns drawn.

I'm driving a stolen car, AnnaLise thought. And, Ben reported me somehow. She carefully kept her hands where they could see them.

'Step out of the car, ma'am,' said the shorter of the two officers, handgun drawn.

'Coy,' AnnaLise said, complying. 'Coy Pitchford. It's me, AnnaLise Griggs.'

'AnnaLise?' He was still keeping the muzzle on her, unwavering. 'Whatever are you doing stealing a motor vehicle?'

When Coy said the word 'vehicle,' the letter 'h' was not silent.

Nor was AnnaLise. 'I didn't steal it, Coy. I borrowed it to get away from a killer. He has my car.' Or more precisely he has his own car. Fat chance he'd be selling it to AnnaLise now.

'And your cell phone apparently.'

AnnaLise turned to see Chuck Greystone, who was the second officer on the scene. She'd been so rattled, she hadn't even realized. 'Chuck, thank God you're here.'

'Boyfriend trouble?' Chuck waved for Coy to holster his weapon.

AnnaLise started to deny it, but then thought what the hell. 'Killer boyfriend trouble. Ben Rosewood is a murderous ass, pure and simple.'

Chuck leaned down to peer into her face. 'Whatever are you talking about, AnnaLise?'

'The term "killer."' AnnaLise was dithering and she didn't seem to be able to stop herself. The words just kept tumbling out. 'It can also mean "great," like that was a "killer" chicken recipe, and '

'And this all has what to do with Ben Rosewood calling me on your cell phone to report you'd stolen his Explorer and left him stranded at an overlook?'

'It's not his Explorer,' AnnaLise said. 'It's Earl Lawling's. The Toyota I left with him is Ben's. Or Suzanne's, though I can't imagine he would have put it in her name, what with insurance premiums and all.'

Chuck turned to Coy. 'Cuff her and bring her in for questioning.'

The chief of police was sitting forward in his chair, left elbow on the desk, that hand tented against his forehead like he was battling a headache.

Coy hadn't actually handcuffed AnnaLise, but she was now seated in one of Chuck's two guest chairs.

The chief said, 'OK, tell me.'

And so she did. But after she'd laid it out all of it there was silence.

'Chuck?'

'I'm thinking.'

'Please don't let your opinion of me cloud your judgment. This is about Josh. I'm not accusing Ben Rosewood because of an affair which I ended.' And boy-oh-boy, wasn't she glad now that she had.

Chuck let loose of his head. 'Lise, I love you you're one of my best friends. I may not like what you did with Rosewood back in Wisconsin, but I certainly don't believe you'd accuse a man of killing his wife and daughter and wounding a third person just because you were pissed at him.'

'Thank you.' When Chuck said he loved you, you could take it to the bank.

'I do need to think about this and see how your theory and so far it is only that, a theory fits into what we know of the facts.'

'But what about Ben?' AnnaLise asked. 'You can't leave him roaming the streets.'

'I know where to find Rosewood, thanks to you, and I'll bring him in for questioning. I can't say that there'll be anything to hold him on though.'

'I'll press charges,' AnnaLise said. 'For assault.'

'From what you said, he didn't assault you.'

'He grabbed my wrist.' She held up said appendage and was sorry to see there was no bruising.

Chuck cocked his head. 'I believe you, but with no proof, it's just not enough.'

'So because I religiously take my vitamins and don't bruise easily, I'm out of luck?'

'We'll see.' Chuck leaned across the desk and patted her hand. 'Listen, I'll have someone watch your place. I promise you and Daisy will be safe, OK?'

Instead of feeling relief, AnnaLise felt a chill run up her spine. 'You think he could come after us?'

'Honestly, Lise, I don't know. And I won't know until I interview him, and even then, maybe not.'

'What about Josh?'

'We plan to take him into custody when the doctors' release him.'

'Can you maybe hold off on that?' AnnaLise asked. 'At least until after you talk to Ben?'

'We'll see.'

AnnaLise smiled ruefully. 'Damn that inscrutable Cherokee blood line of yours.'

'It would behoove you, I think, to get your tasteless ethnic stereotypes right. It was Charlie Chan who was inscrutable and not only was the character Chinese and not Cherokee, but Warner Oland who played him wasn't even Asian.'

'He was Swedish,' AnnaLise said. 'I love that you know this stuff.'

'If it was about cops or detectives, as I was growing up, I watched it. Or read it. My dad and I were really close.'

'That's right, your mother and father were divorced,' AnnaLise said. 'Maybe that's why you have a soft spot for Josh. He grew up without a mother, too.'

Chuck escorted her to the door. 'It was probably tougher on Josh. He was ten when his mom took off. I never even knew mine.'

AnnaLise kissed the chief on the cheek as the phone on his desk began to ring. 'Poor woman. She doesn't know what she missed.'

Finally outside the Sutherton police headquarters, AnnaLise realized she didn't have transportation.

Daisy's Chrysler was at Earl Lawling's yard, the Toyota was presumably still on the Blue Ridge, and the police had impounded Ben's rented Explorer.

'Huh.' AnnaLise stood in the parking lot outside the station and looked around.

Where was a cab when you needed one? 'New York City,' she said aloud.

'Talking to yourself?' Charity Pitchford was just coming out of headquarters.

'More and more, these days,' AnnaLise admitted. 'I don't know where my head is. Or my car.'

'You've lost your car?'

'Not technically. I just . . . well, I got a ride here, and . . .'

'By one of our squads, I understand,' Charity said, producing her car keys. 'Coy told me. Need a lift?'

'I do, but I'm afraid it's to Sutherton Auto. That's where Daisy's car should be.'

'Hey, no problem,' Charity said, waving her to a Ford Escape which had to be her civilian car. 'I thought you might want me to take you all the way up to the overlook past the viaduct.'

'No, that wasn't exactly my car. And I left it with the owner, anyway.'

'When you stole his.' Charity started her mid-sized SUV. 'Busy day.'

'You don't know the half of it.'

'Do you mind if we head south first and stop at the hospital? Coy's there standing guard over the Eames kid and I told him I'd bring lunch.' She reached back and picked up a brown paper sack. 'He's trying to take off some weight and doesn't trust himself in that cafeteria.'

'They have great soup,' AnnaLise said as they backed out of the parking space. 'And that's not bad for you.'

'It surely is, if you pair it with a loaf of bread, a pound of butter and cheesecake for dessert. The man has absolutely no will-power.' Charity pulled up to the stop sign at the top of the cop lot. 'So, hospital first?'

'You bet,' AnnaLise said. 'In fact, I was hoping I could talk to Josh. Do you think that's possible?'

'I don't see why not,' Charity said. 'As long as you don't mind either Coy or me being right there, too.'

'Not at all.' AnnaLise glanced sideways at her driver. 'I understand the plan is still to arrest him?'

'Now, AnnaLise, you're not trying to pump me for information again, are you?'

'Yes, but don't take it personally. I do it with everyone.'

'Must be the journalist in you. Makes you nosy.'

'Or being nosy, which makes you want to be a journalist,' AnnaLise admitted. 'I've never quite been sure which is the cart and which is the horse.'

When they got to the hospital, Coy was in Josh's room and Fred Eames was nowhere in sight.

'Fred's with the lawyers,' Coy said as he emerged. 'Hope he doesn't spend everything he's worked so hard for trying to push off the inevitable. Though I have to say you introduced a nice new wrinkle to the plot.' This last was directed at AnnaLise.

'What do you mean?' Charity asked, handing the bag lunch to her husband.

'Well, the chief just called and had me ask Josh about whether he lent this Ben Rosewood a gun. The boy's brain is fuzzy no surprise, what with a bullet having whizzed right past it but he says he does recall doing that, just not which gun or exactly when.'

'Probably just grasping at straws,' Charity said. 'You put the idea in the kid's head.'

'I don't think so,' AnnaLise piped up. 'Fred told me about the borrowed gun yesterday, so this isn't something Josh just came up with or went along with, as you say to dodge the charges against him.'

'Well, it's going to take a whole lot more than that, I'm afraid,' Charity said.

AnnaLise was afraid, too. 'Can I see Josh?'

'Don't see any harm,' Coy said. 'I'll have to sit with you, but I'll mind my business and eat my lunch. Want half, Charity?'

'Heck, no,' Charity said. 'If AnnaLise is going to be here for twenty minutes or so, I'll run over to the cafeteria.'

Coy looked pained, but he kissed his wife. 'Have fun, darlin'. Eat something I'd like.'

'Oh, I will,' Charity said, turning to walk the green line. 'Cheesecake or tapioca?'

'So help me, if that woman comes home with cheesecake on her breath,' Coy said, leading AnnaLise into the room, 'I'll divorce her.'