Ann noticed the wedding band on Megan’s left ring finger. Did Elijah represent a clandestine escape from everyday life? “It had to be more than his looks.”
Megan drew in a breath, like a schoolgirl who had seen a favorite teen idol onstage. Her demeanor shifted from middle aged to that of a teenager. “He was funny. And so smart. And he knew things about life that I’d never thought about. I could tell him what was going on with my day, and he would write back and give me advice. There were times when he was the only person I could talk to.”
Ann glimpsed the girl living in the suburban wife’s body. “Why did you stop writing?”
“My daughter found the letters. She was fourteen at the time. She called me crazy and threatened to tell my husband if I didn’t stop. I didn’t want him to know. I didn’t need that kind of trouble. Ending our correspondence was the hardest thing I ever did.”
“That must have been difficult. Like losing a trusted friend,” she offered.
“It was.”
“But you did stop.”
“I wrote him one last letter and poured my heart out to him. I told him not to write me back, and he respected my wishes and did not. He was considerate that way.”
“Did he ever ask you to do anything?”
“Like what?”
“There was another Firefly. Her name was Lana Long, and he asked her to spy for him. She was killed in a fire last year.”
“I heard.”
“Did you know Lana?”
“We didn’t meet in person, but some of us were in a social media group.”
“Really? The cops never found that.”
“We were careful,” she said. “It’s not like we went by the name Elijah’s Fireflies.”
“What was the name of the site?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. The administrator pulled it down about six months ago.”
“How many people were on it?”
“A dozen.”
“How did you find each other?”
“Received an invitation,” she said. “I didn’t join for weeks because I was afraid, but my curiosity won out.”
“When was this?”
“Eighteen months ago.”
“Did you know where any of the Fireflies lived?”
“I had a vague idea about some. They were from everywhere. All over the country.”
Inside the house, a telephone rang, and a young girl called out, “Mom!”
“Look, I’ve got to go.”
“Can I give you my card? I could meet you somewhere for coffee, and we could talk more.”
“No. I’m not doing that. I shouldn’t have spoken to you at all.”
“The police think two recent murders are connected to the Fireflies.”
Megan paled as she shook her head. “I don’t know anything about that.”
“Just take my card.”
“No. Now go away.” She closed the door.
Ann was frustrated because Megan had shared a small portion of what she knew. She fished a business card from her purse and tucked it in the door. Maybe this conversation had stirred something in Megan, and she would want to talk later.
In her car, Ann backtracked to Missoula and pulled up in front of the Classy Cat at five minutes after ten and parked behind Bryce’s vehicle. The sign on the shop door read OPEN.
She parked, got out of her car, and walked up as his driver’s-side window lowered. “I meant to be here earlier, but I made a stop along the way.”
“I was just about to call you. Thought you might have changed your mind.” His mirrored sunglasses covered his eyes and whatever meaning they might convey.
However, the subtext under his tone was clear: Had she changed her mind about the case? Or him? “I haven’t.” He might change his once he realized the baggage she carried.
“Good. Get in.”
She came around the front of the car and opened the passenger-side door, closing it quickly.
When she slid into the front passenger seat, he shifted toward her. The car’s interior, which had felt perfectly adequate on Saturday, had shrunk. The soft scents of his soap and leather filled the cab.
This was another one of those awkward moments where most single women her age knew how to handle themselves.
“Those thoughts are churning again,” he said.
“Am I that obvious?”
“Afraid so.”
“Chalk it up to being out of practice.” She smiled, feeling her muscles relax. How many times had she preached to Nate about the power of talking instead of bottling emotions?
“For both of us.”
She shifted her gaze toward him. “You?”
He grinned, shaking his head. “Me.”
“You ever been married?”
“Once in my early twenties. Hard being married to a guy who’s deployed ten months out of the year. No kids, and no harm, no foul. Still friends. She’s remarried and has a couple of kids.”
She sensed a faint hint of sadness that she was not sure extended to his former wife or his childless state. “That’s nice.”
“Why were you late? That’s not like you.”
“I drove to Deer Lodge, and I spoke to Megan Madison.”
“She’s on the Firefly list.”
“I stopped by her house.”
“By yourself.”
“I thought she might talk to me if I had the element of surprise.”
“Domestic calls can be the most dangerous. I know cops who’ve died when they went to make a simple domestic call.”
“She’s a homemaker. She has a neat front lawn.”
“They can wield a knife or a gun just as easy as anyone. In the future, don’t do that.”
She bristled at the order. “I used sound judgment, but you’re right. I should have told you.”
“When it comes to investigating this crime, you’re in my backyard, and you need to play by my rules.”
“Really?”
His jaw tensed and pulsed, irritation clearly rippling through his body. She thought back to the times Clarke had used his size to intimidate her. It was always subtle and for ridiculous things like which brand of gas grill they should purchase or whether Nate should play soccer or baseball. She had always stood up to him, but each time she’d sensed she was negotiating with a caged tiger.
As if reading her thoughts, Bryce tugged off his glasses. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I have no intention of getting hurt.”
“No one does,” he said softly. “But I’ve seen it happen too many times.”
Whereas Clarke’s focus had always been on winning, Bryce’s true concern rang clear. “I hear you. I do. Now would you like to hear what she told me?”
Shaking his head, he looked equally exasperated and curious. “Tell me.”
“The Fireflies, at least some of them, shared a social media page. They talked to each other and swapped stories. They were their own little support group. The site was taken down about six months ago. It would be helpful if your IT guys could identify the site administrator.”
“They can try.”
“Terrific.” She brushed her pant leg, considering whether she should tell him about her visit with Elijah. She decided to wait. “Ready to go inside?”