Amish Country Murder. Mary Alford

officer.

      The door swung open and Dr. Rolland entered, then held it wide for the sheriff. With a nod to him, Sheriff Collins left the room.

      “You should let me have a look at that.” The doctor stopped next to Sutter and pointed to his temple.

      “Thanks, but I’m fine.” Sutter dismissed the doctor’s concerns. All he could think about was protecting Catherine. So far, he’d failed miserably.

      “How are you feeling?” Dr. Rolland asked her.

      “I am…” She shrugged without finishing.

      Dr. Rolland checked her vitals before saying, “Your shoulder is healing quite well. I’ll check back with you in a little while.”

      He had started to leave when Sutter remembered he needed to find out if Catherine was strong enough to move.

      “Hang on a second,” he said, and Dr. Rolland swung toward him, his brows raised.

      “In your medical opinion, is Catherine strong enough to leave the hospital today? After what happened here, I don’t think it’s safe for her to stay.”

      Sutter could see the question was a difficult one for the doctor. “She’s been through a lot, Agent Brenneman,” he finally said. “She’s suffered an ugly head injury as well as a gunshot wound. But Catherine is strong.” He sought to reassure his patient. “You will be okay. I’ll give you supplies to change the dressings and have a nurse show you how and when to change the dressings.” He focused on Sutter. “I just ask that you keep a careful eye on her injuries. If something changes, you must bring her in immediately.”

      Relieved, Sutter smiled. “I will. Thank you, Dr. Rolland.”

      “Of course.” After the doctor left, Sutter settled into the chair next to her bed and glanced out the window. The crystal blue skies made it impossible to believe the temperature hovered around freezing this morning.

      With a deep sigh, Catherine turned to face him, and he sought something to say to bring her comfort. Nothing came to mind.

      “Why is he doing this?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. The red marks around her neck screamed that the killer’s latest attack had failed by seconds.

      Sutter wished to spare her the truth, but she needed to know what they were up against. “He’s sick. Unstable.”

      Her blue eyes held him captive. “There were others,” she said, the truth hanging between them. “He has killed before.”

      Sutter managed a nod.

      “How many?”

      Drawing in a breath, he decided to be honest with her. “Six, as far as we know. All young women from around Eagle’s Nest.” All of them knew each other, but then again, most people were acquainted in this tight-knit community.

      Shock rippled from her expressive eyes to her open mouth. “I can’t believe it. Why would he harm so many women?”

      “Serial killers’ brains are wired differently. They are sociopaths who kill for physiological gratification. There’s no set reason why. Until we capture him, we can only work on the assumption he has a motive for targeting young, dark-haired women around your age.”

      “Why did he come here and risk being captured?” she asked, but the fear in her eyes assured him she knew the answer.

      “I believe you saw his face at some point or can identify him somehow. He can’t let you live.”

      The reality of those words sank in and she inadvertently touched her throat. “But I don’t remember him,” she insisted. “The only times I saw him he wore a mask.”

      Sutter leaned forward. “There’s something you know about him that you can’t remember yet. Whatever it is, it will help us identify him. Until your memories return, we have to keep you safe.”

      “But how?” she asked and swallowed visibly. “He found me here. What’s to stop him from finding me anywhere?”

      The hopelessness in her eyes brought out Sutter’s protective instincts. “I promised I wouldn’t let him near you again and I meant it. You’re safe, Catherine. You’re safe.”

      She shoved her hair behind her ears. The look on her face assured him she did not believe him, but that was okay. He’d prove it to her and himself. He’d protect her, no matter what the cost was, because there was something about Catherine that made him want to see her story through to the end. Find out who she was. For her. For him.