Gingerbread Man

myself."
    "Not me," Doris said. "Be strong, honey. I need you."
    "I know. Don't worry." She glanced at the bed, the other woman in it. "Try to get some rest tonight."
    "I will."
    Holly backed out of the room, blew her mother a kiss, and let the door fall closed as she turned to face the two men. Amanda was already standing beside her, facing them expectantly. "So, what's this about?"
    "Is there a place where we can have some privacy?" the stranger asked.
    "I'm sorry," Holly said, and if her tone had an edge to it, it was because she disliked the man, instantly and instinctively. Something about his brisk tone, his cold eyes, made her bristle. "Do I know you?"
    "This is Special Agent Frank Selkirk with the FBI, Holly," Vince said quickly. To Selkirk, he said, "Holly Newman, and Amanda D'Voe."
    He acknowledged the women with the barest nod. "Privacy?"
    Holly glanced at the empty room beside her mother's. "In here," she said, leading the way, opening the door. "It was Val Stevens's room, but she's in with my mother and I don't think she'll be back anytime soon." She held the door wide while Vince led Amanda in, and Selkirk followed. Stepping in herself, Holly let it close again. "Okay, so what's the big secret?"
    "Miss D'Voe," Selkirk began, ignoring Holly completely. "Do you have an unusual scar in the middle of your back?"
    Amanda blinked. She swung her gaze to Holly, then to Vince.
    "Right about..."—Selkirk poked her between the shoulder blades with a long finger—"there?"
    "How could you know ... what is this about?"
    "I’m going to have to ask you to show me that scar, ma'am."
    "Show you...
No.
This is inappropriate. Don't you need a warrant or something to—?"
    "Amanda, it's all right. I..." Vince seemed to struggle for words. "It's relevant to the case, believe me. I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't."
    Amanda blinked, her face softening. Holly tugged her arm, pulling Amanda back a step, then moved forward, putting herself between her and Selkirk. She thrust her chin at Vince.
"How
is it relevant?"
    "Holly, I can't—"
    "How is it relevant, Vince?"
    "It's all right," Amanda said softly. "If it could help find Bethany, I don't mind all that much." Turning her back to them all, she pulled her sweater upward, baring first her slender waist, then the long curve of her spine. Arms crossed over her head, she lifted it higher. The sweater rose past the strap of the white bra across her back. Higher, just above the strap, in the center of Amanda's back was a scar. The scar was old, faded, but there. Holly squinted, leaning closer.
    "It looks like a shamrock."
    "Four-leaf clover," Selkirk murmured. "I'll be damned."
    Amanda lowered the shirt, turning slowly. "I've had it for as long as I can remember. What does it mean? What does it have to do with what's happened to Bethany?"
    Her blue eyes were wide, and she was showing signs of panic again. Holly grabbed Vince's arm. "Dammit, don't put her through this shit. Tell us what's going on."
    Vince sighed. "Maybe nothing—"
    " 'Maybe nothing' my ass," Selkirk said. "Every one of this child killer's victims—the ones we've found at least—had that same mark on her back, Miss D'Voe. Which tells me you were one of this man's victims, too. Maybe his first one. Maybe before he'd started killing them after he'd finished—"
    "Shut the fuck up, Selkirk," Vince snapped. He turned, reached for Amanda.
    She was backing away, shaking her head from side to side. "But—but I would remember. I would know ..."
    "It's all right. We can't be sure what this means," Vince was saying, but there was no recalling Selkirk's words.
    "Of course you are!" Amanda shouted. She spun, right into Holly's arms, and clung there, shaking. "It means I could save Bethany ... if I could only remember. Dammit, Holly, why can't I remember?"
    Holly held her, stroked her soft brown hair down her back, and sent a fierce scowl at Vince.
    "You don't remember?" Vince asked urgently. "Amanda, are you saying you don't remember anything about your life before you went to live with Reggie?"
    She shook her head against Holly's shoulder. "Nothing," she said. "Except pain."
    "I'm getting an arrest warrant," Selkirk said, turning for the door. "If that old bastard survives, he's going down."
    Amanda broke free of Holly, and stared after him. "Are you talking about Reggie? You think Reggie did this? My God, you
do!
Reggie would never—you can't believe ... No. No, no,
no
—" She dragged in a ragged breath,