Memory of Murder

Prologue

Excerpt from the confession of Alexi K.

FBI Files, Restricted Access, Declassified 2010

I have always known this day would come.

Las Vegas, Nevada

“I was five years old. I remember it because I’d just had my birthday party. My parents took me to a park, and there was a pony.” Holt’s smile flickered briefly. “I think that was the first and last time I was ever on a horse. Anyway, a couple of days later, my parents left me with a babysitter and went out to dinner and a movie, and never came back.”

He said it so matter-of-factly, it was a moment before it registered. Brenna did a little double take, then whispered, “What happened? Was it a car crash?”

His hand continued its idle journey up and down her arm. “Their car was found in the movie theater parking lot. My parents never were. They just…disappeared.”

She stared at him, appalled, half disbelieving. “That’s…crazy. People don’t just…disappear.”

“Actually, they do,” Holt Kincaid said. “More often than you’d suppose.”