Page 61 of Girl, Reborn

More than enough time for a broken man tobreak the world in turn.

Now, Ella knew without a shadow of a doubtthat Seth Baxter was responsible for these murders.

She needed to act – and fast.

‘Riley, I need you to listen verycarefully now. This isn't idle curiosity or some procedural fishing expedition.Seth Baxter... I believe he's involved in something awful. Something that'salready cost lives and is poised to take more if I don't stop him.’

The old woman gaped at her. ‘What? No,that's not... Seth wouldn't... Are you accusing him of being some kind of, ofcriminal?’

‘Killer,’ Ella corrected grimly. She hatedit, hated dumping this on a civilian, but time was running out. They needed tomove now, or another body would be bobbing to the surface before dawn. ‘Atleast three dead, all tied to that damn dam. And I think he's got a fourth inthe works, probably as we speak.’

‘That's impossible.’ The denial ranghollow even to Riley's ears. Her hands twisted together. ‘Seth's a good boy. Agiver. He's never so much as jaywalked.’

There was no time to go back to theprecinct and get this man’s address. Tucker and his men were all keeping guardof people who worked on the dam. If Ella wanted to find Seth Baxter before heclaimed another victim, she needed Riley to spill the facts.

‘Grief changes people. Loss twists them upinside, breaks something vital.’ Ella gentled her voice, fighting to find abalance between compassion and steel. ‘I've seen it too many times, good folksdriven to unthinkable acts. Their pain eats away at them until there's nothingleft but the hunger to make someone else hurt like they do. Seth's hurting.He's drowning in it, has been ever since he pulled his sister out of thatcreek. And now he's lashing out, trying to externalize that pain the only wayhe knows how. With his hands, his know-how, his gift for building.’

‘And the clock,’ Luca murmured. ‘SethBaxter is using it as a weapon.’

‘What?’ Riley asked. ‘How is thatpossible?’

‘He’s built a bigger one. A people-sizedone. He's using it to punish those he sees as responsible. The politicians, thefatcats, anyone who had a hand in damming the river and draining this placedry.’

Riley looked like she was going to besick, one liver-spotted hand pressed to her mouth. ‘Sweet Lord. You reallythink...?’

‘I'm sorry, truly.’ Ella reached out,covering those trembling fingers with her own. The skin was as delicate as abird's wing. ‘I know this is a hell of a thing to take in. Seth's your friend,your family almost. It's gut-wrenching to think he's capable of this. But he'snot well. His mind's broken, stuck in a loop of vengeance and despair. And ifwe don't get to him soon…'

Ella held that anguished gaze, willing theold woman to understand. They needed her, needed that fragile human connection.Without it, they'd be scrabbling in the dark while the clock ran down.

Riley blinked at her, coming back from athousand miles away. ‘Seth used to live on Herald Street. A couple of milesaway.’

There it was. The answer she needed. Ellacould have kissed the old woman.

‘House number?’

‘No such thing. It’s the only house on thestreet.’

Luca sprang to life. He dropped his cardon the table. ‘You might have just helped us save a life,’ he said.

Ella rounded on Riley, fixing the oldwoman with a stare that could cut glass. ‘Stay here. Lock the doors, draw thecurtains. Don't open up for anyone, you hear?’ She was moving towards the frontdoor, tossing the orders over her shoulder. ‘And Riley? If you've got a weapon– a gun, a taser, a freaking garlic press – keep it close. If Seth suspectswe're onto him...’

She didn't finish. She didn't have to.

‘Good luck,’ Riley called. ‘Give Seth akick from me.’

They were back outside a second later.Ella checked the time. Ten past eleven.

‘Fifty minutes, Hawkins,’ she said. ‘Wecan do this.’

‘Let’s go. You’re driving. We’ll get mycar later.’

‘All guns blazing. No prisoners. Get in,you find the victim, I’ll take the killer, got it?’

‘Got it.’

And they shot off in a spit of gravel,ready to end the longest night of Ella’s life.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

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