Page 18 of Forgotten Girls

“Okay, calm down.” Carter frowned. “We’re working on it.”

Not happy with the situation, Styles stood. “I want to see Beth.”

“Sure, grab your coffee and sandwiches and we’ll take you to her.” Carter banged on the door and a deputy opened it. “We’ve booked you rooms at the same hotel as us. It’s just across the road. Get some rest. We’ve taken your things there and returned the SUV. I’ll drop you by the fire station first thing so you can get back to Rattlesnake Creek. We’ll be staying to clean up the mess, but if you need any help, just call.”

“You don’t need to worry about the case involving your sister.” Jo smiled at him. “I was able to speak to Ava and she is doing fine. Wolfe has collected blood samples from her and Ginny to determine what concoction of drugs they had been fed over what period of time. Your sister, unfortunately, will not roll over on Shoebridge. She has compartmentalized the abuse and now is living outside of the box. What she sees is ‘normal,’ although it hasn’t affected her caring for Billy. Her lawyer allowed her to speak to a social worker about keeping her son and she made all the normal responses of a loving mother but refused to speak about anything else whatsoever. Ava, on the other hand, gave us some information but not enough to use against him. One time after Shoebridge argued with Ginny, Ava was taken to the house for a week or so while Ginny cooled her heels in the root cellar. It was his normal punishment for her if she complained. Ava was left alone in the house for hours when Shoebridge was at work and did a great deal of snooping. She discovered Shoebridge’s go bag hidden under the floorboards in the main bedroom. Although she is young, she’s astute enough to understand that people do not have driver’s licenses and other documentation in a number of names.”

Interested, Styles stopped in the passageway and stared at her. “Did she recall any names?”

“She said they all began with E.” Jo smiled at him. “The one on the top of the pile was Evan something.”

“I guess that’s in case he makes a mistake signing something.” Carter followed behind them. “It’s easier to cover up a slip if the name is similar.” He indicated to the door on the left. “Beth’s inside. We’ll go and spring you from this joint. We won’t be long.”

Styles handed the coffee and sandwiches to Carter, turned, and picked up a chair outside the room. He pushed open the door and wedged it open with the chair. He looked at him. “I don’t appreciate being locked in a room.” He took the coffee and sandwiches. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“My pleasure.” Carter followed Jo along the passageway. “Don’t kill anyone while I’m gone.”

NINETEEN

Exhausted, Beth had long given up fighting the thirst and hunger. She pushed the pain to another part of her mind and rested her head on her arms and then tried to sleep. At the sound of voices, Beth lifted her head. Relief flooded through her at the sight of Styles coming through the door with Bear at his heels. The dog went straight to her and rested his big head on her lap. She peered through the door to see Carter and Jo standing in the passageway. Sticky with blood, stinking, and dying for a cup of coffee, she stood, waving slightly from exhaustion. “Styles, what’s happening?”

“Sit down before you fall down.” Styles placed a bag on the table and a to-go cup of coffee. He fished in his pocket and handed her a packet of wipes. “That’s just for now. I’m not shutting the door, and once you’ve had something to eat and drunk the coffee, you can go down to the bathroom and clean up. They had no right to treat us like this. In case you didn’t know, I’ve been right next door and interrogated worse than a criminal. I’m assuming the same thing happened to you?”

Beth took a long pull on the coffee and then used the wipes to clean her face and hands. “They didn’t even offer me a glass of water. I had to ask Wolfe to get me one and then he and Jo ran me through a series of questions. They were nice, not like the sheriff. He didn’t even read me my rights.” She shook her head. “We were the victims. This is just the same as what happened to me in DC. Honestly, what choice did I have? The guy in my room came at me with a knife, he cut through my sweater, and then you saw what happened in your room.”

What was happening to her? She’d never experienced vulnerability before and now she couldn’t control the trembling. She looked at him. “Is it inappropriate if I ask you for a hug?”

“No and I figure I need one too. It’s been a nightmare. The adrenaline letdown gives me the shakes too.” Styles moved his chair closer to her and placed one arm around her shoulders. “Four people died and the sheriff was just following procedure. I convinced him to call the director as it was an FBI matter. It was the director who ordered Jo to do an on-the-spot evaluation along with Wolfe. The director values his opinion. The director wants us back on the case ASAP and you’re his best cybercrime expert.”

Unfamiliar to being hugged, Beth stared at her bloodstained hands. “Did you get any feedback from Carter?”

“Yeah, they cleared me without a problem.” Styles pulled her closer. “Did you figure they’d suspend you, because Jo said she’d inform the director you’re shaken but okay.” He bent to look at her. “That’s normal… being shaken after what happened. You know that, right?”

Nodding, Beth tried to control her mixed emotions. “Yeah, I admit that five guys attacking us was a little intense. They were skilled mercenaries and nothing like the drunken miners we’re used to handling.”

Trying to understand why she appreciated Styles holding her, she gave up and rested her head on his shoulder. Maybe this was a normal response to his caring nature. She’d never experienced a feeling of safety before and allowing anyone to touch her was out of the question. She swallowed the bite of the sandwich and leaned against him. “Jo would know a lie in a heartbeat. Wolfe, I like. I told him a time ago about what happened to me in foster care and he offered me his confidence if I ever wanted to talk. I trust him.”

“Do you trust me?” Styles gave her a squeeze. “I don’t have a Hippocratic oath to back me up, but you have my word as your friend. What we discuss will never go any further. That’s a solemn promise I’ll take to my grave.”

Beth thought for a beat. She wanted to be honest with him. “I’ve already trusted you with most of my secrets.” She finished the coffee and looked at him. “There are just some that if I told you, they would break me apart. I’d rather keep them locked up where they can’t hurt anyone.”

“I figure we all have secrets like that, especially soldiers.” Styles rubbed her back and then stood. “Some things are best forgotten.” He indicated with his chin toward the door. “The bathroom is just across the hall. You go and clean up and I’ll wait outside and keep watch. I don’t want the sheriff to believe we’ve escaped custody.” He pulled a comb from his back pocket and handed it to her. “This might be useful.”

Beth smiled at him. “Thanks.” She thought for a beat with one hand pressed against the door. “What about our things at the motel?”

“They’ll be at the hotel; Carter took them over for us.” Styles smiled. “It’s just across the road. We’ll be staying there tonight and heading home first thing in the morning.”

It took some time to wash the blood from her hands and face. She used paper towels to dab at the red spots in her hair. She needed a shower and a change of clothes. She’d started to smell of blood hours ago, and everyone’s refusal of her basic human needs disgusted her. Once done, she went out to find Styles and Bear waiting for her. Styles had dark circles under his eyes and a bruise on one cheek. One side of his hair was matted with blood. The spatter of a head shot at close range had covered both of them. In a few minutes she’d killed three men. She remembered the scene almost clinically as if through different eyes. She could see herself pulling the trigger, there was no emotion only survival. Did she care she killed them? No. Would that be the correct answer in a psych test? Or would the truth bring her down? Maybe she’d test her newfound closeness to Styles and ask him. Somehow, she’d need to understand how to interpret the correct emotions and react accordingly. Going forward it was the only way to survive.

Beth combed her hair and tied it into a ponytail. She looked a little better, although her clothes were covered in blood. She wondered what the clerk on the hotel desk would say to them when they walked inside. Her boots were ruined. Maybe she’d have time to by a new pair before returning home. She stepped into the passageway and pointed to her boots. “I’ll never get the blood out of them. Do you mind if we stop by the store I mentioned yesterday? I want to buy a pair.”

“Sure, once we’ve cleaned up and changed clothes, but I really need a couple of hours’ sleep.” Styles glanced at his watch. “It’s still early. How about we go to the hotel, grab some shuteye, and go shopping around three? We can have dinner and get a good night’s sleep and head home first thing in the morning.”

Beth nodded and sat on a chair outside the interrogation room. “Mind if we wait out here? I hate being locked up.”

“Me too.” Styles pulled up a chair and sat beside her. “Anything else worrying you?”

Nodding, Beth stared at her blood-spattered boots. “I need to get into Shoebridge’s files. I found a tiny link to data I can follow. The longer I wait, the easier it is for him to cover his tracks.” She frowned. “I hope they didn’t take my laptop into evidence. I’d like to work on it ASAP.”