Page 64 of Girl, Haunted

‘Sir, I need you to step back.’

The man's eyes ping-ponged between Ella, the gun, and the woman - no, thecorpse- on the stoop. His mouth flapped open and closed, trawling for words that wouldn't come.

‘Sir, I won't ask again.’ Ella risked a glance over her shoulder at Luca, who'd come up behind her, one hand on his own piece. ‘Don't make this worse.’

'Worse? That's my wife!' He tried to shoulder past Ella but she stood her ground. Freehand up, palm out.

‘I said step back!’

The fight drained out of the man quicker than she expected. His shoulders slumped and he stumbled backward as his legs gave out. He landed on his ass, head in his hands, blubbering like a baby.

What the hell is going on?

‘What's your name?’ Ella asked, wary gaze still darting between the grieving husband and their Jane Doe. The pieces weren't clicking yet. No way this guy was their unsub – too loud, too emotional, too goddamnnormalin his devastation. But what were the odds of him happening across his wife’s dead body?

The man dragged a sleeve across his snot-streaked mug and sniffled. ‘Gary. Gary Krafton.’

‘Well, Gary Krafton, I'm going to need you to tell me how you wound up here.’

Gary lifted imploring eyes to Ella. In the stark light, they glittered with unshed tears. ‘I tracked her phone. With my app. When she ran out earlier, I just...’ He trailed off, gaze straying back to Amanda's body. Fresh sobs wracked his frame.

When she ran out earlier?Ella caught Luca's eye and jerked her head towards Redmond. Without a word, Luca peeled off towards the sheriff.

And then something clicked. The scattered pieces shifted, formed a picture – fractured and incomplete, but there. She turned back to Gary, brain buzzing.

‘Listen up, Gary. I'm gonna need you to come with us. Down to the station.’

Gary's head snapped up, a cornered animal. ‘What? Why? I didn't–’

‘Nobody's saying you did,’ Ella cut in, not unkindly. She softened her stance, let a little of the hardass cop routine slip. ‘But right now, you're our best lead on figuring out whodiddo this to your wife.’

The husband buried his face in his hands, then gave a jerky bob of his head.

Ella turned, caught Luca’s eye. He’d been watching the whole exchange, one hand resting on the butt of his holstered gun. She jerked her chin towards Gary. ‘Get him back to the station, make him cozy in Interview One.’

Luca obliged. He maneuvered Gary Krafton into the back seat of their car, then called out to Ella. 'You staying here?'

‘Yeah.’ She threw him the car keys. ‘I just need to pick something up. I’ll see you back at the precinct.’

Redmond stood beside Ella, and they watched Luca drive away. She turned back to re-examine the body, but it felt hollow. More of a cop's reflex than a real action.

‘Pretty weird that the husband suddenly turns up,’ Redmond said.

‘That guy’s not our killer.’

‘How’d you know?’

‘Look at the body, Sheriff. She’s a bloody mess. Our killer would be drenched in blood. So would the inside of his car.’

Redmond moved over to the husband’s sedan and looked inside. ‘He could have showered. And have two cars.’

‘His build didn’t fit. Too stocky. Plus, the voice didn’t match.’ Ella went back to the body, applied her gloves and began rummaging through the victim’s pockets.

‘I guess. I didn’t recognize that voice on the phone, either, before you ask.’ Redmond worried his lower lip with his teeth. ‘Uh, Miss Dark, are you sure you should be doing that? Forensics are still ten minutes away.’

Ella paused, one hand halfway to the woman's blood-soaked jeans. ‘I know, Sheriff. But this psycho's breaking all the rules, and if we want to catch him, we need to do the same.’

Redmond glanced around like he expected the police commissioner to pop out from behind a plastic tombstone. ‘Alright. I won't tell your boss. I’m pretty much willing to do anything to catch this freak. Just be careful.’

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