Page 112 of Sugar Coated Secrets

“How did you know my size?” I ask, looking at the way the diamond sparkles.

“This lady I know made sure I got it right.”

My bottom lip trembles, remembering what she said. Ford will take care of me. She waited all this time because, for whatever reason, she knew he would come back.

“Are you ready?” he asks.

We were supposed to go to the woods before it got dark. I almost forgot.

I nod. “Yeah, let me take a quick shower.”

35

FORD

Igrab the bag with flashlights, battery packs, and two long sweaters from the trunk.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t do this in the morning?” Dulce asks, looking at the sun as it sets.

“I think if you are closer to the time of day it happened, it would trigger a memory,” I tell her, pointing at the tree line.

She looks down the road. “Remembering the rocks digging under the pads of my bare feet. The stinging pain…” She closes her eyes like she is in pain.

There is nothing I want more than to take it away.

“Danny found me right about here.” She points at the middle of the road and then looks to the right by the embankment, where it isn’t as steep. I always wondered why he was driving down this road.”

“I don’t think it was fate or luck,” I tell her.

“You think he was part of it? That he was involved somehow?”

“They never caught the bastard, and he is a cop. He made it seem like he was your hero. Checking up on you for the last four years.”

“You have a point.”

I hand her a flashlight and one of the batteries for her phone. “Here. So you don’t get lost or lose power on your phone.” I look over at the tree line. “Where do you think it happened?”

She walks toward the embankment, and before I can stop her, she slides down, thankful she is wearing jeans. “I think it was here. Well, where I ran from.” She looks back up and then to her left deeper in the woods.”

I slide down the same way she did and walk ahead. Letting her follow. “Here?”

She looks around like she is trying to find a clue or anything that she can remember. She steps forward, and I give her a minute because she needs this. Closure.

“Take your time,” I assure her softly.

She turns her head and then nods. I wait and watch her, her Vans crunching over the thick brown leaves with every step. Every so often, she looks back as if she is measuring the distance from the road to where it happened.

She takes about ten steps and then stops. Looks at the trees, then at the road, and back.

“I think it was here.” She closes her eyes and continues, “I heard screaming. Like something was being attacked and it was being mutilated… it was dark, and I was stupid for running in the woods instead of following the road, but I turned after they left and thought I saw someone following me.”

“Who?” I ask, holding on to her every word, trying to keep calm even though my heart is beating hard inside my chest.

As much as I want her to have closure, I want to finish this.

“I don’t know. I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me because it was dark. I was alone and scared. I was so scared, Ford. There was someone, and he was following me. They knew I would be out here. They knew. There is no one for miles. I havedriven down this road and except for Moody’s cabin, there is no one.”

She looks around, and I lean on a tree, watching her.

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