Page 45 of Among the Innocent

“I will. I promise,” he’d murmured, yet he hadn’t. Ten years had passed and there was still no clear answer to what happened.

The grief of losing her son had left its mark on Harrison’s mother. Every single time Dalton returned to Rexford, she asked about the case. His answer was always the same—he was working on it. For the first time since Harrison died, he actually believed he might be able to fulfill the promise he’d made to the family.

The inevitable showdown coming had been a decade in the making. When it was over, would any of them be left standing?

“Why did we have to come here? This place is awful.” Eva glanced around at the abandoned Amish farm with distaste. She’d waited until her family had fallen asleep and then slipped out through the cellar door like she had before and met him on the road that ran at the back of their property.

“This isn’t where I wanted to take you, but it will have to do,” he said with a glint in his eye.

Eva wanted to ask him where that might be, but she was afraid she already knew.

She had been so excited to see him again. Now, it was as if she were drowning in doubts over the man she once trusted completely. “My mamm will be worried if I do not return.”

He grabbed her hand and chuckled. “Would you stop worrying? I’ll have you back before your mother knows you’re gone. I have a surprise for you inside the barn. Don’t you want to see it?”

“Can’t you bring it out here?” She glanced around the dark, ominous countryside. The next closest farm was the Zooks’ place, and that was several miles away. Eva had lived all her life here in this remote portion of Montana, and she loved everything about it. The darkness had never bothered her before. Until now.

“Don’t be a baby. Come on. We don’t have much time.” He smiled and tugged her close. “We’ll only be a minute.” He pulled her along beside him.

Suddenly, the things she thought she knew didn’t ring true about the man standing beside her now. She tried to yank her hand free, but his grip tightened.

“Come on.” He opened the door and drew her inside. “See, there’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s just a barn.” There was an edge to his voice that she hadn’t heard before.

“I don’t want to be here,” she murmured and was starting back toward the door when he brought her close.

“You aren’t afraid of me, are you?” The gleam in his eyes held a brightness. Almost as if he enjoyed her fear.

Her heart hammered in her chest. Before, he’d always seemed so daring. Now there was something frightening about the way he looked at her. It made her want to run away. She thought about what the police officers had said about him. They’d told her that he was dangerous. That he’d killed Beth and others.

“What did you want to show me?” she asked when he continued to stare at her.

He laughed, and the sound sent goose bumps up her arms despite the heat.

“Always so eager. Just like Beth ... and her.” Something dangerous entered his eyes.

“H-her?”

“Leah.”

Fear pressed in. Though Eva had not known Leah Miller well when her family was killed, the story of the Millers’ deaths had been circulating for years.

“How do you know her?” But deep down she knew.

He didn’t answer but dragged her to the center of the barn with his grip tightening on her arm.

“It’s not where I wanted to do this, but it will have to do. Beth didn’t fight back very much. She came to the Miller barn willingly and didn’t even know what I was talking about when I told her about the others.”

Her blood ran cold. She couldn’t look away. He was confessing to killing hergutfriend. And others. If she stayed, he would kill her too. Eva jerked her arm free and ran for the closed door.

He grabbed for her shoulder. She lost her balance and hit the ground hard. The wind expelled from her body. He stood over her, watching as if he were looking at some strange bug.

“You shouldn’t have tried to run.” He grabbed her and hauled her to her feet.

“Help!” Eva screamed, knowing no one would hear her. Her cry was cut off when he slammed his fist into her midsection and covered her mouth.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her back to the spot in the middle of the barn.

She wasn’t about to let him do to her what he did to Beth without putting up a fight.

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