Page 123 of The Girl in the River

Trembling with rage, Ellie rushed into the warehouse and found ten more barrels.

She held her breath, horrified as she opened one after another. Ten barrels. Ten bodies.

Heaving for a breath, she stumbled back outside and found Derrick still guarding Ronnie. The sadistic woman had stopped screaming and stared at her with the coldness of a psychopath.

“Those bodies… Who are they?”

Ronnie’s yellow teeth were brown with tobacco as she grinned. “I told them girls what would happen if they tried to get away.”

ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR

CROOKED CREEK POLICE STATION

DAY 5

It was the early hours of the morning and Ellie and everyone was dog-tired as Ellie tied up loose ends.

Ronnie was in the hospital under police guard while a recovery team transported the barrels and remains inside to the morgue for analysis. Since Ellie suspected most were undocumented immigrants, identifying them would take time.

Cord had been examined and Lola picked him up at the hospital; thankfully he’d recover.

Although Ronnie had clammed up and refused to talk, her sons spilled their guts. Their mother worked for the Moons, keeping the sewing factory thriving. In the beginning, other local business owners who couldn’t pay their loans were forced to provide their wives and daughters to sew at the factory. The last six years, they’d promised papers to undocumented immigrants, in exchange for work. But once they were in Red River Rock, they refused to let the workers go free for fear they’d talk. Apparently the sweat shop made clothing and sold their products abroad, bringing in a small fortune by using free child labor.

She and Derrick kept Kincaid waiting, letting him stew in the consequences of his own sordid mess. Both faced him in the interrogation room, ready to seal his fate.

Ellie gave him a chilly stare. “You knew about this operation and covered it up for the Moons.” Her temper soared at the image of those young innocent girls being forced to work in such horrendous conditions.

Sheriff Kincaid’s mouth twitched. “It’s not what you think. I was investigating the Moons for money laundering when recently I noticed they were hiding something in that warehouse. I planned to bust them for everything.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that?” Ellie said between clenched teeth.

“Give me my phone call and you’ll see I’m telling the truth.” He leaned forward, his handcuffed hands folded on the table.

Ellie and Derrick exchanged a look, then she gave a nod, and Derrick handed him his phone.

“Is your lawyer on the way?”

“Not my lawyer,” he said. “But someone you’ll want to meet. Then you’ll understand everything.”

Ellie tapped her foot impatiently. “Go on.”

“You’ll find out when he gets here. I’m done talking until then.”

“Fine. Suit yourself,” Ellie said matter-of-factly. They had him dead to rights.

She and Derrick left the sheriff and found Angelica waiting in the press room. Already social workers and victims’ advocates had been called to handle the care of the victims.

“You ready?” Angelica asked.

Ellie nodded. The people in Crooked Creek and Red River Rock deserved to know the truth, no matter how heartbreaking. Hopefully the residents of Red River Rock would be free now to live their lives without fear.

She ran her hand over her hair, which was a rat’s nest from her dive into the muddy river, then she delivered her statement, hoping to assuage the fears of the residents.

“Folks, I’m happy to say that we have not only found Mia Norman and her daughter Pixie, but they are safe and sound. During their recovery, we uncovered a money laundering scheme as well as a sweatshop utilizing child labor. Arrests have been made, the operation disbanded and the children being forced to work for free are now being treated and taken care of. With that in mind, hug your own children tonight and let’s remember the soldiers who have worked to protect us and ensure our freedom in this country.”

ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE

RIVER’S EDGE

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