Page 102 of The Girl in the River

“When can we see him?” Mrs. Wade said shakily.

“I’ll give you five minutes,” the doctor replied. “But he needs his rest.”

Ellie stepped up beside them. “Doctor, Mark Wade was the victim of a murder attempt by a man we believe to have abducted a child who was with him at the time. It’s urgent that I speak to him. He might be able to identify the kidnapper.”

“He’s our son,” Mrs. Wade said. “Can’t this wait, Detective?”

Her husband touched her elbow. “Sylvia, whoever shot Mark is violent and that precious little girl is with him now. Let Detective Reeves go first so she can find Pixie.”

“Oh, my lord, you’re right.” She gave Ellie a look of regret. “I’m so sorry. I’m just so scared.”

“It’s okay,” Ellie said. “I promise I won’t be long.”

The doctor was silent, watching with a grim expression, then led her through double doors and down a hallway. “You understand he’s still medicated and may be disorientated.”

“I understand but he’ll want to talk to me,” she said. “He loved that little girl more than words.”

The doctor smiled in understanding and paused at the doorway. “Try not to upset him.”

She had a feeling that Mark would be upset, but not with her. With himself that Pixie was abducted while in his care.

She walked quietly into the room, the sound of machines beeping steady. He was hooked to a heart monitor, a machine to record his oxygen level, and an IV pumping saline and pain medication into his veins.

His eyes were closed, chest rising and falling. “Mark,” she said softly as she stopped by the bed. “Mark, it’s Ellie.”

The sheets rustled as he tried to move, and she placed a gentle hand on his arm when he moaned. “You were shot, Mark, and had surgery. I—”

His eyes shot open, wide with panic. “P… Pixie… Pixie…Where is she?”

“We’re looking for her. Do you remember what happened?”

His eyes were drifting closed again, but he fought it. “We were at the park and… dark … getting dark so went to the car.” He coughed, one hand falling weakly to his chest.

“Is that when you were shot?”

He nodded slowly.

“Did you see who it was?” Ellie asked.

He winced in pain. “Behind… me. But…” He paused, seeming to be thinking. “Wait… I fell. Turned… saw his face.”

Ellie pulled her phone and showed him a picture of Kevin. “Is this the man?”

Mark blinked rapidly to focus, then squinted at the photograph. He gave a weak nod.

“Did he say anything?”

He shook his head, his eyes fluttering. “Find Pixie…” he said in a pained whisper. “F… Find Mia, too.”

“I will,” Ellie said. She just prayed that they were alive when she did.

ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT

Despair took root inside Mia as she crawled to the window of the cabin and looked out again. It was night outside, the shadows terrifying.

Where had Kevin gone? Would he be back?

Had he found Pixie? What would he do to her when he did?

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