Page 105 of The Girl in the River

“You mean Kevin Moon?” Mark growled.

“No, not him. Another man… He said he was looking for Jesse Habersham, that her husband wanted her found, and…”

“Good God. You told him where she was,” his father cut in, his voice terse.

His mother nodded miserably and rubbed her forehead. “I… didn’t know he was dangerous.”

A deep ache of betrayal ripped through Mark’s chest.

Mia had lied to him and now his mother had made things worse. “How could you, Mom? You put her right in the hands of a monster. And now that monster has Pixie.”

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE

Derrick’s phone cut into his thoughts as he and Ellie stepped into the hallway. Lindsey. Surprised that she’d phoned, he immediately assumed she’d taken steps to overturn Rick’s wishes regarding him and the children.

He motioned to Ellie that he needed to answer it.

Ellie nodded. “Okay, I’ll call Cord and update him.”

Braced for an altercation, Derrick stepped from the car and answered the call.

“Derrick,” Lindsey cried, her voice near hysteria. “Evan’s gone.”

Derrick froze, heart pounding. “What do you meangone?”

“We were talking about his father, and he ran to his room and closed the door. He was so sullen that I figured he needed some time alone. But when I checked on him later, he wasn’t in his room. I’ve called all his friends and thought he might have ridden his bike to visit them but they haven’t seen him.” Her voice petered off for a second, then she continued shakily. “I drove around to the park and school and every place I could think of but he wasn’t there. God, Derrick, what if he’s hurt or if he’s run away?”

Panic clenched Derick’s chest. Evan was just a kid. Out there alone somewhere. Missing his father.

Anything could happen to him.

“Is his bike at home?”

“It’s in the garage,” she said, frightened. “I’m… so scared. I can’t lose Evan, too.”

Guilt over his sister’s death, the mission gone awry and Rick’s suicide hit him like a sledgehammer. “You’re not going to lose him,” Derrick said firmly. “I’ll be there ASAP.”

Ellie was watching him when he hung up. “What’s wrong?”

“Lindsey can’t find Evan, Rick’s little boy. He may have run away. Lindsey’s hysterical.”

Ellie squeezed his arm. “Then you have to go, Derrick.”

He hesitated. He couldn’t leave Ellie alone, not with Pixie missing and whatever the hell was happening in Red River Rock. “But the case—”

“I can handle the case,” Ellie said firmly. “Sheriff Waters and the deputies will assist me.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Go. You need to do this for Rick and those children.”

Derrick was torn, but he saw the anguish on Evan’s face in his mind and knew he couldn’t let him down. He’d failed too often already.

“Seriously, Derrick,” Ellie said softly. “That boy needs you more right now than I do.”

His gaze met Ellie’s and there was no doubt in his mind that she meant what she said. Still, he didn’t want her facing a dangerous situation alone. He curled his hands around her arms. “Listen to me, Ellie. Wait until tomorrow and I’ll go with you.”

“We can’t wait, Derrick. Kevin could be taking Pixie out of state or even out of the country.”

Hell, she was right. His chest hurt just thinking about it. “Okay, but don’t approach the Moons or go back to that warehouse until I get back or without back-up.”

“Derrick—”

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