Page 108 of The Girl in the River

“Any sign of him or the little girl?”

“No, but there’s blood so one or both of them might be injured. Send a team to process it and tow it in for analysis. I’ll text you the location.”

“Copy that. So far, no luck with the rental properties we’ve searched.”

“Keep me posted.” She sent the text, then opened the driver’s door, surprised it wasn’t locked, and looked for a clue as to where Kevin was going. No notepad or map. No phone.

She slipped on gloves, reached over and found the keys in the ignition. She started the engine and noted it had a built-in GPS system so she searched the entries.

Emily Nettles’ address was one of them. The last one was for a place called Rocky Bottom, an isolated section of the river.

Her heart raced. If the boat was located there, Kevin might be on his way to it with Pixie.

She considered waiting on the forensic team and didn’t want to leave the car unattended since they might find evidence inside.

Finding Pixie is more important. If she’s injured, she might need medical attention.

Decision made, she locked the car, hid the key beneath the tire and texted Bryce where the team could find it. A minute later, she jumped back in her Jeep and entered the location for Rocky Bottom into her own GPS.

Every second counted.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SIX

NORCROSS

Derrick’s tires peeled as he careened into Lindsey’s driveway. She and Rick owned a house about thirty miles north of Atlanta in a quaint small town with railroad tracks in the heart of it.

He scanned the park as he passed, searching for Evan but it was dark and he didn’t see him. Minutes later, he turned onto a quiet street lined with maple trees and oaks, keeping an eye out for the little boy. Lindsey had called again, desperate with worry, and said two neighbors were searching the neighborhood.

He parked in the drive, praying the boy had been found, but took one look at Lindsey’s terrified face and knew he hadn’t. Evan’s little sister Maddie looked wide-eye and teary as she hugged a giant teddy bear to her chest.

“Any word?” he asked.

Lindsey shook her head, her chin quivering. “It’s all my fault, he’s gone. I shouldn’t have let him stay in his room so long.”

Derrick was tempted to give her a comforting hug but he doubted she’d welcome it. “We’ll find him,” he said with conviction. He’d lost his little sister years ago. He wouldn’t lose Evan. “May I come in?”

She nodded, a shudder going through her as he followed her and Maddie to the den. Maddie climbed in her mother’s lap and Lindsey rocked her back and forth, her eyes dulling as if she was lapsing into shock.

“Talk to me,” Derrick said softly. “Tell me everything that happened today.”

Lindsey rubbed her daughter’s arm. “Evan’s been really quiet and sullen ever since Rick… passed. I tried to comfort him, but he’s so angry and wants to stay in his room by himself all the time.”

“It’s understandable that he’s mad,” Derrick said. “It’s one of the stages of grief.”

“I know, I know. But it’s been so hard…” She struggled with her emotions and he waited, giving her a minute to compose herself. “I set the engraved plaque honoring Rick on the mantle and Evan got upset looking at it. I asked him if he wanted to keep it on his bookshelf but that’s when he ran to his room and slammed the door.”

Ahh, geesh. “That must have been difficult,” he said, as an image of Rick formed in his mind. Neither of them had considered themselves heroes. They were both tormented by their guilt over their mission gone awry.

Lindsey’s brown eyes were glassy with tears. “I tried to talk to him, make him feel better by telling him he was the man of the house now, but he wouldn’t open the door. “She inhaled sharply. “But I think I said the wrong thing.”

“There’s no right or wrong thing to say at the moment,” Derrick said. “You just have to love him. Give him time to grieve. To cry.”

“That’s just it,” she said. “Except for the funeral, Evan hasn’t cried since we heard the news about Rick.”

So he was bottling his emotions. Damn, he was probably a powder keg just waiting to blow. “You said you called all his friends. Was there some special place he and Rick used to go together?”

Lindsey worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “They enjoyed playing catch at the ball fields.” She straightened. “I should have thought about that.”

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