Page 110 of The Girl in the River

Mia raced toward her. “Honey, I’m here. I’m right here.” Pixie tried to run to her but Kevin held her back.

“Tell her the truth,” he snarled. “Tell her I’m her father.”

Pixie looked up at her with silver dollar-sized tears and all Mia could think about was getting them out of here. She had that piece of glass to use as a weapon. She just had to bide her time until she could use it.

“Kevin, please let her come to me,” she said softly. “You’re scaring her.”

“She wouldn’t be afraid if you’d told her about me,” he said harshly. “It’s your fault she’s frightened.”

He removed a small jewelry box from his pocket. “I bought you a matching moon necklace. Put it on so Pixie knows you both belong to me.”

Her hate intensified but Mia did as he said, then Kevin allowed Pixie to come to her. She enveloped her precious little girl in her arms, vowing once again to save her from her father.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT

ROCKY BOTTOM

Ellie parked at a clearing by the river, her navigation system indicating she’d arrived at her destination. After leaving his car in a ditch, Kevin must have gotten a ride from someone – his father or the hired help. She scanned the dark area for another vehicle but didn’t see one.

Don’t go in alone, she and Derrick and Cord had agreed. But she just wanted to know if this was the right spot. If not, they’d search that warehouse next.

Pulling on hiking boots, she grabbed her rain jacket and a flashlight, secured her weapon and holster and headed into the woods. Tree frogs croaked around her as the wind hissed through the hemlocks and brush. She heard the sound of the river rippling to the east and headed in that direction, weeds clawing at her jean-clad legs.

Mosquitos circled her face and gnats swarmed in front of her as she wove through the trees. Storm clouds hung heavy, making the sky and woods seem even darker and more ominous.

She reached the edge of the river and looked in all directions for a riverboat. Directly north, she spotted lights. She ducked between the trees and followed the river until she spotted the boat nestled in a cove, a canopy of trees shrouding it.

She inched closer, watching for someone on the upper deck and finally saw two men emerging from below. Pulling her night binoculars from her jacket, she aimed them at the men, zeroing in on Kevin and his father. They were pacing and circling each other, and it looked like they were arguing.

She inched closer and heard Mr. Moon say, “I told you to get rid of that woman. Hell, I even tried to do it for you but you had to keep looking.”

“What do you mean, you tried to do it for me?” Kevin barked.

“Before the wedding – your wedding. That little bitch and her friend Patty got too damn nosy. They were going to the cops,” Mr. Moon yelled. “Someone had to stop them!”

“Jesse left because of you?” Kevin snarled.

“Because she knew too much. Saw too much. We had to put the fear of God into her or she would have ruined all of us.” Mr. Moon’s sinister laugh echoed in the wind. “Hell, once she saw her friend stuffed in that barrel, she knew what would happen to her if she talked.”

Ellie eased her way to the boat, crouching down in the bushes. Just as she reached the stern, an arm’s length away from where she was on the edge of the river, Kevin’s father stalked to the pilot seat and fired up the engine. The boat puttered, then the motor roared.

Ellie couldn’t let them get away.

She crawled onto the stern then crept around the port, peeking around the corner. The boat jerked into motion, blades chopping. She clawed for something to hang onto and grabbed a rope, holding it tightly to keep from being thrown overboard.

The wind brought Kevin’s voice to her again. “Dad, where are you going?”

“To get rid of our problems once and for all since you don’t have the guts to do it.”

Ellie snuck around the side so she could see what was happening. Then Kevin pulled a gun and pointed it at his father.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kevin’s father yelled.

“You can do whatever you want with Jesse, but the little girl is mine,” Kevin shouted. “I told you, I’ll take her out of the country.”

“You’ll take her nowhere,” his father said. “I don’t intend to have the law on my ass for the rest of my life, hunting for you, dragging my name through the mud accusing my son of being a kidnapper.”

“Jesse took my daughter from me. I won’t let you do the same.” Kevin lunged toward his father and Mr. Moon used a right hook to try and knock the gun from his son’s hand.

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