Page 23 of The Girl in the River

But he was here now.

He pulled into the drive and cut the engine, debating whether to go inside. She was most likely exhausted. So was he.

He should probably allow her to get some sleep, and he should do the same.

But the evening had taken its toll, and instead of listening to reason, his need to see Ellie drove him to climb out.

TWENTY-EIGHT

RED RIVER ROCK

“Mia Norman disappeared from her wedding today around five-thirty p.m. under suspicious circumstances,” Angelica Gomez stated on the late-night news. “This footage was taken earlier this evening at Magnolia Manor where Ms. Norman was supposed to marry local high-school teacher and coach Mark Wade.”

A dark-haired man held a little girl who was curled against his shoulder, crying. “Mia and I were supposed to be married tonight. She would never leave her daughter behind. Please, if you know where she is, help us bring her back to her little girl.”

Kevin Moon’s fingers tightened around the curve of his high ball glass so tightly he thought it might shatter between his fingers.

A picture of the missing woman flashed onto the screen, and he stared at the dark-haired Mia, his gut in a knot.

Swirling his scotch around in his tumbler, he glanced at the photo of Jesse, the love of his life. Jesse had been so beautiful, with her long blond hair and twinkling sky-blue eyes. Her heart-shaped face and porcelain skin were a picture of sweetness, hope and purity. She’d had ambition and a creative spark that he’d admired. Her lips tasted like honey, her body was a temptress. He closed his eyes, remembering the way her fingers glided over his body with feather light touches, arousing him as she teased him with her touches.

Then she’d gone missing. Suddenly. Their future – in shambles.

Hatred bubbled inside his soul. Mia Norman had destroyed it.

She’d taken Jesse from him.

He’d spent the last five years looking for Jesse. Loving her. Mourning her.

Trying to move on.

But the need for revenge ate at him.

TWENTY-NINE

Ellie ran her fingers through her damp hair, rolling her shoulders to alleviate the tension straining her muscles. As she’d showered, her mind had been plagued with images of Tori floating in the river.

At the sound of the doorbell, she glanced at her clock. Who would be here this late? Maybe one of the deputies or Bryce with some information?

She tightened the drawstring on her pajama shorts and hurried to the door. Always cautious, she checked the peephole and was surprised to see Derrick standing on her porch. His dark hair looked mussed, frown lines tugged at his forehead, and his jaw was clenched.

Obviously, his day hadn’t gone well.

A she opened the door, tension radiated from his rigid posture. “I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” she said softly.

“I didn’t expect to come,” he said gruffly.

She reached for his hand. “Come in, Derrick. I’ll pour us a drink.”

He gave her a look of gratitude, followed her inside and closed the door. “I heard Gomez’s report about the murder on the way back from Atlanta. Mia Norman is missing?”

“Yes, what started out to be a happy occasion turned into a nightmare.” Ellie poured herself a vodka on the rocks and Derrick two fingers of Maker’s Mark, handing it to him. She opened the French doors to let the fresh air inside, the sound of crickets chirping filling the silence as she led him to the couch. “There’s more. The maid of honor was murdered. We didn’t report that on the news yet in order to give Tori’s husband time to notify her mother.”

Derrick swirled the bourbon around in his glass as he seated himself. “Must have been a rough evening. Any suspects?”

“Not yet. The groom and Tori’s husband were together at the time of Tori’s death. So far nothing indicating their relationships were anything but happy.” She sighed and looked into her own drink as if it might hold answers. “We’ll hit the ground running tomorrow. I’m having security footage sent to the station and requesting search warrants for the women’s homes and computers.”

“Cause of death?” Derrick asked.

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