Page 43 of The Girl in the River

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Ellie said.

“Thank you,” he murmured. “Anyway, Jesse wanted to start her own boutique and there was a small building that was empty so I offered to back her. By then I was in love with her and on board with her vision. I helped her set up the boutique, renovate the space, hire workers to manufacture her designs, and we launched Moonbeams.”

“And it was a success?” Ellie asked.

“We started a little slow, but I arranged publicity, created a website and a catalog for the store, then it really took off.”

Jesse must have been excited, Derrick thought. And probably felt indebted to him.

“She was so proud.” Kevin wiped his hands over his eyes as if emotions were overcoming him. “It was perfect. Then we got engaged and planned the wedding. We even talked about starting a family…”

Derrick nodded, although doubts trickled in. If everything was as picture perfect as he painted it to be, why had Jesse disappeared from her wedding and never contacted Kevin again?

FIFTY-FOUR

Ellie’s phone vibrated on her hip. A quick glance at the number and she saw Cord’s name. Knowing he was spearheading SAR’s search for Mia, she excused herself to answer it and stepped into the other room.

“Hey, Cord.”

His gruff voice echoed back, “SAR found a whiskey barrel in the river. I met Milo out here to check it out and we opened it.”

Ellie’s fingers tightened around the phone. “What is it, Cord?”

“A body,” he said. “It’s been burned beyond recognition.”

“Where was it found?” Ellie pinched the bridge of her nose. It could be Mia.

“A few miles downstream from Magnolia Manor,” he replied.

“I’ll call Dr. Whitefeather and an ERT. We’ll need to transport the remains and the barrel to forensics.”

“I’ll wait here and take a look around,” Cord offered.

“Send me the GPS coordinates and I’ll meet you.”

Ellie quickly filled him in on what they’d learned about Mia, Jesse Habersham and the Moons. “Keep this between us,” she said. “I don’t want details leaked until we investigate further.”

“Copy that.”

“And don’t move the body until I get there.”

“I know the drill, El.”

She thanked him and hung up, her stomach roiling as she called her boss to request assistance.

FIFTY-FIVE

Ellie scrutinized Kevin as she returned to his office and sensed he meant what he said. He seemed sincere. So did Mark.

So had Mia.

Someone had to be lying…

“You have had no contact with Mia Norman the last five years?” Ellie asked.

“I never even heard of her until Sheriff Kincaid called earlier,” Kevin said. “To be honest, I’m in total shock right now over what you’ve told me.” He took several deep breaths. “I’m trying to process the fact that my wife is still alive.”

“How would you account for her not contacting you?” Ellie asked.

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