Page 4 of The Girl in the River

Ellie spotted Lola Parks, the owner of the Corner Café, and Ranger Cord McClain as she crossed the lawn of the resort. Cord worked Search and Rescue and was a third of the task force Derrick had established under the governor’s orders to tackle local crime. Dressed in a navy sports coat, button-collared shirt and gray slacks, he looked ruggedly handsome. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. A man of the land, he also looked as stiff and uncomfortable in dress clothes as she was in her heels.

Hushed voices whispered around her as the guests gathered. Rays of sunshine glinted off the plush lawn and shimmered off the rocky cliff where the ceremony would take place. Magnolia Manor was in Summerville, a tiny town near Blue Ridge on the Appalachian Trail which drew tourists with its scenic views and waterfalls.

Cord’s dark gaze raked over Ellie, his eyes glinting with emotions she couldn’t quite read. Ellie had barely seen him in the last six weeks and then only in passing. Her gaze met Lola’s. Lola was usually friendly, but as Ellie waved to her, her lips pressed into a thin line.

A second later, Lola slipped her hand through Cord’s arm and tugged him toward the seating area. Soft music echoed in the background as the attendees found their seats.

Shondra Eastwood, one of the deputies at Crooked Creek Police Department and Ellie’s friend, walked toward her with a pretty blond on her arm. Shondra’s long glossy black hair was wrapped in a gold turban today that glittered in the sunlight and accented her burnt-orange dress.

“Hey, Ellie,” Shondra said. “This is Julie.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ellie said and meant it. Shondra had had a traumatic childhood and had overcome many obstacles to find happiness.

A singer strummed a love song on a guitar as Mark’s parents walked down the aisle to the front row. Mia’s fiancé Mark and his best man, Tori’s husband Liam James, crossed the lawn to their places. Excitement lit Mark’s eyes, although the small twitch of his hands as he clasped them indicated nerves.

All eyes turned toward the back in anticipation. Tension mounted as they waited, the guitar thrumming, a gust of wind rattling the leaves on the trees. A gray cloud moved across the sky, dimming the sun.

Seconds ticked by. Then minutes. People started to shift and strain to see if there was a problem. The guitarist began the song over again.

Mark’s best man leaned over and said something to him. Mark exhaled.

Ellie turned to scan the lawn. Where was Mia?

FOUR

ATLANTA

Derrick hated to leave Ellie today. He’d never seen her in a dress and that sexy off-the-shoulder blue concoction had hugged her curves in all the right places. Dear God, she was a siren.

He not only wanted her, but damn if he hadn’t started relying on her. Needing her.

That scared the hell out of him.

Flags honoring the soldiers waved in the breeze as he passed through Crooked Creek and turned onto the main highway.

He’d seen too many soldiers fall to their deaths during his stint in the service.

But the worst to swallow were the innocents. Collateral damage casualties, the government called them.

Even the soldiers who’d survived were casualties.

He flipped on the radio to distract himself and passed the high school where a banner congratulated the graduating class. Celebrations for that would be joyful.

Except he couldn’t stop thinking about the kids who’d died on the mission he and Rick had been ordered to take. The innocent kids that would never receive a diploma. Never grow up and have families of their own.

And now Rick was gone… His children would not have him in the stands when they graduated.

Ellie had been his rock in the last few weeks since he’d lost his friend. Had been patient and let him talk when he wanted but she hadn’t pushed, which he’d needed.

“It’s not your fault,” Ellie had said.

But no matter how many times she told him that, guilt ate at him like a cancer.

FIVE

MAGNOLIA MANOR

The wedding coordinator Georgia Saben approached Ellie and whispered, “I can’t find the bride, her daughter or the bridesmaid. I think something’s wrong.”

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