Page 51 of The Girl in the River

Derrick bit back a sarcastic comment. If anyone was hiding something, it was this Podunk sheriff. “Then we’re in agreement that we’ll coordinate efforts,” Derrick said. “Our ME will work with yours and we share information.”

“Fine,” Kincaid replied. “But the body is to be transported to our morgue in Red River Rock. Your ME can assist with the autopsy. Take it or leave it.”

Derrick was not above requesting the governor’s involvement, especially since Kincaid’s reticence definitely raised his curiosity. But he’d put an end to this pissing contest. He’d keep his eyes on Kincaid and find out the real reason he wanted the body to stay in Red River Rock. But he trusted Dr. Whitefeather not to allow any details to slip past her.

The sooner they got the autopsy done, the sooner they’d know if the body was Mia’s.

SIXTY-FOUR

SOMEWHERE ON THE RIVER

The constant rocking of the riverboat kept lulling Mia into a deep, dark sleep. Except the sleep was anything but restful.

“There are no river monsters,” Mama had said.

But there were. They were lurking all around her, stalking her, the scent of her fear tempting them. They rose through the fog like scaly sea creatures emerging from a ghost ship, tearing through the crashing waves.

Mia curled into the blanket on the narrow cot, willing them to disappear. But she sank deeper into the endless abyss, the monsters pecking at her bare skin, their sharp fangs drawing blood. All her life, she’d run from the creatures that skulked in the riverbed where they gathered like beasts hungrily staking out their next meal to feed to the devil.

The river is a breathing entity that gives life and takes it, the legend says. It runs deep and wide and you should fear it.

She did fear it.

The scaly serpents slithered along the surface, hiding behind the cypresses and in the moss and weeds, waiting for the right moment to pounce.

And she knew they were coming for her.

SIXTY-FIVE

CROOKED CREEK

Before leaving Red River Rock, Ellie and Derrick arranged for Laney to stay at the Moonlit Inn in town, another place named after the Moons. Laney had already placed a call to the ME in Red River Rock, a doctor named Chatterman. They agreed to meet and perform the autopsy together at seven the next morning.

Ellie was still irritated at Kincaid, but at least Derrick had negotiated a joint autopsy.

The sun had come and gone a long time ago, fatigue wearing on Ellie as she parked at Mark Wade’s house. But her instincts urged her to not waste time. If Mia was alive, and not the body in that barrel, she needed his help.

Ellie braced herself as she and Derrick knocked on Mark’s door. He opened it in seconds as if he’d been waiting with bated breath for them to return. She wanted to offer him hope, but she couldn’t at the moment.

“May we come in, Mark?” she asked.

He nodded, a wariness replacing that sliver of hope.

“Coffee?” he asked as if to delay the inevitable.

“Sure,” Ellie and Derrick replied at the same time.

They followed him to the kitchen where he filled three mugs. “Cream and sugar are on the table.”

They seated themselves and Ellie stirred sweetener into the dark brew, stalling.

Derrick spoke first, “I’m afraid we have disturbing news.”

Mark made a strangled sound. “Oh, God… Is she…”

“Not that we know of,” Ellie jumped in, reading his mind. “But we do have some information.”

Derrick cleared his throat. “Mark, have you ever heard the name Jesse Habersham?”

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