Page 65 of The Girl in the River

“You’re mine forever,” Kevin had said the first time he’d kissed her.

She’d smiled and thought it was romantic.

She had no idea what was coming next…

She dropped back down onto the bed with renewed determination. No matter what the legend said about the monsters, she would fight.

She’d done it once before to save her daughter. She’d do whatever it took now to survive and make sure Kevin Moon never got his hands on her.

EIGHTY-SIX

CROOKED CREEK

Calvin Plummett slid onto a stool at the Corner Café, sizing up the crowd. Not much different from Red River Rock and most small towns in these parts. Town decorated for Memorial Day, tourists flocking in, locals gathering for lunch and little old women huddled in gossip.

If he didn’t learn what he needed to know here, he’d hit the Beauty Barn next, the best place to get the scoop on the sins of those up to no good behind closed doors.

Like the Moons.

But family was family. Some secrets had to be kept no matter what.

He popped an antacid and swallowed hard against the bile in his throat. Every now and then, he let what he had to do get to him.

He was indebted to the Moons. And they owned him. End of story.

He couldn’t change the past. And he didn’t have the energy or the willpower to go against them. God forbid. He knew what would happen if he did…

A pretty young thang named Lola poured coffee into a mug for him and gave him a smile that made him feel like he was somebody. Then again, she treated everyone the same. Such a sweet Southern gal.

He hoped he didn’t have to hurt her to get what he wanted.

Dumping sugar into his coffee, he grinned right back at her, angling his head so his droopy eye didn’t stand out. Girls in high school had made fun of it and he’d dropped out.

But he wasn’t a total dumbass like Ronnie’s boys. He had some smarts.

“What can I get you?” Lola asked.

You, he wanted to say. But she was way out of his league. Besides, he was here for information and couldn’t draw attention to himself. “What’s good, darlin’?”

“The salads are great but …” She eyed him. “But you don’t look like a salad kind of guy. How about the roast beef sliders and some peach cobbler?”

“Perfect.” Man he wished he had a darlin’ like her around to cook for him. “You do all the cooking?”

“I make the breakfast and pastries and plan the menu,” she said. “Got a nice lady named Ms. Ellen who bakes the pies.”

She beamed and called out the order then went to another customer, leaving him to keep an ear out. The old women at the table in the corner were tittering about some kooky cat café next door.

The one they called Maude leaned onto the table, half-covering her mouth as if whatever she had to say was to be kept between them. “Y’all hear about that little child Pixie’s mama run off and left her?”

“I can’t believe it, Mia seemed like a sweet girl,” the one they called Betty said.

Maude whispered, “Just goes to show you – you don’t know anybody these days.”

“You sure enough don’t.” This from the woman he’d heard them call Edwina. The mayor’s wife.

“What do you think will happen to Pixie?” Betty asked.

Maude made a tssking sound. “I heard she’s in foster care. Probably with Emily Nettles. She takes in all the strays.”

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