Page 71 of The Girl in the River

But he’d vowed not to give up until he did.

Feeling more motivated than ever, he found Wade’s address and pinpointed it on a topographic map.

It took him a few minutes, but he located the man’s house, a little red brick craftsman with a small yard near the high school where he taught. Not shabby but definitely not the fabulous mountain home he’d built for him and Jesse.

An image of Wade talking to that reporter the night of his wedding mocked him. The man looked devastated and in shock.

“I know how you feel, buddy.”

A grin curved his mouth. Fitting that Mia Norman disappeared from her second wedding. That Mark Wade should know the pain and the bitterness of betrayal he’d suffered for the last five years. Holidays and birthdays and trips and… his honeymoon. All time he’d never get back. Instead of those memories, rage and the agony of wondering if Jesse was alive and safe or if she’d been mutilated by some crazed serial killer had dominated his thoughts.

His phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket. His PI, Calvin. Tension thrummed through him as he answered. “Kevin.”

Calvin’s breath rattled out. The old geezer needed to quit smoking and lay off the fried chicken.

“I found the child,” Calvin said.

“Were you discreet? I don’t want this coming back to me.”

“Hell, it was a piece of cake. Didn’t even have to ask around. Bunch of old biddies in that Podunk café live for gossip.”

Kevin’s pulse jumped. “Where is she?”

“Some broad named Emily Nettles takes in fosters. I got her address, drove by and saw the girl in the backyard.” Calvin wheezed again as if struggling for breath. “Sending you pics now. You want me to bring her to you?”

“Not yet,” Kevin said. “I have to play this just right. I’ll let you know when to make a move. What’s the little girl’s name?”

“Pixie Ann,” Calvin said. “She was born at Bluff County Hospital February 2, 2018. Seven pounds, six ounces, nineteen inches long.”

Kevin quickly calculated the timing. February 2, 2018 was almost exactly nine months after Jesse disappeared from their wedding.

Emotions slammed into him. His gut told him Pixie was his, that Jesse had stolen her from him. He had missed her birth, her first step, her first words, the first four years of her life.

“Mr. Moon?”

“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll get back to you.”

Calvin agreed and Kevin hung up. He grabbed his keys and headed down the steps to the receptionist. “Cancel my appointment this afternoon and reschedule. I have to go.”

“Sure, Mr. Moon.”

She batted her eyelashes at him as if she wanted more than just a job, but he didn’t have time for her. After all, he was still a married man.

When he found Jesse, he’d remind her of that.

For now though, he wanted to see the little girl himself. He had a feeling he’d know just by looking at her if she was his daughter.

NINETY-FOUR

FOGGY MOUNTAIN FOREVER GARDENS

Thelma Coonts, the waitress at Moondoggy’s, parked at Foggy Mountain Forever Gardens where silk flowers struggled in the wind and birds twittered above the tombstones, as if they were singing a soft melody to the dead. Tears burned her throat and she checked over her shoulder as she climbed from her Honda and wove through the rows of graves to her daughter’s.

For a moment she thought she could see her girl’s angelic face floating through the red misty fog, smiling at her. Only she hadn’t smiled that last year she was alive.

Clenching the fresh daisies in her hand, Thelma stooped down, removed the plastic ones she’d left last week and arranged the daisies in the vase attached to the base of the marker.

Carrie Coonts, loving daughter, in my heart forever.

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