Page 73 of The Girl in the River

Kincaid crossed his arms. “What the hell did you tell her?”

“Nothing,” his deputy said. “Trust me, I know how things work around here.”

“Good. Don’t you forget it.” He stormed back to his office, where he found his contact and made the call.

“The ME identified the girl in the barrel as Patty Lasso. Reeves is a damn cyclone ready to tear up this town to get what she wants.”

“Just make sure she doesn’t find out the truth. We need time to tie things up.”

He rubbed his hand over his face, wiping away sweat. The situation was already out of control. If she kept pushing, she’d end up in a barrel just like Patty.

NINETY-SIX

MOON STILLERY

The minute Ellie and Derrick entered the bar, she knew it drew a local boisterous crowd. Country music rocked full blast, the décor offering a mountain vibe with river photos, deer heads on the wall, and bar tables made of whiskey barrels. Bear skin rugs covered the floor, and corner booths offered a more private gathering spot. To the left, she saw a curtained-off area which she suspected hid some sort of side business.

She and Derrick wove through the crowded room to the bar where they perched on stools and ordered beer.

“I can’t do moonshine,” Ellie said.

Derrick grinned. “I learned that lesson a long time ago. An uncle… don’t ask.”

Ellie smiled, forgetting for a second they were working a case.

The bartender, a wrestler type, leaned toward her, beefy arms on the counter.

“Name’s Al. What’ll you have, sweetheart?”

She tried not to take offense. Everyone called everyone honey and sweetie in the South.

“Vodka on the rocks. Kettle one if you have it.”

“Sure thang.” He cut his eyes to Derrick. “You?”

“IPA. Whatever you have on draft,” Derrick said.

Ellie scanned the crowd of beer guzzlers and good old boys downing moonshine and playing darts. She spotted the same two rough-looking guys she and Derrick had seen earlier, the ones they thought were keeping tabs on them.

“Wonder what’s behind curtain number one,” Derrick murmured, gesturing to a black curtain to the right. A busty blond in booty shorts and a crop top ducked inside, boobs bouncing.

“Strippers for hire,” Ellie said. “Interested?”

He took a sip of his IPA and gave her a teasing smile. “Jealous, Ellie?”

“Hardly.” She rolled her eyes.

Derrick laughed but pivoted on his stool as a noise sounded from the opposite end of the bar. She peered around a group of young men who looked as if they’d come straight from rafting and spotted the two burly guys again, this time arguing with a blockish-figured woman with curly short hair and leathery skin dragging them by the shirts to another room.

The bartender slid her vodka in front of her with a grin. “Double on the rocks.”

Ellie’s instincts roared to life. “Who are those guys and that woman?”

Al straightened and handed Derrick his IPA, then leaned over the counter and lowered his voice. “Ronnie and her boys Chester and Lloyd. She owns the stillery. Trust me, you don’t want to get on their bad side.”

Ellie feigned an innocent smile. “Thanks for the warning. By the way, did you know Jesse Habersham or Patty Lasso? They used to live around here.”

His flirty smile faded and his eyes pinged to the room where Ronnie and her sons had disappeared. “Just that Patty left town. I don’t know what happened to Jesse. Just heard talk, but…”

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