Page 72 of The Girl in the River

It was her fault Carrie was dead. She’d made mistakes and broken promises and sneaked around where she shouldn’t have been sneaking. And Carrie had paid the price.

The pain in her daughter’s young face had ripped at Thelma and she’d tried to change things, but it had been too late. By then Carrie’s days were numbered.

She ran her fingers over the gravestone and sang the lullaby she used to sing to Carrie when she was a baby. Right before she’d died, her daughter had asked her to sing it again and Thelma had barely managed to get the words out for the hot flow of tears choking her.

She swiped at her eyes now and let her anger take root. She was sick and damn tired of this town and everyone in it. Secrets had been kept too long, things had spiraled out of control.

She wanted to run from this like she figured poor Jesse had, but every time she thought about it, she remembered she couldn’t take Carrie with her and she couldn’t leave her either. Not here alone.

Damn the Moons.

She didn’t know everything. But she knew enough. Knew the Moons were everywhere watching everyone. That folks who’d fallen on hard times turned to the Moons and the family swept in like fairytale heroes, spreading fake magic dust and then turning into ferocious vultures.

The only reason she’d stayed here so long was that she owed them. Then she’d lost her beloved girl Carrie and she’d stayed to fight for her and the other helpless girls just like her.

Other than the strip club and the Moon Stillery, Moondoggy’s was the best place in town to keep her eyes and ears open. She didn’t have enough yet worth risking her life over, but one day she would.

Then she’d help blow up this evil-infested county and everyone in it.

NINETY-FIVE

RED RIVER ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT

“Sheriff,” Ellie said. “That was the medical examiner. They’ve identified the body in the barrel as Patty Lasso.”

Kincaid steeled his jaw from reacting. Detective Ellie Reeves was a shitload of trouble. The moment he’d met her, he’d known she wouldn’t stop digging until she found something. “What was cause of death?” he asked.

“Fire complicated things. Still waiting on the ME to determine that,” Detective Reeves said, her gaze intently studying him. “We found no record of her anywhere in the last five years. Most likely she was murdered the night she supposedly left town or shortly thereafter. So who wrote that note and left it for her landlord?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps she was leaving and was attacked on her way out of town?” He tugged at his uniform shirt, tucking it in.

“The timing is still too coincidental. Did you keep the note Patty left?”

He shook his head. “Didn’t see no reason to. I can ask the landlord if he did.”

“Let me,” she said. “Maybe he can tell me more about Patty. What’s his name and where are the apartments?”

Kincaid ground his teeth, then scribbled the information on a sticky note.

“Can you think of anyone who’d want to hurt Patty?” the detective asked.

He shook his head. “I didn’t know her very well, but she seemed friendly. Hung out with that raft guide that came to me worried about her when he couldn’t reach her one night. They could have had a fight and he killed her.”

“True,” the detective replied, although she didn’t sound convinced. “But I think there’s more to the story. Jesse could have witnessed Patty’s murder and run out of fear.”

He squared his shoulders. “If she had, she could have come to me and Kevin. We would have protected her.”

“Unless she was running from Kevin.”

His eyes narrowed to slits. “I wouldn’t go around making accusations like that, Detective.”

She gave him a cold stare. “I’m going to find the truth,” she said firmly. “Mia is still missing and her daughter needs her. If you learn anymore about Patty, you’ll let me know, won’t you?” She finished with a challenging smile, tension reverberating between them.

“Of course. She died in my town. I’ll be conducting my own investigation,” he stated. “The locals don’t always trust strangers. They’ll talk to me before they would you.”

Annoyance deepened in her eyes. She knew he was right. “Then we’ll be in touch.” She strode from his office with an air of determination. He waited until the door closed behind her and he walked to the window, watching as she got in the car with the fed and drove off. His deputy’s footsteps pounded the floor as he joined him.

“That one’s a spitfire,” his deputy muttered in admiration.

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