Page 78 of The Girl in the River

The memory of losing his sister on a camping trip haunted him. It was his fault she’d been kidnapped and murdered.

Rick had it all wrong and Lindsey had it right. He didn’t deserve to be around those children.

His phone buzzed and he pulled it from his belt. Cord McClain.

Instantly his pulse jumped, and he punched Connect. “Fox.”

“Ellie was attacked,” Cord said as if he was out of breath.

Fear bolted through Derrick and he stormed back inside to get his keys. He had to get to Ellie. Dammit, he never should have left her.

ONE HUNDRED FOUR

Cord’s first instinct had been to scoop Ellie up and drive her to the hospital himself. But his training kicked in and, knowing he could cause more damage by moving her, he’d called an ambulance.

“How serious?” Derrick asked over the phone.

Cord stroked Ellie’s hair. He didn’t think she had any broken bones, although it was possible. Also possible that she had internal injuries. “She was half-conscious when I got here and passed out now but breathing. Looks like she took a beating.”

Derrick cursed. “I’ll be there in five. Tell her to hang in there.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t leave her.” Emotions thickened his voice as he hung up, and he cradled Ellie’s hand in his, wanting her to know she wasn’t alone. Her skin was cold and clammy, her breathing shallow, her pallor gray.

“El, listen to me,” Cord said. “You are the strongest woman I’ve ever known. You fight, you hear me.” He choked as fear threatened to rip his guts out. He could not lose her. Not now. Not ever. “Please… You have to be okay.”I… need you. But he bit back the words. He couldn’t put that on Ellie. She was with Fox now.

Only where had the bastard been tonight? Not here when she needed him.

A siren wailed, lights twirling as the ambulance careened into the driveway. “Help is here, El. I’ll be right back.” Cord kissed her hand, then stood and jogged around the side of the house to meet the paramedics. Fox’s car skidded in beside the ambulance and he jumped out, looking panicked.

“She’s around back,” he told the medics and the fed.

Leading the way, Cord ran back to Ellie.

“What happened?” Fox asked as the medics knelt beside Ellie.

“I don’t know. Someone must have ambushed her.”

Cord heard her groan, which he read as a good sign. Maybe she was rousing back to consciousness.

One of the medics took her vitals while the other called into the hospital. “Female, pulse thready, appears to be severely beaten. Transporting to the hospital now.”

Fox’s breathing was choppy as he stood by and watched the medics secure Ellie’s neck before loading her onto the stretcher. Then the fed stepped over to her, brushing her hair from her face. “Hang in there, I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

Cord gritted his teeth as the fed patted her hand, then turned to him. “What were you doing here?”

“I just drove by to ask about the case,” he snapped. “I saw her car and the porch light was off, then realized she wasn’t in the car or the house so I decided to look around.” He crossed his arms. “Where were you?”

Fox rubbed a hand over his face. “At my place,” Derrick said. “I—”

“Should have protected her,” Cord said, unable to bottle his anger.

Ellie groaned and opened her eyes as the medics lifted her onto the stretcher. “Shut up, you two. You’re giving me a headache.”

Both Cord and Derrick went still. “I’m sorry, Ellie,” Derrick said. “He’s right. I should have been with you.”

“I said shut up,” Ellie growled. “Just look around, get a crime team out here and find some evidence to nail this bastard.”

ONE HUNDRED FIVE

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