Page 85 of The Girl in the River

Dear God, it was her fault Patty had died. And Tori.

She curled into the pillow and let the tears fall as memories of the day she came to Red River Rock floated back to her.

Her parents had been murdered. The boat accident was no accident at all.

Oh, Jo-Jo, where are you?

Surely by now the police were investigating her disappearance. Ellie would talk to Emily and Emily would give her the envelope about Pixie and her sister. Her daughter was in safe hands. Relief mushroomed inside her. Even if she wasn’t safe, at least her daughter was. That was all that mattered.

Hope even budded inside her for moment.

Jo-Jo would explain everything to Ellie and take care of Pixie while Ellie hunted for her. And she knew Ellie wouldn’t give up.

If only she’d listened to Jo-Jo in the first place and never gone to Red River Rock.

The boat bounced against the current, the sound of water crashing resurrecting her nightmares of the monsters lurking in the shadows.

Only there were real monsters here now.

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEEN

FOGGY MOUNTAIN

The warmth seeping through the window, coupled with the motion of the car, lulled Ellie into a deep sleep. When she woke up, Derrick had stopped at Moon Pies for coffee and pastries.

She stretched, already anticipating the gooey chocolate and marshmallow Moon Pies and the pecan roasted coffee.

In the café, while he ordered, Ellie ducked into the restroom, gripping her side as she splashed cold water on her face to clear her head of the mustiness of sleep.

Derrick was paying at the counter when she returned. “Did you know Patty Lasso?” he asked Opal Dean.

Ms. Opal tucked two Moon Pies into individual plastic sleeves and cut her eyes to the camera again. “She came in a few times. Liked my special caramel Moon Pies. Why you asking about her? Heard tell she moved away a few years back.”

“Her body was found in the river,” Derrick said. “According to her boyfriend she’d been acting skittish the last few days before she disappeared.”

“Well, I declare.” The woman pressed a wrinkled, trembling hand to her pudgy cheek. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Did she ever mention her family?” Ellie asked.

The woman busied herself filling a napkin dispenser. “No, Detective. I’m not a gossip barn here. I just sell Moon Pies.”

The bell over the door tinkled, a family of eight trickling in.

Ms. Opal waved them off to tend to her customers.

“I just sell Moon Pies, my ass,” Ellie said, the effects of her headache making her edgy as they stepped outside into the muggy heat.

“Just like everyone else in town. They’re scared to talk,” Derrick said. “Let’s see what Patty’s brother has to say. Maybe his little stint in the pen taught him to be fearless.”

Ellie winced as she lifted her hand to accept her coffee. “Maybe. Or… maybe he’s working for the people who killed his sister.”

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN

MOON STILLERY

The stillery was hopping with the lunch crowd, but Ellie felt a stillness in the air as she and Derrick entered. Several patrons at the bar turned to stare at them, then looked away and whispers rumbled.

Her body throbbed with every step and she had to grit her teeth to keep from moaning as she climbed onto a bar stool beside Derrick. The rustic décor suited the mountain location, the scents of burgers, fries and wings wafting through the room, blending with the smell of beer and whiskey.

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