Page 89 of The Girl in the River

Shaving a few pounds off her would restore her beauty and a hair stylist could turn her back into the beautiful woman he loved, not the dirty country bumpkin he’d seen in the pictures of Mia Norman.

He exited the freeway, battled his way to the shopping mall parking lot and glanced around at the Mercedes, BMWs, and even saw a Rolls and a Bentley. This was his kind of place.

He pulled up to the valet section, got out and handed the man the keys to his Range Rover. “Do not park this near anyone else. And no taking it out for a joyride. I will be checking the mileage.” He pulled a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and waved it around. Long ago, he’d learned that you couldn’t trust everyone. People took advantage. “Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” the guy in uniform said, his voice jittery.

“Great. This is yours if I come back and my vehicle is just as perfect as it was when I handed it over.”

The young man took the keys with a nod, and Kevin straightened his suit tie and went inside the exclusive Lennox Square. Designer stores were everywhere. The marble floor gleamed beneath the lights. Women dressed in high fashion, decked out with jewels. Just the way he’d liked seeing Jesse.

He’d already researched the mall and made a list of shops to visit. He headed straight to Little Princesses to pick out some sparkly dresses. But a jewelry store caught his eye. He veered toward it, remembering the extravagant engagement ring and wedding band he’d bought Jesse.

Bitch.

Moving to the window, he glanced at the display in the glass encasement and practically jumped up and down with excitement at the necklace – the beautiful delicate gold chain held a tiny half-moon with a glittering diamond chip in the corner. It was the perfect gift to welcome his little girl into the Moon family.

He ducked into the store with a grin. They’d be like two peas in a pod, and she’d forget all about her deceitful mother.

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN

LIZARD CREEK

Ellie phoned Sheriff Waters on the way to the accident. “Bryce, can you look into a man named Chuck Lasso?” Ellie explained about Patty and her murder. “Chuck served time in the pen for drug trafficking, but he claimed the charges were bogus.”

“They all say that,” Bryce said. “Don’t you know? Everyone in prison is innocent.”

Ellie rolled her eyes as Derrick parked behind Cord’s truck at Lizard Creek. “I know, I know. Just talk to the prison warden, ask about his mail or visitors, if he had contact with anyone while he was there. We’re in Red River Rock now. If someone framed Chuck, maybe they did so to get him out of the way so they could kill Patty. Jesse could have seen something, even Patty’s murder, and that’s the reason she ran.”

“On it,” Bryce said. “I have a buddy in the DEA. Maybe he knows something.”

“Good idea.” Ellie winced as she reached for the door handle. “Thanks, Bryce. Keep me posted.”

“Same.”

She clipped her phone back onto her belt as she and Derrick walked to the edge of the road and looked down at the car which the rescue workers had recovered from the creek. “I need to see Thelma,” Ellie said as she took off to the trail that wound down to the ravine.

“Damn, Ellie. Can’t you wait till they bring her up?” Derrick snapped.

“No. Thelma was probably killed because she gave us Patty’s name. And I don’t trust Kincaid or anyone in this town.”

She skidded on the muddy terrain and Derrick took her arm. Together they followed the trail until they reached Cord and Kincaid and the rescue team.

The minute she saw the woman’s car, she spotted black paint on the bumper. Thelma’s car was gray, which suggested another car had hit her from behind.

Her gut instinct screamed that this was no accident. That Thelma had been murdered.

ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN

CROOKED CREEK

Mark studied the picture of himself, Mia and Pixie that they’d taken at the county fair last month. Pixie had squealed as they rode bumper cars and ate cotton candy, and he’d won her a giant panda bear. Then they’d visited the petting zoo and she’d laughed at the baby goats and begged for a puppy. He and Mia had decided to surprise her with one for Christmas.

That night, Mia had tucked her arm in his and whispered that she was thrilled for the three of them to become a family.

Had she been lying about that?

No… She’d seemed so happy and content. She couldn’t have faked it.

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