Page 95 of The Girl in the River

Had Jesse or Patty discovered an illegal still? A drug running business? Was that what had gotten Patty killed and forced Jesse to go into hiding?

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN

MOONDOGGY’S

In an effort to learn if Thelma had talked to any of the other waitresses about Patty, Ellie and Derrick revisited Moondoggy’s.

The place was rocking with the holiday crowd, loud jukebox music filling the air, families chattering and patrons imbibing.

As she entered, she scanned the room for Ronnie or her sons but didn’t see them. Another waitress named Delilah popped over, her wavy blond hair the color of butter. She looked to be in her late twenties.

“What can I get y’all?”

Ellie ordered the pulled pork sandwich and Derrick the brisket, then Ellie introduced them. “Did you hear that Thelma Coonts was killed?” Ellie asked.

Delilah cut her eyes around the room, then fiddled with the moon-shaped pendant dangling on a gold chain around her neck. “I did. Poor Thelma, she was a hard worker.”

“Did she ever mention a woman named Patty Lasso?”

Unease splintered her expression and she shifted and tapped her order pad with her pencil. “Don’t know that name,” Delilah said. “I’ll put your orders in.”

“Did you see the moon-shaped necklace?” Ellie asked Derrick after the waitress headed off.

“Yeah,” Derrick replied. “You think they sell them in town?”

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s a sign that the Moons own her.”

Derrick stood. “Going to talk to the bartender again. See if he knows anything about an illegal still or meth lab around here.”

Ellie nodded and while he went to the bar, she phoned Detective Mathis, the cop who’d investigated the Penningtons’ deaths.

“I figured I’d be hearing from you again,” he said in a deep voice.

Ellie filled him in on Patty Lasso’s and Thelma Coonts’ murders. “When Jesse Habersham, AKA Mia Norman, disappeared from Red River Rock, I believe she tried to fake her death out of fear because she and Patty discovered illegal activities in town. My guess is either money laundering or they’re running drugs. But she needed help to fake her death.” She hesitated, a scenario playing out in her head. “I think it could have been her sister and her sister’s husband helping her. At least someone with access to the Body Farm where they use cadavers to teach crime scene investigation.”

“That would have been Mr. Pennington,” Detective Mathis said. “His step brother worked there.”

“Did you question Pennington’s coworkers about his death?”

“I did but got nowhere. If he took the cadaver, which would make sense, then he did it on his own.”

“And whoever killed the Penningtons thought the couple knew where Jesse was.” Her heart felt heavy. “They died trying to protect her.”

Derrick returned as she ended the call. “I showed the bartender the photo of that warehouse. Said he didn’t know what they were doing up there, but he and a buddy were hiking once and came on it. One of Ronnie’s boys ran them off with a shotgun.”

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT

SOMEWHERE ON THE RIVER

Mia screamed and beat on the door until her hands ached and her throat was raw. “Let me out, Kevin! Please don’t go after Pixie!”

She had no idea if he could hear her over the storm or if he was just ignoring her. Or maybe he’d left her alone on the boat.

She pictured Jo-Jo’s face, grief and anguish overcoming her. All this time she’d stayed away from her sister and her husband to keep them safe. She’d missed holidays and birthdays and hadn’t contacted them once, although she missed her sister every day. But she’d prayed eventually they’d be able to connect again.

And she’d trusted that if anything happened to her, Pixie would live with her aunt.

Pain, raw and deep, ripped through her. Then came the guilt. She never should have asked for their help. She’d put them in danger. They were dead because of her.

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