Page 21 of Widow Lake

Lorna Bea brushed past her with an “okay” and burst through the screened door.

Her father was talking in a low voice, “Yes, it’s the exact one he used—”

Lorna Bea was so excited she couldn’t help herself. “Daddy, can we go swimming today? Or rent a canoe like Cade and his father?”

He pivoted, covering the phone with his hand as his eyes pinned her with an angry look. “No, get back in the house. Now.”

“But, Daddy—”

His jaw tightened, that vein pulsing in his neck the way it did when he was angry. He ended the call then stalked toward her. “I said go,” he snarled. “And don’t even think about coming back outside today.”

TWENTY-SIX

CROOKED CREEK

Plagued by the sight of that empty car seat, Ellie tossed and turned all night. In her mind, she saw a small child somehow managing to escape, then being sucked down into the mud, the child’s little body lying among the unmarked graves thought to be at the bottom of the lake.

She jerked awake, heart hammering, and pushed her tangled hair from her face. Bright morning sunlight poured through the room, shimmering off the wood floor in orange and yellow lines.

The child couldn’t have been inside, she told herself. She’d just had a nightmare.

Rubbing at her bleary eyes, she sorted through her thoughts, searching for logical alternatives. Judging from the car seat, the child could have been anywhere from age one to four. Hopefully the child had not been in the car when it went over. The driver could have stolen the vehicle.

That was the best-case scenario. But a hazard of the job triggered the dark thoughts.

If the child had been taken, had there been a missing child report?

She needed a time frame to know where to start searching.

Mind spinning with questions, she checked her phone for messages but had none. Antsy, she shoved the sheets aside then checked the weather on her phone.

Another scorcher today. High nineties. Humid. No chance of rain. Wind non-existent.

Perspiration trickled down the side of her face. Even with her air conditioner, it had been too damn hot last night to sleep under her comforter. She threw her legs over the side of the bed, padded to the bathroom and turned on the shower water.

Stripping her pajamas, she climbed inside and scrubbed her body. Hopefully, today they’d learn the identity of the remains in the car.

At least you aren’t dealing with another serial killer.

Drawing some measure of relief from that, she dried off and dressed, then swept her sandy blond hair into a ponytail and headed to the kitchen for coffee. Minutes later, a steaming pot of dark pecan roast coffee scented the kitchen. The delicious aroma was like a shot of adrenaline and instantly buzzed her back to life.

A text dinged on her phone.

Derrick:Meet me at the station. Have information on the car.

TWENTY-SEVEN

On the way to the station, Ellie stopped by the Corner Café which offered the best breakfast in town. The place was humming with the morning crowd, and the gossipy old biddies led by Maude Hazelnut, AKA Meddlin’ Maude, who grated on Ellie’s last nerve with her judgmental attitude. Carol Sue, the owner of the Beauty Barn, was second in line for the title of gossip queen. No telling what they were blathering on about now.

Families filled booths, the diner décor creating a homey feel. Lola had built a thriving business with her friendly smile, her delicious pastries, homemade buttermilk biscuitsand Southern specials like chicken and waffles and blueberry pancakes. Lola’s country ham and red-eyed gravy could beat any chef who wanted to take her on.

Lola and Cord had been an item for a while, but lately Ellie hadn’t seen them together. At her friend’s wedding in May, she’d expected to see them together but Lola had come with Bryce instead. And Deputy Shondra Eastwood had come with her girlfriend Julie.

A fleeting memory teased her mind, a moment during the ceremony when she’d actually seen herself as a bride. Marriage was not in her plans so that was unsettling.

She and Derrick had developed a closeness over the last few cases and had crossed the line into a personal relationship. But the face in her dream was blurry. She had an odd feeling that it wasn’t Derrick. Though she didn’t know what that meant.

Coffee cups clanged and voices echoed around her, jarring her from her thoughts. Lola stood chatting with Sheriff Waters. Ellie slid onto a barstool beside Bryce. He stiffened as if she was invading his morning with her presence. They’d butted heads before but lately they’d been on more of an even keel, working together.

---