Page 114 of The Sleeping Girls

“You need to be examined,” Cord told Ellie.

Ellie shook her head. “I have a call to make first.”

She walked over to a quiet spot in the waiting room and phoned the Tillers. Tension knotted every cell in her body as they put her on speaker. “I wanted to let you know that we found the man who murdered your daughter.”

A heartbeat of silence passed, then Mrs. Tiller’s shaky cries echoed back.

“Who did it and where is he?” Mr. Tiller asked.

“He was Kelsey’s computer teacher, Arthur Jones,” Ellie said. “And he’s dead.”

“Why would he kill Kelsey?” the man asked.

Ellie sank onto one of the chairs, her lungs screaming for air as she told them.

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE

CROOKED CREEK POLICE STATION

Tuesday

Ellie slept like the dead that night, grateful Ruby and Bianca and June were safe now.

But first thing the next morning, she drove to the station to meet Angelica and her cameraman for a press conference. The sheriff had texted her that he’d talked to Caitlin and she identified her attacker as Jones.

Deputy Landrum met her when she entered. “Digger went to see Caitlin last night to thank her for all she did for him.”

“Good,” Ellie said. “I hope you and he can work things out.”

“I’ll help him all I can,” he said. “And thank you, Detective for helping to clear him.”

Ellie sighed. “I was just doing my job.” Under the circumstances she decided to let the fact that he’d withheld information from her go. In his place, she might have done the same thing.

Cord walked in looking tired and troubled. The night before he’d offered to drive her to her house, but she’d told him to go home to Lola. Derrick had left the hospital, quiet andalmost sullen. She’d texted him about the press conference and expected him to arrive any minute.

“Are you okay?” Cord asked.

She averted her eyes, afraid he’d seen the pain and guilt overwhelming her. “I’m fine. I need to give the press conference. Thanks for your help, Cord. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“Glad I was there.” He brushed his fingers over her cheek. “And that you’re okay.”

A shiver went through Ellie. She wanted him to hold her, for them to be together. But an image of Lola’s baby bump flashed behind her eyes and she took a step away from him.

Touching Cord right now would be too dangerous.

Derrick walked in, his face clean shaven, his eyes dark. She sensed he was putting some distance between them.

“Angelica is here,” he said stiffly.

Ellie nodded and Cord and Derrick followed her to the press room.

“You did it again, Ellie,” Angelica said in greeting.

Mixed emotions clogged Ellie’s throat. Yes, she was happy she found the girls alive. But they never should have been taken. And Kelsey was gone.

Angelica gave the cue for Tom to start filming. “This is Angelica Gomez, Channel Five News, with Detective Ellie Reeves with news on the latest developments in the current case.” She tilted the mic toward Ellie.

“Detective?”

---