Page 26 of The Sleeping Girls

Dammit.He called Ellie’s number. “Hey, I found a shoe that may belong to Kelsey, and blood on a rock. We need an ERT to process that blood and see if it belonged to Kelsey.”

“I’ll send one right away.”

“Okay, I’ll climb down to the bottom of the ridge and keep looking for her.”

Cord’s chest tightened as he gauged the distance from the top of the ridge to the bottom. At least two hundred feet. If Kelsey had jumped or fallen, she couldn’t have survived.

TWENTY-SIX

KUDZU HOLLER

After Ellie left the Drummonds’ house, she drove to June Larson’s house. She’d done her homework and knew June’s parents had died and she was living with her grandmother Louise.

Ruby hadn’t mentioned the pictures or social media posts. But Mitch had been helpful. She wondered if June would be forthcoming.

Kudzu Holler was less than a mile from Whispering Pines and Backwater’s Edge, meaning the girls all lived within walking distance of one another. Only Ruby and June lived on the poorer side of the tracks.

Whatever slivers of sun that had shone today had been obliterated now by dark gray clouds. The wind was blowing, leaves falling, disintegrating already, a sign of winter coming, continuing the cycle of life and death. Flowers in the hanging baskets were wilting on the small front porch, loose petals swirling across the wood floor. The blue shutters, porch swing and “Welcome” wreath on the bright yellow front door made the place look cheery and homey.

Ellie knocked and was greeted by a plump woman, probably early sixties with curly gray hair. An orange cat darted past her feet and raced toward a tree.

“Detective Ellie Reeves,” Ellie said.

“Louise Larson,” the little woman said.

“Is your granddaughter June here?”

“Yes, but she’s pretty upset about her friend Kelsey who’s missing,” Louise said. “Have you found her?”

“I’m afraid not,” Ellie said. “But I would like to talk to June.”

“Of course, come in.” Unlike Ruby’s mother, Louise seemed openly friendly.

The older woman waved Ellie in, and Ellie spotted a thin girl with shoulder-length brown hair standing in the small living room. Sadness and fear darkened her brown eyes. She was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and Converse sneakers.

Louise led Ellie into the room, which was neat, clean and homey, and smelled of blueberries and bacon. She invited Ellie to sit, and June took her place beside her grandmother on a blue sofa, huddling close to her.

“June, you understand why I’m here, don’t you?”

The girl nodded, then chewed her thumbnail. “You didn’t find Kelsey yet?”

Ellie gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m afraid not. I was hoping you could help.”

Louise patted her granddaughter’s leg. “Go on and tell her whatever you know, hon.”

June clenched the homemade afghan on the couch in her arms like a security blanket. “I don’t know where she is. Ruby and I texted her all morning, but Kelsey hasn’t answered.”

“When was the last time you did have contact with her?”

“Last night.”

“I talked to Ruby and she mentioned that Kelsey had a boyfriend named Mitch Drummond.”

June gave another little nod.

“I spoke to him also,” Ellie said. “He told me about the pictures of you, Kelsey and Ruby someone posted on social media.”

The grandmother frowned. “What pictures?”

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