Page 39 of The Sleeping Girls

“Caitlin O’Connor,” she said on the third ring.

“It’s Deputy Landrum, Digger’s brother.”

“Yes,” she said a little tightly. Probably because he hadn’t exactly been cordial to her when she’d requested an interview for her podcast. He’d told her he thought she was wasting her time trying to clear Digger, that he wanted nothing to do with it.

“I saw you got Digger released,” he began.

“Yes, on parole with time served. But we’re requesting a new trial to exonerate him.”

“You really think he’s innocent, don’t you?”

A tense second passed. “I think there are holes in the story that are worthy of being investigated. That he was a kid and was railroaded.”

“He confessed,” Heath said.

“I’ve reviewed the transcripts and watched the interrogation,” she said. “Something was off. And what was his motive for killing his sister? There’s no mention from any of the people I’ve talked to that he harbored animosity toward Anna Marie.”

“He was a loose cannon,” Heath finally said. “He and my dad butted heads a lot.”

“But to attack someone in their sleep is different from being provoked or killing someone in the heat of the moment. And if the stepfather was the problem, why not go after him?”

“He suffered from night terrors. Maybe he thought she was someone else, that he was fighting someone. Or maybe he knew the best way to get to my dad was to hurt his pet child.”

“I suppose that’s possible,” she said. “But the police were quick to accept his confession without pursuing other leads. We have an investigator doing that and some questions are being raised.”

“What type of questions?” Heath asked.

“I can’t say at the moment,” she said. “But when the podcast is released and if the case is retried, it’ll all come out.”

Frustration knotted Heath’s neck muscles. “Do you know where he is?”

The woman hesitated. “Why are you asking?”

“Because he’s my brother,” Heath said, barely containing his irritation. That was the only reason he hadn’t shared his suspicions with Ellie earlier.

“That may be so, but you’ve made it clear that you’re still angry at him and don’t believe he’s innocent. At this point, the last thing he needs is to be provoked.”

Heath’s temper rose, but he forced himself to take slow deep breaths. Being a hothead himself wouldn’t earn her cooperation. “I assume with your job that you watch the news and that you’re aware a teenage girl named Kelsey Tiller went missing yesterday morning.”

“Yes, I heard. Did they find her?”

“Not yet.” He hesitated, knowing he shouldn’t share details with anyone. But she was close to Digger and if he confided in anyone, it would be her. “Police are not releasing this information to the public yet so keep this under wraps. Last night Kelsey’s parents received a photograph of their daughter posed as if she was sleeping. She’s lying on a bed with white sheets and holding a white teddy bear.”

Her long-winded sigh echoed back. “What are you saying, Deputy Landrum?”

“The girl… She’s posed exactly like my sister was found.”

Another heartbeat of silence. “Are you insinuating Digger is involved?”

“I don’t know,” Heath said. “But I don’t like coincidences.”

“When we hang up, I’ll contact him,” she said. “But Deputy, ask yourself this. Why are you so convinced that your half brother was guilty of your sister’s murder?”

The image of Digger being hauled away by police fifteen years ago flashed in his head. “Just find him and see if he has an alibi for when the girl was taken. Then let me know what he says.”

Not that he would believe him. Not until he talked to him himself.

FORTY-ONE

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