Page 57 of The Sleeping Girls

“Yes, that’s what his family called him. Stepfather said he earned the name cause he was always trying to dig his way out of trouble.” He made a sarcastic sound. “Went too far when he killed his half sister.”

“How were you sure he was guilty?” Ellie asked.

“Damn kid confessed. When we got to the scene, Digger kept saying, ‘I killed her. I killed her.’”

“Was there a witness?”

“According to Gil Landrum, he heard a noise and went to see what it was. Found Digger hovering over the girl holding the pillow that was used to smother her.”

“Did Digger say why he killed her? Did they not get along?”

“Never said why. Just said he did it. There were fibers from the pillow under his nails and a strand of her hair on his T-shirt.”

“Did he have emotional problems? Prior arrests?”

“No arrests, but teachers at his school said he had a temper. Got into a couple of fights and was suspended twice in the six months prior to the murder.”

“I’d like to look at the video of your interview with him and the murder book you compiled detailing the investigation,” Ellie said.

“Why? You aren’t calling because you think he’s innocent,” he groused. “You like him for the disappearance of two teens in your area. Guess that O’Connor woman had it wrong. He got out and went right back to killing.”

SIXTY-ONE

Where the hell was Landrum? It wasn’t like him not to answer her calls. Which told Ellie that he was avoiding her. That he didn’t want to discuss the truth about the possible connection to his half brother.

Maybe he was even hiding Darnell from the law.

When she did talk to him, she planned to give him a piece of her mind.

The video of Darnell’s interview she’d requested from Traylor came through and she and Derrick watched it together.

Darnell Woodruff, AKA Digger, was a gangly sixteen-year-old with a slight case of acne, a bony frame and pale skin. She could easily guess that he’d been awkward socially, a loner and had been bullied himself at school which could have triggered the fights he’d been in.

Had he taken out his rage on his little sister? If so, why her?

Ellie watched intently, searching for impropriety on the police’s part. Traylor paced in front of Darnell, his six feet towering over the kid as he glowered down at him.

Darnell sat hunched over the table in the interrogation room with his head down, hands splayed in front of him, staring atthem with glazed eyes. His knuckles looked bruised, skin dry, his body jittery.

“Darnell, I need you to tell me exactly what happened at your house,” Detective Traylor said, his tone harsh.

Emotions choked Darnell’s voice. “I… did it,” he mumbled. “I… smothered Anna Marie.”

The detective claimed the seat across from Darnell, the chair legs clacking against the floor as he arranged his wide frame into it. “Why?” he asked.

Darnell’s thin shoulders lifted into a shrug as if his mind was someplace else. Was he reliving the crime?

“Darnell,” Traylor repeated. “Did you and your sister fight? Did she do something to anger you?”

His brows were pinched as he worked his mouth from side to side. Then he shook his head.

“You don’t remember if she made you mad or you don’t want to say?” Traylor asked, his voice booming.

Darnell shrugged. “Everything last night is fuzzy.”

Traylor made a clicking sound with his teeth. “Whatdoyou recall? Do you remember going into Anna Marie’s room?”

Darnell ran his trembling hands over his face. “No…”

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