Page 63 of The Sleeping Girls

Pain radiated in Heath’s long-winded sigh. “At the time, I did. I was in shock myself and I saw him in Anna Marie’s room. Dad was already in there and pushed Digger away from the bed, then Dad shouted, ‘You killed her,’ and Digger just stared at him.”

“You didn’t actually witness him smother her?”

He shook his head. “No, I heard a commotion in the bedroom and then ran to the room. Then Dad yelled at me to call 9-1-1.”

Ellie wanted to study the taped confession again. “What happened next?”

“The police and paramedics showed up and… they said Anna Marie was dead. And then they arrested Digger.”

“Did you or your father visit Digger in prison?”

Heath shook his head. “Hell no. Dad went off the deep end after the trial. Said Digger was dead to us, that we had to cut him out of our lives.”

“Where’s your father now?”

Heath gritted his teeth. “Red Clay Mountain. He works with a construction crew there. A few months after Anna Marie died, he dropped me at his mother’s, and I haven’t seen or talked to him since.”

“Do you think Darnell would go to see him?”

“I have no idea. Dad was pretty hard on Darnell, even before that night. He always favored Anna Marie.”

“And then your father helped send him to prison. Darnell might hold a grudge.”

Heath hadn’t considered that. “I guess he might.” He had issues with his old man himself, but Digger had reason to hate him. “I’ll keep trying to contact him.”

Ellie shook her head. “You’re too close to this, Landrum. You can work behind the scenes to locate him, but you have to let me and Agent Fox handle the rest.”

“But—”

“I mean it, Deputy. We have to play this by the book. Your relationship with Darnell and your father could compromise the investigation.”

Heath silently cursed. He understood what she was saying. But he didn’t like it. He wanted to do something, help find Ruby. Question Digger himself.

Ask him why the hell he started killing all over again when he’d just gained his freedom.

The ME and medics appeared at the door with Kelsey. He’d seen body bags before, seen other victims. Watched a scene just like this when his sister had been carried from that very same house.

If Digger was responsible, he couldn’t just sit on his ass. No matter what Detective Reeves said, he would help them find his half brother. And if he was guilty, he’d haul him to jail himself, lock him up and throw away the damn key.

SIXTY-EIGHT

WHISPERING PINES

Ellie left Derrick to deal with the ERT and Cord searching the woods, knowing the notification to the Tillers couldn’t wait. They’d been on pins and needles with fear.

They deserved to know the truth, although knowing it would only trigger a new kind of pain.

Derrick offered to go with her, but she assured him they’d be better off with him looking for evidence to catch the bastard who’d murdered Kelsey than babysitting her.

She didn’t bother to call ahead but drove to the neighborhood, her gut twisting.

She pulled into the driveway, her heart in her throat as she walked up to the door. As soon as she finished here, she’d give another press conference.

Not the news she’d wanted to deliver to the family or the public. When Ruby’s mother saw it, she’d assume Ruby was dead, too. She made a mental note to ask Shondra to check on Billy Jean later.

The whispering pines dropped pine needles onto the damp ground as she parked and walked up to the house. She rang the doorbell, then took a deep breath as Mr. Tiller opened the door.

He took one look at her and it was as if he knew. His face hardened and he spun around and led her to the living room, where she saw his wife curled on the sofa, her face gaunt.

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