Page 107 of The Graveyard Girls


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“Captain said Deputy Eastwood answered the call and questioned the parents. Apparently, they didn’t realize she’d snuck out and didn’t come home until this morning. She’s issued an APB for her car and Sheriff Wallace has his deputies searching abandoned properties. Sheriff Waters is circulating her picture and information to all law enforcement agencies, and he’s already notified Angelica Gomez to air the story.” Pain and fear wrenched Ellie’s eyes. “Carrie Ann’s parents have requested a camera interview and plan to offer a reward for information that might help find her.”

“I followed up with the ME and lab this morning,” Derrick said. “Dr. Whitefeather must have worked through the night. She already IDed the body those kids found.”

Ellie’s breath caught. “Who was it?”

“Just as you speculated, Earl Bramble.”

Cord could barely look at Ellie because he knew Bramble was dead and had kept it from her. And his prints on that shovel were evidence against him, and soon she would know the truth.

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN

Ellie’s head spun. “Earl Bramble… dead?”

“Yes,” Derrick said. “The ME is a hundred percent. Said she double-checked DNA, medical and dental records.”

“But if he’s been dead for years, even if he killed Ruth, he’s not our unsub.”

“No,” Derrick said. “That’s the reason I need to talk to McClain.” He tilted his head toward Cord. “About those prints on the shovel, McClain. Care to explain how they got there?”

A muscle ticked in Cord’s jaw. “I can’t.”

“Why not?” Ellie rasped.

“It’s not what you think,” he said gruffly.

Derrick crossed his arms. “Then what is it?”

A tense beat followed but Cord simply shook his head.

“Cord,” Ellie said shrilly. “There has to be a logical explanation. Tell us what happened.”

“It’s not my story to tell,” he said.

Derrick pulled handcuffs from his pocket. “Maybe sitting in a cell for a while will loosen your tongue.”

Horror washed over Ellie as Derrick jerked Cord’s arms behind him and snapped the cuffs in place. Then he pushed Cord toward her front door. Cord gave her a forlorn look andmouthed, “I’m sorry,” then dropped his shoulders as Derrick escorted him to his car.

For a moment, Ellie was too stunned to move or speak.

She knew Cord had secrets. A checkered past that included abuse. She suspected he’d fought his foster father. But in self-defense.

The past few days working this case he’d been brooding. She’d sensed something was wrong.

If he’d known Earl Bramble was dead, why hadn’t he said something?

Hurt and anger bled through her. They’d suspected Bramble of all these murders and been searching for him, and Cord allowed her to believe that, let them chase their tails blindly. Let them waste time.

And now another girl was in danger and might die because of his silence.

ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN

Crooked Creek Police Station

Derrick pushed Cord into an interrogation room and slammed the door. Furious with the bastard for withholding information, he walked down the hall, grabbed a cup of coffee and took it to Ellie’s office where he worked when he was in town.

He needed to calm down. Treat this like any other case. As if McClain was any other suspect.

But it wasn’t any other case. Girls were dead and another one missing. McClain might have answers. Worse, he’d conned Ellie into believing he was a good guy.