Hetty emitted a little cry of distress then nodded. “She was all I had.”
Ellie wanted to pull her into a hug. “I’m sorry that happened to you,” she said. “But there’s more,” Ellie said, needing to see Hetty’s reaction. “We have evidence that Ida’s husband, Joe, killed Ruth Higgins and the other victims we’ve found dead in Brambletown.”
Shock widened Hetty’s eyes. “What are you talking about? Joe a killer?” She dabbed sweat from her forehead with her fingers. “That can’t be so.”
“It is,” Ellie said. “Do you think Ida knew he murdered Ruth?”
Hetty shook her head no. “Oh, God, no. We both thought her daddy killed Ruth. And if Ida knew about Joe, she would have gotten Kat away from him.”
Ellie studied her for a moment. Hetty’s reaction seemed sincere. “Go on. About the reason you didn’t tell on Earl?”
“We thought he was a murderer and got what he deserved. That with him gone, we’d all be safe.”
With all Ellie knew about Earl Bramble, and the fact that he’d abused Hetty, their rationale made sense.
“But when other girls started showing up dead, you knew Earl couldn’t have done it,” Ellie said. “Why didn’t you come forward then?”
Guilt streaked Hetty’s eyes and her lower lip quivered. “We were afraid,” she said in a ragged whisper.
Ellie gave a nod of acceptance. Ida and Hetty were minors when Earl died and living in terror. She understood their fear. But it angered her that folks in town didn’t recognize the abuse or if they had, they’d turned a blind eye. Someone should have protected them.
“I’ll be right back.” She left the room and returned with a notepad and pen. “Hetty, I believe you, but I need you to write down everything that happened. The more details you offer the better, especially details of your abuse.”
“Are we going to jail?” Hetty asked.
Not if she could help it. “You were both minors. And you were abused and acted in self-defense,” she said gently. “I’ll explain that to the DA and do my best to convince him not to press charges.”
Hetty shifted nervously but picked up the pen and began to write.
ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT
Ellie knew Ida was fretting and Kat was worried sick about her friend, so she joined them to offer an update.
Ida still looked shell-shocked from the accusations against Joe and Kat was biting her nails down to the quick like her mother did.
They both looked up at her with expectant but nervous expressions, then Kat clung to Ida’s hand. Or was it the other way around?
Ellie decided to be direct. “We found Carrie Ann and she’s shaken but alive.”
Kat released a relieved cry and Ida nodded, emotions coloring her face.
“Where is she?” Kat asked.
“At the hospital with her mother. She’s bruised and traumatized, but the doctors are taking good care of her and she should recover. Although she probably will need some counseling.”
Kat’s face crumpled.
“And?” Ida choked out. “Was it… Joe?”
Ellie gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Ida, Kat. But yes, it was. We apprehended him at the scene where he haddumped Carrie Ann in a pond. He’s in custody now here at the station and being booked on multiple accounts of homicide.”
“This can’t be happening,” Ida said in an anguished voice. “How could I have lived under the same roof with him and not realized he was that sick and dangerous?”
“My daddy…” Kat sobbed. “I can’t believe he tried to kill my best friend.”
“I understand this is shocking,” Ellie said. “But we have irrefutable evidence against him and caught him red-handed with Carrie Ann.”
“Can I see him?” Ida asked.
