Tonight, he seemed closed off though. Distant.
Although questions about the case still plagued her. Who was the girl in the grave? How long had she been there?
Hopefully the ME would answer that tomorrow.
“You said you knew that area,” she said, fishing for information. “Care to elaborate?”
Cord’s jaw tightened and he glanced out the window at the falling rain which was casting more shadows on an already glum night.
“No,” he said bluntly. “Everyone who grew up in this area knows about Brambletown, its close proximity to the coal fire and the story about Ruth Higgins’ disappearance.”
“True,” Ellie said. Having been close to Ruth’s age at the time of her disappearance, Ellie had heard about the case, too, and had been interested in what happened to the girl. Her parentshad also been freaked out and at the time kept her on a tight leash, warning her about going out alone and not speaking to strangers.
But she’d been so busy with her own teenage problems, fighting for her independence and annoyed at her adopted mother Vera’s overprotectiveness, that she’d stopped asking about Ruth.
Now she understood their reasons for being nervous, but not back then.
Little had she known that Vera had given her biological son up for adoption and that he’d turned into a psychopath who wanted revenge against Vera. Revenge by killing Ellie.
Pain at the memory gnawed at her, but she pushed her emotions aside. That time in her life was over. Now she had to focus on finding answers for another family and a young girl who’d been killed by an unknown predator.
The winter wind beat at the car, the rain turning to sleet and slowing her down as she maneuvered the curvy mountain road.
“I know you have things you don’t want to talk about,” she said softly as she drove through town. “But you can tell me anything, Cord.” She slid her hand over his and felt him tense.
“Cord?”
His jaw tightened. “I’m beat tonight, El. Just drop me at the station and I’ll clean up at my cabin when I get home and we can regroup tomorrow.”
Disappointment caught in her throat. “Cord?”
His breath heaved out and he squeezed her hand as she pulled up beside his truck.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come to my house?” Dammit, she hated the plea in her voice.
His gaze met hers for a moment, longing, worry and indecision in his eyes. Then he cupped her face between hishands, kissed her thoroughly and seemed to change his mind about coming over. “I’ll meet you there.”
Ellie’s heart hammered. She wouldn’t push him to talk tonight though. She just wanted his arms around her.
But one day she hoped he’d open up to her. That he’d trust her enough to confide his secrets.
THIRTEEN
Pine Hill
Tension knotted every cell in Tilly Higgins’ body as she crossed the railway tracks that took her onto the road leading to her childhood home. Whereas the land looked desolate and dry at the cemetery, in fall and spring foliage was abundant and colorful in the community where she’d grown up.
The kids at high school had joked about which side of the tracks you lived on. The difference was obvious; the middle class thrived, their houses double-storied Colonials and timeless ranches that were well kept, the properties boasting lush green grass and flowers in the spring. Of course, now in the heart of winter, leaves had fallen and the bare limbs swayed in the wind.
Night had descended and traffic was minimal as she veered up the two-lane road that led through a tree-lined street. Her family’s house still sat at the end on two acres with a private circular drive and gated property. Her father had once suggested selling it, but her mother insisted on keeping the house in case Ruth returned home. Her reasoning: How would Ruth reach them if they were gone and the house belonged to someoneelse? She’d even insisted on keeping the landline with the same number in case Ruth called.
Painful memories flooded Tilly as she parked in the drive. The house looked empty and quiet, even sadder than it had when she’d left. For a moment, she considered driving to a hotel, but she might find something inside to help unravel the mystery, so she parked.
She’d been young and traumatized by Ruth’s disappearance, her parents’ anguish and grief, the suspicions surrounding them, and then the horrible rift between her brother and her father. It had started long before her birthday dinner though. Hayden had argued with their father over everything. By fourteen, he’d started sneaking beer and hanging out with the wrong crowd. His grades had dropped and when their father suggested college to him, Hayden had shouted he wasn’t going.
Ruth seemed to enjoy watching Hayden get into trouble and egged him on. The night she disappeared he’d stormed out after the dinner and hadn’t come home till late. The next morning their father grilled him over where he’d been, but Hayden just shrugged and said he was with his friends. But he had that sneaky look in his eyes that Tilly noticed when he was lying. His story kept changing, too.
When she’d confronted him, he’d exploded, yelled at her to leave him alone and put his fist through the door.
