Page 105 of The Ice Sisters

The medic gave a nod and he and his partner lifted Fox and carried him to the ambulance. Seconds later they roared off just as the SAR team arrived. Cord met Miles at the van and filled him in. “If Ellie’s out there, we have to find her before it’s too late.”

If it already wasn’t.

He squashed that thought. Ellie was tough and strong. She could not die.

Sheriff Waters went to confer with Sergeant Williams inside the house. Two other members of the SAR team jumped out, gearing up and pulling flashlights to search the woods.

Cord’s phone dinged. It was his boss, so he connected. “McClain, our chopper thinks he spotted the van the police have been looking for. I’m sending you the coordinates.”

“Copy that. I’m on my way.”

Cord hurried to the sheriff. ‘My team is searching the woods. Tire prints out back look like they come from a van. Dispatch called and they spotted that white cargo van. I’m going to check out the location.”

The sheriff’s jaw tightened. “I’m going with. Sergeant Williams has it covered here.”

Cord had worked with Bryce some. At one point, they’d butted heads because he’d practically stolen the sheriff’s position from Ellie.

But right now he’d work with the devil if it meant saving Ellie.

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT

FEATHERWOOD FARM

Ellie’s head throbbed so badly she could barely open her eyes. All she wanted to do was sleep and disappear into the peaceful silence.

But muffled cries seeped through that peace.

She tried to move and felt a hand rubbing her arm. “Wake up and help us.”

Reality struck her. She’d been working a case, searching for two missing little girls.

Adrenaline suddenly flooded her, and she jerked her eyes open. A groan escaped her and for a moment she had to close her eyes again. The headache was blinding but the hand kept rubbing her arm, then she felt it against her cheek. She breathed in and out, the child’s voice murmuring against her ear.

“We’re scared. Please wake up and help us.”

She pushed past the pain and opened her eyes. “Mazie,” she whispered.

“Yeah, Ivy’s here, too.”

Relieved they were alive, she tried to sit up. The room spun and for a moment, she thought she might hurl. But Ivy’s tear-filled face appeared in her vision, her lip trembling.

“I want my mama.”

The tiny voice and big frightened eyes brought Ellie out of her stupor, and she dragged herself up. Both girls were shivering, their eyes red rimmed from crying.

The image of Derrick lying face down in the dirt, barely breathing, taunted her. Thankfully she’d called an ERT before she found him. Was he alive?

“Lady,” one of the girls said. “Are you all right?”

“If you have a phone, I can call 9-1-1,” Ivy said. “Mama showed me.”

God help them. Shewasthe police.

She patted her body but her phone was missing. And so was her weapon.

“It’s okay, I’m the police,” Ellie murmured. “I don’t have my phone, but I’m going to get us out of here.” These girls werenotgoing to die on her watch.

They were looking at her in such horror that she raised her hand and felt her cheek. Sticky blood and mud clung to her face, and she felt the jagged line of a cut where she’d hit a rock. Hurriedly she tried to wipe the mud and blood away but her face stung and she might have made it worse. She reached for her shirt tail to wipe her face but looked down at the clothes. Muddy and torn.

---