Page 37 of The Ice Sisters

“So no biological sibling that could explain the match between Barbara and the twins?”

“Doesn’t look that way,” Derrick replied.

Their conversation ceased as Ellie veered into the drive to Barbara’s house. She scanned the property but saw no cars or signs anyone was home. However, the garage door was open revealing a few boxes and tools, and snow had blown into the space.

The hair on the back of Ellie’s neck prickled. Why would Barbara leave the door open in this weather?

Ellie parked, checked her weapon, then tucked her flashlight inside her jacket and climbed out. Ice crunched beneath their boots and sleet pelted them as they approached the front door.

“I’ll search the outside of the property,” Derrick offered, then he cut to the right.

She stopped abruptly on the porch stoop. The front door creaked as the wind whipped at it. She paused to listen but heard no signs anyone was inside. Still, tension sizzled in the air and Ellie sensed something was wrong.

Keeping one hand over her weapon in case she needed to draw quickly, she called out, “Barbara. Barbara, are you here?”

The sound of the wind wheezing greeted her as she entered. She glanced in all directions and noted wet footprints on the floor heading inside. They looked large, like a man’s boot prints.

Anxiety knotted her shoulders as she walked toward the kitchen. The interior door to the garage was also open, the room freezing as if it had been open for some time. One of the kitchen chairs had been overturned, dishes swept onto the floor as if someone had raked them off the counter. A scarf lay on the floor, the coat hook ripped from the wall.

A disturbing scenario flashed behind Ellie’s eyes.

An intruder. Barbara making a run for it. Barbara leaving through the garage and driving away in panic.

FORTY-THREE

EMERALD FALLS

Thirty-two-year-oldLoretta Stuart gripped her daughter Ivy’s hand as they hurried to meet her husband Michael at Slice, the pizza restaurant on Main Street. She loved the crisp winter air, the smell of pine and woods outside and the twinkling lights adoring the storefronts. The heady scents of marinara sauce, pepperoni, sausage and onion swirled around her, making her stomach growl as she entered.

Couples, families and singles chatted and laughed, the excitement of Winterfest obvious.

In spite of the holiday atmosphere though, hushed whispers of horror about the two little girls found dead at Emerald Falls floated through the room. The fact that they were the same age as Ivy sent cold terror washing over her.

She’d seen some man watching Ivy earlier today and that had roused the fear that something might happen to her daughter, a fear that constantly simmered beneath the surface and threatened to destroy her peace of mind. Her husband said she was a worry wart. But she couldn’t help it. After three miscarriages years ago, she’d almost given up on having a child.

Then Ivy had turned her into a mother. The moment she’d seen the ultrasound she’d quit her corporate job and devotedall her time to resting and preparing for her miracle baby. And when the scan indicated a girl, she’d started sewing, a hobby she’d learned from her grandmother, making baby quilts and bows and little sweet dresses.

She’d actually channeled that love into a small business and now sold her creations on Etsy and a tiny shop in town. She also donated children’s quilts to a charity who provided blankets to kids in the children’s hospital.

“Today was fun,” Ivy chirped. “I told Santa what I wanted.”

“And what was that?”

“I can’t tell you, Mommy, or Santa might not bring it.”

Loretta appreciated the fact that Ivy still believed in Santa and magic, but she had to find a way to look at Ivy’s wish list.

Ivy looked up at her with a beaming smile. “Can we go ice skating tomorrow and maybe take a carriage ride?”

“Sure,” Loretta said clutching Ivy’s hand tighter. “Just as long as you stay close to me and Dad.”

Ivy’s freckles danced on her nose as she frowned, but she spotted her father waving from across the room where he sat in a booth in the corner and a smile replaced the frown.

“Daddy!” Ivy raced to him, her brown ponytail flying behind her.

Get a grip, Loretta. You’re just being paranoid.

Ivy threw herself into her father’s arms and he gave her a big smooch. Loretta’s heart clenched with a fuzzy feeling. Their struggle to have a baby made it even sweeter when Ivy finally came along.

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