Page 56 of The Ice Sisters

“Yeah, she’s about seven or eight. Name’s Mazie. A real quiet kid although I caught her sneaking bread to take back to their room in the back at night.”

“Did Rosalyn leave anything behind when she left?”

He shook his head. “No, but she didn’t have much to begin with. Just took her last check and walked away.”

“Walked? She didn’t have a car?”

“No, think she sold that before she came to work for me.” A tense second passed. “Why’d you say you were looking for her? Is she in trouble or something?”

“I just need to talk to her about a case I’m working on. If you hear from her, please call me.”

The man agreed, then Derrick hung up. He had a bad feeling. Even if Rosalyn had nothing to do with his case, it sounded like she was in trouble.

Hoping to find her, he called the homeless shelters in the Coal Mountain area, but Rosalyn and her daughter weren’t there either.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he looked back at the photos. Two kids were dead. So was a counselor the women knew. Barbara was missing.

And Rosalyn and her daughter might be in trouble. What the hell was going on?

SIXTY-FIVE

DAHLONEGA MERCEDES DEALERSHIP

Thomas Thacker buttoned his uniform shirt, glad to have his job and hoping he’d rise to the top and one day run the entire garage. But he’d had to suck it up and work for this rich know-it-all who, yes, had given him a job, but still treated him like he was a lowly monkey wrench poor boy.

Playing up to his daughter had been a no-brainer. Although he had to overlook her flat chest and flabby butt. But that was a price he was willing to pay.

Hell, it was worth it. Win Daddy’s girl over and marry her, and he’d soon be drowning in enough money to show everyone just who Thomas Thacker was. If Daddy got in the way, well, all kinds of accidents happened to people in repair shops.

A smile curved his lips. Just a little while longer and he’d gain access to her trust fund and he’d never be anybody’s peon again.

The morning news played as he poured his coffee and he cursed at all the hype about those dead little girls and the hunt for Barbara. Shit, if they found her and she talked, all his plans could blow up in his face.

A knock sounded at the door, and he froze then glanced out the front window of his dinky house.

Dammit to hell. The sheriff’s car sat in his drive.

What the fuck!

He’d answered all their questions. What did they want now?

Reminding himself he hadn’t gotten where he was by losing his cool, but byplayingit cool instead, he squared his shoulders and went to the door. He was nothing if not a chameleon.

After all, they were looking for Barbara. They weren’t onto him.

The knock sounded again, and he opened the door and pasted an innocent, friendly look on his face. “Sheriff, what can I help you with?”

He’d seen Waters on TV before; the sheriff was no nonsense but liked the press. He’d also done a little research on Detective Ellie Reeves and knew her daddy had been sheriff, but instead of her being a shoo-in when Randall Reeves retired, Waters had been elected instead.

Good for the man. They might have something in common. Women weren’t meant to run this world. Men were.

Waters did not return his smile. Instead, he removed an envelope from his pocket. “Mr. Thacker, I know you spoke with Detective Reeves and Special Agent Fox about your ex-wife and the case we’re investigating regarding the death of twin girls found at Emerald Falls.”

Thacker’s pulse accelerated but he maintained a neutral expression. “Yes, they were looking for my ex-wife Barbara. But like I told them, we’ve been divorced for years and haven’t stayed in touch.” Just for effect he added, “As a matter of fact, I’m engaged to another woman now.”

The sheriff arched a brow and Thomas suddenly realized he’d overcompensated by offering too much information. A rookie mistake. He knew how the cops operated. They asked questions that seemed innocent then went silent, leaving the person they were questioning to fill the silence and walk into a trap.

He needed to keep his mouth shut.

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