Page 76 of The Ice Sisters

A tense second stretched between them. “I’ll talk to the security guard,” Derrick said. “And have them help canvass the town in case someone got a better look at the van.”

“I’ll check the alley,” Ellie said.

They divided up and Ellie checked the booths and food trucks that were closing up as she crossed the street, showing photos of Mazie, Rosalyn, Barbara and the Woodstons. One of the elves recognized Mazie and said she’d seen her with Santa at onepoint. She was also spotted at the petting zoo. The ice cream truck vendor had also noticed Barbara.

Ellie moved on and as she neared the alley, saw people exiting the Italian restaurant. None of them were Rosalyn though.

Frustration knotting her stomach, she pulled her flashlight and entered the alley. The scent of garlic and marinara sauce wafted from the restaurant. As she took a few steps in, the rancid odor of dumpster garbage stung her nose.

She exhaled and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, then shined the light up and down the alley. A blanket on the ground three feet away caught her eye, and she moved closer before realizing it was covering a lump. Hilda mentioned she suspected Rosalyn was homeless and that she was sick.

Dear God. Had she been sleeping out here in the cold?

Holding her breath, she edged the blanket aside and saw Rosalyn lying beneath it on her side, eyes closed, body so still she didn’t know if the woman was breathing. She brushed her fingers across the woman’s cheek and realized Rosalyn was cold to the touch.

Derrick suddenly appeared behind her. “Ellie?”

“It’s Rosalyn. Call an ambulance. I can’t find a pulse.”

NINETY-TWO

COAL MOUNTAIN HOSPITAL

Ellie insisted on riding with Rosalyn to the hospital in case she regained consciousness while Derrick remained in Emerald Falls to canvass the remaining crowd and review security cam footage. Hopefully he’d find a clue as to the direction the van had gone.

Rosalyn was so pale and still that Ellie feared she wouldn’t make it. The medic started an IV with fluids then radioed into the hospital. “Patient appears to be dehydrated. BP ninety over fifty-two, breathing shallow. Oxygen low, Temperature 103. En route to the hospital. ETA ten minutes.”

Ellie glanced at her watch, every second that ticked by intensifying her worry for Mazie.

The ambulance bounced over a pothole, swerving around a stalled vehicle and skidding. But the driver managed to steer it back on track and made it to the hospital in just under the ten-minute mark.

Staff members rushed to them and quickly wheeled Rosalyn to the ER.

A nurse indicated for Ellie to stop. “I’m sorry but you need to wait out here.”

Ellie gritted her teeth and flashed her badge. “I believe her daughter was kidnapped,” she said. “We need to talk to her as soon as she regains consciousness.”

Alarm flashed in the nurse’s eyes. “Kidnapped?”

“Yes, we’ve issued an Amber Alert. Do not let anyone inside to visit this woman until I give you the all clear.”

“Yes, Detective. I’ll inform security.”

Ellie nodded, her heart in her throat as she went to the waiting room. She grabbed coffee from a vending machine, wrinkling her nose at the bitter taste. It had already been a long damn day, and it wasn’t over yet.

Exhausted, she sank onto the loveseat and closed her eyes, praying Rosalyn survived and that they found Mazie before it was too late.

NINETY-THREE

CROOKED CREEK POLICE STATION

Monday, November 30

Ellie rolled her aching shoulders as she entered the conference room the next morning. She’d finally managed to grab a few winks on the loveseat in the hospital waiting room, but the case and late nights were wearing on her.

When she had slept, she’d had nightmares of finding Mazie dead just as she had Taylor and Heidi. Delilah Short’s ghostly images taunted her as well. Was Claire dead? Had Barbara helped the twins’ killer take Mazie? And why?

Derrick, her boss, Deputies Landrum and Eastwood, the sheriff, Cord and Dr. Whitefeather filed in. The bag of pastries, donuts and biscuits from the Corner Café was missing from Cord’s hands, making her wonder if he hadn’t had time to stop by or if something else was going on.

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