Page 84 of The Ice Sisters

A sob caught in her throat. The events of the past few days taunted her. She’d seen the news this morning. So many deaths. Taylor and Heidi, and Delilah. And where was Claire?

Barb… The one person who might know where the monster had taken Ivy was unconscious.

God help them. Someone had opened Pandora’s box and all their secrets were spilling out like a swarm of bees unleashed.

Tears blurred her vision. Michael was the most level-headed, steadfast, strongest, caring, person she’d ever known. He’d wanted a family as much as she had. When she’d suffered three miscarriages before carrying Ivy to term, he’d cried like a baby.

How would he take the news that she’d lied to him?

Would that be the last time he called her sweetheart? Would he hate her? Would it destroy her family?

If she and her friends had told the police the truth when they heard about the twins, could they have caught the killer and saved Mazie and Ivy?

The agent’s jaw tightened. “I know this has been a rough day. But we need to ask you some questions. Do you know who abducted Ivy?”

Loretta shook her head and Michael murmured, “No.”

“Do you have any personal enemies?”

“No, no one,” Michael insisted.

Loretta bit down on her lower lip.

“Loretta?” the detective asked.

“No, at least no one that I know of.”

“But you know Barbara, the woman dressed as Mrs. Santa Claus?” the detective asked.

Loretta twisted her hands together. “Yes.”

Michael’s hand tightened over hers. “You said she was your friend. Then what’s this about?”

“Her name is Barbara Thacker… I met her in that support group I attended a while back.”

“She’s the lady the police have been looking for in regards to those murdered girls?”

“Yes,” she murmured, her eyes filling with tears.

“What does she have to do with this?” Michael asked.

Her heart flooded with emotions and fear. But she had to tell the truth to protect Ivy.

And Michael deserved to hear it from her first-hand.

“Do you know who took Ivy?” Detective Reeves asked.

“No.” She gave the detective an imploring look. “Please let me talk to my husband for a minute alone. Then I’ll explain everything.”

The detective studied her with a grim look, then gave a nod. “All right, Loretta, we’ll get some coffee. You have five minutes, and that’s it. Every minute we waste lessens our chance of finding Ivy and Mazie.”

Loretta nodded, and the detective and agent left the room. She swallowed back her emotions, then turned to Michael who looked confused and terrified at the same time.

“Loretta?”

Loretta braced herself for his reaction as she choked on a sob. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. She didn’t deserve it, but she couldn’t help herself. She fell into him and leaned her head against his shoulder. Her body shook with fear and regret, but he held her and stroked her back gently, giving her time to settle her emotions.

“You’re scaring me, honey.” He pulled away slightly, cupped her face in his hands and forced her to look into his eyes. “What’s going on?”

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