Page 29 of Deception

With her jaw clamped tight, she allowed her gaze to follow the path he would have taken if the scenario was as the chief said. Something nagged at her ... What was it? “Have you moved anything?”

“No,” Nelson replied. “Is something missing?”

“I don’t think so. It’s just that...” She turned back to the small table, replaying their actions. She caught her breath and held it. That was it.

“What?” the chief asked.

Madison held up her finger and walked to the desk. “You’re sure nothing has been moved?”

“I’m sure.”

“Then my grandfather didn’t shoot himself.”

18

Bri pulled the Civic into the hospital parking lot. When she googled hospitals, Merit Hospital in Natchez had been the closest, and she figured the paramedics had brought the lady who picked her up in New Orleans to this hospital. She stared at the building. She hoped and prayed that Dani hadn’t died. Bri had only known her a few hours, but they’d, like, connected.

Why did someone shoot her ... and leave me alive?

The thought had chased itself around in her head for the last four hours. She wished she’d stayed and waited for the police. But she’d been afraid they would arrest her, and she wasnevergoing back to jail.

If Dani died, no one would ever believe Bri hadn’t shot her. If only she’d seen the shooter. As it was, she couldn’t even give the police a description.

Her heart pounded. When Bri didn’t show up at the rehab center, they would call the police and report her missing. But they didn’t know what kind of car she was in. And no one knew she had a different cell phone. Bri had trashed her Tracfone because she was afraid that after using it to call 911, the police could track her with it. She’d picked up a burner at a Love’s Travel Stop with some of the cash she’d borrowed from Dani’s purse. Money Bri would pay back once she had a job.

She needed to hit the road ... but where to? And what would she use for money? Bri didn’t want to use any more of Dani’s money. She stared at the iPhone and purse. At one time in her life, she wouldn’t have thought twice about taking what money was in the purse or selling the phone.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart ... don’t try to figure out things for yourself.That’s what one of the other girls who’d been captured said when she told Bri about Jesus.

Her name was Julie, and by the time she finished, Bri had been blubbering like a baby, but she’d asked Jesus into her heart. The peace that flooded her after that—she’d never felt anything like it before. Like everything would be okay. And it had been. Right after that, they’d been rescued from the men who held them prisoner.

Then the judge had released her to Wings of Hope, and now, eight months later, she’d been looking at a fresh start.Why did this have to happen?

Someone had told her that no matter what happened, God would make something good from it, but she didn’t see how even God could make anything good out of this.

A twinge stung her heart again, and she glanced at the hospital building. If Dani were unconscious, no one in the hospital would even know who she was. Maybe Bri could call and say ... what?That woman who was shot ... her name is Dani Parker.That’s what was on her driver’s license.

Didn’t hospitals have information desks when you walked in? She could take Dani’s purse and leave it. Her driver’s license had her photo on it. Bri’s heart sank. No one would be there at 11:00 p.m. unless it was security guards. And if they saw her with a purse like Dani’s ... with Bri’s body art and five earrings in each ear, they would automatically think she stole it. They would arrest her for sure.

A yawn stole up on her. She hadn’t slept much last night thinking about moving to Jackson, and she was so tired. Maybe shecould move the car to the edge of the parking lot and take a nap. It’d be easier to think after she got some sleep.

Bri eased the car through the lot and found a space away from the overhead lights and reached into the back seat for the coat Wings of Hope in New Orleans had given her. Just a short nap. That’s all she needed.

19

Madison turned to Pete Nelson and Clayton. “When I saw the gun on the floor, it bothered me, but until now, I didn’t know why.”

Both men waited expectantly.

“My grandfather is left-handed. He wouldn’t have used his right hand to shoot himself.”

“Are you sure?” the chief asked as Clayton walked to the desk.

“Yes.”

Clayton snapped his fingers. “He was using his left hand to drink coffee when I saw him at the coffee shop this morning.”

Madison turned to him. “You saw him where?”

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