Page 56 of Dead Girl Running

Vivid scenarios filled Cecilia’s mind: the press discovering her at the grocery store, or worse, her return back here to the lobby clogged with police and reporters. “I’m not going out.”

Mrs. del Sarto pointed. “You have your cart.”

“I need to put this mail away. Then I…I have to go call Cityflix.” Cecilia backed toward the stairs. “I’ll be on hold for hours.”

“That’s true.” Mrs. del Sarto was patently displeased. “But you’ll have to come down sooner or later.”

Sooner. Before the police knocked on her door and demanded entrance. Upstairs, Cecilia repacked the suitcase and computer. She gathered cash and credit cards and put them in her wallet, then shoved the wallet into the back pocket of her jeans. She carefully stowed Kellen’s important documents—passport, driver’s license, diplomas and birth certificate—in Kellen’s travel wallet and hung it around her neck. In less than ten minutes she was out the door, on the street and headed toward the rail station.

New York was no longer safe for her.

Next stop: Philadelphia.

19

Kellen gasped, came awake, opened her eyes wide.

Philadelphia.

New York’s Grand Central Terminal south to Philly’s 30th Street Station. Mugged and lost everything except her cousin’s papers—driver’s license, diplomas, which she had strapped under her clothes.

No money. No credit cards. Afraid to speak to the police, to make claims on Kellen’s accounts. Months on the streets, cold, desolate, her best friend a sharp pair of scissors. Then…then there was the child, the sobbing little girl and the man who was hurting her…

Cecilia got so angry!

Kellen didn’t remember anything else. She dug the heels of her palms into her eyes. She did not remember anything else…until she woke in the hospital.

What had she forgotten? More than a year gone from her life. What had she done?

The phone on Annie’s desk rang. Kellen stared at it, then leaped to answer.

“Kellen. Kellen, dear, I’m so much better.” Annie’s voice sounded excessively chipper.

Kellen collapsed onto the desk chair. “Thank God. Leo said you were very ill. We kept you in our prayers.”

“Those prayers helped, because I’m fine now. How are things going at the resort? I trust everything is well!” Okay. Annie’s voice was definitely too chipper.

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Although Lloyd Magnuson hadn’t yet called. “Are you still in the hospital?”

“The people at the hospital aresonice to me. The family is visiting a lot and Leo is such a lovey-dovey. Aren’t you, Leo?” Annie made some kissing noises.

Suddenly Leo was on the line. “Sorry about that demonstration of affection. She is better, much better, so I left to grab a little to eat, her morphine has kicked in and how she managed to dial the phone in her condition…” He lowered his voice. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to be so—”

“Not to worry. I completely understand.”

“Whose, um…” Leo’s voice regained volume. “I’m out in the corridor. She can’t hear me. Last night you said you found a corpse at the resort?”

“Priscilla Carter.”

“She didn’t ditch us, she’s dead? Of natural causes?”

Kellen swiveled around and looked out at the night that had so swiftly fallen. “Murder.”

“Who…? Where…? How…?” Leo couldn’t proceed beyond shocked stammering.

“Lloyd Magnuson took the remains to the coroner in Virtue Falls, but I haven’t heard back from him and his phone is going to voice mail.” Kellen let her frustration be known. “It’s dark and it’s cold and everyone’s looking at each other and wondering who did it. We’ve lost guests and employees over the news. I had hoped getting the facts from Mike Sun might help ease the tension.” Although nothing would ease her tension. Nils Brooks had taken care of that. “Do you think if I called Mr. Sun…?”

“He can’t release the information to you. I’ll take care of it. He knows me from way back, and they found Priscilla on Di Luca property. I’ll let you know when he fills me in. I’m sorry, Kellen. You know Annie and I would never have left if we had imagined something like this would happen.”

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