Page 79 of The Sleeping Girls
Ruby needed her.
EIGHTY-SEVEN
RED HAWK RIDGE
Heath stared at the names of the prisoners Darnell had given him. He’d already researched one and learned he was dead.
The second; Sloan Mullins. A nonthreatening name. But he looked up the man’s record and learned his nickname was Stone Sloan because he’d literally beaten his ex to a bloody pulp with a river stone. Smashed in the head and left her for dead on the bank of the Chattahoochee.
Did he really hate Digger enough to set him up by murdering young girls?
Or was Digger offering an alternative theory to draw attention away from himself?
He twisted his mouth in thought and called the prison. It took a few minutes, but he was patched through to the warden.
“I need information on one of your prisoners, Sloan Mullins?”
The warden cleared his throat. “Leader of the Bloods. Mean as a snake and shows no remorse.”
“Is he still incarcerated?”
“Yeah,” he answered. “Had a parole hearing two weeks ago but no way he’s being released.”
“He’s still at Hayes?”
The sound of keys clicking echoed back, then the warden returned. “In solitary at the moment for stabbing another inmate.”
Heath shook his head as he hung up. It was possible another gang member had put out word to seek revenge against Digger. But that was too far-fetched for him to buy.
Digger had thrown out his name just to sidetrack him. Still, he’d insisted he didn’t kill Kelsey Tiller or take Ruby Pruitt.
All prisoners claim they’re innocent.
Irritated, he accessed the recording of Digger’s confession. If he hadn’t killed Kelsey or abducted Ruby, someone else had. They’d also attacked Caitlin O’Connor’s files.
Dammit, if the cases were connected, he’d find out how. Maybe that would lead to Ruby.
EIGHTY-EIGHT
CROOKED CREEK
Two hours later, after a quick shower at her house, Derrick drove Ellie into town. “You should have called me for back-up,” Derrick said sharply.
Ellie sighed, his loud voice intensifying her headache. “You were busy and Cord met me there. I wanted to get those copies before her attacker did.” Only she’d failed.
“All the more reason you call your partner,” he said gruffly.
Ellie winced and rubbed her temple. “That would have been wasting time.”
He cursed. “Look, Ellie, I know things are awkward between us right now because of personal shit, but if you’re going to shut me out of the case because of it, maybe you need a new partner.”
His angry words chiseled at her calm.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “That’s not what I’m doing.”
He swung his car into a parking spot at the Corner Café, then turned to her, his eyes glittering with mixed emotions. “Isn’t it?”
“No,” Ellie said, her voice raspy. “I just thought you were busy and I could handle it.”