Page 83 of The Sleeping Girls
“Don’t beat around the bush,” Ellie said. “Just tell me.”
“Darnell Woodruff’s DNA was not found anywhere on the body or the pillow or her clothing.”
“He might have worn gloves,” Ellie said, keeping an open mind.
“Probably, but it’s still odd that there weren’t any foreign clothing fibers, not a hair, or any forensics that lead to him. There was, however, another partial print on the bedframe. I ran it through IAFIS but didn’t find a match.”
Ellie swallowed hard. If another person’s fingerprint was on that bed frame then someone else had been with Kelsey at some time and could have murdered her.
Which meant Darnell might be innocent and they were looking for the wrong man.
She phoned Cord and filled him in.
“It’s starting to look like someone else was there that night. Go back to the Landrum house where we found Kelsey and turn it inside out. If there’s evidence that can lead us to this person, I want it found.”
She clenched and unclenched her hands as she hung up.If you’re still alive, hang in there, Ruby. I won’t give up until I find you.
NINETY-TWO
SOMEWHERE ON THE AT
Tears rolled down Ruby’s cheeks as she stared into the darkness. Her head ached and she felt as if she’d swallowed cotton balls. The sound of water trickling made her shiver. A musty scent filled the space. The floor below her was slick and hard. And wet. Rats skittered across the concrete.
She struggled to move but her body felt heavy and achy. Where was she? How long had she been here?
Who was he? She hadn’t been able to see his face with that black mask on.
But when she’d woken up here, she’d felt him nearby. Heard his breathing. Smelled some funky odor on him.
A shudder tore through her. He’d shoved that pillow toward her. Hovered over her, breathing hard. She’d thought he was going to kill her. She’d begged and pleaded for herself and for her mother.
Who would take care of her if she was gone?
For some reason, he’d pulled back and stormed away, angry. Was he coming back?
She jerked her head to the right searching for a door. More water was running somewhere. She held her breath and listened for footsteps.
Had the police found Kelsey? Did they even knowshe’dbeen taken?
NINETY-THREE
RED CLAY MOUNTAIN HIGH
June clutched her aching stomach as her grandmother pulled up in front of the high school. The deputy guarding her had stayed in the driveway all night and now was right behind them in his police car. Could he be any more conspicuous?
“Grandma, do I really have to go to school?” June’s voice caught.
Her grandma gave her a sympathetic look. “I know it’s hard, June, but you have to stand up to the bullies. Giving in lets them win.”
Tears blurred her eyes. “But Kelsey and Ruby…”
Her grandma’s arms wrapped her in a big hug, and June burrowed into her. She wanted to stay there forever and hide from the world. She’d hated school when she’d first moved here, but Kelsey and Ruby had brought her into their circle, and she counted on them.
But Kelsey was… gone and Ruby might be, too.
And she was all alone and the kids at school had seen that picture of her in the locker room and she didn’t know if she could face them. Everyone would be pointing at her and laughing about the Virgin Pact and that stupid meme challenge.
Her grandmother pulled back, tilted June’s chin up with her finger and smiled. “I know you’re sad and upset, sweetheart, but you’re tougher than you think. Do you want me to walk you to the door?”