Page 179 of Girl Between

Miriam: I don’t know. Sloane just showed up out of the blue babbling about witches and the bayou. Of course no one was going to pay the ransom then. So I called Monroe, told him I wanted to call the whole thing off.

DA: What was his response?

Miriam: He wasn’t happy. Said he wouldn’t return the girls unless I paid him. But I didn’t have any money. I was going to pay him with part of the ransom.

DA: What happened next?

Miriam: The storm.

DA: Hurricane Katrina?

Miriam: Yes.

DA: And Monroe?

Miriam: I never heard from him again. The police presumed the girls died in the storm, so I assumed he did too. But I never stopped looking for her, my Elizabeth. I just knew she was alive. I knew it. When can I see her?

DA: She doesn’t want to see you, Mrs. Barton.

Miriam: I understand she’d been through a lot, but if I could just explain it. She has to understand that I never meant for any of this to happen.

DA: But it did happen, Mrs. Barton. You hired a serial killer to abduct your daughter and three of her friends. Two of them are dead and Sloane Bridges has been hospitalized for psychiatric treatment since she fled New Orleans.

Miriam: I-I didn’t know this was going to happen. You have to believe me.

DA: I believe you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney. If you cannot afford one?—

Dana hit stop.She’d heard more than enough. Monroe had been right. This story didn’t have a happy ending. But at least it had ended.

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“I will not be answeringany further questions about Elizabeth Barton,” Creed announced. “At this time, I strongly suggest you respect her privacy.”

George stood on the wide stone steps outside his precinct side-by-side with Agent Creed, who answered relentless questions from the press like a seasoned professional, responses sharp and concise.

Redeemed as a detective, his city safe again—George couldn’t ask for more. He stood tall, pride for his community lifting his shoulders as the crowd outside the precinct buzzed with energy.

Reporters shouted over one another in their hungry pursuit of answers. The haunting transcripts of the task force interviews wouldn’t be shared until after the trial, but even then, George knew some questions would remain unanswered. But perhaps it was better that way.

New Orleans had always given quarter to the unexplainable. It’s what had drawn faithful believers to this city since its inception. And once again, it was a safe place for those looking to be lost or found.

George’s attention was momentarily drawn to a faint glimmer in the distance—a memory of darker days, when uncertainty loomed large and hope was but a faint flicker. The unwavering dedication ofhis team had steadied the storm, pulling George back when he’d been teetering on the edge.

Redemption, George thought, wasn’t just for the city; it was for them all.

As the last of the reporters dispersed, the precinct quieted, save for the occasional murmur as officers exchanged glances and whispers. The moment lingered; a quiet triumph shared among friends forged in fire.

Whatever came next, he understood one thing: New Orleans had been tested and emerged stronger than ever. George knew there was more work to be done, but for now, the weight of the city’s troubles felt a bit lighter.

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Jake lingered nearby,observing the press conference from afar. It would take some getting used to, working in the shadows, but he’d never liked the limelight. Besides, he was starting to see the advantages. Not only in his profession, but in his personal life as well.

Despite his fears, hell hadn’t frozen over when he chose Dana over his family.

Jake had been on his way to Nevada to intercept his long-lost half-brother, who apparently didn’t know how to take no for an answer, when he’d seen the news report from New Orleans. It hadn’t even been a decision to go to Dana. He would always put her first, but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel guilty about not being there when his mother met the product of her husband’s infidelity.

Jake had told Luca in no uncertain terms that he was not to contact his mother or Wade. But the stubborn man ignored his warnings. Unable to persuade Luca to postpone the unconventional family reunion, it happened while Jake was in New Orleans. And if his mother’s glowing face on the video call he’d just received was to be believed, it’d gone astonishingly well.