Page 102 of The Graveyard Girls (Detective Ellie Reeves #11)

ONE HUNDRED ONE

Brambletown Police Station

After leaving Tilly, Ellie made a phone call and confirmed that Hayden Higgins had been working with a mentorship program for boys.

The director of the program sang Hayden’s praises, claimed he was one of their most effective leaders, and that he hadn’t traveled to any of the cities where the girls went missing.

She hung up, satisfied to dismiss him as a suspect, then drove straight to the sheriff’s office and asked to speak to Clint Wallace.

While she waited, she surveyed the bulletin board in the bullpen area and noted a few fliers for missing and wanted people.

A couple were outdated, the criminal caught, and two of the missing were old photos; one of an elderly woman and another of an infant who was believed to have been taken by his father in a domestic dispute.

When Clint finally appeared, his look was guarded. Ellie wondered if he’d intentionally stalled just to annoy her but decided not to ask. She had more urgent questions on her mind.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Tonight, Tilly Higgins and her brother were run off the road by another vehicle. I just came from the hospital.”

“You found Hayden Higgins?”

“Actually he came to see Tilly willingly. Apparently, he’s been running a kids’ program to mentor young boys and teenagers.”

“You sure we’re talking about the same guy, the one who was always in trouble?” Clint asked, his tone skeptical.

Ellie nodded. “I verified his job and home location and spoke to the head of the program. Tilly also vouched for him.”

“She’s his sister. Don’t you think she’d lie for him?”

“I think she came here looking for answers and since she and her family have been estranged for years, that if she thought he killed Ruth, she would turn him in.” She waited a beat. “How about you? Your father lie for you back then?”

Outrage slashed his face as he tightened his jaw. “Hell, no. He was a hard ass.”

Ellie still didn’t know if she believed that. “I think whoever ran Tilly and her brother off the road is probably the killer we’re looking for.” She debated how to approach him but decided not to mince words. “You didn’t know about their accident?”

His eyes turned steely. “No, must have missed that call.”

Ellie raised a brow in question. “Where were you tonight?”

He spewed a litany of colorful words. “Not that I have to answer to you, but I was investigating the vandalism at the memorial. Turned out like I thought, a bunch of teens.”

That answered that question.

“I called their folks and gave them a warning. But they’ll have to clean it up.”

“Sounds fair,” Ellie said. “I do have news about the case. We found the pick-up we believe our unsub drove in the abduction of Jacey Ward. ERT is processing it and some items we found inside. We also searched a farm nearby where we think the unsub may have been staying and found these.” She pulled her phone and showed him pictures of the scarves and red shoes.

“He takes the shoes as souvenirs which suggests he may have a shoe fetish.”

The sheriff’s face paled slightly.

“Sheriff, what is it?” Ellie asked.

“Where did you say you found those?”

“A farm not too far from here. Do you know of it?”

“My father talked about searching a farm when Ruth disappeared.” He released a shaky breath. “But he didn’t find anything.”

“The killer might have not been using it at the time.”

“But Earl Bramble could have been hiding out there for years right under my nose.”

Ellie gave a little nod. “We’ll know more when we get forensic results from the truck and the house.”

The sheriff cleared his throat. “Then we can find the bastard and lock him up for good.”