Page 106 of The Graveyard Girls

Ellie took a deep breath, pushed away the covers, grabbed her robe from the end of the bed and dragged it on. She tied the belt and padded to the living room, wondering who was at her door this time of the morning. Laney would have called with lab results and so would her boss, not shown up at her house.

Anxiety needling her, she checked through the peephole and saw Derrick standing on her front porch pacing back and forth.

She smoothed down her hair as best she could, then unlocked the door. “Derrick?”

His eyes darkened as he looked past her. “Is McClain here?”

The look on his face unnerved her. “Yes. What’s wrong?”

He released a loud sigh. “Just get him, okay?”

She narrowed her eyes but gave a nod. What in the world was going on? Before she could walk back to the bedroom, Cord appeared, dressed, his shoulders rigid, his expression so disturbing that Ellie’s stomach roiled.

Derrick cleared his throat. “McClain, I need you to come with me to the station.”

Ellie stared at him in shock. “What’s going on, Derrick?”

“It’s fine, Ellie,” Cord said gruffly.

“No, it’s not,” Ellie said. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Ask McClain,” Derrick said.

“Ask him what?” Ellie snapped.

The silence that stretched raised Ellie’s anxiety even more.

Derrick stepped inside. “Why his prints were on the shovel found in that grave last night.”

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEEN

Dammit, Cord knew his prints were on file from his juvie days.

And he’d known his day of reckoning was coming. But even though he’d been a kid himself fifteen years ago, he had no regrets about what he’d done.

Except for hurting Ellie. And that she’d be disappointed in him.

“Cord?” Ellie said in a pained whisper.

“It’s okay. I’ll go with him. Just keep working the case.”

“Tell me what’s going on,” Ellie said, her eyes filled with questions.

Before he could respond, Ellie’s phone dinged. She glanced at the number. “Dammit, it’s Captain Hale.”

“Answer it,” Cord said, needing to buy himself time. Ellie would beat herself up if she didn’t solve this crime.

She connected the call. “Yeah, I’m here.”

He and Fox waited silently, both on edge.

A second later, she hung up, her expression drawn. “Another girl is missing. Kat Jones’s best friend Carrie Ann Parker. We need to go.”

Derrick scowled at Cord. “I have to deal with this first.”

Anger flared in Ellie’s eyes. “Deal with what?”

“Go about the girl,” Cord said through clenched teeth.