Page 118 of The Graveyard Girls

“Mom,” Carried Ann cried. “Mom!”

Her mother hurried to her, pulled her into her arms and the two sobbed together as Mrs. Parker rocked her daughter and comforted her.

Ellie slipped out of the room and left them together with the medical staff to take care of them.

She had to tie up this case and make sure Joe Jones never saw the light of day again.

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN

Crooked Creek Police Station

When Ellie arrived at the police station. Derrick had booked Joe who’d clammed up, then Derrick put him into a holding cell.

“I’ll collect all the evidence we have against him and we’ll confront him together,” Derrick told Ellie.

“While you do that, I’ll interview Hetty.”

They agreed and she found Hetty in the second interrogation room.

Sweat drenched Hetty’s hair and clothes and she paced the room, wringing her hands together. When she saw Ellie, Hetty froze and her pale face turned a sickly yellow.

“Am I under arrest?” Hetty asked. “Because if I am, I want a lawyer.”

“You’re not under arrest,” Ellie said. “But please sit down, Hetty. We need to talk.”

Hetty sighed wearily, dark circles beneath her sunken eyes. Ellie imagined her as the young girl suffering from Earl Bramble’s abuse, and sympathy filled her. Hetty had lived in fear during her younger years, and if Ida’s story was true, they’dboth lived in fear the past fifteen years, keeping their secret and terrified of going to prison.

“Can I see Ida?” Hetty asked.

“Once I take your statement, we’ll see about that.”

Hetty’s lips pressed into a tight line. “What did she tell you?”

“I’m not at liberty to disclose that at the moment,” Ellie said, striving to handle the interview by the book. “We found Earl Bramble’s body,” Ellie said.

Hetty squeezed her eyes closed for a moment and began to tremble. When she finally looked at Ellie, her shoulders sagged in defeat. “And she told you what happened?”

“Her version,” Ellie said. “I need to know yours.”

Panic flashed on Hetty’s face, then resignation. “I guess the truth had to come out some time.”

“It usually does,” Ellie said softly. “Sometimes it’s a relief to unburden yourself.”

“I don’t want Ida to be in trouble,” Hetty said. “She was protecting me.”

“Protecting you from what? Or whom?” Ellie asked.

“Her daddy,” Hetty admitted. “Everyone thought he was doing me a favor by taking me in, b… but he wanted my father’s money, and he…”

“He what?” Ellie asked, treading gently.

“He used to hit me,” Hetty spit out. “That and make me work in the graveyard half the night and get up at dawn and help him again and if I complained he’d… beat me.”

“Why didn’t you tell someone?” Ellie asked.

Hetty heaved a labored breath. “Because he said if I did, he’ll start up on Ida.”

Anger for Ida and Hetty burned Ellie’s throat. “So you were protecting each other?”’