Page 122 of The Graveyard Girls

Mrs. Parker wiped tears from her eyes then gave a reluctant nod. “Just don’t upset her any more. She’s been through enough.”

Kat nodded, gulping back more tears. “I promise. I just have to tell her I’m sorry and say goodbye.”

Mrs. Parker motioned to the nurse that it was okay, and Kat followed her through the doors to the ER exam room.

Mrs. Parker crossed her arms and faced Ida. “She’s saying goodbye?”

Ida nodded. “We’re leaving town as soon as we can pack up. I won’t subject Kat to the same life I had growing up.”

Carrie Ann’s mother murmured that she understood. Then she pulled Ida into a hug.

ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE

Kat hesitated at the doorway to the ER exam room, her heart aching as she saw Carrie Ann, bruised and pale lying in the bed looking shocked and scared.

Would Carrie Ann even want to see her? Did she hate her? Would she ever forgive her?

As if her friend knew she was there, she turned her head toward the door and their gazes met. Pain and fear darkened Carrie Ann’s eyes, then she slowly reached out a shaky hand.

Kat choked back a sob and rushed toward her. “Oh, God, Carrie Ann, I had no idea. I’m so… sorry.”

“I… kn… ow,” Carrie Ann whispered. “Come here.”

Kat fell into her best friend’s arms, and time faded as if they were five years old again, eating popsicles, wading in the creek and catching fireflies in mayonnaise jars in their backyards.

ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO

Pine Hill

While Ellie arranged the press conference for the next day to inform the public they’d caught the teenager strangler and the young girls in Brambletown and across North Georgia were safe, Derrick drove to Tilly’s. They’d decided to hold off releasing news to the public until the next day to give them time to locate Joe’s other victims and inform their families. Sheriff Wallace had volunteered to visit the Higgins’ family himself and relay the news, and Derrick and Ellie agreed.

Derrick didn’t want Tilly to hear about Ruth on the news either. She deserved more than that.

He knocked on the door, and she answered, immediately inhaling a deep breath as if she knew he had bad news.

She gestured for him to come in and he followed her to the kitchen. “You have news about Ruth, don’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“Just a feeling.” He saw an open bottle of scotch and she poured two fingers into high ball glasses and handed him one. Then she led him to the living room where a fire crackled in thefireplace, the glow of the embers adding a warmth to the room that couldn’t begin to erase the chill of his news.

She sank into the club chair by the fire and took a sip of her scotch. “You solved the case?”

“Yes,” he said. “Detective Reeves is going to hold a press conference tomorrow. But I wanted you to hear the truth from me.”

Pain wrenched her face. “Thank you, Agent Fox. I had a feeling you understood.”

“I do.” He sipped his own drink then sat beside her in the matching chair. “We found your sister’s body.”

A tiny moan escaped her. “Where? Did Earl Bramble do this?”

He shook his head then explained about Jones. Surprise flashed in her eyes, then resignation. “My God, Joe killed Ruth. Did Ida or Hetty know?”

“No, they were as shocked as you.”

“Why would Joe kill Ruth?” Tilly asked with a puzzled frown.

“Apparently, he was traumatized when he was young by his mother. He also had a crush on Ruth and he said she wouldn’t have anything to do with him.”