Page 46 of The Graveyard Girls

“Can I get you some sweet iced tea or something?” she asked as she led them to the kitchen. Dirty dishes were piled in the sink, yet homemade uncooked biscuits occupied a tray which looked ready to go into the oven.

“Tea would be nice,” Derrick said.

Deciding the kitchen wasn’t as clean as Ellie liked, she declined. Ida’s hand trembled as she poured the tea and handed it to Derrick. They seated themselves at the table and Ida joined them, fidgeting with her apron.

“I’m sure by now you’ve seen the news about the body we found in Brambletown,” Ellie said.

Ida nodded and stared at her flour-dusted hands. “You think her murder was related to Ruth Higgins’ disappearance?”

“We do,” Ellie said although she didn’t intend to share the details. Both Ida and Hetty had to be treated like persons of interest.

“Well, I didn’t know this girl Bonnie Sylvester.”

“But you knew Ruth. Both you and your cousin had run-ins with her.”

“Ruth was a snotty brat who thought she was better than everyone else,” Ida said flatly. “But like I told the sheriff back then, I didn’t kill her. And even if I had, I got my own family now. Why would I kill this other girl that I don’t even know?”

That was a good question. There were also multiple victims to be accounted for who also had no connection to Ida. “You have a point,” Ellie said. And statistically women serial killers were rare. “We understand though that your father was the primary suspect.”

Ida tensed. “Along with Ruth’s daddy and brother.”

The ice rattled in Derrick’s glass as he sipped the tea. “We’ll also be talking to them.”

“Talk to Tilly Higgins, too. She was jealous of her sister because Ruth left her out. I always thought she might have done it.”

Ellie arched a brow. “We’ve already spoken with her.” Even if she believed Ida or Hetty or Tilly hurt Ruth, why would they kill other young girls? It didn’t make sense.

“Let’s talk about your father,” Derrick said. “He disappeared just when the sheriff was about to make an arrest, didn’t he?”

Ida hissed between her teeth. “There was talk of that,” she said. “But gossip spreads like fire on dry brush. That’s how small towns work. Anytime something bad happens around here, people want to lay the blame on the Brambles.” She fidgeted again, her tone bitter. “But I tell you what. There were a lot of sorry men around town back then and there still are. Sometimes vagrants or people running from the law hide here in the mountains.”

Derrick spoke, “We’ll definitely talk to the former sheriff and see what he has to stay about that.”

Ellie leaned forward, studying Ida. “Ida, do you know where your father went when he left town?”

Her right eye twitched and she shook her head.

“Have you talked to him since or do you know where he is now?” Ellie asked quietly.

“No and no.” Ida stood and folded her arms. “If I did, I’d say. We weren’t exactly close and I sure as hell wouldn’t have mindedif he was locked up. Then police wouldn’t be rehashing all this again.”

She walked to the counter, took the biscuit pan and slid it in the oven. “Now, I’ve answered your questions. You need to leave.”

She gestured to the door and Ellie and Derrick both stood. “Thanks for your time,” Derrick said.

“If you do hear from him, please call me.” Ellie laid a card on the table. “I understand you have a daughter the same age as the other victims so I know you want her safe from whoever this killer is.”

Ida’s face turned ghostly white. A smidgen of guilt washed through Ellie for frightening the woman, but she dismissed it.

With a predator on the loose and lives at stake, she couldn’t play nice. Every second counted.

FIFTY-TWO

Green Gardens Cemetery

Hetty ducked into the woods and searched for Cord, not surprised to see the direction he was headed.

How many times had she checked on the situation herself? As much as she tried to banish the painful memories, they tortured her.