Page 60

FIFTY-NINE

OPOSSUM TRAIL FARM

Cord knew better than to touch anything he found or tamper with possible evidence. He wasn’t a cop and had no warrant but this area where Modelle had hung the necklace and the small burial spot definitely looked suspicious.

He snapped a photo of the necklace dangling from the tree limb to show Ellie. He had no idea if it belonged to Modelle’s daughter or another child but it seemed out of place here.

What if Modelle had hurt another child in the past?

He inched closer to the small mound, made sure his gloves were intact, then checked around him and glanced back at the house to make sure Modelle hadn’t returned. He listened for a car but things were quiet so he used a rock he found nearby to dig up the mound.

His fingers connected with a small metal box which turned out to be a fishing tackle box. Curious as to the reason Modelle would hide this in the ground, he opened it.

His stomach heaved as he realized what was inside. Trinkets.

Hair ties, bows, a charm bracelet, a beaded necklace that spelled the word Friends… all things that belonged to a little girl or more than one child. Then a long cord with the letter L, the first letter of Modelle’s daughter’s name.

Had they belonged to his daughter? Or other children? Perhaps someone he was stalking?

Ellie needed to see these. But he couldn’t take the items with him, dammit.

He carefully laid each one out and snapped a photograph of the objects. Seconds ticked by, his stomach churning.

Suddenly an engine cut through the night, and he swung his gaze back toward the road. In the distance headlights flickered. He had to get out of here.

He closed the tackle box and placed it back into the hole then quickly began to cover it with the dirt and snow, carefully creating a mound so he could leave it just as he’d found it.