Page 186 of The Lost and Found Girl

“Great.”

“Can’t you just write a story that says I’m miraculous?” Ruby asked.

“Sorry,” Dahlia said, grabbing a French fry and dipping it into Ruby’s ranch. “Nothing is that simple.”

Marianne looked over at Ava. Sadly. She had a feeling that Dahlia was right.

40

COMMUNITY EVENTS—The community of Pear Blossom is invited to the memorial service for Caitlin Elizabeth Groves, who will be laid to rest March 5, 2023, over twenty-three years since her disappearance. Please come for a time of remembrance and healing.

RUBY

It was a cold day in early March when they were finally able to have a funeral for Caitlin Groves. Information about her death had taken a while to piece together, given the amount of time it had been since the murder had taken place. But between that and scattered rantings and confessions from Dale, it had been determined that Caitlin was pregnant at the time of her death.

Miraculously, they were able to collect enough DNA to confirm that the father of the baby was Dale.

It was believed that he had met Caitlin on Sentinel Bridge the evening of her disappearance, after she had been out in the Brewer orchard with her boyfriend. He was angry about her pregnancy, and that she had a boyfriend who could potentially discover it, and the fact he was abusing her and had been for more than a year.

He took her down to the creek and they fought. He lost his temper and pushed her down and drowned her there. The police believed that was where her necklace broke off and become lodged between the rocks.

He had debated letting her body float downriver to be found. But decided instead to try and erase the evidence. He buried her in the farthest corner of his property.

He was never a suspect.

His land was never searched.

The police were so certain that they had found their villain.

Along with Dahlia and Carter, Tom had gone to their parents’ house to apologize formally to them, to Marianne. He’d just come from Dana’s. Dana hadn’t accepted his remorse, and Ruby had silently cheered her on.

He could be sorry. He should be. But Dana didn’t have to accept.

It was all slightly more complicated for her family, though. Especially with Dahlia in a relationship with Carter.

It was because of Dahlia that Marianne hadn’t held on to anger at Tom, she was sure.

But when asked, she’d just smiled at Ruby and said,I want to let it go. That was why I forgot in the first place. And now...now that it’s out there. I’m not letting him win, Ruby. I’m not letting him have any part of me. I’m not just forgetting now. I’m healing.

That same night, she and Dahlia had gone back to the cottage and slept on the living room floor in sleeping bags.

I’m sorry I thought Nathan was a murderer. I was so sure I was right about...everything. And I bought into that story, the same as everyone.

We’re all wrong sometimes. Even you. I think what matters is that you try to find the truth. And if you are wrong...you admit it.

You make me sound almost saintly.

Well, no. Never that. But you’re not the villain here. Don’t borrow any guilt for yourself. Just use your gift, Dee. Tell the truth. To everyone.

So many people had failed. So many had looked away from signs and suspicions.

The hero had been a teenage girl.

If it hadn’t been for Marianne giving birth to Ruby, saving Ruby, he might have continued to abuse girls in town. It might have gone on. There could have been more victims.

But Marianne McKee had stopped it.

When the truth started to come out, Dale Wainwright committed suicide in a prison cell.