Page 35 of The Whispering Girls

“Yes, of course.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

“I’ll do you one better.” Gladys turned and went to the kitchen, clearly expecting the detectives to follow. There was a large man cooking over the grill and toward the far end was a young man prepping food. “Devin,” she said.

The young man with dark hair wearing a white T-shirt and a green-and-white apron looked up and saw the detectives. He dropped his knife, turned, and ran out of the back of the restaurant.

“Devin!” said Gladys again in a surprised tone.

“I’ll go this way,” said Katie as she ran out of the front door.

McGaven had no other choice and followed the young man out the back.

Katie had backtracked and met McGaven almost at the same time behind the restaurant. Her partner ran after Devin, who disappeared into the woods.

Cisco barked from the Jeep.

Katie stopped. The trails seemed to parallel and most likely intercepted. She saw McGaven disappear into the trees, so she took another trail and hoped it wasn’t a bad decision.

Katie hit the path running and was immediately surrounded within a narrow hiking trail. She felt the brush scratch her arms and had to duck a few tree branches. She also heard McGaven calling out for the Devin to stop. His voice echoed strangely around her and she remembered the townwascalled Echo Forest and she had heard that strange voice and soft whispers among the trees since she had been there.

McGaven was close and Katie felt confident she could pass them and then cut them off. She ran faster. Arms pumping as her legs moved swifter. Embracing the moment of a good solid run as her heavy breaths took in the splendid aromas of the forest.

Katie slowed her pace as she saw another path intercepting, so she veered to the right. Between her deep breaths and heart pounding, she couldn’t make out if she still heard McGaven, Devin, or footsteps.

Approaching the main path that her partner and Devin had taken, Katie could finally hear footsteps and heavy breathing nearing her position. She stepped back and saw the white T-shirt approaching. Without another second to spare, Katie lunged out and tackled the young man.

“Let go,” he said, squirming.

“Hey,” said McGaven breathing hard. “You got him?”

Katie got hold of Devin and pulled him to his feet. “Stop. When we say stop…you stop! Understand?”

“Who are you?” gasped the young man not trying to pull away.

“We wanted to ask you some questions,” said McGaven slowing his breathing. “We’re Detectives Scott and McGaven.”

Katie glanced at her partner and then back to Devin. “Who are you running from?”

“I… I… thought…”

“Thought what?” said Katie trying to get a read on him. He seemed scared, shaking a little.

His wide eyes darted back and forth from Katie to McGaven. “I thought you were…”

“Who?”

“I don’t know.”

“Has someone contacted you? Threatened you?” she said.

Devin took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts. “I’ve had some things go missing. Not just misplacing stuff…but strange things have been disappearing.”

Katie’s mind sprinted through possible scenarios. She was becoming less convinced he was a suspect. “Like what?”

“Tools, rope, and towels, stuff like that.” He looked at the detectives. “Even looked like someone dug up some rocks around my cabin.”

“I see,” said Katie.