to live and kept the sheriff and your real family from knowing about it.”
A tear spilled down Ella’s cheek. “Pa don’t want me. Why didn’t he let me live with my real ma? Why’d he lie?”
“I don’t know,” Abby said. “But I do know that your real family loves you and wants you. We’ve been trying to find you since you and Daddy went missing.”
Ella put her hands over her ears and started to cry.
Abby got up on her knees and pulled her sister into her arms, rocking gently from side to side, crying with her and thinking how sad it was that they were both going to die without their mother ever knowing the truth.
Chapter 23
Virgil glanced out his office window at the Raleigh County Courthouse and, through the maple branches, saw that dawn had turned the Friday morning sky a simmering shade of hot pink. Why hadn’t Abby Cummings contacted Kate? Was she playing games? Or was she in trouble?
There was a knock at his open door. Virgil looked up just as Kevin walked in.
“Still haven’t found the Rogers kid’s mother,” Kevin said. “We’ve got the Vegas PD checking out hotels for Mr. and Mrs. Richie Stump.”
“You need to go home and get some shut-eye,” Virgil said. “I appreciate that you were so willing to pull a double shift. I wanted my best man on this.”
“Just wish I had a clue where to go with it,” Kevin said. “Abby’s SIM card records didn’t raise any red flags. The last time she used her cell phone was yesterday morning, when she sent Jay a text. We compared her day-to-day calls and texts over the past month, and most of them were between her and Jay. Also a few with her family members. There were two calls, both under a minute long, from a prepaid cell, the last one day before yesterday. That could be significant—or simply the wrong number. There’s no way to know. I hate to say it, but it’s almost as if Abby and her friend vanished, same as her dad and sis. Raises serious questions about whether the same person or persons is at it again.”
“But why wait five years?”
“I dunno, Sheriff. Maybe this Ella’s the real deal and someone didn’t want Abby getting any closer.”
Virgil rubbed his chin. “But what are the odds? Abby’s got a pattern of doing this. And if someone had Riley Jo, why would they stay in the area? Seems far-fetched. ”
“I’m not convinced that’s what happened. But Abby and Jay are nowhere to be found. And since they seem to be responsible kids, I think we have to consider everything.”
A knock on the door caused Virgil to turn.
Billy Gene stood in the doorway. “Sir, we found Mrs. Cummings’s Odyssey. It was parked on Perkins, a block over from the Sycamore Apartments, where the Rogers kid and his mom live. It was parallel parked, nice and neat. Left unlocked. Nothin’ looks fishy. We’re gonna start collectin’ evidence. You wanna tell Mrs. Cummings, or should I?”
“I’ll do it,” Virgil said.
“Looks like I’m gonna have to wait on that shut-eye,” Kevin said. “I’ll head over to Perkins Street and make sure we don’t miss a beat.”
Virgil nodded his approval. “Thanks. I’ll call Kate and meet you over there in a few minutes. Keep looking for Jay’s truck, and try the apartment again. It’s possible those two kids have been in there all night and didn’t want to be discovered.”
Abby sat nestled between Ella and Jay, her arm around her sister. The only sound she heard was the rumbling hunger of their stomachs.
Lord, we need wisdom to get out of here. But if Jay and I don’t make it out, please get Riley Jo home to Mama. Don’t let me die for nothing. Don’t let Mama lose both of us. It’ll break her heart all over again.
“What are you thinking?” Jay whispered. “I can feel the wheels turning.”
“I’m praying,” Abby said. “We need wisdom on how to get out of here.”
“I wish Custos would come git us out,” Ella said. “He’s humongous. And strong.”
Abby’s gaze collided with Jay’s. “Who is he?” she said.
“My angel. I seen him once.”
“Oh.” Abby’s hope of being rescued rose and fell in an instant. “When?”
Ella looked up at Abby. “When I fell outta the weepin’ willer tree and landed in the pond. I swallered a big gulp o’ water and was coughin’ and coughin’ and couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t touch bottom neither.” A pretty smile lit up Ella’s face,