to the truth about what happened to Micah and Riley Jo. But stranger things have happened.”
“Come on,” Elliot said. “You need to go talk to Buck and Jesse before I take you to the ER.”
Abby waited with Hawk in a curtained cubicle at the emergency room of Foggy Ridge Medical Center, the gash on her head stitched and dressed. She took a big gulp of her third Gatorade.
“Guess you were right after all,” Hawk said.
“I knew the first time I saw Ella that she was Riley Jo. Something just wouldn’t let me give up finding her.”
Hawk cracked his knuckles. “Sorry I came down on you. I said some pretty mean things.”
Abby looked over at her brother and smiled. “You saved our lives. That’s all I care to remember.”
“Good. So what’s she like?”
“Much different than she was at two,” Abby said. “But she still has a sweet personality. She talks like she’s from the backwoods. That’ll change over time.”
“Was she abused?”
“I don’t know. But seeing Isaiah throw that child down in the hole like she was garbage was about the worst kind of abuse I’ve ever seen.” Abby blinked to erase the image that popped into her mind. “Any man that could do that is dead inside. I can’t imagine the deep wound that must’ve caused.”
“What a creep.” Hawk shook his head. “He’s not gonna get out of jail anytime soon.”
“He can deny killing Daddy all he wants,” Abby said, “but I know he wasn’t lying when he admitted what really happened. He just didn’t think we’d be alive to tell about it.”
The curtain opened, and Abby looked up.
“Mama!”
She slid off the examining table onto her feet and threw her arms around her mother.
“Oh, baby,” Kate said. “I thought I’d lost you, too.”
“We got her, Mama! We got Riley Jo.”
“You sure did. It doesn’t seem real yet. I’ve been so worried about you.” Kate motioned for Hawk.
In the next instant, it was hard to say who was hugging whom.
“Hawk, you were so brave,” Kate said. “It’s a miracle you found them in time.”
“I have no idea why I decided to drive around ahead of the dogs,” Hawk said.
I do. Thank You, Lord. Abby enjoyed the emotional reunion, feeling no need to comment further.
But even as she celebrated the victory, something remained unsettled within her. Nothing would ever be the same. Life had changed again. One set of unknowns had been replaced with a whole new set of unanswered questions. There was no guarantee that Riley Jo would be able to adjust to the huge change in front of her. Or that she would grow to love her family the way it was obvious she loved Otha. And everyone remembered the adorable two-year-old. Would the seven-year-old Riley Jo live up to everyone’s expectations?
Abby dismissed all the negative thoughts. She could not allow what she didn’t know to spoil everything else. God had answered her prayer, though not entirely the way she had hoped. But this was not the time to stop having faith.
Chapter 30
Virgil stood outside interview room three at the Raleigh Country Sheriff’s Department and watched through the two-way mirror as Deputies Julie Martinez and Roberta Freed finally got Otha Tutt to open up.
It had been evident shortly after Kevin Mann began the questioning that Otha seemed backward and shy and intimidated by the surroundings and the male presence. Virgil had decided then to call in both of his female deputies to question her.
Virgil studied Otha’s features. She had a simple beauty not every woman who wore no makeup could claim. Her soft brown eyes were her most attractive feature. If only she would smile.
“Otha, what could we do to make you more comfortable?” Julie said. “We need to ask you more questions.”
“I’m powerful thirsty,” Otha replied. “I’d be grateful if you’d fetch me some water.”
“Absolutely.”
“While you’re at it,” Roberta said, “I’d like a Coke.”
“You ladies keep talking. I’ll be right back.” Julie put on her glasses and got up and left the room.
Roberta leaned forward on her elbows. “I saw your little boys when their uncle Walter came to pick them up. They’re adorable.”
Otha stared at Roberta, as if she were examining her motives or maybe wasn’t used to talking to African-Americans. Finally she said, “They’s twins: Ronny and Donny.”
“How old are they?”
“Three. I had ’nother one. Called him Luke.” Otha’s face grew taut. “He died in the night when he was three months old. He’d been cryin’ a lot. I thought it was the colic, but he just stopped