to,” Ellie said, grateful her voice didn’t crack. “You wore a short dark wig, and colored contacts, but I saw that scar.”
Melissa lifted her arm, rubbing at the tiny mark on the inside of her wrist, and shook her head in denial.
Shondra pushed at the bed to sit up, but she was too weak, collapsing against the pillows. Her face was so bruised, her eyes swollen, and she had stitches in her lip. She swung her gaze back and forth between the two women. “What are you talking about, Ellie?”
Ellie quickly explained about Kennedy Sledge’s escape from the killer, and about the impostor. “This woman pretended to be Kennedy Sledge to learn details of his victims for the Weekday Killer. And she sounded so convincing, as if she really was a therapist.”
Shondra gasped, confusion clouding her face.
“I didn’t want to do it,” Melissa cried, finally relenting. “And I do have a background in therapy. He targeted me because of it, then forced me to help him. He was going to kill me…”
“Where have you been all this time?” Ellie asked.
“Locked up,” Melissa whimpered. “At first in a cage in an old chicken house, then he moved me because he knew you were looking for him.”
Shondra choked on a sob, and Melissa clenched her hand. “Please, Shondra, I love you. I didn’t want to help him, you have to believe that I didn’t. When I left to go tell my parents about us, he took me. He beat me and tortured me and locked me in one of those cages just like he did to you.” Pivoting, she unbuttoned her blouse and lowered the fabric. “See, I have scars. He whipped me and starved me and… I… I didn’t want to die.”
Melissa broke down into hysterical sobs, and Shondra pushed her hand away, clinging to the sheets in horror.
One Hundred Forty-Seven
Derrick rushed into the hospital, where he found Ellie standing beside Shondra’s bedside. The deputy looked in shock, bruised and battered, a young blonde sat slumped in the chair beside her, sobbing into her hands.
Ellie looked like hell herself. But at least she was alive, and the Weekday Killer was done.
Tears swam in Ellie’s eyes as she turned to him. “I know who the impostor therapist is,” she said quietly.
Derrick narrowed his eyes. “Who?”
The blonde looked up with a tormented expression, and Ellie cleared her throat. “Special Agent Fox, meet Melissa. She’s the woman who posed as Kennedy Sledge.”
Stunned, Derrick tried to assimilate what was going on.
“She claims Burton forced her,” Ellie explained.
This case just got more complicated. They’d have to take Melissa into custody, arrange for a psychologist to talk to her. Get to the truth. Either the woman was a great actress or she was telling the truth.
Heading over, he took Melissa’s arm. Shondra watched from the bed, shock, anger and confusion streaking her swollen face.
Ellie moved over to comfort her as he escorted Melissa from the room.
One Hundred Forty-Eight
Ellie called for a nurse, then soothed Shondra as best she could. It would take time to sort out Melissa’s story, to figure out whether she would be charged for the crime or treated as a victim. It would take even longer for Shondra to overcome the trauma of what she’d endured.
“You’re going to be okay,” Ellie murmured. “I’ll be here for you, Shondra.”
“I… loved her,” Shondra said softly. “I… thought we were a couple. We are––were––in love.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Ellie said. “Right now, you just need to rest.”
The nurse slipped in and gave Shondra a sedative to calm her, and Ellie sat beside her until she fell asleep. Wiping away tears, she returned to the waiting room. Her father was standing there, the grooves beside his eyes deep with worry.
“Honey, are you okay?” He rushed to her, starting to hug her, but Ellie stiffened. After everything, she couldn’t bear being touched right now.
“I will be,” Ellie said. She just needed time. “How’s Mom?”
“She’s refusing the surgery.”
“Why?”
“She seems to have lost the will to live.”
With a thud, Ellie realized she had to talk to her.
Derrick appeared, his jaw snapping tight as he took in the scene. He cleared his throat.
“Melissa is being admitted to the psych ward for evaluation. Deputy Landrum is going to stand guard.”
As Ellie thanked him, the sheriff strode in, his green eyes glittering with a myriad of emotions. He raked over Ellie with a grimace as he noted her injuries. Angelica Gomez and her cameraman were close behind.