“I called Boyd.For all his faults, he loved me.”
Wade cringed at the words he’d spoken last night, still horribly true.
“He agreed to come to Lost Lake and get rid of the body.I agreed to marry him and have the baby.”
“That is so fucked up,” Wade said.
She gave him a wobbly smile.“Yes.”
Wade couldn’t have imagined a worse origin story.He wanted to tell his mother that she was brave, and that Pickett had gotten what he deserved, but those reassuring statements wouldn’t form on his lips.He rose from the chair, his stomach roiling.“Human remains were found by the lake after the tornado.”
“I know.Mary told me.”
He went to the sink and stared out the kitchen window.“The circumstances were suspicious enough to warrant an investigation.I opened it myself.I recommended a wrongful death determination.”
“Are you going to arrest me for murder?”
“Of course not.”
“And he hasn’t been identified?”
“Not yet.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
He turned to look at her.“The problem is that someone else might connect the dots, and I can’t stop them.I’m not in charge of the investigation anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was taken off the case this morning.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Meredith trudged throughthe damp woods with Chico wedged under one arm.
The little dog wasn’t a fan of hikes, and he didn’t like getting his paws wet.Thankfully, he only weighed six pounds, so she didn’t mind carrying him.The nature preserve was lush and green, dripping with rain and bursting with plant life.An explosion of Texas bluebells lined the path on both sides.After a short distance, she arrived at the bank of a meandering river.A quaint footbridge led across the water, to a gravel parking lot.The lot was empty, which killed her idea of asking a friendly nature lover for assistance.At the edge of the open space stood a little brick building that Meredith hoped was an open bathroom.
The rain abated into soft mist as she approached the bridge.She was soaked to the skin and shivering.She wished she’d packed a better jacket.As she stepped onto the wooden planks, two vehicles approached the parking area.
Squad cars.
Meredith froze like a deer in headlights.After a moment of indecision, she retreated from the bridge and dove beneath a cluster of sage bushes.She had no idea if they’d spotted her, and she couldn’t see if they were coming.She crouched in the mud, holding Chico tight.Through the thick foliage, she caught sight of the brick building at the edge of the parking lot.As she cowered there, one of the officers stepped into view.It was the same man who’d woken her up less than an hour ago.He opened the door to look inside the bathroom.
The second officer joined him in the search.He was a stocky man in his fifties.Meredith couldn’t make out the details of his face or physique, but she had the sinking feeling that he was Wade’s father, Sheriff Hendricks.
Both officers glanced at the ground, as if looking for muddy footprints.Meredith was glad she hadn’t gone into that bathroom.Their body language didn’t convey urgency.She held her breath, praying they’d give up and go away.
No such luck.
The younger officer pointed across the bridge.Meredith crouched lower, trying not to panic.If they investigated this side of the river, they’d find her.She crawled away from the trail on her hands and knees, with Chico tucked under one arm.She ducked behind a tree and pressed her back to the damp bark.
She could hear their voices, but not individual words, as they came closer.Chico heard them, too.He let out a sharp yap that pierced the misty air.
Meredith clamped her hand over his little muzzle, too late.Her heart thundered in her chest and pounded in her ears.The voices went silent.Then there was only the sound of wet leaves and rustling branches.
She assumed she’d left footprints or some sign of disturbance on the trail.Maybe they’d follow that path instead of searching the copse of trees where she was hiding.She couldn’t count on it, so she looked around for a rock to throw.She held Chico’s mouth closed with one hand, and picked up a big stick with the other.Her plan was to toss the stick toward the water.The officers would hear the splash and think she’d gone that direction.
Meredith peered around the tree and saw no one.She drew back her arm and hurled the stick with all her strength.It didn’t land with a splash, but more of a muted thump.A muffled groan followed.
