Page 51 of Girl, Remembered

‘You could always… ask her yourself.’

‘What?’

Tracy’s eyes welled up. ‘You can contact her yourself. She’s been waiting for you.’

‘How?’

‘You already know. You just don’t know you know. Go back to the beginning.’

Dever jumped in, ‘Explain. What do you-,’

But Tracy’s abrupt outburst of tears cut him off. Tracy shielded herself with her forearm and blubbered, ‘I’m sorry, sis. I’ve said too much.’

Tracy’s composure broke all at once. The sobs came unbidden, and Tracy raised her voice. ‘I’m done. Get them out! Out!’

The guard was already moving. Ferry stepped between Ella and the glass, palm up. ‘That’s it. We’re done.’

Back to the beginning.

Ella backed off half a step. What the hell was that supposed to mean? She barely registered Ferry or the door or the noise building behind it. Her mind had already gone somewhere else.

What was the beginning? Ella ran back through the case in a linear order but the beginning could have meant anything. When she was born? When Doyle was born? Ella’s childhood house? The day she caught Creed? The day Doyle killed her first victim?

What?

No. It had to be related to when Doyle first became aware of Ella. A stalker always fixated on that initial meeting. It laid the foundation for everything that came afterward. To a deranged stalker, that first interaction was as essential as the day they were born.

When and where did Ella Dark and Lindsey Doyle first meet?

A courtroom. In Louisiana.

No, it wouldn’t be there, or have anything to do with that. Louisiana was a thousand miles away.

Then what?

Ella snapped her eyes shut to aid with the recall. Dever said something, but Ella held up a palm. Somewhere in the background, the two officers were doing what they could to calm Tracy down. It worked. Warden Ferry said something.

To which Tracy responded, ‘Thank you.’

Thank you.

Lindsey had said those exact words to Ella in that courtroom right after Creed had been given a death sentence. Unbeknownst to Ella, Lindsey had already procured everything she needed to put her plan into action.

Two things.

And suddenly, Ella’s nervous system electrified.

Of course.

Of course.

Static morphed into a clear picture. Ella grabbed Dever’s arm.

‘Terrance, we need to get outside. Right now.’

‘What for? What’s going on?’

Ella pulled out her cell. ‘Because I’ve had Lindsey Doyle’s phone number all along.’