The River Girls

by Melinda Woodhall

  They were family now, and it was up to her to make sure Devon was taken care of while they searched for Hope. If his sister wasn’t found safely, Reggie wasn’t sure how Devon would cope.

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Nessa said, adding, “I can have one of our officers escort you and stand guard if that would make you feel better.”

  Reggie jumped when a strong voice spoke up behind her, and she turned to see Leo Steele.

  “No need for a guard. I’ll go with them and make sure they get settled in. If Eden’s okay with it, I can even stay overnight to make sure they’re safe.”

  Reggie watched as Leo searched Eden’s eyes for her answer and was surprised by the intimacy she detected between them. She had assumed Eden would hate Preston Lancaster’s lawyer. She felt a spark of indignation.

  He’s not nearly good enough for her. If rumors are true, he’s already dated and dumped half the women in town.

  “Thanks, Leo, I’d appreciate that,” Eden said, her voice trembling on the words. “I don’t know how I’ll make it through the night not knowing where Hope is and what might be happening to her.”

  Reggie moved to embrace Eden, but Leo beat her to it. His big arms enveloped Eden, pulling her against his broad chest and making her tall form seem small and delicate against him.

  Nessa watched with an expression of disbelief as the defense attorney comforted Eden, and Reggie realized the detective was just as stunned as she was.

  Was the whole town going crazy?

  As Eden left the room to pack an overnight bag, Reggie turned to Leo. “It may not be my place to say this, but I can’t help myself. I love that woman like a sister, and she is vulnerable at the best of times. But now? In the middle of this nightmare? She’s not ready to make any important decisions. And she certainly doesn’t need anyone taking advantage of her.”

  Leo’s face darkened at her words. “I’m offering her support and comfort. That’s all. I’d never hurt her or take advantage of her. She needs all the friends she can get right now, so that’s what I’m trying to be. Just a friend.”

  Reggie narrowed her eyes and tilted her head as she returned his gaze. “Make sure you keep it that way, Mr. Steele. That woman has already been through enough heartache and has experienced enough pain for two lifetimes. She doesn’t need the likes of you rolling in and causing more.”

  Nessa stood to the side, averting her eyes. When Leo turned away, the detective offered Reggie a quick thumbs up, before stepping onto the back deck. Reggie watched as Nessa spoke with a tall, hunky man in suit pants and a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He had tousled blondish hair and a shadow of a beard.

  One of WBPD’s finest? she wondered, straining to catch what he was discussing with Nessa.

  She could hear Nessa’s voice grow more heated. “Look, Jankowski. I talked to Sage Parker and she doesn’t know anything else. Sure, she’s flustered, but that’s to be expected. The girl she was supposed to protect got abducted on her watch. She feels terrible. But what good will it do to detain her at this point?’

  “I don’t like the idea of her going off with the family. Something feels wrong,” the man said, running a big hand through his hair.

  “Wow, you sure have a lot of feelings all of a sudden,” Nessa said, the fatigue clear in her voice.

  “First you have a feeling that Natalie Lorenzo’s murder isn’t connected to the River Girls case, and now you have a feeling that Sage Parker is hiding something? With all these sudden feelings I might start to think you’re turning soft on me, Jankowski.”

  “Yeah, real funny, Nessa.” Jankowski shook his head in frustration. “But don’t blame me if you fail to follow up on something that just might have saved Hope Lancaster’s life.”

  Before Reggie could hear more, Leo pushed past her with an overnight bag in each hand. Eden followed him through the kitchen, guiding Devon and Sage toward the back door. Duke scurried through as well, his golden tail disappearing into the dark night beyond the deck.

  Reggie watched as Leo helped Sage, Devon and Duke get settled in the backseat of his BMW, while Eden strapped herself into the front passenger seat. Opening the umbrella against the persistent rain, she motioned for Eden to roll down the window.

  “I’ll follow right behind you, dear,” she said, glancing over at Leo with a stern expression. “You don’t drive too fast, Mr. Steele. And don’t stop for anyone.”

  Leo looked over at her, the lights from the dashboard reflected in his dark eyes. He reached over and opened his glove compartment and took out a sleek, gray gun.

  “If anyone tries to stop us,” he said in a hard voice, “they’ll have to get past this first.”

  Eden shrank against the seat, her terrified eyes glued to the gun, as Leo pushed the button to roll up the window. He kept his eyes on Reggie for a long beat before the car began to roll away from the curb.

  Heart pounding, Reggie hurried to the Mini Cooper, jumped in, and smashed her foot on the accelerator.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  The rain had slowed to a soft drizzle by the time they’d all settled into Reggie’s comfortable farmhouse. They had decided that Eden and Devon would share the guest bedroom while Sage would sleep on the pull-out sofa in Reggie’s study. Leo said he preferred to sleep on the big sectional in the front room. That way he’d hear any unusual sounds and would be ready to confront any intruders that might try to enter.

  Reggie was waiting to get Leo alone to tell him that she didn’t want his gun in her house. She hated guns and refused to own one. Her alarm system would have to suffice as protection tonight. Then tomorrow they’d have to talk to the police about getting an official guard assigned to watch over Eden. Having a hot-headed lawyer waving a gun at every creak and groan of the old house just wasn’t safe for any of them.

  “I’m going to take Duke for a walk,” Sage announced as she entered the kitchen where Reggie was making a pot of coffee. Reggie had figured Eden would want to stay awake as late as possible in case there was any news on Hope. Coffee would help.

  “Okay, but you’d better take an umbrella,” Reggie advised, pointing to a rack by the door. “There’s a spare one there.”

  Leo entered just as the door closed behind Sage and Duke. “Where’s she going?”

  “Just taking Duke for a walk. He needs to get outside and take care of business.” Reggie opened her mouth to voice her concern about the gun when Eden walked in and stared at her in dismay.

  “Devon still won’t talk to me, and he refuses to eat the soup you made,” Eden said, her eyes beseeching Reggie for help.

  “Let me talk to him,” Reggie offered, stirring cream into a cup of coffee and sitting it on the table for Eden. “You sit down and drink this.”

  But Eden ignored the coffee and followed Reggie into the dining room with Leo close behind her. Devon was sitting at the table, his hands in his lap and a blank expression on his face. Reggie sat in the chair next to him and took his small hand in hers. His hand was cold, and she could feel a slight tremor.

  “Oh Devon, my sweet boy,” she soothed, suddenly remembering the way he’d clung to her and cried as a frightened five-year-old who missed his mother. She would never forget his sad blue eyes when he’d asked where his mommy had gone, and could he go there too.

  Seeing him like this again, facing yet another family tragedy, broke her heart. She smoothed a lock of silky hair back from his forehead and put a gentle hand under his chin, turning his face toward her.

  “I’m here now, Devon, and Aunt Eden is here, too. You’re safe, and we’re not going to let anything happen to you. Everything’s going to be all right.” Reggie looked into his eyes, speaking in a calm, slow voice.

  She squeezed his hand and pulled him closer, until his small head lay against her thin shoulder. Slowly she rocked back and forth, murmuring the same words of comfort over and over. She could hear Eden’s soft sobs behind her but didn’t turn her head. Devon needed her full attention. He needed to know he was
safe.

  “It’s okay, Aunt Eden,” Devon’s small voice broke the stillness in the room. “Please don’t cry anymore.”

  Eden hurried to Devon and knelt in front of him, taking his hands in hers and holding them to her cheek. “I won’t cry anymore, Devon. Not if you’re with me. We can be strong and get through this together.”

  Reggie felt Devon relax against her, the trembling gone for the time being. She caught Leo’s gaze over the top of Eden’s head, but then looked away when she saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes. The hard-boiled lawyer wouldn’t want her to see that he actually had a heart.

  “Aunt Eden? I need to tell you something,” Devon whispered, looking down at his hands. “But you might be mad at me.”

  “I could never be mad at you, honey,” Eden reassured him. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

  “I…I saw the men who took Hope,” Devon said, his eyes welling with tears. “I saw them and…and…I saw the gun…and I hid. I ran back to my room and I hid under the bed. I let them take Hope. I didn’t even try to stop them.”

  Guilty sobs wracked Devon’s small frame and Reggie hugged him to her again, starting to understand why he’d been so reluctant to talk. He must be terrified they would blame him for not saving Hope. He must think it was his fault she had been taken.

  “Oh Devon, it isn’t your fault, baby,” Reggie reassured him, holding him even tighter. “You couldn’t have stopped two grown strangers with a gun from taking Hope. You were right to hide and save yourself. It was the only choice you could make.”

  “But…they weren’t really strangers,” Devon said, biting his lip. “Sage knew them; they said they were her friends.”

  Reggie and Eden stared at each other in disbelief. Determined not to scare the boy even more, Reggie kept her expression neutral, kept her voice measured and quiet. “Are you sure, Devon? Did you hear anything else they said?”

  “The mean one…I think his name was Hollywood…said that Sage owed him money.” Devon’s eyes widened at the memory. “He’s the one that had the gun.”

  At Devon’s words Leo hurried over and grasped one of the boy’s thin arms. “Are you sure that was his name? Are you sure he was called Hollywood?”

  Devon shrank back in fear, pulling back to hide his face against Reggie’s shoulder. Reggie scowled up at Leo, but before she could say anything, the back door opened, and Sage’s voice could be heard in the kitchen urging Duke to come in from the rain.

  Devon clutched at Reggie and lifted his anguished face to stare back at Eden, as he cried out, “Sage let her friends take Hope. She let them drive away, and she didn’t stop them. She didn’t even call 911 until I came down and begged her to call.”

  A gasp came from the doorway, and Reggie turned to see Sage, wet and disheveled from the rain, her face pale in the dim light. She stood still, as if frozen in place, and then sunk to the ground in uncontrollable sobs.

  “I’m sorry,” she gasped out, her face hidden in her hands. “I’m so sorry.”

  Leo turned to stare at the crumpled figure, his face a mask of rage, and Reggie wondered where he’d put the gun. He looked ready to use it as he stalked toward Sage and dragged her to her feet.

  “You tell us who has Hope, and where she is, now!” Leo demanded, his voice loud but under control. Reggie saw him glancing over at Devon, who was now cowering in her arms, and she realized Leo was trying to keep himself in check for the boy’s sake. He wasn’t going to do anything to further upset Devon.

  “I don’t know where they took her,” Sage moaned, wiping the tears from her face. “And they aren’t my friends. But I do know them. Or, I used to know them. But that was when I was an addict.”

  “An addict?” Eden asked, her voice incredulous. “You’re a drug addict?”

  “I used to be, but not anymore. I’m clean now. I have been since way before I started working for you,” Sage insisted, her eyes pleading with Eden.

  “You brought these drug dealers into my home? You let them take Hope?” The hurt and anger in Eden’s voice was palpable in the room. Reggie knew heightened emotions could bring on a full-fledged panic attack at any minute. She had to calm things down.

  “We don’t have time to talk about that,” Reggie urged. “We need to find Hope now. Sage, who are these guys? What are their names and where can we find them?”

  Leo broke in, his voice impatient. “Who’s this Hollywood guy? Is he a drug dealer? Where does he live?”

  “His name isn’t Hollywood,” Sage swallowed hard. “He just uses that name because he thinks he’s good-looking enough to be a movie star.”

  “What’s his real name?” Leo demanded, his voice hard.

  “His real name is Trevor,” Sage whispered, her eyes filling again with tears. “Trevor Bane. I met him at the sober house where I stayed last year.”

  Eden moaned and clutched Leo’s arm. “He’s the one that Jessica and Star talked about. He’s the one that knew Brandi, the girl they found in the river today.”

  Sage looked confused. “Who are Jessica and Star? And what do you mean, they found someone in the river?”

  Reggie jumped up, pulling Devon with her. “I need to take Devon into the other room to lay down.”

  She couldn’t let Devon hear about the girls who had been found in the river. He couldn’t know that Hope had been taken by someone who may be a killer. Leo nodded in understanding. He gripped Sage by the arm, leading her toward the kitchen.

  “Yes, you take care of Devon, Reggie. Make sure he rests and stays inside. I’ll call and request police protection.” Leo looked down at Sage with hard eyes. “We’ll need someone here before I can leave to escort Sage to the police station.”

  “Okay, I’ll get Devon settled into the guest room, and Duke can keep us company.”

  Reggie led Devon toward the hall, but she looked back, not liking the way Eden was struggling to catch her breath. Was this the beginning of a panic attack? Could this terrible night get any worse?

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Leo waited for Reggie to disappear into the other room with Devon and Duke before turning back to Eden. She was slumped in a chair, her head in her hands. She was in no shape to call anyone. He would have to call the phone number listed on Nessa’s card.

  The detective had said to call if Eden changed her mind about needing police protection. He took out his cell phone and dialed the number. No answer. He left an urgent message, then decided to call the station. They couldn’t afford to sit on the information Sage had given them about Trevor Bane.

  “Willow Bay Police Department, may I help you?” a perky voice asked.

  “I’m trying to reach Detective Nessa Ainsley or Detective Simon Jankowski. It’s about an abduction they’re working on,” Leo said, impatient to talk to someone who could help him.

  “Oh, yes, the whole department is on alert. The switchboard has been crazy. I’ll transfer you to the hotline that’s handling the case.” Before Leo could reply, he heard an automated voice telling him that all lines were busy, but that his call was important.

  Leo disconnected the call and dialed 911. Within minutes he’d arranged for a police car to be sent out to the house to guard Devon and Reggie. He was assured that Nessa or Jankowski would return his call as soon as they were available.

  He stuck his phone back in his pocket and turned to Sage. It was all he could do not to shake the young woman. His anger simmered as he thought of the hours wasted by her silence.

  If only she had told them who had taken Hope immediately, they might have had a chance to catch the abductors before they could hole up somewhere. Now, hours later, the men were surely laying low. And who knew what they would have done with Hope by now.

  “Sit down and stop the poor little me routine,” Leo demanded, gesturing to the sofa.

  “You’re no victim in all this. You deliberately withheld information and obstructed an active investigation into the abduction of a minor. That alone should earn you a trip to prison.
And who knows what else you’ve done with your drug-dealing boyfriend.”

  “Trevor wasn’t my boyfriend. He’s the son of the lady that runs this place called Clear Horizons. It’s supposed to be a sober house, and my mom knew the woman who runs it.”

  Sage looked sad at the mention of her mother, but Leo wasn’t going to fall for her sob story.

  “Anyway, my mom thought I could kick my habit by living there, instead of paying for rehab.”

  “So, what do you know about Trevor?” Leo asked, anxious to hear something that could be a lead. Even the smallest piece of information might be the clue they needed to track down Trevor.

  “He called himself the assistant manager but that was a joke. He wasn’t there much, and when he was, he was trying to hook up with the younger girls. I heard he gave drugs to some of them and I asked him to get me some. I hadn’t quite kicked the habit I guess.”

  Sage cast a quick glance over at Eden, but Eden still had her head in her hands.

  “I stayed there about a month getting high regularly before my mom wised up and got her insurance to pay for a real rehab program,” Sage said. “When I left I owed Trevor some money that I couldn’t pay, so I just skipped out. But I don’t know how he found me here.”

  “Do you know who he got the drugs from?” Leo asked. “Did you know his supplier?”

  “Trevor always acted cagey about how he got the drugs, but by the time I moved out I’d seen this old guy stop by a few times and drop off a bag of something. I assumed it was drugs.”

  Eden’s head raised at Sage’s words. Her voice was faint as she asked, “Was it an older guy wearing a black baseball cap and dark glasses?”

  “Yeah, that sounds right. I heard Trevor call him Sig once, but I’m not sure if that was his real name,” Sage said, nodding.

  Eden stood up and walked into the kitchen without explanation. She was back within minutes carrying her laptop. She set the laptop on the table and turned it on. She clicked on an email and opened the attached file. A grainy video started to play. Eden turned the laptop toward Sage so that she could view the screen.