“Let’s hope the judge and jury agree with you.” The sheriff sat back.
“What are they charging Elliot with?” Morgan asked.
“Everything the DA can think of.” Anger flared in the sheriff’s eyes. “That bastard knew where Chelsea was on Saturday. He could have gotten her rescued. Instead, he let his brother torture her for nearly a week—”
The sheriff paused, visibly getting himself under control. “The ME pulled Candace Pagano’s autopsy report. That embankment she went over is steep. The car rolled all the way down to the bottom. Without a seat belt to hold her in place, she bounced around enough that the initial head trauma was covered up by the crash. Derek got lucky when the car caught fire. Her purse, containing a bottle of illegal OxyContin, was flung from the vehicle, and the autopsy showed the drug in her bloodstream. She took it every day. I don’t know if he’ll be able to find any proof that she was dead or alive when she was put in that car, but we have a confession. And forensics is having a party over at Derek’s place. In the workshop where he fixes his bike, they found a metal infinity symbol that matches the brand on Chelsea Clark. The storage container looked exactly like she described, and her fingerprints and Derek’s were all over the unit. Also, he repaired his road bike in his shed. The oil he uses on his bike has a funky smell. Chelsea recognized the odor immediately.”
The sheriff paused for air. “Derek Pagano isn’t going to see the outside of prison walls for a very long time. If we’re lucky, he’ll never be free again. Hopefully Elliot will be locked away for a long time too.”
“I hope so.” Morgan stretched her neck. The nastiness of the case was wearing on her. All she wanted to do was hug her kids.
“I spoke to Derek’s former girlfriend on the phone this morning. She broke up with him because he creeped the hell out of her. Started checking her phone messages, trying to control who she hung out with, et cetera. The girl was so nervous about him that when a job offer came up in London, she took it. She was afraid to come back.”
The sheriff shook their hands. “Thank you for your help on this.”
The words sounded as if it pained him to say them.
Morgan couldn’t believe Elliot had sat across from them, knowing where Chelsea was, and lied so smoothly. Chelsea had been beaten and branded. Elliot could have prevented much of her suffering, but he chose not to. Did he have no soul?
“What about the Burns brothers?” Lance asked on the way out.
The sheriff reached for the doorknob. “Jerry came out of surgery, but we haven’t been allowed to question him yet. Doesn’t matter, though, because we have them cold for kidnapping Karen Mitchell and murdering Sarah Bernard. The cadaver dogs have found two more bodies in the state park, and they aren’t finished yet. There’s a lot of ground to cover. We’re not sure how many other woman they might have killed.”
As if three weren’t enough.
The sunshine felt warm and clean as they stepped out of the building.
Morgan turned her face to the heat. “That feels good.”
Lance squinted at the light. “I hope the Burns brothers and the Paganos are all in cold, dark cells.”
Chapter Forty-Six
“I brought ice cream.” Sharp walked into Lance’s house.
“I’m sure the kids will love it,” Lance said.
Sharp froze. “Wow. This is different.”
Lance’s stark, minimalistic decor had been revamped. Toys littered the floor, girly backpacks were piled by the sofa, and coloring books and crayons covered his coffee table. Mia and Ava knelt on the carpet, playing a game of Candy Land.
Rocket followed Sharp inside.
“My house is a little tight for six people, but we’re making it work.” Lance closed the door. It’s only for a couple of days. The alarm company is updating the entire system.”
Morgan and the girls were staying with Lance until her security rivaled that of the White House.
Gianna, Mia, and Ava were sleeping in Lance’s room. Morgan and Sophie had the guest room. Until Sophie outgrew her night terrors, she couldn’t share a room with her sisters. Lance was bunking on the couch. Even without Sophie’s night terrors, Lance knew there’d be no sleeping together with the kids in the house.
“It’s chaos.” Sharp laughed.
“But a good kind of chaos.” In truth, as crowded as the house was, it felt more like a home than it had in the past. Lance didn’t even mind the clutter of stuffed animals, dolls, and tiny socks. And glitter. Lance had even found silver flakes in his scrambled eggs.
Sharp handed him a brown paper bag. Lance glanced inside. Organic ice cream.
“I don’t know what kids eat.” Sharp stooped to take the leash off Rocket’s collar. The dog trotted into the living room. Snoozer hopped off the couch, and the dogs went through a sniffing and wagging routine.
“They love each other.” Sophie clapped her hands, joining the dogs in a circling frenzy.
“Hold on. I want to tell you something,” Sharp said. “I found out why your mom has been acting differently.”
Lance held his breath.
“She has a boyfriend.” Sharp grinned.
“What?” Of all the things Lance had braced himself to hear, that wasn’t on the list.
“Yep,” Sharp said. “They met in group therapy. He has anxiety issues too. The last week or so, she’d been messaging with him online at night instead of shopping.”
Lance didn’t know how to feel about his mother having an online relationship. “OK.”
“Don’t look so glum.” Sharp slapped him on the shoulder. “This is a good thing for her.”
“Until they break up.” And Lance had to clean up the fallout.
Sharp shook his head. “Don’t borrow trouble. Be happy for her. She’s in a better place than I’ve ever seen. It’s about time she’s had something positive in her life.”
“You’re right.” Lance would be happy for her, but he’d also keep a close eye on her. “Do you want some tea?” Lance asked.
“No. I’m not staying. It looks crowded enough in there.” Sharp backed toward the door. “I just came to drop off the ice cream and the dog.”
“You’re leaving the dog now?” Lance asked.
“Yes.” Sharp chuckled. “Rocket is bored at my place. She belongs with Morgan and the kids.”
Lance glanced into the living room. Rocket had planted herself between Ava and Mia.
What was one more warm body?
“Thanks,” Lance said.
Sharp couldn’t fool him. He’d been worried about them.
“You all have a nice night.” Sharp left.
Lance locked the door behind him. He took the ice cream to the kitchen. Gianna was loading dishes into the dishwasher. Morgan was drying a baking pan, which they’d gone out to buy because Lance’s hadn’t owned one.
He did now.
“Wance.” Sophie tugged on Lance’s hand. “You pwomised to teach me a song.”
Lance crouched to her level. “You know what? I learned a song just for you.”
Her eyes widened. “Yay.”
He let her pull him to the piano bench. He sat next to her, and she watched, rapt as he spread his fingers over the keys and played the opening notes. Her feet swung back and forth, in perfect time. When he started singing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” she joined in after the first few lines. Her voice soft and surprisingly on key.