Ripple Effect: A Novel (28 page)

“It’s the easiest place to hide them,
duh.
Especially the ones shut down and abandoned.” Hazel then puts her finger to her mouth to silence us and points toward the kitchen table.

Agitated, the woman speaks, bringing our attention back to the scene. “Mrs. Wolf—” She clears her throat. “I suggest you don’t tell the girls about this. They don’t need any ideas put in their already impressionable minds.”

“Well, if there were a chance of something horrible like this happening to you, wouldn’t you want to know?” Mom scowls—she’s not one for such actions. I can envision her narrowed eyes.

The woman clears her throat loudly, as if she is demanding respect––or hiding emotion.

“That’s as much as we can tell you for now,” Owens says. “I’m sorry, Nina.”

The chairs move and they stand up.

Hazel starts squirming and I know what’s going to happen. “Hazel, hold it!” I whisper.

Too late. She sneezes, then she sneezes again, then again.

Sabrina moans and covers her face and Hazel is bright red.

“We’re screwed,” I mutter and sit up.

Mom flips the light on and Special Agent Owens is standing above us, looking down at us sternly. “You are eavesdropping on a private conversation.”

“What?” Sabrina asks, trying to act innocent.

I give her a look. “Well, obviously.” I glance at the stern Owens and wonder if that’s what Kelly looks like when he’s mad. “It seems pertinent to our existence, don’t you think?”

Mom flashes a dagger-filled look, yet she hides a smile on her face. Now she doesn’t have to feel guilty when she tells us all the dark secrets of the case.

I look back at Owens. This time he looks like an actual FBI Agent. The woman is clearly FBI, and she is dressed for the part as well. She said she was the lead . . .

“Mom,” I say, forcing an innocent smile on my face. “We’re home early.” I peel my eyes from the woman to look at my mother.

“I see that, Cecily. Why are you home?” she asks. Owens is clearly wondering the same thing. “And all three of you?”

I get to my feet and look at the unknown woman. “Who’s this?” I ask, forcing the attention to the woman. “And we’re skipping class. Isn’t that obvious?” an answer for my mother.

The other two hellions that accompany me get to their feet and stand around awkwardly.

Special Agent Owens steps back to be standing near the woman, who has remained by the table. “This is Special Agent Reinhardt,” Owens introduces, placing his hands over his suit coat that’s thrown on the back of a chair. With his suit, he’s wearing a nice button up shirt that matches his blue eyes . . . eyes that look like Kelly’s. I catch myself eyeing him mysteriously. Around his black leather belt is his FBI badge and a holster with a pistol in it.

My attention turns to Agent Reinhardt. Pretty, a little taller than me, and slender; she has brunette hair––died by the looks of the lighter color of growth that is peeking through her roots. It’s almost the same color as mine, but with less red. Her eyes are intense, as if she evaluates everything and anything with harshness. Her skin is covered in foundation, but I would bet she’s concealing freckles. Why do I feel like she is hiding something under that makeup. Her FBI badge is hanging around her neck on a lanyard.

“Is she your partner?” I ask Owens. He would have brought her before if she were.

He nods. “Agent Reinhardt is working the case with me.”

The agent places her hands on her hips and angles her head so that she stares down at us. She commands the attention of the room. “Hello, girls. I’m Special Agent Reinhardt with the FBI, here to investigate the sight of multiple homicides. Special Agent Owens has informed me that you’ve had personal interactions with a Mr. Leison, correct?”

Sabrina and I nod our heads. Hazel backs away. Can’t we skip the formalities?

“Mr. Edward Leison, or James Longhorn, is a pending suspect in multiple homicides over multiple states.” She glares slightly. “I’m only telling you this information because you’ve clearly overheard your share, and it is best to keep this professional . . . since I can see that you are so interested in what’s going on. We would like to avoid any assumptions that may gather in your curious minds.”

Sabrina, Hazel, and I try to look apologetic. If I had known she was this fierce, I wouldn’t have eavesdropped. Okay, actually, I still would have . . .

“The remains of four girls were found today at eight in the morning during a sweep of the mountains by the FBI,” Reinhardt informs us.

My world shakes for a minute and I grab a hold of Sabrina’s arm. “Where?” It comes out in a shocked whisper. “Where did you find them?”
Can it really be them?

Detective Reinhardt looks at Detective Owens momentarily before looking back to me. “They were found in a cave on the north side of town.”

“Not a mine?” I ask. My eyes quickly meet Sabrina’s and then look up. “It’s just—we thought—”

“I said cave.” She seems impatient with me. “You think a lot of
things,
it appears.”

Sabrina is glowering, but I pinch her forearm discreetly and urge to her just let it drop. We both know it doesn’t feel right.

“We can’t argue where you found the remains, you’re right,” I say.

“What do they look like?” Sabrina asks, clearly not believing them. “You know . . . the
remains?
”

Detective Reinhardt sighs—she is annoyed with us. “They’re mainly bones now.”

That takes months to happen, for the skin to decompose and leave nothing but skeleton!

My forehead tenses and I start to think around this scene. Leison said the girls were alive still . . . just yesterday!

“It’s not them!” My own voice shocks me. “I
know
it’s not the girls we are looking for!”

Owens shifts his weight and folds his arms. Reinhardt’s eyes become very analytical and cold as she eyes me.

“
They don’t believe us,
” Sabrina whispers in my ear discretely as she stretches in my direction. Our eyes meet and I get that feeling in my stomach—a ball of knotted snakes.

Leison, the master manipulator, has made his play once again, sending the FBI on a goose chase so that he can get free—only because he knows they are blind enough to follow the crumbs he’s laid. Why would the FBI ever listen to a bunch of
paranoid
teenage girls when it comes to homicide? He’s leading them away so that he can come after us, I just know it!

Gulping, I glance at Owens and he gives me a contemplative look. Either way, those remains are not the remains of the girls that are held hostage and alive still.

Getting that map is imperative, a directive that cannot be jeopardized. It is the only way to prove to the FBI that we are not stupid kids and that people are dying up there in the mines. They won’t listen to us without it.

Reinhardt’s eyes narrow as she tries to read me, but then she chills out and starts talking again. “I need to ask you about these three girls which had gone missing over the summer.” Pictures of the kidnapped students from last year are placed in our hands by Owens. “Did you have any interactions with them?”

“The one with the brown hair is Kimberly. She was one of the most reserved royals,” Sabrina informs them. “Everyone thought that she ran away with the QB to have their baby in Florida. I took her place in Leison’s games.”

“The other two?” Reinhardt asks.

“That’s Janet.” I point to the picture of a blond, glad to have recognized at least one of them. “She was, like, really smart, science-based I think. And that’s––”

Sabrina steps in for me. “That is Alicia. The victim.”

“What about the fourth?” Hazel asks, butting into the conversation. “You said there were four girls.”

“We are unsure about the fourth, but we will know who she is sooner than you think. As for now, this is speculation.”

My eyebrow rises in skepticism. “You’re not entirely positive that the remains found belong to the girls?”

Reinhardt looks at me with the same gaze. “We just barely uncovered the scene. Testing is still being performed for clarification.”

“What can we help you with, then?” Sabrina shows attitude. “Seems you’ve found your
killer
, haven’t you?” She shoots a mocking smile in Reinhardt’s direction and I elbow her.

Reinhardt watches Sabrina with pursed lips. “Did you see Mr. Leison today in school—or
out
of school?”

Owen’s sends Reinhardt a look to watch it. “Was he at school?” Owens asks us, getting back on topic.

“There was a sub in his place,” Sabrina explains and stares at me.

Reinhardt nods and evaluates me. “Why do you think he would call on a substitute teacher?”

I look at Owens. “Because you came to town and started knocking on doors.” Owens grants me a nod of agreement. “Leison was already freaking out over something,” I say quietly. “He attacked me yesterday. He left a really prominent mark on my neck where he held me. When I left his classroom, I ran into an officer and Principal Smith . . . well, they suspected something.”

“The Sheriff called for tight security at the school. The principal was unaware of the reason. He had no clue that Leison was assaulting girls,” Mom explains.

“So we thought,” Sabrina mentions. “A girl tattled on him a while back and a private case was opened on him. They found nothing. Ever since, Leison’s walked around with a smug smile. Smith hates him with a passion.”

“Did you tell Principal Smith what happened, Cecily?” Reinhardt questions.

I shake my head. “No. Leison threatened to kill Sabrina and the others if I did.”

Reinhardt sighs and is silent as she thinks for a second. “Why weren’t you telling the authorities that he was raping you?” she asks Sabrina with a masked face. She even forces the emotion from her eyes as she stares at her.

Sabrina’s eyes fill with tears. “He said he’d kill me and the others. The girls he holds hostage.”

For a brief second, compassion fills Reinhardt’s eyes. “Fear is their strongest weapon, young lady. How did you get roped into this?”

“I willingly slept with him, just like many girls before me. How was I supposed to know that he was a psychopath serial killer?”

Reinhardt nods once, as if already knowing Sabrina’s story. “How long has this been going on? How long has Leison been using you?”

Sabrina looks away. “Since the beginning of the school year. I took over Kimberly’s place after she left. I didn’t know that he had kidnapped her until now . . .”

“When did his interest in Cecily begin? Did he tell you?”

Sabrina looks at me sadly. “A month ago.”

“The assault was a week and a half ago,” I whisper. She knew about his plans for me for quite a while. Anger returns to me and I can’t help but to punch her in the arm. She should have stopped it! “Why, Sabrina, didn’t you stop him?!”

Hazel catches my wrist when I go to punch her again. “Cecily,” she whispers.

“And there was no way to warn her, to tell her to run away?” Reinhardt wonders, her eyebrow rising with interest as she watches me. “Sabrina, if you knew how horrible this man was, why didn’t tell her to run?”

Guilt fills Sabrina’s eyes as she takes another step away from me. “I was selfish,” she whispers. “I was sent after her to rope her into joining. If she joined, he’d set me free.”

“He’d kill you,” I remind her, tears filling my eyes.

She keeps talking, “There was a huge party and Cecily was supposed to be used for initiation for one of Leison’s goons. When Cecily didn’t show to the party, Leison beat me. Nonstop, I swear. I still have bruises.”

“No one feels sorry for you,” Hazel bites. “You’re lucky you changed your ways, duchess.”

“Or what?” Sabrina hisses. “I’d be dead? Reality check, Queen Hazel, we all know that much.”

Owens outstretches his hand, halting the argument. “Enough.”

Reinhardt moves forward, intrigued. “Who’s the goon, Sabrina?”

“Aaron Heely.” Sabrina sends a glare toward Hazel.

I gasp, recognizing that name. “Roy was serious!”

“Who is Roy?” questions Owens.

The room became silent and all eyes are on me. I stare at Sabrina, knowing that she knows more than she’s telling. “Spill it,” I demand.

With a roll of her eyes, Sabrina caves. “Roy is Aaron’s little brother. They are both part of the cult that follows Leison.”

“Leison has a
cult?
” Reinhardt’s head tilts slightly as her eyes narrowed. “When did you plan on telling us this, Sabrina?”

“Never—” Hazel coughs.

Sabrina gives Hazel a death glare. “I’m not sure how many people follow him. My job was to gather the girls.”

“So that he could
rape
them . . .”

I sigh loudly. “Hazel, enough.”

Owens strokes his chin. “Do you know where the cult hides?”

“Probably the same place he hides the girls.” Sabrina shrugs. “I only ever saw Leison’s goons at Royal parties.”