The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

she had come back to the very town she hated,” she continued, not realising her error. “I watched her waltz out of Wendy Sutherland’s house this afternoon too, smiling like she had never ruined the lives of two boys.”

Parker sat back, heart pounding. “How did she ruin Alexander’s life?” He glanced at Madison quickly. “You just told us he was the town’s success story!” he added with a small smile.

Her spine instantly straightened, knowing that she had revealed too much. She attempted to backpedal quickly. “I only meant that Alex liked her when he was young and—”

Parker started shaking his head. “No, no, you meant something else entirely.”

Dorothy Dellion stared at him, and an evil grin spread over her face. “She thought she was too good for him. Well, Detective, look at him now.”

Parker and Madison stood on the side of the road out front of Eamon’s house.

“This can’t just be a coincidence,” Parker said and ran his hands through his hair.

Madison nodded. “Did you catch what she said?” she asked.

Parker reached into his bag for his notebook. “The part about Alex being amused that Surin was back in town?”

Madison nodded. “Yeah, so thanks to Mumsy, he knew exactly where she was and that she was asking questions.” Parker opened the car door as she went on. “Maybe he got spooked and grabbed her?” she suggested throwing out a theory.

Parker shook his head. “No,” he replied abruptly, “this guy doesn’t get spooked.” He handed Madison a piece of paper. “This is the address of Michel and Erin Elliott.”

She looked down at her hand. “No way, are you side-lining me, Rhodes!” she yelled.

He grabbed her shoulders roughly. “You need to go to them. I need you to be with them.” Madison started shaking her head in disbelief. “Madison,” he started and looked down at his hands that were trembling slightly, “this guy doesn’t make mistakes.” He looked her directly in the eye, and for the first time, she saw his fear for Surin mixed with another emotion that made her unashamedly green with envy. “I think that taking her was his plan all along.”

38

Parker watched Madison get in a cab bound for the Elliotts’ house. Once she was out of sight, his head fell into his hands. “What the fuck do I do?” he whispered to no one, then realising that sitting on the side of the road wasn’t going to find Surin, he mentally pulled himself together. “Where would you take her, you, sick fuck?” he said aloud, and at that moment, his phone rang. He fumbled in the back seat and grabbed it quickly.

“Rhodes,” he answered.

“Yeah, this is Deputy Peters.” Parker rolled his eyes in frustration.

“Yes, Deputy?” he replied irritably.

“The lady that was in here earlier,” he said, “she left not only a big bloody mess in interview one but also the file she was looking at about the animal cruelty—”

Parker sat up straight as his nerve endings started buzzing. “Yes?” he said quickly.

“Well, I remembered something else and thought she might want to talk further.”

Parker shook his head and imagined exactly what the deputy wanted from Madison. “She is unavailable,” he said dryly, “but I’ll take that information over the phone, thank you,” he added.

“Oh,” the deputy replied, and Parker could feel his disappointment. “Well, it’s nothing super important, Detective,” he murmured.

“Important enough to call, though,” Parker added.

“Yeah, I guess,” the deputy stuttered. “It’s just the complaint about that kid was for animal cruelty, but the person who made the complaint also mentioned that she thought the boy was living in the woods, whatever that means,” he concluded.

Parker sat quietly for a moment. “Living in the woods?” he repeated.

“Yes, sir, that’s what she said. We didn’t even write that down at the time because, well, Doris was a bit of a

whiner,” he added, quietly embarrassed.

“Deputy, did she ever mention where about in the woods?” he asked quickly, starting the car.

“Yeah, she did actually,” he replied. “Doris walked those woods every single day of her eighty-six years,” he said with a smile. “If you go off the walking trail just after the large fallen tree that crosses the path and continue down to the river, there’s a clearing. You can’t miss it,” he said.

Parker pulled away from the side of the road and swung his car in the direction of North East High.

“Detective,” the deputy continued, “we encourage people, especially people who aren’t locals, to stay out of those woods.”

Parker smiled. “I bet he’s counting on that.” He thanked the man and threw the phone in the back seat. I should wait and call for backup, he thought, as the school came into view. Shaking his head, he put his foot down hard, Surin might not have any time left.

***

The light was slowly fading as Parker quietly and carefully tracked the well-worn path from the back of the high school into the depths of the woods. It was truly beautiful, the way the day’s remaining sun lingered, casting dancing shadows over the trees and the flitter of tiny birds hopping daintily from branch to branch. His head snapped suddenly towards the sound of crackling twigs in the distance, a sober reminder that he was not alone. Parker had always appreciated the solitude and still beauty that the woods could provide. He did not fear the approaching darkness, and he embraced its cover to help him become invisible. As he walked on, his thoughts strayed to Surin. He smiled, imagining how angry she would be that he was out here alone. He had never met anyone as stubborn but wickedly smart, witty and, of course, inconceivably beautiful. His mind replayed their first encounter like a well-watched movie reel. The energy radiating off her that day had been intoxicating. Shaking his head, he swallowed and tried