Dead Woman Crossing J.R. Adler (early reader chapter books txt) 📖

Kimberley hugged her tight, rubbing her back and running her hands through her soft hair. While she held her, she held back tears. She realized that home wasn’t New York City or Dead Woman Crossing. Home was wherever her daughter was. She released Jessica, staring into her big blue eyes. “Margaret said you’ve been having a rough morning.”

“Ellie’s gone.” Jessica pouted.

“I know. Would you like it if I went and got her and brought her back to you?”

Jessica nodded several times. Her face lit up and she giggled.

“Okay, sweetie. I’m going to be right back.” Kimberley rubbed her daughter’s shoulders and pulled her in for a kiss on both cheeks, her forehead, and the tip of her nose, making Jessica giggle even more.

“Be right back, my smart girl,” she said, standing up and waving.

“Bye, Mommy,” Jessica said, waving back.

Kimberley stopped over by Margaret, who was trying to diffuse an argument between two children over a red ball. “Hey, Margaret. I’m going to be right back with Jessica’s elephant.”

Margaret nodded.

“Would you mind keeping an extra close eye on her today?” Kimberley asked. Her eyes said more than her words did.

Margaret looked at her, spotting the concern on Kimberley’s face. She could tell there was more to her worry than just worry. “Of course. I keep an extra close eye on all my kids,” she reassured.

“Good. I mean, thanks,” Kimberley said.

Once outside, she dialed Sam. He answered on the first ring.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes, Jessica’s fine. I’m going to stop at my house to get her stuffed elephant and drop it off. She carries that thing everywhere.”

She turned her vehicle in the direction of the farm and drove off. It wasn’t far from the daycare center, just a couple of miles.

“Good. Glad to hear she’s okay. Barb said the letter was in the sheriff’s mailbox. She thought it was odd, but she didn’t look at it. Thought it was a love note or something like that,” Sam explained.

“Since you didn’t mention security cameras, I’m going to assume there’s none covering our mailbox.”

“You would be assuming right. I sent it over to the lab to be analyzed. So, maybe we’ll get something there.”

Kimberley tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. She knew all that would be on that note would be hers and Barb’s fingerprints. There was no way this guy would be as careless as to leave his fingerprints behind, especially after the crime scene and the body had been so clean.

“Is it possible to get a deputy to watch the daycare center for the next couple of days?”

“I’ve got Deputy Hill on his way right now. He’ll finish his shift out there, which should be just around the time Jessica gets picked up. We’ll make sure she stays safe,” Sam assured.

“Thanks, Sam.”

“If you’ve got to take the day off, feel free to.”

“No way. I know I’m close. This guy’s nervous. Why else would he threaten my family? Isobel is the key,” Kimberley said, pulling into the driveway of the farmhouse.

She parked her vehicle and got out, walking along the stone path toward the cottage.

“I think you’re right about that. I’ve still got Bearfield tailing Henry. I’m inclined to bring him in,” Sam said.

“I thought you wanted to wait and see if something rattled loose.” Kimberley couldn’t help herself.

“Things are different now. When you go after one of mine, you go after all of us, and I won’t have that in my community.”

She imagined Sam puffing his chest out and raising his chin.

“I’m just getting to the house now. So, if you wait about a half hour, I can be there to question him.” Kimberley pulled open the front door, walking into the living room.

The house was still and quiet.

“Alright. I’ll let you have the honors of interrogating him. Thirty minutes,” he said, ending the call.

Kimberley slid the phone into her utility belt. “Mom,” she called out. “Have you seen Jessica’s stuffed elephant?”

She walked down the hallway to her bedroom. Pulling the blankets and pillows, she searched the crib. Nothing. She bent down, looking underneath, pushing around some miscellaneous baby stuff. It wasn’t there either. She searched her own bed. Sometimes Jessica would lay with her for an hour or so before bedtime. It wasn’t there either, or underneath her bed. Where was the last place she’d seen it? The kitchen? Kimberley left the bedroom and walked down the hall, entering the kitchen, which was spotless. Her mother was such a tidy person. Everything had a place, she’d always say.

“Mom,” she called out again.

It wasn’t in the kitchen, so she walked back down the hallway. Maybe Nicole was taking a nap. She tapped on the bedroom door. When no one answered, she pushed it open. The king-size bed was made. She must be running errands. Kimberly closed the door, trekking back down the hall.

Have you seen Jessica’s elephant? she texted her mom.

Standing in the living room, she waited for Nicole to text back, tapping her shoe on the wooden floor. Where could it be? She never left the house without it. A repulsive thought entered her mind. What if that man took it? What if he had already been close enough to Jessica to snatch it away? Maybe she’d get it in the mail tomorrow or in three days with another sick, threatening note. What would Kimberley do then? Would she drop the case? Leave Dead Woman Crossing? Quit her job? She tried to calm herself down before her mind took her to dark places, places that were always hard for her to climb back out of. She looked back at her phone, willing her mom to text back. Maybe it was in her mom’s vehicle. She had dropped off and picked up Jessica countless times. That made the most sense. Yeah, that’s got to be it, Kimberley told herself.

Her phone vibrated.

Hi, honey. We watched Frozen in our bedroom last night. It might have fallen behind the bed or something. Are you at the house?

Oh, duh. Kimberley had completely forgotten