Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (119 page)

“It
has
to
be
preplanned,
right?
Someone
who
knows
where
she
lives,
what
we
drive—the
works.
”

“Getting
a
truck
like
mine
isn’t
easy.
Why
not
get
a
white
van
?
There
are
hundreds
of
vans
like
yours
in
this
area.”

“The
guy
looks
enough
like
you
that
he
thought’d
be
easier
to
do
it
that
way
maybe?
”
Her
voice
broke.
“My
little
girl
is
alone
with
a
strange
man
who
has
been
stalking
her
or
us
or
both.
Luke!”

“I
didn’t
know
until
a
minute
ago.
I
thought
it
was
the
grandmother.”

“I
wish
it
was.
At
least
the
GIL
wo
uld
n’t
hurt
her.”
Fresh
tears
overtook
her.
“She’s
with
a
strange
man
!”

“Don’t
think
about
that
now.
Not
now.
Think
about—what’s
he
doing?”

Aggie
turned
to
look
where
Luke
pointed
and
shook
her
head.
“Looks
like
he’s
going
through
your
truck.”
Her
face
blanched.
“When
was
the
last
time
Ellie
was
in
your
truck?”

“Has
she
ever
been
in
the
truck?”
A
new
idea
occurred
to
him.
“I’ll
be
right
back.”

Vannie
and
Laird
stood
huddled
next
to
the
van,
both
visibly
shaken,
Vannie
crying.
“Shh,
it’ll
be
ok,
sweetheart.
We’ll
find
her.
We
will.
I
need
you
to
think
about
something.
Think
very
carefully.
Did
Ellie
have
on
gloves
or
mittens
when
she
left
the
library?”

“No.
She
couldn’t
find
them
today
so
she
went
without
them.”

Luke’s
heart
leapt.
“You’re
sure.”

“Totally.”

“Go
tell
William.
Make
sure
you
tell
him
exactly
what
I
asked
and
what you
said.
Don’t
leave
anything
out.
Don’t
add
any
commentary.
Just
tell
him.”

While
the
kids
went
to
talk
to
William,
Luke
returned
to
Aggie.
“Ellie
wasn’t
wearing
anything
on
her
hands.”

“Oh!
That’s
right!”
A
smile
flashed
at
him,
the
first
one
he’d
seen
all
day
and
likely
the
last
he’d
see
until
Ellie
was
home
safe.
“She
couldn’t
find
them,
and
I
didn’t
let
her
take
Tavish’s.”

William’s
eyes
met
his
from
across
the
street,
and
he
nodded.
Confirmation
that
Luke’s
hunch
was
correct.
If
Ellie
had
been
in
his
truck,
they’
d
find
fingerprints,
but
since
she
hadn’t,
he’d
be
cleared.
His
relief
was
cut
short
when
the
sheriff
emerged
holding
a
knitted
hat
by
a
pair
of
tweezers.

“What’s
that?”

Luke
sighed.
“That’s
Ellie’s
hat—the
one
Mom
made
her
for
Christmas.
”

“Why
is
it
in
your
truck?
She
hasn’t
been
able
to
find
it—oh.
She
left
it
at
Corinne’s,
didn’t
she?”

“Yep.”

She
shrugged.
“
At
least
this
way,
you
have
witnesses.
I
can’t
believe
they’re
doing
this!
No
one
could
believe
you
could—”