AllFreeNovel
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But who knew what kind of mindset the woman was in by now?
The snow had lightened up but was accumulating, traffic slow as she veered onto the street where Sarah Lundy lived with her parents Jo and Harold. The house was a brick ranch which had been painted white, with twinkling Christmas tree lights adorning the windows and the cornflower-blue door. A giant blow-up Santa and reindeer waved in the wind in the front yard, and a sign sayingSanta Stop Here!stood by the driveway. Fresh snow blanketed the roof, giving it the appearance of a wintry holiday card.
Except the air was charged with pure fear. Ellie was certain now that Gayle had killed Renee and had attempted to kill Priscilla.
On the drive over, Derrick had alerted local police. Ellie spotted Gayle’s van on the street and pulled to the curb just as a squad car from the Dawsonville Police Department arrived. The officer emerged but stayed by his car, per their orders to wait for backup.
Ellie cut the engine, then pulled her night binoculars to analyze the scene. Red, green and silver lights sparkled on the Christmas tree visible through the window. Past it, she saw movement, then spotted Gayle and a woman who had to be Sarah’s mother. The front door jerked open a second later, and Gayle stepped outside, her arm around the shoulders of a little strawberry-blond girl with freckles.Dear God.The woman looked disheveled, eyes flaring with panic, desperation and determination as if she was in another place, another time.
Little Sarah looked terrified, wide-eyed and crying.
Ellie lifted her weapon from her holster, and Derrick did the same, then they both eased from the Jeep.
Gayle was tugging the child onto the stoop, and the little girl screamed as she dragged her down the steps. Sarah’s parents ran out, shouting and yelling at Gayle to stop.
Ellie froze as Gayle lifted a pistol and aimed it at the couple. “Stay back or I’ll shoot!”
Mrs.Lundy darted down a step anyway, eyes wild with horror. “Please let her go,” Mrs.Lundy begged. “It’s Christmas…”
Mr.Lundy clutched his wife to prevent her from lunging forward and getting shot. “Don’t hurt her,” the father shouted.
Ellie sensed the patrol officer moving and heard Derrick order him to hold off.
“Gayle,” Ellie said, then motioned for the Lundys to stay where they were. “I’m Detective Reeves. Please put down the gun.”
Derrick crept around the back of the Jeep toward the van, where she saw Ava and Kaylee banging on the back window, screaming.
“Please,” Ellie said. “You’re scaring Sarah.”
“Go away and let me leave.” Gayle waved the gun around, her expression crazed. “I need my Piper back and these people stole her from me.” Her voice warbled. “I can’t go another Christmas without her.”
Ellie forced a calming voice. “I understand, and am so sorry for your loss,” she said, slowly lifting her hand to indicate she didn’t intend to shoot. “We talked to your husband and he explained everything.”
The Lundys looked confused, and poor Sarah was shaking, her little legs flailing to stand up.
“Silas loves you,” Ellie said, striving to deescalate the scene. “He’s so sorry for what happened. I know there was a terrible accident at the pond. Tell me what happened that day, Gayle.”
The gun bobbed in her hand, but she clutched Sarah tighter. “Silas insisted on taking us to that place, Cattail Cove. I told him it was too cold, but he wouldn’t listen.” Tears rained down her face. “Then Piper ran onto the ice. She thought the pond was frozen but it was just a thin sheet of ice. I could see the water bubbling and moving below it…” With her free hand, she swiped at the tears on her face that were mingling with snowflakes clinging to her lashes.
“But the ice cracked, didn’t it?” Ellie prodded. Behind her, she felt Derrick and the officer slipping toward the van to rescue Ava and Kaylee. She had to keep Gayle talking.
The Lundys were clasping each other, their terror vibrating in the frigid air.
Gayle made a strangled sound. “It cracked and she fell under, and I tried to save her… then I plunged into the water, and I was fighting to get to her, but… it was so cold and dark and I lost her…”
“That must have been so horrible,” Ellie said softly. “You trying to save her, the cold water seeping into your lungs… but you did everything you could to save her.”
“It wasn’t enough,” Gayle said shrilly. “It wasn’t and then in the car, Silas said he had her, and I thought she was okay…” Hysteria sharpened her cries. “Then I woke up in the hospital…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes pleading with the girl’s parents.
“Silas tried to save her, didn’t he?” Ellie said, praying she could calm Gayle somehow.
“He said he did, but then he didn’t,” she shouted. “He let them cut her up and pass her around, give her away piece by piece. Then he buried her while I was in a coma, and I… didn’t even get to say goodbye.” She pulled Sarah down another step. “But I found her now. I found all of her and I want her back.”
Sarah’s mother reached out her hand. “I’m so sorry you lost your daughter,” she said, hurt and fear heavy in her tone. “We knew when we got the call for Sarah’s transplant, that it meant someone lost a child that day, but we didn’t know who it was.” Her gentle tone implored Gayle to listen. “I can imagine how it felt to lose her. When Sarah was sick and waiting on the transplant list, we thought we were going to lose her, too, and I was terrified.”
“But you didn’t because of my baby!” Gayle said brokenly.
Sadness filled Mrs.Lundy’s eyes. “I am sorry for you, Gayle, and we will forever be grateful for your sacrifice. But Sarah is not your daughter. Just look at her.” She hesitated and stepped forward. Her husband released her, obviously hoping his wife could reach Gayle.
