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“You should have let me die,” he said in a raspy voice.
Ellie inhaled a deep breath. “I’m not a killer or judge and jury,” she said. “All I want is to find Ava Truman.” She moved closer to him. “Did you have anything to do with her disappearance?”
He shook his head, emotions flaring across his face. “I didn’t take her. I swear.”
Ellie released the breath she’d been holding, then gave a little nod. “You said that a woman was watching her. Tell me about her.”
“I saw her in a van. She sat across from the bus stop a lot. At first I thought she was a parent just dropping her kid.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“I never saw a kid with her. And one day I saw her get out of the van and follow Ava.”
Ellie’s pulse quickened. “She followed her?”
He gave a weak nod. “To Ava’s house.”
“Did she talk to her or approach her?”
He coughed then fiddled with his oxygen. “No, but she looked through the fence at Ava playing.”
Goosebumps skittered along Ellie’s neck. “You sensed it was wrong, didn’t you?”
He nodded.
“Why didn’t you report it or tell her mother?”
He made a pained sound. “You know the answer to that.”
She didn’t like it, but she understood—for him to be watching Ava violated his parole. And anyone he talked to would have seen it as suspicious, just as she had.
“Was there anything distinctive about the van? Any logo? Did you make a note of the license plate?”
“No, it was just a plain white van. I couldn’t even tell you the model.”
She pulled up Serena’s booking photograph on her phone and angled it for him to see. “Nolan, was this the woman you saw?”
He squinted as he studied it, then shook his head. “I’ve never seen that lady.”
“How about this one?” She flashed Autumn’s next.
“No, not her. This lady looked like a mama.”
“What do you mean?”
“Mom jeans, sweatshirt, not fancy.”
Ellie’s mind raced. “If I send in a police artist, can you describe her?”
“Am I going to jail for this?” Fear flickered in his eyes.
Ellie balled her hands into fists. “Do you think you should go back to prison?”
“I won’t survive in there again,” he grumbled. “And out here, it’s almost as bad. Everyone watching me and hating me.”
“How about an inpatient treatment facility?” Ellie suggested. “You’ll be safe there. And if you’re really committed to serious therapy, it’s the best option.”
He dropped his hand from the oxygen tube then gave a little nod.
