Chapter 9
NINE
Cord punched Ellie’s number. She answered on the first ring, “Hey, how’s it going?”
He heaved a breath. “Definitely questionable, El.”
A tense second passed. “What did you find?”
“Boot prints, likely a man’s.”
“Dozens of people may have hiked that path yesterday and even the day before.”
“There’s more. An empty bottle of liquor on the rocks not far from where she would have jumped.”
Ellie muttered a low sound beneath her breath. “Maybe she was drinking to summon the courage to go through with her plan.”
“That’s possible. Strands of her hair were also caught in tree branches on the path and two different footprints indicate she may have been struggling or trying to escape someone.
ERT is taking a plaster cast of them. I also found toe imprints/scuff marks from her sneakers along with a shoe matching the one in the bushes down there.
If she planned to take her own life, she may have changed her mind. Or…”
Ellie hesitated a second as if she was following his logic. “Or she was pushed.”
“It’s possible. We need to know more about her and her mindset.
” The wind tossed his shaggy hair across his forehead and he ran his fingers through it.
“We need ERT assistance up here. And to cordon off this area and return in the daylight to search the path and woods. If someone was here and got away, hopefully we’ll find evidence to prove it. ”
“Absolutely. Bring Benji with you when you return. He’s been invaluable on other cases.”
Cord was grateful to have a SAR dog. She went quiet for a minute as Dr. Whitefeather called her name.
“What is it?” he asked.
Ellie sighed. “Laney found a suicide note in the pocket of her jeans.”
A tense beat passed. “What does it say?”
“Hang on. Let me take a look.”
Cord murmured okay then directed Luke to continue searching for forensics. If a second person had been with the girl, they needed to know who. And exactly what happened.
This job and his own past had definitely made him suspicious of everyone. Every fall or death that looked accidental could be a crime in disguise. It was taking its toll on Ellie, too. Although she’d never admit it.
“Listen to this, Cord. ‘I’m so sorry for leaving you, Iris. I never deserved you in the first place. I love you, but you’ll be better off without me.’” Ellie’s voice cracked. “‘Love, Mommy.’”
Cord clenched his jaw. “She has a child.”
Ellie’s breathing rattled out, erratic with emotions. “Yeah. But where is the child now? And is she safe?”
Fear hit Cord square in the chest. He’d seen too many horrors in his life. Parents who hurt their children. Abused them. Abandoned them. Left them to die.
He hoped to hell the little girl Iris was all right and still alive.