Hush Little Girl by Lisa Regan (first e reader .txt) 📗

still here but getting very restless. Celeste is furious, as is Tom, but Adam is being very accommodating. He had already started the food for the reception. He suggested just having the reception since everyone is already here. Let the band play, feed everyone, and we can reschedule our actual wedding to another time.”

“That sounds good,” Josie said. She looked down at her feet. Her pantyhose were dark with grime and dirt. A few pieces of grass clung to her ankles. The bottom of her dress was now stained brown as well. “Noah, I’m sorry.”

“Josie,” he said. “A child was murdered at our wedding venue. Her mother was killed as well, and now her younger sister is missing. Do you think I want to get married like this?”

“No,” Josie said. “I know you don’t. I just needed to hear it.”

“I love you,” he said. “Call me after the K-9 unit does their search.”

Josie felt hot, uncharacteristic tears sting the backs of her eyes as she handed the phone back to Gretchen. She couldn’t even identify the emotions threatening to overwhelm her or separate them from one another. Devastation at the fate of Lorelei and her daughters. Worry for Emily Mitchell. Sadness that her wedding was off for the moment. Gratitude that her would-be husband was on exactly the same page as her about the day. She felt overwhelmed by her love for him.

“You’re lucky,” Gretchen said. “Noah’s a good person.”

Unable to speak without letting loose her tears, Josie nodded.

“So you get married on a different day. It’s not the end of the world.”

Before Josie could respond, Dr. Feist appeared on the front porch. She walked down the steps and over to her small pickup truck where she began peeling off her crime scene garb. Her skin was paler than usual, and her hair was in disarray from the skull cap. Beneath the Tyvek suit, her pink dress was rumpled. Josie and Gretchen hurried over to her.

“My guess is the cause of death was exsanguination.”

Gretchen said, “She bled out from the gunshot wounds.”

Dr. Feist nodded. “But she had a pretty good head injury as well.”

Josie thought of the blood and hair on the corner of the kitchen island.

Gretchen said, “Any idea on the time of death?”

“She’s in full rigor, just like Holly Mitchell. I can’t really pinpoint it without getting her on the table.”

Josie thought of the spilled cereal in the dining area. “Is it possible they were both killed this morning?”

“Absolutely,” Dr. Feist said. “I’ll know more once I do the autopsy. I’ll perform Holly’s first, then Lorelei’s.” She looked directly at Josie. “I assume you’re not getting married today.”

“No, not today. We’ll reschedule.”

Dr. Feist shook her head sadly. “Destination wedding. Seriously. Think about it. I’m going to go home to change into some scrubs, and then I’ll head over to the morgue. I’ll let you know if I see anything that might help you find whoever did this.”

“Thank you,” Josie said.

They watched Dr. Feist pull away, then waited some more. The other ERT officers finished processing the inside of the house and moved to the greenhouse to help Chan. An ambulance carried Lorelei’s body away. Gretchen’s phone chirped intermittently with texts from Mettner, who was still interviewing staff members at Harper’s Peak. Finally, they heard the sound of another vehicle bouncing along the drive. An Alcott County Sheriff’s SUV came into view. Josie immediately recognized Deputy Maureen Sandoval. They’d worked together before. Sandoval smiled as she stepped out of the vehicle. Crow’s feet crinkled at the corners of her eyes. Josie estimated her to be in her mid-fifties. She wore boots, khaki pants, and a navy polo shirt with the sheriff’s insignia on it. Her gray-brown hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail.

Looking both Josie and Gretchen up and down, Sandoval said, “Don’t think I’ve ever seen a bride and her bridesmaid at a crime scene before. This is a first.”

Gretchen managed a smile. “Yeah, it’s a first for us, too.”

From the back of the SUV, they heard a bark. Josie said, “Have you got Rini with you?”

“Sure do, and she’s ready to work.” Sandoval walked slowly to the back of the SUV and popped the hatch, revealing a large dog cage. Inside, Rini, a four-year-old German Shepherd, sat up straight. Her tongue lolled. Eager, soulful brown eyes looked from Sandoval to Josie and Gretchen and then back. “Just a minute, girl,” said Sandoval, turning to Josie and Gretchen. “What’ve you got?”

Josie brought her up to speed.

“I’m gonna need something with Emily’s scent on it. Maybe something she wore? That would probably be easiest since you’ve got access to the house.”

“I’ll look,” said Gretchen.

While Gretchen went into the house to find an item for Rini to scent, Sandoval took the dog from the truck and hooked a leash to her collar. “Down,” she commanded and Rini, with a slight whine, lay on the grass, waiting for further instructions.

Gretchen returned with a crumpled pink T-shirt. “This was in the hamper on what we believe is Emily’s side of the room.” She held it up, and Josie could see that it was definitely Emily’s size. Too small for Holly.

“That’ll do,” said Sandoval. She gave Rini a command that brought her to standing and guided her over so that she could sniff the shirt in Gretchen’s hand. As Rini’s nose pressed into the fabric, Sandoval slipped a harness onto the dog, all the while murmuring that Rini was a good girl. Then, once Sandoval was satisfied that Rini had gotten the scent, she said, “Now it’s time to work, Rini.”

The dog took off in the direction of the truck, her nose alternating between the ground and the air just above her head. She circled the truck twice, jumped at the passenger’s side door twice, and gave up, heading around toward the back of the house. Josie and Gretchen followed. Rini worked the perimeter of the garden, then slipped through the garden gate. She went up to the greenhouse doors but then