Page 27 of The Secrets We Hide
“The Dew Drop Inn.”
Emmy nodded, but only to buy herself some time. “What did he do when she threatened him?”
“Laughed at her. Kept laughing until she left. He’s always been that way. He’s a stone cold—”
Drake cut himself off before saying the word, but Emmy said it for him. “Killer?”
He looked away. Took a deep breath. Slowly shushed out air between his teeth.
“Drake, I need you to say his name.”
“Miss Emmy, I—”
“Say it.”
He kept his gaze on the ground. Let out another long sigh. She could smell the sickly-sweet stench of vape on his breath.
His voice was no more than a whisper when he finally mumbled, “Woody.”
Emmy had known it was coming, but it still felt like an explosion had gone off inside her skull.
Wesley “Woody” Woodrow had come onto her radar twelve years ago. Back then, he’d been a junior in high school slinging hard drugs to North Falls kids. Now, he was helping his grand-father run the family’s drug trafficking business.
Emmy asked, “Do you know what kind of car he drives?”
“Mercedes G 63. Black with black rims.”
Emmy was more than familiar with the nearly $200,000 vehicle. “Have you ever seen it in Ms. Vickery’s driveway or in the neighborhood?”
“No, ma’am.” Drake took another shaky breath. “I figure he parked it somewhere on the other side of the woods and walked up from the back.”
Emmy watched his hands shake as he tried to power the pen back on. She heard an owl in the distance. Dusk was quickly turning into night. The air felt ominous, like the darkness had been summoned. The streetlights flickered on.
“Okay.” Emmy braced her hand on the roof of the car. “Look at me.”
He looked up, his gaze locking on to hers.
“I need you to forget we had this conversation, all right? Don’t tell your girlfriend or your bros or even your mother. Just keep it to yourself, and I’ll do the same. You didn’t see anything on the street. You’ve never seen anyone at Allison’s house who didn’t belong there. That’s what my report will say, and that’s what you’ll put in your witness statement. You had your radio turned up and you were minding your own business, all right?”
His fear had gone phosphorescent under the glow of hers.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Emmy motioned for Cole to join them. She told her son, “Drake didn’t see anything. Take his statement and cut him loose.”
Her phone started to buzz as she walked away. Emmy saw a text message from Layla Paulson at the trauma center. Mandy was still in surgery. The bleeding was finally under control. Things were touch-and-go, but the girl was still alive.
For now, at least.
She texted Brett to send a deputy to the trauma center immediately to ensure Mandy’s safety. She tucked her phone back into her vest pocket. According to Drake, Allison had already been warned that Woody was spotted at the house with Mandy. There was only one person Emmy could think of who would give that warning.
She ignored the pain in her body as she jogged up CoachBell’s driveway. The woman had moved to a recliner in front of a huge television so she could watch a different football game. Emmy knocked on the window, then pushed it open.
“Emmy Lou?” Coach Bell stood from her chair and walked over. “Has something happened?”
“No, ma’am. Did you ever see Mandy with a boy at Allison’s house during the day?”
The woman looked shocked. “You don’t think Wesley Woodrow did this?”
