But as quickly as her smile emerged, Emerson’s faded. Face flushing, she took a sudden interest in one of the many cuts on her finger. Alyssa and Cord exchanged puzzled expressions. Then, Emerson spoke into her lap in a voice so soft and quiet that Alyssa had to move forward in order to hear.

‘It felt like I’d been running for a really long time, and everything looked the same, like I was just going in circles. I was really scared because I was lost and alone and feeling guilty because Ad’ – she tilted her head just a bit and offered a sad smile at her friend – ‘because Ad—Well, you know. I thought she’d given up her life to save me.’ Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, and she used her knuckles to brush them away, wiping them on the blanket before continuing. ‘Addis said you told her you were a good tracker.’

At the way Cord’s eyes immediately shifted from the girls to Tony, Alyssa knew he’d also noted the hint of accusation in Emerson’s tone.

Tony’s head bobbed up and down, seeming to understand what Emerson was getting at. ‘You’re wondering why I never found you?’

With her eyes still cast down, Emerson shrugged even as she whispered, ‘Yeah, I guess.’

‘Well, I did search for you in that area, so I can only guess that it was probably afterwards that you hid in the spot where we found you.’ Tony shuffled forward until he could squat down in front of her. ‘Hey, can you look at me for a second?’ He waited for Emerson to lift her head. ‘Even if you had been there when I searched, you should be proud of yourself, and do you know why?’

‘Why?’

‘Because you did the right thing in hiding yourself, and even hurt and disoriented, you managed to stay hidden until Addis’ – he tipped his head toward her best friend – ‘found the trail that led us to you.’ Tony’s eyes shimmered when Emerson’s neck snapped in Addis’s direction.

‘What? You didn’t tell me that.’

Alyssa missed Addis’s response because her phone vibrated. Not wanting to disturb the girls while they were speaking, she’d turned the ringer as low as it could go without actually turning it off before she’d come in to interview them. She glanced down. It was Dr. Homa, and if she was calling, it had to be regarding Elizabeth Monroe. ‘Excuse me. I have to take this.’

Chapter Fifty-Two

Thursday, October 10

Alyssa answered her phone just as Cord joined her in the hallway. ‘Detective Wyatt speaking.’

‘Detective Wyatt, this is Dr. Homa over at the University of New Mexico Hospital. I’m calling about Elizabeth Monroe. Do you have a few minutes?’

The last time Dr. Homa had called her unexpectedly, it had been to offer grave news, almost literally, so Alyssa’s muscles tensed in anticipation.