Ellie frowned. “What are you saying?”
“I put you in the back of the cruiser and drove you to the hospital.”
Ellie’s mouth dropped open. “But everything I’ve read said the paramedics cut my clothes in the ambulance.”
Johnson shook his head. “Your clothes were cut in the ER.” He cringed, remembering wishing he could take the girl’s place, feel the pain instead. “When you get hit by a car sometimes you bounce, and the road rash—” He stopped abruptly. “Let’s just say it wasn’t a pretty sight, and they didn’t have a choice. Moving you around to pull a shirt over your head would have put you at risk for becoming paralyzed.”
“So did moving me to the cruiser.”
“True. But luckily, I had help, and we were able to roll you onto an emergency blanket I carried in my trunk. A man helped me load you into the back seat. It was fortunate he’d heard the accident and come out when he did.”
“Why is none of this in the report?” She shook her head. “Never mind. I’m sure it was Jones’s doing.”
“I have my suspicions, especially now that you’re saying the information about the paramedics and the ambulance is actually in the report. I was honest with Jones, even though it could’ve cost me my career if something happened to you.”
“What about the man? Did Jones interview him?”
“I didn’t get his name.” His jaw clenched, and he regretted that mistake again for about the millionth time. He’d been thinking about that night a lot since Ellie came on as detective. “I’m not sure where he came from.”
“Do you remember what he looked like?”
“Average height, average build. White man. Late thirties, early forties. Honestly, it was so dark, and he was soaked to the skin.” Johnson sucked in a quick breath.
“What?”
“He shouldn’t have been that wet. It was drizzling, but not the torrential downpour that had happened about thirty minutes earlier. He looked like he’d taken a dunk in the river.”
“If he came from the houses, were they far enough away to account for that?”
Johnson shook his head, mentally putting himself back on that street in the dark. “There’s no way. That neighborhood has small lots, and all the houses are set close to the street. From the nearest house to where I was standing was thirty seconds, tops.”
“Could he have come from farther away?”
“Not a chance. He was there moments after I got out of the car. I thought he was walking or something, or why would he be out in the rain? But he told me he heard the accident and came right out. I didn’t question it.”
Ellie leaned in, excited. “Did he say anything else to you?”
“No. Wait. Yes. Yes, he did. He told me to keep you safe. That you were a special one. Then he was gone. I turned around to thank him for helping, and he was nowhere to be found. I didn’t look for him because you needed medical attention.”
Ellie closed her eyes, her expression eerily calm.
Chief Johnson waited, the events of that night churning in his head.
When she finally opened her eyes again, she couldn’t hide the fear. “Do you think the man who helped you that night could’ve been my kidnapper?”
“I’m starting to think that’s the only explanation.” He balled his fist, the urge to slam it on the desk strong, but he held his temper. “How could I have missed that?”
“You were a rookie, and I’m going to bet it was the first time you’d hit someone with a car. A kid, no less. That would rattle anyone.”
“I can’t tell you how it tore me up. You moaned all the way to the hospital, and I thought you’d die before I got there. It was the longest eight minutes of my life.”
“You did what you had to do, and I lived. That’s the most important thing.” Her smile was soft and a little sad. “It sounds like you hitting me saved me from the kidnapper. If you weren’t there, he probably would’ve caught me eventually.” Her eyes were serious as she held his gaze with quiet ferocity. “And then he would’ve killed me.”
“I don’t doubt it. The man seemed shaken, and he was out of breath. I just chalked it up to a typical adrenal response to witnessing a child hit by a car.” He forced himself to breathe, his racing heart beating painfully against his ribs.
“Did you notice anything else?”
“Just that your clothes were covered in blood. And I don’t mean a typical amount. When I first got out of the car and saw you in the headlights, I was sure you were already dead. There was so much blood; much more than anyone can lose and live.”
“It wasn’t all mine,” she reassured him, her voice faltering.
“I realize that. The man wasn’t injured, though.”
Ellie’s gaze went to the floor, her hands shaking as she collected herself. “I’m sorry. This is a lot.”
“Take your time.”
She licked her lips, her answering laugh joyless. “I’ve taken enough time. You’ve been so detailed, but none of this is jogging my memory. I saw the video, so I know most of that blood was from the other victim. He made me watch him torture her until I couldn’t take it anymore. Then I told him to kill her.”
Kill the bitch. Ellie shuddered.
“It was a mercy.”
She bit her lip, nodding, but not really looking like the words sank in. “I know, but that doesn’t make it any easier.”
“None of this is easy.”
She met his gaze, her eyes sincere. “I know that night was hard for you, but I’m glad it happened. You’re the only one who has any idea what that night was like for me. Talking to you about it, I don’t feel so alone. Isolated.”
“I haven’t talked about it in so long…” He snorted. “Maybe I should spend some time with
