13 Nights of Horror: The Disappearance of Rose Hillard by Amy Cross Page A

keeping it, and that’s final,” Gorman said firmly. “I’ll put it in my safe, I won’t let anyone know about it, but I need to have some kind of evidence in case… In case this all comes back on us some day.”
    “I don’t want anyone seeing what’s on that disc,” Michael told him.
    “I’ll take a look at what’s on it,” Gorman replied, “just to get a basic idea, but then I’ll put it away and you have my word of honor that it will never see the light of day again.”
    “Fine,” Michael replied, keeping his eyes on the disc for a moment. “I’m sure you’re right, I just…” Looking down at his dead daughter in his arms, he realized that blood was running from a cut in her belly, all the way down her side and onto the floor. “I have to go,” he added finally. “I have to bury my little girl. I’ll call you in the morning to report her missing, so we can get that part of things over with as quickly as possible.”
    Gorman watched as Michael carried Rose away. Once they were gone, the Sheriff was left standing alone in the shed, with the arc lights still burning bright in a circle all around him, like stars that refused to go out.
    ***
    “Jesus, that’s horrible,” Elizabeth said the next morning, standing by the door to Gorman’s office. “So when you arrived, Scott and Luke were already dead?”
    “And Ricky Baggard,” he replied as he opened his safe. “Looks like there was a robbery. Probably someone from out of state, but we’ll see. Some items had been removed from the house, some money and a few other things that might have value, so…” He paused for a moment. “So that’s that, I guess.”
    “I know I shouldn’t say it,” she continued, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial hush, “but I never liked those brothers. There was always something weird about them, the way they lived out there alone and never really socialized with anyone else in town. And that Luke kid was always into computers, which in my opinion is never a good sign about anyone. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was mixed up in something pretty dark.” She sniffed. “Ricky seemed like a good kid, though. A little wayward, but a good soul. God bless his parents, I can’t imagine what they’re going through. To lose a son so suddenly, and in such horrible circumstances…”
    She watched as Gorman placed the CD in his safe and closed the door.
    “What was that?” she asked.
    “Nothing important,” he replied, turning the dial before getting to his feet and heading to his desk. “I’ll be doing some paperwork this morning, so try not to let anyone interrupt me. I just… I need to get on with things. The Everham and Baggard case is going to take up a lot of time, so I want to get started while it’s all fresh in my mind, you know?”
    “Are you okay?” she replied. “You look a little off, Ben.”
    “I’m fine,” he said, with a fake smile that he knew wouldn’t convince her. “Just a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
    “I’ll make you a nice pot of coffee,” she told him, turning to walk away before stopping and looking back at him. “Oh, and I forgot to mention. It’s probably nothing, but Michael and Carey Hillard phoned a little while ago. It seems Rose didn’t get home last night, and they’re worried about her. I told them she’s just being a typical teenager and to call back this evening if they still haven’t heard from her. Did I do the right thing?”
    “The right thing?” He paused, briefly feeling a breathless sense of panic in his chest before managing to get himself under control. “Sure,” he said finally. “You absolutely did the right thing. I’m sure Rose will be home soon.”

Today
     
    His cane tapped heavily on each step leading up to the Hillards’ front door. The rain was falling harder than ever now, and as he knocked on the door Gorman couldn’t help but turn and look back toward the forest on the other side of the road. He half-expected to see Rose