Blood on Copperhead Trail. Paula Graves

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      “You’ve tried calling her on her cell phone?”

      “Of course, but you know how reception can be in the mountains.”

      “Are you sure there weren’t any boys going with them? Or maybe they were meeting some boys up on the mountain?”

      “She’s been sort of dating Britt Lomand, but I already called over there, and Britt’s home. He’s just getting over the flu—his mama said he’s been home all weekend.”

      “Missy Adderly has a boyfriend.”

      “They broke up a month ago,” Alice corrected. “Should I call the police and report her missing? It was awful cold last night on the mountain.”

      Laney glanced at Ivy, who was watching her through narrowed eyes. “The police don’t normally drop everything to look for a teenager who’s a little late getting home, but I’ll see what I can do.”

      “Please call me if you find out anything.”

      “You call me if you hear from her. I’ll talk to you soon, Mama. Try not to worry too much. Jannie’s probably just lost track of the time, or maybe she was running late and went straight to school.”

      “I never thought of that,” Alice admitted. “I’ll call the school, ask if she’s showed up.”

      “Good idea. Call when you know something.” She shut off her phone and met Ivy’s curious gaze. “My sister went hiking up in the hills over the weekend with a couple of girlfriends, and she’s late getting back home. She was supposed to be home in time to shower and dress for school.”

      “Cutting it close.”

      Laney saw the conflicted thoughts playing out behind Ivy’s expressive eyes. “Yeah, I know. At that age, they think they get to make their own rules. But Janelle’s pretty levelheaded.”

      “Guess that runs in the family.”

      Laney wasn’t sure whether Ivy meant the comparison as a compliment. Being thought of as a Goody Two-shoes wasn’t exactly the goal of any high school student—she herself had chafed under the moniker through her high school years. Calling someone a good girl back then had been the same as calling her dull.

      Maybe Janelle was rebelling against the perception herself by skipping school and making everybody worry?

      She punched in her sister’s cell phone number and waited for an answer. It didn’t go immediately to voice mail as it usually did when Janelle’s phone was out of range of a cell signal. After four rings, there was a click.

      But it wasn’t her sister’s voice she heard on the other line. Nor was it Janelle’s overly cute voice-mail message.

      Instead she heard only the sound of breathing and, faintly in the distance, the rustle of leaves.

      “Hello?” she said into the receiver.

      The breathing continued for a moment. Then the line went dead.

      “Did she answer?” Ivy asked.

      Laney shook her head. “But someone was on the other end of the line—”

      Ivy’s phone rang, the trill jangling Laney’s taut nerves. Ivy shot her a look of apology and answered. “What’s up, Antoine?”

      The detective’s brow creased deeply, and she darted a look at Laney so full of dread that Laney’s breath caught in her chest.

      “On my way,” Ivy said and hung up the phone. “I’ve got to run.”

      “What is it?” Laney asked, swallowing her dread as Ivy dug in her pocket for money, carefully not meeting Laney’s eyes.

      “Someone called in a body. I’m heading to the crime scene to see what we can sort out.” Ivy put a ten on the table. “Ask Christie to box up my order and put it in the fridge. I’ll pick it up later.”

      Laney caught Ivy’s arm. “Where’s the crime scene?”

      Ivy’s gaze slid up to meet hers. “Up on Copperhead Ridge.”

      Chapter Two

      “What’s she doing here?” Doyle Massey asked Ivy Hawkins as she crossed to where he and Detective Antoine Parsons stood near the body.

      On the other side of the yellow crime-scene tape, Laney Hanvey stood with her arms crossed tightly over her body as if trying to hold herself together. Her face was pale except where the hike up the cold mountain had reddened her nose and cheeks. Her blue eyes met his, sharp with dread.

      Ivy looked over her shoulder. “Her sister went hiking up here over the weekend and didn’t show up this morning when she was supposed to. I couldn’t talk her out of coming.”

      He dragged his gaze from Laney’s worried face and nodded at the body. “Female. Late teens, early twenties. Do you know what the sister looks like?”

      Ivy edged closer to the body, trying not to disturb the area directly around her. “It’s not Janelle Hanvey. It’s Missy Adderly. No ID?”

      “Not that we’ve found. We’ve tried not to disturb the body too much,” Detective Parsons answered for Doyle.

      “TBI on the way?” Ivy asked.

      It took Doyle a moment to realize she was talking about the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. He’d have to bone up on the local terminology. “Yeah.”

      Doyle found his gaze traveling back to Laney Hanvey’s huddled figure. He left his detectives discussing the case and crossed to where she stood.

      She looked up at him, fear bright in her eyes. “Chief.”

      “It’s not your sister.”

      A visible shudder of relief rippled through her, but the fear in her eyes didn’t go away. “One of the Adderly girls?”

      “Detective Hawkins says it’s Missy Adderly.”

      Laney lifted one hand to her mouth, horror darkening her eyes. “God.”

      “Your sister was hiking up here with the Adderly sisters this weekend?”

      Laney nodded slowly, dropping her hand. “They left Friday night to go hiking and camping. My mother said Janelle and the girls had planned to be back home first thing this morning so Jannie and Missy could get to school on time.” Her throat bobbed nervously. “Jannie’s senior year. She was so excited about graduating and going off to college.”

      “She’s a good student?” he asked carefully.

      Laney’s gaze had drifted toward the clump of detectives surrounding the body. It snapped back to meet Doyle’s. “A very good student. A good girl.” Her lips twisted wryly as she said the words. “I know that’s what most families say about their kids, but in this case, it’s true. Janelle’s a good girl. She’s never given my mother any trouble. Ever.”

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