Читать книгу Mirror Image - Laura Scott - Страница 11

THREE

Jenna pulled the bracelet out of her pocket as she headed into her bedroom to find the small jewelry box she had stashed in the top drawer of her dresser. She opened the lid, gently lifted her bracelet out and set it beside the one still contained in the plastic bag.

They were identical in size, shape and every other detail, except for the engraved initial on the heart-shaped charm. If her mother was still alive, Jenna would have called to ask where the bracelet had been purchased. But Jenna had lost her shortly after graduating from the police academy.

It wasn’t likely her father would know anything about it, either. Besides, he was the last person on earth she wanted to talk to. It still burned to know he’d done only ten years of his twenty-year sentence for attempting to murder Jenna and her mother.

After his arrest, Ruth’s shelter had been their home for several months while the slow wheels of justice slogged forward on her father’s case. Only once he was found guilty were she and her mom able to come out of hiding. They moved in with Grandpa Hank, her maternal grandfather, managing to scrape by on her mother’s waitressing tips from the nearby café.

When Jenna was old enough to work, she joined her mother as a waitress. But she’d always known that she wanted to be a cop.

Just like the female officer who’d come to their rescue on that fateful night.

She shook off the disturbing memories and carried the bracelets into the living room, where she’d left her laptop. The hour was edging toward two in the morning, but she knew she wouldn’t sleep until she’d at least tried to find some information on the bracelet.

She’d just clicked on a search engine when she heard a muffled thud from somewhere outside. She rose to her feet and reached for her weapon. Then she quickly doused the lights and inched toward the living room window, which overlooked the street.

She frowned when she noticed Griff’s squad car was still parked at the curb. But why? She squinted, trying to see if he was inside.

Then she realized he was running toward the south side of her house as if he was going after someone.

The attacker was back!

Jenna didn’t waste any time, but quickly opened the front door and headed outside. When she saw Griff disappearing around the corner, she took off after him.

She was light on her feet, gaining on Griff as he veered around the trees in her neighbor’s yard. She couldn’t see who he was chasing, but the least she could do was back him up.

As she closed the gap between them, he slowed, obviously hearing her behind him.

“Reed on your six,” she whispered.

He didn’t hesitate, but nodded, indicating he’d heard.

She put on a burst of speed so that she could run alongside him. “Who are you following?”

He glared at her for a moment, looking annoyed. “A teenage girl was hiding around the corner of your house.”

A teenage girl? That didn’t make any sense. But there wasn’t time to argue as Griff veered around some lawn furniture, making her realize he had a destination in mind.

He slowed down, gesturing for her to come closer. He leaned in, his mouth next to her ear. “Behind the tan shed ahead. We’ll need to circle around to meet in the back.”

She gave a terse nod, then ducked around a low branch of a huge maple tree. She couldn’t begin to fathom why a teenager would be hanging around her house, but the timing was certainly suspicious. Being in law enforcement had proved to her that anything was possible, so right now they were approaching this suspect carefully. It was entirely possible this girl was somehow connected to the earlier assault.

Stepping carefully, Jenna approached the edge of the shed. Leaning against the wooden structure, she listened intently.

Crickets chirped; tree frogs belched. But she didn’t hear any telltale sign that someone was hiding there.

Had Griff made a mistake? Unlikely, despite the fact they were all human. Griff was one of the best cops she knew, tough yet fair. She’d been thrilled when he’d hired her to join his team. She inched closer to the edge of the shed and peered around the corner.

At first she didn’t see anything amiss. Then she realized there was a slim figure crouched beside a woodpile. The teenager was curled up in a tight ball, as if trying to make herself invisible.

Jenna didn’t think the teen was armed, but there was no point in taking any chances. Griff poked his head around the opposite corner, and she gave him a quick hand signal, indicating their quarry was there.

“Police,” Jenna said, stepping around the corner and leveling her weapon at the figure hiding beside the woodpile. “Hold your hands up where I can see them.”

From the corner of her eye she noticed Griff came out to join her. She kept her gaze on the small figure, relieved when two pale, slender hands slowly rose above the teen’s head.

“Are you Jenna Reed?” the girl asked in a shaky voice.

Jenna blinked in surprise. How on earth did this girl know her name? “Yes. Stand up and keep your hands in the air.”

The teen did as she was told.

It wasn’t easy to make out the girl’s facial features in the darkness, but there was no mistaking the long blond hair framing her face. “Who are you?” Jenna asked, perplexed. She didn’t know her neighbors other than on a casual basis. Did this girl live somewhere nearby?

“M-my name—is—Cl-Claire.”

It took Jenna a minute to realize the kid was shivering. From fear or the chill in the air—considering she wasn’t wearing any sort of jacket over her ripped T-shirt—or both. The C engraved on the bracelet flashed in her mind. “What’s your last name?”

“Towne.”

“Do you have any weapons on you?” Jenna asked. “Drugs? Anything illegal?”

“N-no.” The girl’s thin arms began to droop with exhaustion. Griff was armed and Jenna wasn’t sensing an immediate threat, so she holstered her weapon and stepped forward to pat the girl down.

Claire was excruciatingly thin, reminding Jenna of the girls who often showed up at Ruth’s shelter. There was a small, nondescript cell phone in one pocket, and when Jenna moved over to the other side and patted the pocket, she heard a crinkling noise. “What’s that?” she asked, dipping her fingers inside to pull out what she suspected might be a baggie containing drugs.

“N-newspaper.” Claire’s thin voice levered up an octave when Jenna pulled it free. “It’s mine. Give it back!”

The burst of anger ironically made Jenna feel better. The girl might be down to her last few dollars, but she was still fighting, which meant she hadn’t given up.

Jenna pulled out the paper, realizing it was a newspaper clipping folded over several times to make it small enough to fit in Claire’s pocket. When she opened it, Jenna instantly recognized the picture of herself wearing her dress uniform as she stood in front of a crowd, thanking everyone in attendance for the donations to Ruth’s shelter. She remembered that night well, because city leaders had made a big deal of her role in the recent Brookmont arrests. The article was dated just two months ago.

Well, this explained how Claire Towne knew who she was. But there were still too many questions for her peace of mind. “Did you lose a bracelet?”

“Yes. Did you find it?” Claire’s earnest face lit up at the possibility.

Jenna glanced at Griff, who was standing there with a deep frown furrowing his brow. He shrugged his shoulder as if telling her to go with her gut.

“I have it at my place.” Jenna reached out to lightly grasp Claire’s arm. “Come on. We need to get you out of the cold.”

Claire hesitated, casting furtive glances in Griff’s direction. Was the teen afraid of him?

“This is Lieutenant Vaughn, my boss,” Jenna said, hoping to put Claire at ease. “Don’t worry. We’re not going to hurt you.”

Claire’s head snapped up and her fingers curled into fists. “I’m eighteen, old enough to be on my own.”

“Okay,” Jenna said mildly. The girl didn’t look a day over sixteen. Although it could be that she looked younger in the dark because she was thin and scared.

Jenna had the distinct feeling this kid was a runaway. Although it was a mystery as to why Claire had a picture of Jenna tucked away in her back pocket.

“Do you think this is a good idea?” Griff asked in a low voice as they crossed the neighbors’ lawns to head back to her place. “What if she’s acting as a lure for the assailant?”

Jenna sighed, knowing he was right to be wary. But there was no way she could turn her back on this half-starved, frightened and shivering teenager. “That’s why you’re here to stand guard,” she murmured.

Griff didn’t say anything more, but he did move closer, so much so that she could feel the warmth radiating off his skin. She couldn’t deny she was glad he was there. The teenager didn’t say anything as they walked, but looked dejected, as if running away had sapped her strength.

As they rounded the corner of the house, Jenna slowed to a stop, realizing that she hadn’t locked the front door behind her. If Griff’s theory was right, the assailant could be hiding somewhere inside.

“Wait here,” Jenna said, putting a hand on Griff’s arm. “I need to make sure no one is inside.”

“Don’t leave me,” Claire pleaded, grabbing the edge of Jenna’s denim jacket.

“I’ll go,” Griff said. “She trusts you more.”

That was obviously true. Jenna gave a terse nod, putting her arm around Claire’s thin shoulders.

Griff headed inside, and the minute they were alone, the girl turned to Jenna. “Please, you have to help me.”

Jenna was taken aback by her desperate plea. “What’s wrong? Are you in trouble?”

“Yes. I need help and you’re the only one I can trust. Just you, no one else. I’m so glad you’re all right.”

All right? Had this girl witnessed the attack? “Claire, be honest with me. Were you here earlier? Did you see that man try to grab me?”

Claire’s features crumpled, and she buried her face in her hands. “Yes. I’m sorry. When that man showed up I ran away, intending to get help. But then I heard someone yell, ‘Stop! Police,’ so I hid in the bushes.”

Jenna wasn’t sure what to think of Claire’s story. It certainly sounded plausible. She glanced at her modest brick house, wishing Griff would hurry. What if Claire and the masked man were working together? She pulled out her phone and mentally counted down from ten.

If Griff didn’t come out soon, she was calling for backup.

Three, two, one. She lifted her phone and was about to punch in the number for their dispatcher when Griff emerged from the darkness.

“Your place is clear.”

She let out a sigh and resisted the urge to close her eyes in relief. Griff was a good cop, but she couldn’t deny feeling concerned about his safety. “Thanks.”

He followed them inside, and she flipped on the lights, wincing at the brightness before shutting the front door behind them. She shot the dead bolt home for added security.

She turned to face Griff and Claire. Griff was staring at Claire intently, looking a bit shaken.

“What’s wrong?” She raked her gaze over Claire, who was just about Jenna’s height, looking for signs of injury.

“Don’t you see it?” he asked. “The resemblance is uncanny.”

Resemblance? She sharpened her gaze on Claire’s face and took a step back as the realization hit hard.

Seeing Claire’s face was akin to looking at her own reflection in the mirror.

* * *

Griff didn’t like this situation one bit. First the assault, then this girl showing up, looking far too much like Jenna.

On closer inspection Claire was definitely younger than Jenna by several years, so they couldn’t be twins. And there were very subtle differences in their appearances. Claire’s hair was lighter in color and longer than Jenna’s. But the similarities of their facial features, down to the shape of their clear blue eyes, made him wonder if they were related in some way.

But Jenna claimed to be an only child. And he didn’t think that was a lie. Considering the way she was gaping at Claire, she was just as stunned to see the girl as he was.

“Okay, Claire, you better start talking,” Jenna said with a dark scowl. “You told me you were in trouble. What kind of trouble? Did you steal something? Get caught? Run away? What?”

She was firing questions faster than her M16 shot bullets, and Griff watched Claire’s shoulders droop as if she were exhausted.

“Maybe we should offer her something to eat?” The emaciated look of Claire bothered him. “She looks hungry.”

Jenna let out a huff but then nodded. “Right. Food. I’ll throw in a frozen pizza.”

The way she hurried into the other room made him think she was anxious to get away from Claire. Honestly, he understood. He’d heard that they all had a double in the world, but he hadn’t really believed it.

Until now. The physical similarities between the girls were eerie.

Claire was subtly inching away from him, rubbing her hands over her arms. He grabbed an afghan off the sofa and tossed it to her. “Wrap up. You’ll feel warm soon.”

She nodded and did as she was told, huddling into the blanket as if she could disappear inside. He raked a hand over his short hair.

Now what?

“Do you live in the Milwaukee area?” he asked.

Claire shrugged but didn’t answer. She was looking at him as if he was an ogre, so he tried to soften his harsh features.

“Listen, we’re not going to hurt you, okay? We just need to understand what’s going on. Jenna was brutally attacked a few hours ago and we need to know why. Are you in town with someone?”

Claire slowly shook her head from side to side. When she finally spoke, her voice was so soft he had to strain to hear her. “I came on my own. Took a bus from Chicago.”

Chicago? He found it hard to believe this tiny slip of a girl came ninety miles with nothing more than the clothes on her back and a crumpled piece of newspaper in her pocket.

Being a runaway was looking more and more likely. Especially since she seemed to be afraid of him.

Because he was a cop? A man? Both?

She hadn’t seemed afraid of Jenna. In fact, he was amazed the girl had gone out of her way to purposefully find Jenna.

But how?

“Do you have any identification? Anything to prove who you are?”

Claire shook her head again, easing toward the opening leading to the kitchen.

“Okay, why don’t you tell me how you found Jenna?”

She shook her head and darted a glance toward the door. He bit back a sigh of frustration. How could he get this girl to trust him?

“Pizza’s in, should be ready in a few minutes.” Jenna looked at Claire. “Come into the kitchen. I think you owe us an explanation, don’t you?”

The enticing aroma of pepperoni, cheese and tomato sauce filled the air, and Claire was practically drooling with anticipation. But then she hesitated. “I need to use the bathroom to wash up.”

“Sure. It’s down the hall to your right.”

“Thank you.” Claire slipped away, leaving Griff and Jenna alone in the kitchen.

A strained moment stretched between them.

“Do you think it’s possible you’re related to her in some way?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“I don’t see how, although I guess she could be a cousin. I don’t know much about my father’s side of the family.”

Griff lifted a brow. “I don’t think cousins share that kind of resemblance.”

Jenna scowled at him. “Listen, this isn’t your problem. It’s mine. There’s no reason for you to stick around. I can handle this from here.”

“Funny, I was thinking we should take her down to the station, maybe check her fingerprints for missing persons.”

“Why? The only crime we’re aware of is trespassing.”

“That we’re aware of is the key phrase, don’t you think?”

Jenna’s chin thrust forward stubbornly. “Plenty of time for all that later. Right now she needs food, warmth and shelter.”

Griff didn’t like the idea of leaving Jenna here alone. The girl was young and looked harmless, but that didn’t mean much. He knew only too well that looks could be deceiving. His parents were proof of that. Innocent people had trusted them with their life’s savings when they shouldn’t have.

Then he focused on her last word. “Shelter. That’s a great idea. Why don’t you take her to Ruth’s?”

“Lately her place has been running full,” Jenna pointed out. “Although I guess I could call to see if there are any openings.”

“No!” Claire said from the doorway, looking so pale Griff feared she might crumple to the floor at any moment.

“It’s okay, Claire,” Jenna said in a soothing voice. “We were just trying to think of ways to keep you safe.”

“I’m safer here with you,” the girl protested. “I don’t want to go to a shelter.”

Griff tried to stifle a weary sigh. From the compassionate expression in Jenna’s eyes, he suspected she wanted to give in to Claire’s wishes.

“I won’t force you, Claire. We’ll be fine,” Jenna assured him. “She can hang out here for what’s left of the night.”

“Oh, yeah?” Griff wanted to shake some sense into Jenna. “What if that guy shows up again to finish what he’s started?”

“Stop it—you’re frightening Claire,” Jenna admonished him. “Besides, I doubt he is going to come back. And if he does, I’m armed and will call for backup.”

He stared at her, trying to find a way to convince Jenna that keeping a strange teenager in her home wasn’t smart. “You don’t know Claire isn’t involved in this,” he finally reminded her. “If you’re letting her stay, then I’m staying, too.”

Jenna looked taken aback by his declaration, but to his surprise, Claire nodded. “That’s good.”

Good? He frowned. “Why? Do you know something about the guy who attacked Jenna?”

Claire shifted uncomfortably, looking guilty. “I’m afraid so.”

He knew it! “Start talking,” he advised in a gruff voice.

Claire swallowed hard, her gaze darting between him and Jenna. It was several long seconds before she spoke. “I think that guy attacked Jenna by mistake.”

“By mistake?” Griff echoed in surprise. He’d never expected her to say something that crazy. “What makes you think that?”

Claire licked her dry lips. “I managed to escape from them, so I’m pretty sure they’re looking for me.”

Griff looked at Jenna, struck again by the similarities between the two women. Maybe Claire’s statement wasn’t that far-fetched.

Jenna’s eyes widened in shock. “I guess it’s possible the masked man made a mistake.”

“That doesn’t explain why the bulb was removed from your porch light,” Griff pointed out. “If he’s the one who removed it, then he had to know you lived here.”

Claire winced. “That was me,” she said in a soft voice. “I removed the lightbulb, needing darkness while I waited for Jenna to come home.” The teen’s eyes filled with tears as she moved toward Jenna, who placed a consoling arm around her thin shoulders. “I’m sorry. I never meant for you to be hurt.”

Griff stared helplessly at the two of them. If Claire was telling the truth and the assailant really had mistaken Jenna for Claire, then she and Jenna were still in danger.

Leaving him to figure out how to protect them both.