Shadow Play (7 page)

“Yes, it was.” And a happiness Jenny would never know. So many experiences she would never know. “But it's still private, and you shouldn't intrude. Okay?”

Silence.
“I guess.”

Reluctant at best. Eve wasn't sure that she either understood or would comply. “Thank you.”

“
You're welcome.
” Still that thread of wistfulness. “
But I didn't mean to hurt anyone…”

“I know you didn't. And you didn't hurt me, Jenny. It's just the way people feel about—” Oh, give it up. She didn't even know how much a nine-year-old Jenny knew about sex. She was glad that she didn't seem to feel anything horrific connected to it. It was always a fear in a child's murder. “Good night, Jenny.”

“
Good night, Eve.
”

*   *   *

“Is she finished?” Joe asked drowsily as Eve climbed into bed forty-five minutes later.

“Yes.” She cuddled close. “It turned out exceptionally well. She has a very memorable face. She kind of reminded me of a young Audrey Hepburn. Unusual…”

“Everything about her has been unusual.” He brushed his lips across her temple. “But I'm glad that she'll be out of your head soon.”

But would she? Eve wondered. Jenny was full of mysteries and contradictions, and Eve was irresistibly drawn to try to solve them. “I suppose I'll be glad, too.”

“Suppose?”

“Jenny is appealing. She … touches me. Do you know, I've been wondering if there's some reason why I can communicate with her. That maybe I was meant to help her.”

“You are helping her. You did her reconstruction.”

“Maybe I was meant to go a step further.”

Joe was silent, his arms tightening around her. “I'm not going to argue with you. You'll do what you think is right.” He added harshly, “But I don't like it, dammit.”

“I'm not sure I do, either. And I'll probably send her off to Sheriff Nalchek tomorrow. He can do more than I can to find out who she is. It's just…” She wearily shook her head. “She's become too close to me. I feel as if I'm responsible for her.”

“Eve.”

“I know. I know.” She suddenly chuckled. “I wish Bonnie would drop in and have a chat with me. I could use a little advice from the other side. Jenny isn't nearly as integrated there as Bonnie, and she seems to be missing key memories. Maybe Bonnie could help her out.”

“Send your Jenny to Nalchek,” he said firmly.

She nodded. “You're right.” She turned in his arms and clasped him tightly. “I can't be responsible for everyone. I have to pick and choose.” She kissed him. “And I choose you.”

“And I humbly thank you.” He raised himself on one elbow and smiled down at her. “Does that choice offer fringe benefits?”

“You bet it does.” She kissed him, long and deep. She felt the familiar stirring, the hot need that never changed and yet was forever new. She pulled her sleep shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor beside the bed. “All you have to do is put in a request.” She climbed on top of him. “Or not.”

He chuckled. “Consider it entered.” His smile faded, and he was suddenly intense. “And then let's do a little more entering.” His hands were on her breasts. “And I'll prove you didn't make a mistake in making that choice.”

And would Jenny be aware that they were making love, Eve wondered suddenly. It was possible. She was curious. She had liked the warmth.

“Eve? Something wrong?”

And what difference did it make, Eve thought recklessly. There was no shame in the love she and Joe shared. It was beautiful, and the warmth that Jenny had noticed lit up both their lives.

“No, nothing is wrong. Everything is right.” She leaned down and whispered, “I love you, Joe Quinn.”

*   *   *

“I see what you mean.” Joe was looking at the reconstruction on the worktable when she came out of the bathroom the next morning. “She's extraordinary. You're right, unusual. You usually get the resemblance right but she looks … alive. And there's an amazing joi de vivre.”

“Yes.” She went to the cabinet and poured a cup of coffee. “My first thought was how could anyone kill anyone who had that much joy in living. She's almost … alight.”

“And that made you think that maybe you should be doing something more.”

She nodded. “But Nalchek can do it. I've done my part.”

“She goes off today?”

“This afternoon. I'll do the photographs and the computer input this morning.” She followed him out to the porch. “Then I'll call Nalchek and FedEx.”

“Good.” He gave her a quick kiss, then glanced over his shoulder as he started down the porch steps. “And keep the door locked until you get that FedEx box on its way. Okay?”

“Sure. But you said there was no sign of an intruder yesterday.”

“That doesn't mean that there might not have been one. It just means that he could have been very good.” He got into the car. “Better to be safe. I'll call you later and see how it's going.”

“Joe, it's going to be fine.” She blew him a kiss. “I'm almost at the end of this job. I'll see you tonight.”

She watched him drive away, then stood a moment looking out at the lake. She wasn't as confident as she'd let Joe believe. Joe believed it his duty to be suspicious in order to protect her. She only had instinct.

And that instinct was making her uneasy.

She would definitely keep the door locked today.

And she didn't want to keep standing here and staring out at the lake and the woods.

She went back into the cottage, closed the door, and locked it.

“
He's worried about you,
” Jenny said. “
And you're worried, too.
”

Eve's gaze flew to the reconstruction across the room.

“
No, not there. I keep telling you that I don't really have a connection with that skull. I'm here, Eve.
”

Eve slowly turned and gazed at the couch.

Jenny.

Sitting on the couch, wearing a long white eyelet dress with an empire waist and long, bell sleeves. She had black, patent-leather shoes on her small feet and her long, shiny, black hair was tied back away from her face with a white satin ribbon. She looked younger than nine except for that remarkable face and a brilliant smile that Eve would not even have attempted to capture in the reconstruction.

“Well, this is a surprise.” Eve was a little breathless. “No, more of a shock. I wasn't expecting this, Jenny.”

“
But you like it?
” Jenny asked eagerly. “
You were so happy when you could see my face at last. I want you to be happy, Eve. I thought if I concentrated, I could do this and it worked.
”

“It certainly did.” Eve smiled. “And, yes, I'm very happy to see the entire product. You're all dressed up as if you're going to a birthday party. Very elegant. What was the occasion?”

She shrugged. “
I don't know. It wasn't a party. I think I wore this dress a lot.
”

“It's very pretty.
You're
very pretty.” Her smile faded as a thought occurred to her. Had Jenny been killed in this white eyelet dress? Bonnie always appeared to Eve in her jeans and Bugs Bunny T-shirt she'd worn when she was taken. Forget it. Accept that Jenny had appeared in an outfit that she'd worn while alive to please Eve and let any sadness go. “Thank you for being so thoughtful.” She lifted her cup to her lips and took a sip of coffee. “I just wish that you could remember a few other things besides that dress.”

“
I'll try.
” Jenny was smiling eagerly. “
Things are coming back to me all the time. But this did please you, and it's easier than the rest. There are all kinds of confusing stuff that I don't think I'm supposed to know yet.
” She tilted her head. “
Maybe we're supposed to find out together.
”

“I don't think so, Jenny. Sheriff Nalchek has better ways than I do to find out what happened to you. I'm sending your reconstruction back to him today.”

Her smile faded. “
I know that's what you said. I thought maybe you'd change your mind.
” She lifted her chin. “
But that's all right. I know you're busy, and you have Joe. I'm sure everything is going to work out fine. I just don't know how right now.
”

And Eve was having that now-familiar urge to comfort and hold her. “Neither do I. But I'll be in contact with the sheriff, and he'll give me progress reports on what's going on with you. He's a good man and he cares what happens to you.”

Silence, then a wistful, “
But he's not you, Eve.
”

What was she supposed to say to that?

“
I've upset you. Don't worry, I'll be fine.
” Jenny added quickly, “
There's always the music.
”

The music again. It seemed to be Jenny's safe haven when she was upset or afraid. “Yes, you told me it was always there. What kind of music?”

“
All kinds. I like Chopin best. He makes my heart sing. Though Brahms soothes and takes away the pain.
”

And it was breaking Eve's heart that she was the one who had caused that pain. She moved toward the reconstruction. “I have to do the computer program on the reconstruction now. But you might remember something else, that there are always the memories of you that are held by the people who loved you.” She added, “Who still love you, Jenny.”

No answer.

Jenny was gone.

And Eve was looking down at the reconstruction of that little girl who had worn her pretty white dress to please Eve and make her happy.

She blinked back the stinging moisture and started to set up her computer.

It's the right thing to do, Jenny.

12:40 P.M.

“Sorry, I was a little late, Ms. Duncan. I know you requested a morning pickup.” Ted Donner, the FedEx driver, was entering her package onto his computer. “The company had me pick up a few packages on another route.”

“No problem. I had some computer work to do anyway.” She smiled. Donner had been covering this route for the last four years, and he'd always been reliable. “Just so it gets to California tomorrow. I have a sheriff out there who will be on my case if it doesn't.”

“We'll get it there.” He turned and ran down the steps. “Have a nice day.”

“You, too, Ted.”

Eve stood there watching the FedEx truck drive away from the cottage and down the road. Usually, she felt relief and satisfaction at a job well-done when she saw her reconstructions depart her custody.

Not this time.

She was feeling sad and a nagging sense that she had failed Jenny.

Nonsense. She had done exactly what Nalchek had asked of her. It was possibly the best reconstruction she had ever done. Any emotional backfire had to be caused by the fact that she had begun to be too close to the little girl. It had been logical and practical for her to send that skull and the other information to law enforcement, who had the means to take the search a step further.

Logical.

Almost from the beginning, there had been nothing logical about her approach to Jenny's reconstruction. She had that in common with Nalchek. They had both been swept away by the mystery that surrounded Jenny. That might have been a good thing because it had caused both of them to exert all their efforts to solve that mystery.

But now her part was over, and logic had to rule. She'd feel better after she called Nalchek and told him that Jenny was on her way to him.

She turned and went back into the cottage.

Empty.

Of course, it was empty. Joe was at work.

And she was done with Jenny and had told her that she was now in Nalchek's hands.

She took out her phone and dialed Nalchek. “I've just FedExed the reconstruction to you,” she told him when he picked up. “I think you'll be pleased. She has a very memorable face and should be easy to ID if you're able to get cooperation from the media. I'm doing a last check of the computer photos, and I'll be e-mailing them to you later today.”

“Great.” Nalchek's voice was sharp. “And you overnighted that skull?”

“Of course. She should be there before ten tomorrow.”

“Sorry. I've been under a lot of pressure.” He paused. “And I just got back from a memorial service for Ron Carstairs. It was hell.”

“They usually are. And I'm the one who is sorry for your loss. I hope when you get the reconstruction, that it will help you to feel a little better.”

“Thanks,” he said curtly. “But that may take a long time.” He hung up.

So much for calling Nalchek to make her feel what she'd done was worthwhile. It had only reinforced how wrong everything had gone on Jenny's case.

She found her gaze wandering over to the couch where she'd last seen Jenny.

Of course, she wasn't there.

Work.

Finish up the photos.

That would distract her.

She put her phone on her worktable and opened her computer.

2:45 P.M.

One more adjustment …

Eve zeroed the computer camera in on Jenny's delicately pointed chin that she'd sculpted on the reconstruction.

And her cell phone rang.

Joe calling to check? She'd tell him she'd call him back.

Not Joe.

FedEx.

Dammit, had she forgotten to fill out one of those many boxes on the form?

She punched the access. “Look, did I make a mistake? Can we correct it on the phone? That box has to be in California in the morning.”

“No mistake, Ms. Duncan. This is the dispatcher, we just wanted to make sure that the driver picked up your package. We show he did, but you're the last one before we lost contact.”