Chapter 72
Lady bug, lady but, fly away home,
Your house is on fire
And your babies are alone...
Hidden Secrets
Leona Palmer Haag
Chapter 72
Jenn pulled into her own garage and closed the door.
Her mind was spinning. It had switched into hyper-drive the moment she saw the
man from the minivan lying dead on the hillside. She could draw his face in her
sleep if she wanted. Large nose. Small, closely set eyes. A weak chin.
Prominent forehead. Short-cropped dark hair. She had studied him in her
rearview mirror and examined his profile as his vehicle passed. She'd recognize
him anywhere.
And Davis.
Davis?
She suddenly remembered a small kid from middle
school. Davis Turpin. He'd come from an area less desirable than hers—if there
ever could be such. She remembered he sat across the aisle from her in English
for a few weeks during their freshman year. But one day he never showed up
again. Now that she thought about it, she assumed he'd dropped out. The guy at
the airport using his name bore little resemblance. And she was sure the real Davis—nasal
voice, scrawny, darting black eyes—could never sing and wouldn't have enrolled
in a choir class. It infuriated her that someone stole his name hoping to trap
her. Age progression artistry would never take Davis the sky kid at age
fourteen and turn him into Davis Turpin the computer jock at the airport at
thirty-two. Never. Especially if you remembered the real kid. And that was the
kicker. He'd disappeared early enough that Davis the Fake thought Jenn wouldn't
clearly remember the real one. Wouldn't remember more than she once knew the
name. It was familiar. She'd think she remembered him. He'd lure her away from
the airport.
"Kevin, I'm home," Jenn whispered into the
cell phone.
"Good. Where at home?"
"Sitting in my SUV in the garage."
"Then get out and go inside."
"Is it safe?"
Kevin sighed like he was exasperated. "Compared
to a mountainside—yes. Isn’t that a no-brainer? I've sent you an email. Pull it
up and let's talk about it."
Jenn unbuckled and slid out of the SUV. She tip-toed
to the door and entered the code. It unlocked. She pushed the door open an inch
and peeked inside. All was clear. She entered and hesitantly looked around.
"Kevin, do you swear I'm alone?"
"Absolutely. You don't need to whisper."
"On a Bible?"
"A stack of twenty. Is your laptop handy?"
"It's upstairs. Give me a minute."
"Okay. Let me know when you're looking at the
email."
Jenn raced up the stairs and wished for half a second
Kevin could watch her from a tiny camera at the top by the bedroom door. But
she was alone and she'd flushed the camera down the toilet out of spite and
couldn't replace it if she knew how, which she didn't.
"It's open," Jenn said.
"Great. Open the attachment."
"That's him. That's the guy in the minivan. How
did you get the picture?"
"It's on file."
Jenn felt stupid. "Oh." Of course he was on
file. Jenn had reported he'd scared her half out of her wits. Why wouldn't
Kevin go searching for his photo?
"He's an agent."
Jenn's heart stopped. "From my second
basement?"
There was a long pause. "One of them."
Jenn sat down with a thud. "How many do I have
down there?"
"Tell me what you saw. Why were you in the
ravine?"
Jenn took a deep breath. "First, tell me why he
was in the ravine? What are you going to do about his body? It can't sit out
there and rot. Was that why there was a vulture flying over my yard? That is so
disgusting!"
"No."
"No what!"
"That's not why there was a vulture or owl or
whatever kind of bird we saw. I personally talked to Kirk an hour and a half
ago. He was alive and doing well. Where were you at that time?"
"What? Am I a suspect now?"
"Not yet. Where were you?"
"Check the video surveillance, Mr. Smart Guy. I
went shopping, and now I’m very glad I did, and I own new shoes and a few other
odds and ends. Look up my purchases. I’m sure they’re all dated."
"Okay. Lower your voice. Don't get mad. Be calm.
Why did you go shopping?"
Jenn rolled her eyes. "Let's see. I'm a woman.
You gave me a credit card. I like spending your money. I needed new shoes. I
was angry and used it to defuse a ticking time bomb. That about covers
it."
"Why were you in the ravine?"
Jenn shuddered. "Sheer stupidity. I went shopping
then drove around a lot because I thought your bank account might not be
bottomless so I only wasted gas. Then I headed home. As I got near, I wondered
what someone below might see if they looked up. I saw a trail and stopped for
an innocent hike. See, stupidity. I was scared of rattlesnakes, not
villains."
"Are you sure the second guy was Saymore? That
Davis guy who hit on you?"
Jenn sighed like it was a stupid question. "Of
course. Same hair. Same body build. Same eyes. They were open and he was dead.
When are you going to get rid of the dead men in my backyard?"
"Will tonight after dark be soon enough for
you?"
"No. It’s hot here."
"We want it done quietly. Privately. Stay at home
and don't look out."
Jenn shivered. "Are Katie and I safe here?"
"Yes."
"How can I be sure?"
Kevin paused. "If you need something, call me.
I'll alert your bodyguard."
Jenn bit her bottom lip. "What if I need help
faster than that?"
"Press number five on your phone. You'll reach
him personally."
After Jenn hung up she crossed the street. "Don't
eat Chinese food at Sue and Jerry's Doorstep," she told Kristina,
remembering a dirty looking little diner she'd passed on one of her shopping
sprees a week or two before.
"With a name like that, I doubt I will," she
replied, wrinkling her nose.
Katie whined about leaving, so Jenn sat down and let
her play for a while. She was half starved. She’d had no lunch, and hiked on a
mountain, and there was nothing left in her stomach from breakfast. She finally
dragged Katie back to the not so innocent and innocuous house sitting across
the street on Honeysuckle Pie Drive.
End Chapter 72
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