Chapter 8
Cup of dark brew in hand, David inhaled the rich bold aroma and closed his heavy eyelids.
The hum of voices and activity of the coffee shop faded into the background.
After visiting Jennie on Sunday afternoon, David had spent the evening and all night playing the evidence in Zoey’s case over in his head.
But it was the email Jennie had forwarded to him that confused him the most. Nothing pointed to anyone other than a pedophile.
So why had the creep included Jennie in the last three of the photos?
There was only one answer. A different person other than the one from the mistaken text stalked the pair.
Then the weekend incident happened. Maybe it had been just an accident, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had intended to harm her.
His shoulders slumped at the thought. Lack of sleep was catching up with him.
During college, an all-nighter wouldn’t have fazed him.
But over a decade later, his body didn’t recover as easily.
He took a sip and blinked, bringing the world into focus. His tired gaze spotted Brandon heading his way, appearing as frazzled as David.
David sat his mug on the table. “Hey, partner. You look about as good as I feel. The twins keep you up late last night? Or did you have a hot date?”
Brandon plopped onto the bench opposite David in the corner booth and scowled at him. “You think I have time to date with Katie and Kyle taking up all my energy and brain cells? Those kids of mine decided last night would be a good night to break curfew and waltzed in an hour late.”
David chuckled. “They’re a handful. Always into mischief and sticking up for each other.”
“Yeah, the twins insist on doing things together. They’re even double dating so I can’t get mad at just one of them.” The corners of Brandon’s lips curved downward.
“You miss her, don’t you?” David hadn’t known Brandon’s late wife, Tish, but if his partner’s admiration of her was any indication, the woman had been amazing.
“Every day.” Brandon swiped his hand over his tired face and inhaled. “So, what’s new with the case?”
David placed his hand on the folder sitting next to his placemat and slid it toward Brandon. “Jennie received an email Friday night. Those were in it.”
The waitress sat a mug of coffee in front of Brandon and poured David a second cup.
Once the woman sauntered away, his partner opened the file. He gave a low whistle through his teeth. “Huh. Not what I expected.”
“Me either. I was pretty sure Zoey’s picture would be out on the web, but Zoey and Jennie together? Makes me wonder.”
“Exactly. This isn’t the same man who communicated with Zoey.” Brandon’s gaze met his. “You tell Jennie, yet?”
“No. Haven’t had the opportunity. I was a little busy helping her dodge falling boulders on Saturday. Besides, I wanted to study the photos before I came to any conclusions.”
“You better tell her, or something tells me she’ll bite your head off if she finds out you’re hiding something from her.”
David lifted his mug and saluted Brandon. “Right you are.”
“By the way, how’s she doing?” Brandon slid his cup in a circle on the table.
“It shook her up a bit, but she’s tough.”
“What about you? How’s your arm and back?”
“Not gonna lie, I’m sore, but it could have been a lot worse.” His skin burned where the cuts rubbed against his shirt. Living alone had its drawbacks, one being no one to help with unreachable places.
“Very true.” His partner tipped his mug, emptied it, then raised it to the waitress.
The server placed a coffee pot on the table. “There ya go, boys. You look like you need it.”
“Thanks,” they said in unison as she walked away.
The two continued to update each other on their open cases and status of the current search warrant requests.
Several cups of coffee later and their task list ready for action, a flit of blonde hair captured David’s attention.
Jennie stood at the entrance, scanning the room.
He narrowed his gaze. The dark circles under the woman’s eyes and her drooped shoulders concerned him.
Brandon shifted and looked around the edge of the booth. “Ah, my signal to leave.”
“You don’t have to…”
His partner waved his hand at him. “I’ve got to get busy anyway. And you have information to share with a very tired looking young lady.”
“You noticed that too, eh?”
“Hard to miss.” Brandon slid from the seat. “See ya later.”
Jennie said hello to Brandon on his way out then her eyes met David’s. She ambled to his table.
“Please. Have a seat.” He motioned to the bench Brandon had vacated.
“Thank you.” Jennie lowered herself to the seat and in one graceful movement slid her legs under the table.
“Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
David motioned the waitress for another cup. “Where’s your friend?”
“Tina’s at my place. She had work to do. As a graphic designer, she can work from anywhere. I’m heading home after I run a few errands.”
“She seems nice.”
“Very much so. I don’t think I would have survived my past if it hadn’t been for her.”
He pondered her statement. It only confirmed she continued to hide something from him.
Jennie exhaled. Her entire body slumped.
“Looks like you had a long night.”
Her eyebrow rose.
He sighed. Smooth, dude. “I meant you look tired.”
She busied herself with unrolling her silverware. “You could say that.”
The waitress brought a fresh cup, pouring Jennie’s coffee, then hurried to her next customer.
Jennie added a small amount of cream into her cup and stirred the brown liquid.
“Want to talk about it?” He studied her as she tapped her spoon against the edge of her mug then lifted it to take a sip. He waited, giving her time to decide if she wanted to share what had kept her awake last night. Would she finally trust him with her fears and concerns?
She propped her elbows on the table and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I couldn’t sleep.” She gripped the cup in front of her tight enough her fingers turned white.
“Any particular reason?”
Her hands trembled causing her coffee to slosh. She placed the mug on the table and tucked her hands beneath her legs.
His gut twisted at the pain and uncertainty that swam in her eyes.
***
Of all the places in Pinewood Shores Jennie had to come for coffee, she had to pick this one. David was too perceptive for his own good. She had a decision to make. A hard one.
“Other than the close call with the rocks, I-I found…” She swallowed past the lump in her throat.
She should tell him what Tina had said, but Kenny couldn’t be behind any of this.
He didn’t know where she lived. Did he? “I was worried about the pictures in the email. I want my daughter safe and not out there for public consumption.”
David’s scrutinizing gaze had her squirming in her seat.
She’d mastered a poker face years ago, but lying was a different story. Oh, she could do it, but it wasn’t something that had ever come easy. Even when it meant the difference between pain and peace. Besides, David was too perceptive for her to get away with it.
“Jennie.” His voice lowered. “Please, trust me.”
She sighed. Maybe she’d give him a smidge of the truth and see how he reacted. Grabbing her mug, she stared at the brew. “Zoey found an old necklace of mine and left it on my dresser.”
He laid his hand on her forearm. “An old necklace wouldn’t have your face drained of all color.”
“You’re right. It’s a reminder of a bad time in my life. I thought I’d gotten rid of it, apparently not, and Zoey must have found it.”
His gaze reached down into her heart. He waited. Didn’t ask a question. Didn’t rush her. Just waited.
Inhaling, she continued. “I never wanted to see it again. It shook me, but I’m okay now. It’s gone and I don’t ever have to set eyes on it again.”
He nodded then removed his hand and rubbed the back of his neck.
Now it was her turn to ask the questions. “What’s wrong, David. Why do you look like you’re going to ruin my day?”
He winced. “I wish you hadn’t put it that way. But yes, I have something I need to tell you.”
“Go ahead. I don’t think my brain can deal with waiting.”
“I talked with Brandon this morning. We both agreed.” He peered into her eyes. “We don’t think the creep that Zoey texted with is the person who took the pictures.”
Her stomach dropped. There was a second person trying to ruin her and Zoey’s peaceful life? “Why do you think it’s another person?”
His chest rose and fell. “A child predator focuses on the child. They don’t change their preferences, and he wouldn’t allow his attention to spillover to an adult.”
“So, because I’m in some of the pictures, you’ve concluded that it isn’t the same guy.”
“Because you are the focus in those photos, yes.”
She rubbed her temples. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“I’m sorry, Jennie. I truly am.”
“It’s not enough that someone attempts to lure my daughter out to meet him through a mistaken text…” Her voice rose. “But now someone else is involved.” Blood whooshed in her ears.
“Jennie.”
“Don’t Jennie me.” She scanned the room and discovered several patrons staring at her. She lowered her voice. “What am I supposed to do? How am I going to protect my daughter?”
“Nothing is going to happen to Zoey. And I’m worried about you too. Brandon and I are going to work both angles until we find out who’s responsible for the pictures and both attacks, the text message and the lake incident.” He lifted his cup and took a sip. “That is a promise.”
Jennie rested her head on the back of the bench seat. “Pinewood Shores was supposed to be safe. No one was supposed to find us here.”
David’s brows pinched together. “Find you?”
Tears welled in her eyes. Why had she said that? “Thanks for letting me join you for coffee and for the update, but I need to head out. Today’s my day off, and I need to run errands and check on Tina before we join Zoey at Aunt Emily’s.”
His shoulders slumped. “I’ll keep you posted. And Jennie?”