Chapter 5 #3
“She’s fine, as far as I know. A young jogger was hit, but she was only slightly injured.
But again, she had your coloring. She didn’t really look like you—just enough of a resemblance to unsettle me.
The other girl, though, the one from the accident, I literally thought she was you for a few minutes.
” A loud sigh reached her ear. “Look, our conversation earlier didn’t exactly go as I’d hoped.
If you’re serious about helping me find Dylan, how about meeting me somewhere so we can go over details. Make a plan.”
She surprised herself with a chuckle. “That’s my line. I was always the one with a plan.”
“Truth. But I’ve had to make some changes.”
Don’t get sucked in. He was still a charmer. She couldn’t fall for that. But she also couldn’t say no to a blatant appeal for help. Her day had been crazy, and she needed to get home to Gus, but she was curious to see how much this woman looked like her. “Fine, fine. Give me ten minutes?”
“Let’s meet at Renegade Mercy General Hospital.”
She agreed and disconnected.
True to her word, she arrived about ten minutes later. The visitors’ lot appeared full, so she parked on the street in front and met Jackson by the main entrance.
“Officer Beckley is waiting for us, and I already informed the receptionist that we were going to see the patient. She had a concussion and drifted into a coma after she arrived, but they’re keeping a good eye on her. I’m not sure if they know her name yet.”
She nodded and followed him through the security checkpoint, which included walking through the portable screening system. Hospital security had tightened in the past few years. Once they were cleared, they headed to the room.
“Mia.” Officer Jason Beckley greeted her. He had come to her classroom last year to teach about internet predators and being safe online.
“Jason.”
The officer glanced at Jackson. “You’re right. The accident victim does look like Mia.”
A moment later, Mia felt like the air had been sucked from the room. The woman lying so still on the bed could easily have been mistaken for her. Same coloring. Same cheekbones. Even the shape of her nose and mouth.
“She has the same widow’s peak.” Mia’s hands went to her forehead. The defined dip in her hairline, making a V shape in the center of her forehead, had always made her feel a little conspicuous. No one else in her family had one.
“I see that.” Jason peered closer at the woman on the bed. “I’ve heard it’s a dominant trait, passed down from a parent to a child.”
A chill whipped through her soul. Neither Blaine nor Carol Turner had a widow’s peak. In fact, she didn’t recall anyone else in her family having one either. Her mother had brushed it off when Mia had mentioned it.
“Do you recognize her?” Jason’s eyes cut to Mia.
“All we know about her is that her name is Andrea. She didn’t have any ID on her, but it was in her phone.
The only reason I let Jackson bring you here is that I thought you might know her or be related somehow.
The last two calls were made to you, Mia. ”
Mia jerked her eyes back to the men. “What? I’ve never spoken to her.”
“Let me see your phone.”
She handed her phone to Jason. He swiped through it. “Ah, here it is. It seems that the calls were listed as possible spam.”
“I don’t answer those.”
“Smart move, but that’s why you missed these.” He handed the phone back to her. “I have to get back.” Jason nodded and walked off.
Jackson motioned for Mia to go ahead of him. She walked quietly at his side until they moved through the glass doors to the parking lot. Then she sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, frustrated. “I can’t get the idea out of my head that no one else in my family has a widow’s peak. Is that a fluke? Or am I adopted? Why did she try to call me? It doesn’t make sense, Jackson. None of it does.”
Jackson looped an arm around her shoulders. And she couldn’t help it—she tensed. Then his arm dropped away.
“Sorry. Just meant to comfort you. I wasn’t coming on to you. I know better than that.” His voice held a bitter note.
Great. Now she felt like she’d kicked a puppy. Not that he didn’t deserve it. “I know. I’m just feeling jumpy. This whole situation has me feeling off.”
He nodded but didn’t say anything. Mia suppressed the urge to stomp her foot. After everything they’d been through, all he’d put her through, she was feeling guilty. Could this get any more ironic?
“Okay.” She tossed her braid over her shoulder. She was done. And Gus needed her. “I’m heading home. I don’t know who Andrea is or why we look so similar, but I might have a conversation with my mom.”
The first real one they’d had in years. Was she really going to do that?
She stepped onto the street, then glanced up and down it. There were cars parked at the meters, but no one was coming.
“Mia!” Jackson screamed her name from behind her.
She spun to aim a scowl his way. The late afternoon sun blocked out his features.
She squinted. An engine revved. She glanced to the side, but shock had her rooted in place as a blue sedan roared directly toward her.
Her chest tightened in a wheeze, and she stumbled back a step. The car was coming too fast.