MISTAKEN IDENTITY

When someone attempts to kidnap SWAT cop Jenna Reed, what saves her is her training and the impeccable timing of her boss, Lieutenant Griff Vaughn. Then they find the real target hiding in the bushes, a runaway teen who is Jenna’s look-alike…and the sister she never knew she had. Teaming up to unravel her sister’s past and find the human-trafficking thugs who intend to kill her, Jenna and Griff have no choice but to go on the run—outside the law. But with time running out—and their all-too-unprofessional attraction proving difficult to ignore—can Jenna and Griff protect Jenna’s sister and take down the criminals without sacrificing their careers…or their lives?

SWAT: Top Cops—Love in the Line of Duty

They were about halfway to the squad car when they heard the loud crack of a gunshot.

“Get down,” Griff shouted, pushing Jenna and Claire to the ground and covering their bodies as much as possible with his.

“We need to get to the car,” he whispered as he eased off them.

When they reached the relative safety of the squad car, Jenna pulled open the back passenger door, gesturing for Claire to get in first. “Keep your head down,” she commanded.

There wasn’t any sign of the shooter, although that didn’t necessarily surprise Jenna. The shot had sounded as if it came from a rifle. No doubt the gunman was perched high on a tree branch or maybe on the roof of one of the houses across the street.

Jenna hated knowing that she’d somehow dragged Griff into this mess, right into the center of danger.

She glanced back at him. “I’m going to slide into the driver’s seat. If they want Claire alive, he may confuse me for her and hold off on shooting,” she said.

Jenna waited until Griff was safely inside before she hit the gas and pulled away from the curb. She held her breath as she drove, desperate to put distance between their car and the shooter.

LAURA SCOTT is a nurse by day and an author by night. She has always loved romance, reading faith-based books by Grace Livingston Hill in her teenage years. She’s thrilled to have published fifteen books for Love Inspired Suspense. She has two adult children and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband of thirty years. Please visit Laura at laurascottbooks.com, as she loves to hear from her readers.

Mirror

Image

Laura Scott

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This is the message we have heard from Him and declare

to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.

—1 John 1:5

This book is dedicated to my Aunt Joan and Uncle Jerry Cook.

Thanks for all the wonderful family memories!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Sheriff’s deputy Jenna Reed parked a few yards down the street from her house despite the late hour. She had a one-car garage in the alley, but the structure needed work, so she preferred parking on the street, as did most of her neighbors. As she darted around cars to make her way home, she frowned, slowing her pace when she noticed the front porch light wasn’t on. Had she forgotten to flip the switch before leaving for work? Or had the bulb burned out? She thought she’d turned it on, but maybe not.

The cool spring breeze made her shiver, as she wore only a cotton blouse and denim jacket. She and her teammates had celebrated her colleague Caleb O’Malley’s promotion after work at Joey’s Pizzeria. They’d all changed out of their uniforms for the party, which was a good thing since their boss, Griff Vaughn, had unexpectedly joined them. Seeing off-duty officers in uniform was just one of their lieutenant’s pet peeves.

Jenna was cutting across the lawn, heading toward her front porch, when she sensed someone behind her. She whirled, but a second too late. Large hands roughly grabbed her from behind, nearly jerking her off her feet.

Jenna’s reaction was swift. Kicking back with her booted foot, she caught her assailant’s kneecap with her heel. The hands loosened momentarily but then tightened, an arm sliding around her neck, cutting off her airway. The scent of stale cigar smoke clung to her captor’s clothing. She refused to panic, instead using her elbows and heels to fight back while attempting to pry the muscular arm from around her neck.

For what seemed like endless minutes, she struggled with the man who’d grabbed her, her heart beating frantically in her chest as she fought for air. She hated feeling weak, and for a moment the attack reminded her of the night she’d had to fight her father.

No!

Jenna kicked back again at her assailant’s knees, and her booted heel found its mark. The arm loosened around her neck enough that she could get her hands up to break out of the hold. Then she spun in a roundhouse kick, catching her attacker in the solar plexus.

He staggered backward but didn’t fall down. Jenna wasted precious seconds debating whether or not she could outrun him, but he was already moving deliberately toward her again.

She dropped into a fighting stance, keeping her eyes on the assailant, who wore a black ski mask covering his face. She’d been in tough situations before, but nothing quite like this. She had no idea why this guy had targeted her, and he outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds.

He lashed out with his fist, connecting with her jaw despite her attempt to duck out of the way. Pain exploded in her face, but she ignored it, taking a step back.

Block with your forearm!

Lessons learned during her police-academy training echoed in her mind as she kept her distance from her attacker. She’d survived being attacked by her father all those years ago; certainly she could survive this.

Lord, give me strength!

His fist came out again, and this time she brought her arm up in time to prevent the blow from landing. Pain radiated up her arm, but she quickly lashed out with her other fist, aiming for his nose. Her aim was low and she hit his mouth instead, his teeth scraping the skin off her knuckles.

They fought in a blur of motion, time seeming to stand still. Just when Jenna thought she’d beaten him, he sent her flying backward to land hard on the concrete sidewalk.

She tried to suck air into her lungs, even as he continued toward her like a lion stalking his prey. Jenna couldn’t bear the thought of allowing this guy to get the better of her, so she struck out once again with her foot, kicking him in the groin.

He bent over, muttering a curse as she attempted to scramble to her feet. But then he straightened and reached for her. “I’ve got you now,” he said in a low tone.

“Stop! Police!”

Jenna was just as surprised as her attacker when the harsh voice cut through the silence of the night.

Her assailant spun around and disappeared before Jenna could regain her footing. She sensed someone running toward her, but she didn’t wait for the officer to catch up. She managed to scramble upright and took off after the thug. When she reached the edge of her house, she paused, staring through the darkness, uncertain where he might have gone.

There was no sign of him.

She leaned against the tan brick wall for a moment, trying to calm her racing heart, inwardly berating herself for letting him get away.

What kind of SWAT cop was she? If this had happened to Nate Freemont, or one of the other officers, they’d no doubt have been able to take down and capture the guy without a problem.

Then again, she had managed to hold her own. No easy task when her opponent was taller, more muscular and had the advantage of catching her off guard. Which was her fault, as well, she acknowledged with a sigh. Jenna straightened her shoulders and turned to face the officer who’d come rushing to her rescue.

But her brief moment of relief sank to the soles of her feet when she recognized her lieutenant, Griffin Vaughn, jogging toward her, his expression etched in what she suspected was a permanent scowl.

He was the last guy on the entire planet she wanted or expected to see. Especially in a moment of weakness. But she pulled herself together with an effort and lifted her aching chin, determined to show her boss that she was a cop first and foremost.

She’d never be a victim again.

* * *

Griff couldn’t believe the brutal attack on Jenna he’d stumbled across when he’d driven down her street.

Deputy Reed, he reminded himself firmly, as he closed the distance between them.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice coming out more harshly than he’d intended. He raked his gaze over her, trying to assure himself that she wasn’t harmed.

“Yeah, I’m fine. What are you doing here, Lieutenant?”

Griff inwardly sighed, wishing she’d call him Griff the way the rest of his deputies did. She was the only one who continued to use his title, and for some reason that fact grated on him. “You left your credit card at Joey’s, and since I was on my way back to work, I volunteered to drop it off.” He held out the plastic card, glad he’d left the pizzeria when he did. The thought of not getting here in time made him feel sick to his stomach. “Who was that guy? Did you recognize him?”

She tucked the card into her back pocket, then shook her head, lifting her hand to massage her shoulder as if it hurt. “He wore a ski mask and didn’t say much, so unfortunately not.”

Griff hated the thought of Jenna being injured and forced himself to glance around her front yard, trying to figure out what had happened. “No demand to hand over money?” When she shook her head, he scowled. “Seems strange. Why else would he attack you? Maybe you should get inside. I’ll call for backup.”

Jenna frowned and planted her hands on her hips. “I don’t need to go inside. Call this in if you want, but I’m going to go around back to make sure he’s not hanging out somewhere nearby.”

Griff hid a wince, knowing she had a right to be upset. After all, he’d hired her. He knew she was a capable deputy on the SWAT team. She was an ace sharpshooter and could handle herself.

So why the need to protect her? Because he still wrestled with guilt over his role in his wife’s death?

He shied away from that thought. “We’ll both sweep the area,” he amended. “You go left. I’ll go right. If we don’t find anything, no need to call for reinforcements.”

Jenna gave a curt nod. “Give me a minute to grab my weapon.”

He waited while she opened her front door, collected her service weapon and came back outside. He wished she’d still been in uniform, because he was certain the assailant wouldn’t have got away so easily if she’d had her gun. His fault that she wasn’t. He knew all the deputies had changed because of his penchant for following the rules.

Griff watched her disappear into the shadows before heading in the opposite direction.

He tightened his grip on his .38, moving slowly across Jenna’s front yard to the north side of the house. There were plenty of trees on the neighbor’s lawn, and he peered through the darkness, trying to see if anyone was hiding there.

He moved from the edge of the house to the closest tree. Nothing seemed out of place and he was a little surprised that the fight between Jenna and her assailant hadn’t garnered more attention from the neighbors. Granted, it was late, but surely someone would have heard something and come out to investigate.

The faint sound of a car starting caught his attention, and he recognized the unique clicking associated with a diesel engine.

Did the perp have a getaway car hidden nearby? If that was the case, he’d be long gone. Griff squinted, trying to make out any sign of a car in the darkness. He couldn’t see anything, not even headlights.

After making sure no one was lingering behind the neighbor’s trees or shrubs, he made his way into Jenna’s backyard. There was a nice little patio with a round table, four chairs and a decent-sized grill.

He could easily imagine Jenna sitting outside, enjoying her patio while grilling burgers and brats. Not too different from the life he’d once envisioned for himself and Helen.

Griff closed off the painful reminders of his past to focus on the here and now. He crossed over to meet Jenna, who was coming in from the other side.

“No sign of him,” she said with obvious disgust. “No doubt you scared him off.”

“Probably. Or he had a car parked nearby.” Up close, he could see that she was bleeding from the corner of her lip, and the edge of her jaw was beginning to swell. “Let’s get some ice for your chin.”

She grimaced and gingerly palpated the tender area. “Yeah, he packed a mean punch.”

Griff took her arm to escort her to the front of the house. He swept a keen eye over the area as she opened the door, flipped on the lights and crossed the threshold.

He followed her into the kitchen and then hesitated in the doorway as she rummaged in the freezer for a bag of frozen peas. The corner of his mouth kicked up in a smile. What would she say if she knew his cold pack of choice was a bag of frozen corn?

“Much better,” she mumbled, pressing the bag against her jaw.

His smile instantly evaporated when he noticed the dark bruise marring her beautiful skin. “Are you sure you don’t know him?” he pressed. “Maybe an old boyfriend?”

She rolled her eyes in a flash of annoyance. “I only have one old boyfriend, and we broke up six months ago,” she said, moving the bag of frozen peas so she could talk. “Eric used words as a weapon, not his fists, and he wasn’t as tall or broad in the shoulders. I was thinking more along the lines of this guy being a part of some case I worked on. Or maybe someone connected to the women’s shelter I help support. You know as well as I do, this isn’t the kind of job where we make many friends.”

He stared at Jenna for a moment, not liking the thought of her ex-boyfriend using words to lash out at her. Obviously, she was better off without him.

She was younger than Griff by almost five years, had long blond hair, bright blue eyes and a lean frame that was toned without being overly muscular. Her light blue blouse and denim jacket complemented her eyes.

Not that he should notice just how attractive she was. He wasn’t at all interested in going down the path of having a relationship. Not after the way he’d lost his wife just two years ago.

Two years, but at times it seemed like yesterday.

“Put the ice back on your jaw,” he said mildly. Once she did as he requested, he returned to the mysterious assailant. “Okay, so maybe you’re right about this guy being connected to one of your cases. Anyone in particular stand out in your mind? Anyone at the shelter have an angry ex?”

She shrugged. “All of the women at the shelter have angry exes or they wouldn’t be there. But no one specific comes to mind. And nothing stands out in any of my recent cases, either.”

He’d been afraid she’d say that. After all, they’d worked dozens of cases over the past year. And Jenna was well-known in the community as an advocate for abused women, too. “Fine. Then we should go through the recent ones and see who might have gotten released from jail.”

She arched an eyebrow. “For all we know, the perp could be related to someone in jail. Or was paid to attack me.”

He didn’t want to think about the endless possibilities. “You could be right, but somehow I get the sense that this was personal.”

She stared at him curiously. “Why do you think that?”

He was caught off guard by the fact that he wanted to go and gently hold the ice pack against the bruise himself. What was wrong with him? It wasn’t the first time one of his deputies had got injured. Just a few months ago, Deputy Nate Freemont had been shot in the line of duty.

He cared about the deputies who reported to him. But, for some reason, he found himself more preoccupied with Jenna’s attack and subsequent injury than he should be.

The image of the guy slugging Jenna hard enough to send her sprawling backward onto the hard, unforgiving concrete was etched in his memory. The vicious attack had come out of nowhere. There had to be some reason for it.

When he realized she was waiting for him to answer, he shrugged. “He didn’t use a knife or gun, which is what most assailants would use to get what they want. Not to mention he didn’t ask for money. And he hit you directly in the face, which is always an indication of being personally involved with the victim.”

She nodded slowly. “You’re right. We learned about that at the academy.”

“Tell me how he approached you,” Griff continued. “Did he call you by name? Or just grab you?”

“He didn’t call me by name, but he did grab me from behind,” she admitted. “He locked his arm across my throat so I couldn’t breathe. He smelled like stale cigar smoke.”

It was too easy to visualize exactly what had happened. He frowned with concern. “How did you get away?”

She sent him an exasperated look. “I did pass self-defense training, you know. I finally caught him a good one in the kneecap, enough at least to make him loosen his grip. That was all I needed to break away from him.”

“Then what happened?”

“He kept coming after me,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Griff swallowed hard, wondering what the assailant had intended. A physical beating? Or worse, a sexual assault?

Neither option was at all acceptable.

“Do you have time to go and look through old files now?” he asked, driven by the need to find out just who this guy was. The sooner they had a suspect, the sooner they could slap cuffs on him and drag him into custody. “We can also review the known assailants of women who you’ve recently taken to the shelter, see if anyone looks at all familiar.”

She hesitated, then shrugged. “Sure. Why not? I probably won’t get much sleep anyway.”

He caught a glimpse of the open scratches on her hand. “Wait a minute. What did those come from?”

She glanced down at her hand and smirked. “I managed to catch him in the mouth with my fist. Too bad—I was aiming for his nose.”

Griff almost smiled at her wry sense of humor. Jenna was tough; he knew that better than anyone. But it still bothered him to see her get hurt. “That settles it. We need to go to the hospital, see if there’s any DNA evidence we can use.”

She nodded, adjusting the frozen peas against her jaw. “You’re right. It’s worth a shot.”

“Wrap your hand in a brown paper bag to preserve the evidence, and I’ll drive you to the hospital,” he said, glad to take some sort of action. He was determined to find this jerk, no matter what it took.

“Okay, okay, give me a sec.” She turned and set down the peas to rifle through a junk drawer, finally coming up with a badly wrinkled brown lunch bag and a roll of tape. She stuck her hand inside the bag and awkwardly wrapped the tape around her wrist to hold the bag in place. Then she grabbed her makeshift ice pack with her free hand. “Okay, I’m ready.”

He nodded and stepped to the side so she could precede him out of the kitchen. He followed her to the front door, where she stopped abruptly.

“Hang on a sec,” she said, removing the frozen peas from her jaw to reach out for the light switch. She flipped one lever on and off several times, then pushed past him to head outside.

“What’s wrong?” he asked when she craned her neck in an attempt to see something overhead.

“I need to see inside the light fixture.” She glanced back at him. “Aim the screen of your phone up there.”

He did as she asked, as understanding dawned. “Something wrong with the light?”

“I noticed my porch light was out when I drove up,” she confessed. “Looks as if someone removed the lightbulb.”

It took a minute for her statement to sink into his brain. “You mean on purpose?”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah. I guess you were right. This obviously wasn’t a random event. This was a premeditated, personal attack.”

The hint of fear in her blue eyes stabbed deep. This was one time he wished his instincts hadn’t been right.

Maybe they’d catch a break with the DNA, but he wasn’t banking on it. The real problem would be trying to find a way to keep Jenna safe while she continued to do her job as a SWAT team member.

An impossible task, at best.

“Wait a minute. What’s that?” Jenna asked with a frown. She bent down next to the porch, tucking the peas under her arm so she could lift something out of the dirt. She stood and held up what looked to be a shiny bracelet.

“Is that yours?” he asked, when she simply stared at it with a troubled expression in her eyes.

“Shine your phone on it,” she said in a hoarse tone.

He did as she asked. She peered at the item of jewelry. From what he could tell, it was a silver chain with a small heart-shaped charm dangling from it.

“That’s odd,” Jenna muttered.

A warning tingle skated down his spine. “What’s odd?”

“This looks like mine, but it’s not.”

“Well, maybe it belongs to a neighbor?” Griff wasn’t sure why she was so unnerved about a piece of jewelry. “Some kids might have been running around the neighborhood and accidentally dropped it.”

“No, you don’t understand. The letter C is engraved on the heart, see?” She lifted her head to look at him. “I have the exact same bracelet with the letter J engraved on the heart-shaped charm. It was a gift from my mother.”

The warning tingle became a full-fledged wave of apprehension. He couldn’t help turning and sweeping a cautious gaze around her front yard, searching for anything else out of the ordinary.

After being a cop for the past ten years, he didn’t much believe in coincidences.

His instincts were screaming at him that this bracelet was somehow connected to the mysterious attack on Jenna.

TWO

As Griff drove to the hospital, Jenna stared at the bracelet that he’d tucked into a clear plastic bag. Weird that it was identical to hers in every way, except for the engraved initial.

Offhand, she couldn’t think of anyone who lived nearby whose first name started with a C.

There was no reason to believe the bracelet was an indication of something sinister. It didn’t look especially unique or rare. There were likely dozens sold every month. Every year. But she couldn’t seem to shake off the prickle of warning that danced along her nape.

Was the attack connected to it? And if so, how? Why?

There were no answers, so she tucked the bracelet into the front pocket of her jeans and tried to shake off the remnants of the attack. Glancing at Griff, she tried to think of something to say. Idle chitchat wasn’t something that came naturally to her.

And apparently not to Griff, either, as he made no attempt to break the strained silence stretching endlessly between them. Everything seemed way more awkward than normal because he was her boss.

She forced herself to look away from his ruggedly attractive features and tried to think back over her most recent cases. There were literally dozens of them, but most of the criminals they’d apprehended were small-time crooks. For several long seconds, she’d assumed the attacker was her father, since he’d just been released from prison and was out on parole. But the guy who’d grabbed her was much larger than her father. She had the sense he was younger, too, although that was just a fleeting impression.

No, the attack had to be related to her work, either on the SWAT team or through the shelter. In the past month she’d helped Shelia and Janet get away from their exes by driving them personally to Ruth’s shelter. There was one major drug ring that she’d assisted her colleague Nate Freemont with right before Christmas. Was it possible this attack was related to that in some way?

She glanced over at Griff’s chiseled profile, wondering if she dared broach the possibility. Griff hadn’t been very happy with her—or with Nate, for that matter—because they hadn’t come to him at the first sign of trouble. Nate, in particular, had gone off on his own, determined to protect an innocent woman and her daughter. Because she’d agreed to help Nate and Melissa get the evidence they needed to expose a murderer, Griff had reamed Jenna out, too.

And placed a formal reprimand in her file.

She was tempted to keep her theories about the connection to Nate’s case to herself, but since Nate was out of town with his fiancée, Melissa, and still on medical leave, she wasn’t sure who else she could confide in.

She’d never told Griff that Melissa and her daughter had reminded her of the women and children who lived in fear at the shelter. She knew there were rumors among her coworkers about why she cared about the shelter so much, but she didn’t bother to comment on them. Her past wasn’t any of their business.

Griff’s, either. As far as she was concerned, none of the guys she worked with needed to know how she spent her free time.

The hospital wasn’t far, and soon the impressive building loomed before them. Griff parked the car and glanced over at her. “Ready?”

“Sure.” She pushed open the door with her left hand and slid out of the seat.

“Hopefully we’ll be in and out quickly,” Griff said. “We need time to review mug shots.”

She didn’t think reviewing photographs of suspects would help, but arguing with her boss wasn’t exactly an option. “I was thinking that maybe this attack is related to the Brookmont case,” she offered, as Griff held the door open for her. “If you remember, I’m the one who took down the crooked police chief, Randall Joseph, the night Nate was shot. Maybe he’s carrying a grudge.”

Griff’s dark eyes pierced hers. “Good point.” He surprised her by agreeing. “You and Nate broke open the drug-trafficking ring and solved a twelve-year-old murder. Although I’m sure the former police chief is still in prison awaiting trial.”

“I know, but it wouldn’t take much for him to hire someone to come after me,” she pointed out. “And if that’s true, then Nate is in just as much danger.”

Griff’s reply was little more than a grunt as he walked with her up to the triage desk. She could see the nurse’s eyes widen with interest as she took in Griff’s short blond hair, dark brown eyes and broad shoulders. For a moment Jenna had to squelch a flash of jealousy, which was ridiculous. She didn’t want to date her boss, or anyone else she worked with, for that matter. In her opinion, the other deputies on her team didn’t always take her seriously now, and it would be ten times worse if she actually went out with one of them.

Which was part of the reason she’d thought Eric Krause was a good choice. They’d met at a fund-raiser for abused women and children, and she had thought they shared the same ideas and morals.

She’d never anticipated his verbal abuse and pathological need for control, and she had broken things off the night he’d shouted at her about how stupid she was. There had been a brief moment when she’d had a flashback to her father screaming the same words at her mother.

Thankfully, she hadn’t dated Eric very long and none of her coworkers had known about him. Most of her fellow deputies already had women in their lives. Well, except the new guy who’d replaced Aaron Simms. She couldn’t deny she’d been happy to see Simms leave the team. He’d been a challenge to work with.

And she hadn’t told anyone the truth about what had transpired between them. How much he’d hated knowing she could outshoot him. One night, he’d shown up unexpectedly at her house after work. She’d been fortunate to get away when he’d tried to prove how much of a man he was. She’d threatened to file sexual-harassment charges against him, and thankfully, he’d decided to resign instead.

As much as it made sense that Simms might want to attack her, the build of the guy who’d grabbed her had seemed to be much bigger.

Jenna swept a glance over the waiting room, noting with dismay that every available seat was taken. Despite her lieutenant’s plan to be in and out quickly, she suspected there would be a long wait time. No way did she want to sit here all night.

“Maybe we should wake up one of the crime-scene techs to swab my hand,” she said to Griff. “This place is packed and we’ll end up waiting forever.”

Griff didn’t even look at her, his gaze focused on the triage nurse who was practically drooling over him. “Excuse me. Is Dr. Gabriella Hawkins working tonight?” he asked.

The smile on the nurse’s face faded a bit as she clearly wondered if his interest in Gabby was personal. Which was crazy, since Gabby had recently married Deputy Shane Hawkins and the two of them were giddy with happiness. “Yes, actually, Dr. Hawkins is on call tonight.”

“Will you page her for us? We just need five minutes of her time.” Griff’s stern expression softened when he smiled at the nurse. She nodded and quickly accessed the computer to respond to his request.

Jenna sucked in a breath and turned away to stare blindly at the patrons in the waiting room. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Griff smile, and the simple gesture changed his entire face, making him even more attractive.

She gave herself a mental shake. She needed to get over herself already. Maybe it was a good thing Griff had never smiled at her like that. She was sure she’d babble like an imbecile if he did.

“I hope Gabby’s not in the middle of surgery or something else equally important,” Griff said in an undertone. “I’d like to get out of here before sunrise.”

His dry tone made her smile. “Yeah, no kidding. This place is crazy busy.”

For a moment their gazes clashed and clung, the space between them sizzling with awareness. Jenna felt powerless to break the bizarre connection, so she was grateful Gabby chose that moment to arrive and interrupt them.

“Hi, Lieutenant. Jenna. Is something wrong?”

Jenna found the strength to look away from Griff and acknowledge Gabby. “Hey, Doc, how are you?” She strove for a carefree tone, when in reality she felt anything but.

She seriously needed distance from Griff. Now.

“I’m fine, but what on earth happened to you?” Gabby reached out to lightly touch Jenna’s aching jaw. “This must hurt.”

“Nothing major, just a little run-in with one of the bad guys,” Jenna replied, sneaking a glance at Griff’s stone face. What was wrong with him? Had he felt the weird attraction that flashed between them, too? No, most likely it was just her overactive imagination working against her. She smiled at Gabby and lifted her hand, still wrapped in the brown paper lunch bag. “We need some evidence and hoped you would sneak us in to get my wounds swabbed.”

“Absolutely. This way,” Gabby said, gesturing for them to follow her through some double doors leading back into the emergency department. “We can use a room in the minor-care area.”

Jenna nodded and followed Gabby into a small exam room. “I caught the perp in the mouth,” she explained as she carefully removed the paper bag. “We’re hoping to get saliva for DNA evidence.”

“Understood,” Gabby said, pulling supplies out of the cabinet located in the corner of the room. “When I’m finished, I’ll wash the wounds out for you, too.”

Jenna grimaced. “I can wash my own hands,” she said, feeling as if the doc was making way too big a deal out of a few scratches that she barely felt compared to her jaw, which continued to throb painfully.

“Thanks. We’d appreciate that,” Griff interjected as if she hadn’t spoken. “The human mouth is full of germs.”

Jenna tried not to roll her eyes at his comment. Griff had hired her almost two years ago and she wanted to believe that he’d made that decision based on her abilities. But sometimes she couldn’t help wondering if she was nothing more than the token female.

Would she ever be taken seriously as a cop? Granted, the guys on the team knew she could shoot, but as far as other tactical situations were concerned, she often felt as if her teammates were trying to protect her.

She sighed and took a seat on the edge of the examining table, waiting patiently as Gabby pulled out the necessary supplies. Swabbing her wounds didn’t take long, and when Gabby had finished, Jenna quickly jumped down to her feet, crossed over to the sink in the room and thrust her hands beneath the stream of water. The antibacterial soap stung on her open cuts, but she ignored the pain while making sure she thoroughly cleansed the wounds.

Getting an infection would only make things worse.

She could tell Griff wasn’t happy, but he didn’t push the issue, either.

“I have a colleague who works at the state lab in Madison,” Gabby said. “I’ll ask him to put a rush on this for you.”

“Great—thanks for your help,” Griff said, as Gabby finished labeling the swab samples. “I owe you one.”

“No problem.” Gabby’s gaze was curious when she glanced at Jenna. “How’s your head? Maybe we should take an X-ray, make sure nothing is broken.”

“I’m fine,” Jenna insisted in a curt tone. “Trust me, I’ve been hit much harder than this.” She turned toward Griff. “Are you ready to get out of here?”

Griff’s fierce scowl didn’t faze her in the least. She didn’t care if he was all tough and growly. He was being ridiculous, and he must have realized that, too, because he finally nodded. “Yeah. Thanks again, Doc,” he said.

“Anytime, Lieutenant.”

Jenna walked out of the ER and headed straight outside, wishing she’d brought her own set of wheels. Griff easily kept pace with her, reaching out to open the passenger-side door for her before she could do it herself.

The gesture was polite, but she couldn’t help spinning around to glare at him. “What is up with you, Lieutenant?” she demanded querulously.

Griff raised his eyebrows, obviously caught off guard by her uncharacteristic spurt of anger. “What are you talking about?”

“This,” she said, waving an impatient hand toward the passenger-side door. “As if you’d do this for Nate, Deck or Isaac.”

The corner of Griff’s mouth twitched as if he found her amusing. “Hate to point this out, Reed, but you’re not Nate, Deck, Isaac or any of the other male deputies who report to me. Now, will you please stop making a big deal out of nothing and get in? We still need to review those mug shots.”

She bit back another retort, knowing she’d only make things worse if she continued to harp on his chivalrous behavior. She slid into the car and buckled the seat belt as she waited for Griff to get in behind the wheel.

To be honest, she shouldn’t take her bad mood out on Griff. Being attacked and then finding the bracelet, so much like her own, had put her on edge. In addition, Griff’s innocent act of opening her door had reminded her of Eric. Eric had seemed like such a nice guy at first, polite, charming. A facade that hadn’t lasted long.

She didn’t know Griff very well, and that was just fine with her, since she obviously couldn’t rely on her instincts when it came to relationships. She knew better than most that men were not to be trusted. Even cops, like Aaron Simms. Far better to keep her distance from the lieutenant. As soon as they’d looked at mug shots, they’d go their separate ways.

Besides, she needed to focus on getting her life back on track. On helping the women at the shelter. On making sure her father didn’t violate the no-contact order that was still in place.

But the first thing on her list was to investigate the bracelet she’d found near her doorstep.

* * *

Griff could feel the tension radiating off Jenna in waves. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and tried to stay focused, even though the strawberry scent of her shampoo permeated the inside of his SUV.

They were going to look at mug shots. Nothing more. Jenna was a deputy who reported to him. Off-limits in more ways than he could count. Besides, he wasn’t interested in a relationship, not after the way he’d indirectly caused his wife’s death. Granted, he wasn’t the one who’d run a red light, but he had been driving.

He’d supported his wife through law school and had been proud of her when she’d obtained a position at a high-powered law firm doing corporate legal work and family law. Helen had been passionate about her career but innocent in some ways to the seedy side of life. Jenna was tough, edgy, and had a chip on her shoulder the size of Mount Hood. Okay, maybe Jenna had a point about the way he’d instinctively opened doors for her, but she was a woman. His grandmother had ingrained manners into him from the moment he’d gone to live with her at the tender age of eight, after his parents were killed.

When Griff had learned the details of how his parents had operated on the wrong side of the law, he’d made a silent promise to be a cop. To bring people like his parents to justice.

He blew out his breath and concentrated on getting back to the issue at hand. One of his deputies had been brutally assaulted, and he was determined to find out who was holding a grudge against Jenna and why. And how did the bracelet fit in, if at all?

She had a point about the Brookmont scandal. The arrests of the crooked mayor and police chief had rocked the foundation of the entire city. Especially once they’d uncovered the drug running that had been going on for several years right beneath the public’s nose.

“You really think this recent attack on you is related to Brookmont’s former chief of police?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“I think it’s a possibility we can’t afford to ignore,” she said. “It’s a good thing that Nate happens to be down in South Carolina helping to move Melissa’s stuff back here. Maybe he should extend his leave of absence a bit. If they’re coming after me, they’d likely go after him, too.”

“True,” Griff agreed. He slanted a glance at Jenna. “And you’re sure no one is giving you a hard time? What about the new guy, Jake Matthews?”

“He’s fine,” she said with a careless shrug. “Seems to fit in well enough. Better than Simms ever did.”

He lifted a brow at the bitter note. He’d known there was tension between Jenna and Simms, but it was possible that more had transpired between the two of them than he realized. Had Simms made a move on her? Griff clenched his jaw and reminded himself that he preferred to have his deputies handle their interpersonal issues on their own.

Logic that didn’t work well when it came to Jenna.

He turned into the parking lot of the building that housed his office and parked near the entrance. He climbed out from behind the wheel and met Jenna at the door. After unlocking it, he held it open so she could precede him inside.

Jenna led the way to his office and dropped into a chair as he took his familiar seat behind the desk. He booted up his computer and clicked on the file that contained their closed cases.

“Here. Do any of these guys seem like they may have been the one who attacked you?” he asked, turning his computer screen toward her so she could see the faces of their most recent arrests.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, frowning as she peered intently at the mug shots. Each time she shook her head, he flipped to the next page.

After about fifteen photos, she sat back with a sigh. “The last one, Corey Rock, has a similar height and muscular build,” she admitted. “But I don’t see why he’d have a personal grudge against me. If I remember correctly, Isaac was the one who arrested him. I was the spotter up on the building across the street.”

“I’m sure he saw you at trial,” Griff felt compelled to point out. “After all, you were one of the witnesses to his little shooting spree.”

“Yeah, but it still seems out of proportion for him to come after me like that. The guy who grabbed me clearly wanted to physically take me down, as if to punish me. I have to agree with you that it’s odd he didn’t try to use a weapon.”

Griff nodded, then reached over to shut down the computer. “Okay, let’s call it a night. I’ll drop you off at home.”

For a minute it looked as if she wanted to protest, but she gave in with a brief nod. “Fine. Tomorrow morning I’ll see if I can find any link to the Brookmont matter. The more I think about it, the more I believe that the guy who attacked me might have been sent by the former police chief. You’ll warn Nate?”

Griff couldn’t deny that taking down a huge drug ring placed both Nate and Jenna at risk for revenge. “Yeah, I’ll call him. And I expect you to let me know if you find anything. I’ll see if there’s anything I can shake loose from the DA’s office. Maybe they have a list of Randall Joseph’s known associates.”

“Sounds good.” Jenna turned and walked out of the office. He followed close on her heels.

This time, when Jenna approached the SUV, he held back from opening the door for her. She lifted a brow and smiled, as if reading his thoughts.

The ride to Jenna’s house didn’t take long, and when he pulled onto her street he found an empty parking spot near the front of her house. When he stopped the car, he noticed she already had her hand on the door latch, ready to bolt.

He put out a hand to stop her, concerned that the assailant might have returned in their absence. And when he caught a flash of movement near the corner of her house, he knew his instincts were right on.

“Wait—I think there’s someone out there,” he said in a hushed tone.

“Where?” Jenna whispered, pressing her face to the window.

“Near your house.” He stared through the darkness, wondering if he’d let his imagination get the better of him.

“I don’t see anything,” she said after several long minutes. “I’ll be fine. This time, I have my gun.”

Tough to argue that logic. He dropped his hand and watched helplessly as she pushed open the passenger-side door.

“Later, Lieutenant,” she said before closing the door with a solid thud.

Griff didn’t move from his spot on the street, even after Jenna opened her door and disappeared inside.

He reminded himself she was a highly trained deputy on their SWAT team.

He waited five minutes. Then ten. Just as he was about to drive away, he caught another glimpse of movement.

Enough to have him turning off the car and charging out of the vehicle to make sure the assailant hadn’t returned to finish what he’d started.

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.

FOUR

“So you must have lost your bracelet while you were removing the lightbulb,” Jenna murmured, trying to come to grips with what Claire had revealed. To be honest, she was relieved the guy had attacked her instead of Claire. There was no way the younger girl would have had the strength to fight him off.

The fact that Claire had escaped from the guy before also explained why the attack had been so personal. Why he’d seemed so intent on using physical force against her.

“You mentioned escaping from danger. What exactly happened?” Jenna asked.

Claire lifted her thin, bony shoulders in a shrug. “It’s a long story, but basically I escaped being drugged and forced into prostitution.”

Jenna gasped and curled her fingers into fists. It was too easy to imagine how scared Claire had been.

“Who did that to you? Do you have names? Where did this happen?” Griff asked, going into full lieutenant mode.

Claire shrank against Jenna, convincing her that the teen wouldn’t want to relay horrible details in front of a guy.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Claire whispered.

“It’s okay. We’ll have time to go into that later,” she assured the girl. Then she turned to Griff, imploring him to back off. “The most important thing right now is to get Claire someplace safe. Now that we know she’s still in danger, we need a different plan. I guess you were right. Going to the women’s shelter tonight is likely our best option.”

Claire let out a soft sound of distress, but Jenna did her best to ignore it.

“Agreed,” Griff said firmly. “You can give me directions and I’ll take you both there. Because you’re still in danger, as well, Jenna.”

He was crazy if he thought she was going to hide out in some women’s shelter. “I can’t let you do that,” Jenna protested. “The location of the shelter is secret and needs to stay that way. The women who live there don’t trust men, even cops. But they know me. I’ve been supporting them for years. I’ll take Claire there on my own.”

Griff stared at her, concern wrinkling his brow. “I don’t think that’s smart,” he protested. “What if that guy comes back here looking for you?”

“I’ll make sure we’re not followed, and then I’ll find someplace else to stay for what’s left of the night.”

“I don’t like it,” Griff said in a burst of exasperation. “You know as well as I do that I’m not going to breach the security of the shelter. There’s no reason for you to be so paranoid.”

“Paranoid? The women in the shelter fear for their lives and the lives of their children,” she pointed out, striving for patience. “I don’t understand what your problem is. You really think an armed sheriff’s deputy isn’t capable of taking a young woman to a shelter?”

Griff let out a heavy sigh and scrubbed his hands over his face, giving Jenna the satisfaction of knowing she’d made her point.

Her boss might not like it, but he clearly wouldn’t stand in her way. Yeah, she appreciated his help, but it was time he proved he actually trusted her abilities.

Instead of treating her like a victim.

* * *

Griff hated to admit Jenna was right. If she were any other deputy, he wouldn’t be standing here arguing about this. “Fine. I’ll head out, but I want you to keep in touch.”

“Will do. Thanks for your help.”

Griff turned and walked through the small house to the front door.

He flipped the dead bolt open, then glanced over his shoulder. “Lock up behind me.”

Griff waited until Jenna came over before stepping outside. When he heard the door lock snap into place behind him, he made his way across the grass toward the spot where he’d left his vehicle.

He pulled his keys out of his pocket but fumbled and dropped them. When he bent down to pick them up, he heard the same diesel-engine clicking noise from earlier.

He froze for several long seconds, his thoughts racing. The man who was after Claire? Maybe.

Staying low, Griff headed over toward his police-issued vehicle, using the frame for cover. When he peeked out, he could see there was a dark van, either blue, black or gray, rolling down the street without any headlights blazing.

Something wasn’t right with this picture, and he was relieved Jenna and Claire were safe inside. From what he could tell, there was only the driver, so he popped out from behind his car with his gun raised.

“Stop! Police! Get out of the vehicle.”

The car stopped. He waited as the driver’s window slowly rolled down. Before Griff could move, he saw the short barrel of a handgun. He dived to the ground mere seconds before bullets whizzed through the air, echoing through the night.

The assailant was shooting at him. At a cop!

He rolled closer to the edge of his vehicle and then eased up to a crouch. Every one of his senses was on red alert as he leveled his weapon at the sound of the diesel engine. But the driver had shot into Reverse, speeding backward away from him.

In a flash, the van executed a crazy, tire-squealing turn and disappeared out of sight.

Griff stood for a minute, his heart pounding with adrenaline. Had the man fired at him to scare him off?

Or had he recognized Griff as the cop who’d rescued Jenna earlier?

If that was the case, he had to believe the guy in the car fully intended to kill him.

* * *

Jenna heard the distinctive sound of gunfire and quickly grabbed her weapon, pulling Claire behind her. She reached for her phone, intending to call for backup.

She paused when she heard a loud pounding at her front door. “It’s Griff. Open up!”

“Stay here,” she whispered to Claire before she darted over to unlock and open the door. Griff barreled inside, his face pulled into a fierce mask of anger.

“What happened? Are you okay?” she asked in a rush, trying to look for any sign of injury.

“Where’s Claire?” He brushed past her to head into the kitchen, where Claire was standing up against the wall, a half-eaten slice of pizza left sitting on the table.

Jenna winced at the way Claire shrank away from him, clearly afraid.

“Where’s your phone?” he demanded.

“In my pocket, but it’s shut off, see?” The teen pulled it out and showed him the black screen. “I keep it off so no one can track it.”

“The phone can be tracked, even if it’s shut off,” Jenna said, peering over his shoulder.

He took the phone, turned it on and scrolled through the recent numbers. “There don’t seem to be any calls made in the last twenty-four hours,” he muttered.

Jenna lifted a brow, not sure why he thought there would be. Claire was hiding secrets, but the stark fear in the girl’s eyes was all too real.

“Jenna’s right. The guy who’s after you can track you by pinging this phone,” Griff said grimly. “We have to get rid of it, for your safety and ours.”

Claire winced but didn’t protest when he pulled the battery out and tossed the phone in the trash.

“Come on. We need to get out of here.”

“Tell me what happened,” Jenna demanded. “Who was shooting?”

“I suspect it was the same guy who attacked you.”

“Why?” Jenna asked.

“I saw a car rolling slowly down the street with its lights off. I heard a similar car engine earlier when we were sweeping your yard right after the attack. When I confronted him, he opened fire.”

“He actually tried to kill you?” Jenna felt sick, knowing that she’d inadvertently put Griff in danger.

Claire gasped and went even more pale than normal. “We have to get away! Please don’t take me to the shelter, either.”

Jenna wavered, second-guessing her earlier decision. It might be better to keep Claire with her. And right now they needed to get far away from her place. “Okay, pack up the food. I’ll grab some clothes and toiletries.”

“I’ll take care of the food. Just hurry,” Griff urged.

Jenna ran upstairs with Claire close on her heels. “I can help,” she said, although Jenna suspected the real reason Claire followed her was because she was still afraid of Griff.

“Here, wear this,” Jenna said, tossing a dark sweatshirt at her. “Then head into the bathroom to grab toiletries.” Jenna picked up a duffel bag and started stashing clothing inside. Claire was thin, but Jenna made sure to toss in enough clothes for her, too, including a belt so the jeans wouldn’t fall off her slim hips. Within minutes Jenna had everything they needed, and they returned to the kitchen to find Griff waiting impatiently.

He was holding a tinfoil-covered plate, and when she approached, he took the duffel from her fingers and slung it over his shoulder. “I’m going to drive around to the alley. I need you and Claire to wait near the back door until you see me. Keep your weapon handy.”

Jenna nodded. “Okay, but be careful.”

Griff gave a curt nod. “I honestly believe they’re gone. For the moment.”

Jenna silently agreed and shut off all the inside lights as she followed Griff to the front door. Once he slipped through the opening, she shut the door and slid the dead bolt home.

She returned to the kitchen, where Claire waited, looking dwarfish in the oversize sweatshirt.

“Come on. Stay close,” Jenna said. She tucked Claire behind her as she opened the back door. Gun in hand, she peered into the darkness, waiting for Griff to arrive.

Jenna took her time scanning the backyard for any sign of the assailant. She agreed with Griff that the guy probably wouldn’t return anytime soon, but that didn’t mean she was going to take any unnecessary risks. Especially if the guy was really after Claire.

The sound of a car engine grew louder, and she tensed, making sure the vehicle was Griff’s. She spotted the light rack running along the roof and let her breath out in a soundless sigh of relief.

He paused in the alley, waiting for them. Jenna knew it was time to move. “Keep close behind me,” she instructed Claire. “We’re going to stay in the shadows as much as possible.”

“Okay,” Claire whispered, curling her fingers into the back of Jenna’s denim jacket.

Jenna led the way outside and skirted the patio to make her way through the backyard. Claire hovered so close, she accidentally stepped on the back of Jenna’s shoe, causing them both to stumble a bit.

They reached the alley without incident. Jenna yanked open the back passenger door for Claire, making sure the girl was safely inside before sliding into the front seat beside Griff. The moment she closed the door behind her, Griff hit the gas.

“Where are we going?” Jenna asked when Griff made several turns, first heading in one direction and then switching course to head in another. “I suppose you’re taking us to the police station?”

“I should, but I’m not willing to do that yet. Not until I understand what’s going on.”

Jenna could barely hide her surprise. Griff always followed the rules. “A hotel, then?”

Griff shook his head. “We’re heading to my place.”

His place? She tried to hide her shock. “Don’t you think a hotel would be safer?”

“No. I believe the guy shot at me because I’m the one who interrupted the assault on you, but there’s no way he could know my name or where I live. I have a spare bedroom that you and Claire can share.” He paused, then added, “Besides, it’s almost dawn and we need sleep. In the morning we’ll use my computer to start investigating the mess that we’ve stumbled into.”

Jenna couldn’t argue his logic, even though the thought of going to Griff’s place was unnerving. She was capable of taking care of herself and Claire, but considering the fact that Griff was now in danger, as well, he was right to encourage them to stick together.

She glanced back at Claire. “Are you okay with the plan?”

Claire nodded. “As long as you’re there with me,” she said in a quiet voice.

“I will be,” Jenna promised. She turned back around. “All right, then. I guess that’s settled.”

Griff drove for several more miles, then doubled back, before pulling into his driveway. He parked in the garage, and Jenna waited until the garage door closed before unbuckling her seat belt and pushing open the door.

She looked into the back, surprised to see Claire’s head propped against the window, her eyes closed as if she’d finally given in to the exhaustion that plagued her. There were pizza crumbs scattered across her lap, indicating she had helped herself to some leftovers. Jenna was relieved the girl had food in her system.

For a moment Jenna simply stared at her, wondering about this young woman who looked so much like her.

“Need help?” Griff asked.

“No, thanks.” Jenna pulled herself up short and opened the car door, shaking Claire awake. “Come on. We need to go inside.”

Claire blinked in confusion, but nodded. She struggled to get out of the car, managing with Jenna’s help to stand on her own two feet.

Griff led the way, flipping lights on as he went. Jenna was curious about the place her boss called home, but tried not to be too nosy.

“The first door on the right upstairs is the guest bedroom, and the bathroom is across the hall,” he said. Then he frowned when he realized Claire was sagging heavily against Jenna. “I was hoping we’d get some more information out of her tonight.”

Jenna shook her head. “You’re the one who pointed out it’s almost dawn. She’s not going anywhere. It’s better for her to get some rest.”

Griff nodded reluctantly, took the duffel bag upstairs and set it inside the guest bedroom. Then he hesitated near the doorway. “Good night, Jenna.”

“Good night, Griff.”

He surprised her by flashing a devastatingly handsome smile before turning to leave them alone in the room. Jenna stared after him for a moment, trying to understand why he’d looked so happy.

It took a few seconds to realize she’d broken her self-imposed rule by calling him by his first name.

And for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why her slip would make him smile.

* * *

Griff managed to get a couple of hours of sleep before his internal alarm clock kicked in. He dragged himself out of bed and felt a little more human after a quick shower. He pulled on a pair of black jeans and a black SWAT sweatshirt.

There was no sound coming from the guest bedroom, so he headed down to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around the fact that the assailant had tried to kill him. Claire’s escape must be a significant threat if the guy wanted her back badly enough to risk shooting a cop.

After gathering eggs from the fridge, he began breaking them into a large bowl. Working in the kitchen wasn’t his strong suit, but he could manage to throw something edible together so they wouldn’t starve. Ham-and-cheese omelets with toast would have to suffice.

While the omelet was cooking, he took a sip of his coffee, nearly spilling it down the front of his sweatshirt when he noticed Jenna standing in the doorway.

“Good morning. That coffee smells good.”

He pulled himself together and gestured toward the pot. “Help yourself. Breakfast will be ready soon.”

“Looks great,” she said, opening the cupboards to search for a mug. She poured a cup of coffee and then rummaged in the fridge for milk.

Watching Jenna making herself at home in his kitchen created an intimacy he wished he hadn’t noticed. In the last year of his marriage, there hadn’t been many Saturday mornings like this. Helen worked way too many hours at the law firm, including weekends, even the ones he happened to be off duty.

Griff concentrated on making sure the omelet didn’t burn, then turned to push the toaster handle down. Jenna was standing so close he could smell the strawberry scent that seemed to cling to her skin.

He gave himself a mental shake, reminding himself that she and Claire were in danger. He couldn’t afford to be sidetracked.

Especially not by a woman who reported to him. A woman who reminded him of a life he didn’t deserve to have.

A few minutes later the food was ready and he was relieved when Jenna took the seat across from him. When she bowed her head to pray, he remembered his grandmother doing the same thing and found himself looking down at his hands as he waited for her to finish.

“We need some sort of game plan.” Jenna dug into her omelet and took a bite. “Wow, this is good.”

“You were expecting poison?” he asked drily.

She laughed, the husky sound sending shivers of awareness down his spine. “No, of course not. I just didn’t realize you were a great cook.”

He wasn’t, but quickly filled his own mouth with food so he wouldn’t make a bigger fool out of himself.

“Claire’s hiding something,” Jenna continued as if she hadn’t knocked him sideways with her laugh. “I understand she’s scared, but we need to know exactly what we’re up against.”

“I’m sure she’ll cooperate now that she’s safe,” he said.

Jenna took another bite, looking thoughtful. “I don’t know. I get the feeling there’s more to her situation than she wants to tell us.”

Griff frowned. “Are you saying you think she may have participated in something illegal?”

Jenna sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in a familiar gesture. “Yeah. I hate to say it, but that’s the vibe I’m getting.”

He always told his deputies to trust their instincts. Jenna in particular knew how to read abused women. If she thought there was something else going on, then he believed her. “Maybe you should talk to her alone.”

She glanced up at him in surprise. “Really?”

He knew better than to micromanage his team. “Yeah. Why not? Claire trusts you.”

“Okay.” She took a sip of coffee. “Have to admit, it was creepy finding that newspaper clipping of me in her pocket.”

He couldn’t agree more. “I’ll start a background check on her while you two talk. Hopefully there isn’t a warrant out for her arrest.”

Jenna’s expression turned grim. “I guess I wouldn’t be too surprised if there was.”

There was a muffled thump from upstairs, indicating Claire was awake. Griff finished his breakfast and then rose to his feet, intending to make Claire’s omelet.

“Good morning, Claire.” Jenna greeted the girl as she hesitantly stepped into the kitchen. “Help yourself to coffee.”

The girl wrinkled her nose and slipped into the vacant chair closest to Jenna. “No, thanks. I’d rather have a diet cola.”

Griff took a soft drink from the fridge and handed it to Claire, noticing she was wearing her charm bracelet. It didn’t take long for Jenna to comment on it, too.

“Who gave you the bracelet?” she asked. “A boyfriend?”

Claire paled and shook her head. “No, my mother gave it to me shortly before the stupid woman from child protective services took me away from her. It’s all I have left.”

Now it was Jenna’s turn to go pale. She pushed her plate away and wrapped her fingers around her coffee mug as if craving warmth. “What happened to your mother?”

Claire grimaced. “I don’t know. I’m going to try and find her.” Jenna lifted a curious brow. “I know she had problems, but they had no right to take me away.”

“Drugs? Alcohol?”

“Drugs,” Claire admitted with a heavy sigh. “She’d stay clean for a while, but then one day I’d come home from school and find her strung out.”

Griff tightened his grip on the spatula, imagining what Claire had suffered. Maybe she had broken the law at some point. He only hoped that the crime wasn’t so bad he couldn’t help her get out of it.

He slid the omelet onto a plate, added toast and set it beside Claire. She glanced up and gave him a nod of thanks.

Jenna paused for a few minutes, allowing her to eat. Claire eagerly dug into the simple meal, making Griff glad that he’d taken the time to cook a hot breakfast.

He’d fully intended to leave them alone, but since Claire seemed willing to keep talking, he decided to clean up the kitchen a bit, admittedly eavesdropping on their conversation.

“How old were you when you entered the foster system?” Jenna asked in a gentle tone.

“Eleven, almost twelve, and I hated every minute of it,” Claire said flatly. “My mother’s rights were terminated a year later. I was adopted by an older couple, but I didn’t handle it well. I caused a lot of trouble for them, so I couldn’t really blame them for giving me up for re-adoption.”

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.