Dead Ringer. Sharon Dunn

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СКАЧАТЬ next victim could be.”

      “You mean, the woman Jackson was with…’cause of the dark hair.”

      “I answered a robbery call at her house last night. I noticed the resemblance, but didn’t realize how closely she matched her victims until looking at the photos.” His mouth went dry. “If she is dating Jackson, she probably met him through the service.” Eli hadn’t failed to notice the daggers she shot toward him as she left the restaurant. Her distrust of police ran deep, and it took only the smallest irregularity to trigger it. She probably thought he was stalking her.

      More than anything, when he’d seen the veil of protection fall across her eyes, he had wanted to explain why he was in the café, but he couldn’t. They had put too much manpower on the case to blow it. Going public with the investigation could cause the killer to go underground, then years from now after three or four more women died, they’d have to connect the dots all over again.

      Eli spread the photos across the table. He could not shake the anxiety coiling through him. He tapped his finger on one of the pictures. “Look. Same hair, same eyes. Lucy Kimbol is a dead ringer for these other victims.”

      The sense of justice that had led him to want to be a police officer rose up in him. They were going to get this guy. No one else was going to die on his watch. “I think we need to keep our eye on potential victims, too.”

      “Manpower is limited, remember.” William rested his elbows on the table. “We’ll be watching potential victims when they are with suspects.”

      Eli gathered up the photographs. “Not always. We have to rotate surveillance as it is.”

      William shook his head. “You have to let go of the belief that you can protect everyone all of the time. You are not supercop. None of us are.”

      “I just think when someone fits criteria for being a potential victim, we ought to do something about it.” Who was he kidding? Lucy wouldn’t accept police protection if it came tied up in a silver bow.

      He’d have to find some other way to keep her safe.

      THREE

      Eli’s heart kicked into overdrive as he brought his car to a stop outside of Lucy’s duplex. He was probably the last person Lucy wanted to see right now. If the department wasn’t going to spring for the manpower to keep an eye on her, he would do it on his own time. Besides, his solution solved two problems. Two days in a motel was two days too many, and she had a duplex for rent.

      In her front yard, three teenagers lined up, all holding fly rods. Lucy moved from one student to the next, adjusting their grip on the rod handle or demonstrating the casting.

      Her long, dark hair cascaded down to the middle of her back. The vest with all the pockets, a T-shirt and khaki pants was probably the official uniform of fly fishers everywhere. Her cheeks were sun-tinged. Even in the bulky clothes, her narrow waist and the soft curve of her hips were evident. He liked the way the students seemed responsive to her instruction, remaining quiet and focusing on her while she talked.

      Part of solid police work involved not jumping to conclusions. He could be wrong about Lucy being the next victim, but he didn’t want to take a chance with her life. How many dark-haired, blue-eyed women could there be in an area that probably had more cows and sheep than people?

      The three teenagers held their poles midair and stared when Eli pulled into the gravel driveway.

      Part of the profile of the killer was that the dark hair and blue eyes were symbolic in some way. The other aspect of his personality was that he probably traveled for his job or had enough time and money to cover the area where the killings had taken place. On the online sign-up forms, there was an option that allowed an applicant to restrict match choices to a geographic region.

      Eli and the other officers had joked as they looked at the matchmaking Web site for “investigative purposes.” They all agreed that a guy would have to be pretty desperate to sign up for something like that. He noticed though that the number of single guys on the force who mentioned having dates seemed to go up quite a bit after that.

      William had even signed Eli up, but he’d missed the only two dates he’d agreed to because of work. He’d been twenty-six when he had caught the Spokane killer; now at thirty, his life was his work and that was fine with him. He couldn’t imagine a woman who would put up with the kind of hours he kept. He had nieces and nephews and mentored kids through the church youth group. He never sat at home, twiddling his thumbs and thinking about taking up watercolor painting.

      Eli got out of his car and sauntered toward Lucy.

      Her granite gaze told him all he needed to know. After a few words of instruction to the kids, she walked over to him. “The guy who called asking about the rental didn’t sound like you on the phone.”

      “I had my partner call in and ask about it when I saw the newspaper ad.” She probably would have hung up on him. “I do need a place to live.”

      Her chin jerked up slightly. “Wouldn’t you rather get a place closer to town?”

      He had counted on meeting some resistance. “It’s not like there are a ton of rental choices. I like how quiet it is out here.”

      She studied him for a moment. Her expression softened. “That much is true.” She kept her voice level, completely neutral. “It’s been vacant for a couple of months, and I really do need the income.”

      If it was about money to her, fine. He’d stay close any way he could.

      She stepped onto the wraparound porch, pulled a key from her pocket and opened the door. The house was clean and airy. Like her place, it had a loft. He would have taken it if it had been a dump.

      “It’s nice. I like that it’s a furnished place. I didn’t bring a whole lot with me from Spokane,” he said. “I like being out in the country, but still minutes from town.”

      “I like it, too. I’m close to the river, close to my work.” Lucy’s voice lilted slightly when she spoke about the river.

      Eli wandered through the house, opened and closed the bathroom door. He had to at least look as if he was considering. He pointed at another door.

      “That leads to a half basement—sump pump and hot-water tank are down there,” Lucy offered.

      After a cursory glance into the bedroom, he opened the back door and stepped out on the porch.

      “Be careful.” Her voice grew closer. “The floorboards on that side are old.”

      Eli pressed his boot against a board that bowed from his weight. Several of the planks were broken and there were some gaps where wood should have been. He lifted his head. The air smelled of pine. The breeze brushed his cheeks. A guy could get used to this. “I definitely want to take it.”

      Lucy came to the open door. “I’m glad to hear that.” She pointed to a hole in the porch. “My friend Nelson is coming this afternoon to help me fix this. I do upkeep as I get the funds.”

      “The porch is not really what you notice when you step out here.” He pointed to the view of the open field and the surrounding evergreens.

      “It’s the reason I stay.” СКАЧАТЬ