Page 53 of Deception

“Why don’t we take my SUV?”

She eyed him with a raised brow. “And advertise who we are? How about my Impala?”

“Good idea.”

A few minutes later they cruised around the parking lot, looking for a beige Honda Civic. “Is that it?” Madison pointed to a tan car parked under a huge oak with thin tendrils of Spanish moss hanging from it.

“Could be. Park right there.” He pointed to an empty space behind a tall van. “Do you see anyone in the car?”

Madison shook her head. “I’ll approach and knock on the window. If she’s inside, I’ll ask if she can help me—I’ll tell her I locked my keys inside my car.”

“And I’ll get out now and wait behind the van. If she pulls the gun—”

“I know what to do.” Why had she promised Dani no harm would come to Bri? She climbed out of her car and cautiously approached the Civic. Front seat was empty. Just as she peered into the back window, a shout came from across the parking lot.

“What are you doing? Get away from my car!”

Madison whirled around. A thin girl with spiked hair the color of a raven rushed toward her, murder on her face.

“Whoa!” Madison palmed her hands up while at the same time checking for a gun. Nothing obvious, but the baggy black pants Bri wore could hide several guns.

Suddenly the girl stopped. Her eyes widened and her mouth formed a bigO. “Dani! You’re not...” Bri clamped her hand over her mouth, then she raised her eyes toward the sky. “Thank you, Jesus!”

Why hadn’t it occurred to her that the girl would think she was Dani? Was she slipping? Then again, she wasn’t used to being a twin. She should tell her she wasn’t Dani, but first Madison wanted answers to a few questions. Out of the corner of her eye, Clayton edged around the van, and she waved him back.

Suddenly, Bri threw her arms around Madison, sobbing. The poor thing needed comforting, yet Madison hesitated. Should she hug her or just pat her on the back?

It’s going to be all right.The words her mom said when she held and rocked Madison after she skinned her knee. The memory was embedded in her mind because comfort from her mother so seldom happened. And never from her father. Madison did the only thing she knew to do.

“It’s going to be all right,” she murmured and rubbed Bri’s back. The girl was so thin, it was like rubbing a washboard. Dani was right—Bri wasn’t her assailant. “Dani will be—”

She realized her mistake when Bri stiffened.

The girl jerked out of her embrace and stared at her. “Wait a minute ... you’re not—” She pivoted and took off running.

“Wait!” Madison sprinted after her. If only Bri had run in Clayton’s direction.

Bri was fast. Impossible to catch her. Had to find another option. “Dani wants to see you!”

She wasn’t sure the girl heard her until she slowed to a stop and turned around. “You’re not lying to me, are you?”

“No.” Madison braced her hands on her knees and breathed deeply. She’d used her last breath to yell at the teenager, and the girl wasn’t even winded.

“Who are you? Her sister or something?”

“Or something.” Madison straightened up. She took a step toward the teenager and held out her credentials. “I’m a law officer—I won’t let anyone hurt you.” When she didn’t respond, Madison said, “Do you want to see Dani?”

“She’s really okay?” Bri wiped her forehead with the back of her arm.

“Yes. Why don’t we go see her.”

Bri shifted her gaze to her hand and shook her head.

This wasn’t working. “Why did you run?”

Bri gave her a “you’ve got to be kidding me” look. “I’m sure everyone thinks I shot her.”

“Did you?”

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