Page 33 of Jenna's Protector

“Carter,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper, thick with a mixture of desire and apprehension. “There’s something I need to show you.”

“What is it?” His voice is warm, with just a hint of concern.

“I have something that might help.” I pull my sketchbook out from under the counter.

“That’s great. Are you ready to go to the station and meet the sketch artist?” Carter’s eyebrows rise in surprise and curiosity.

I take a deep breath, my heart pounding.

“I should have told you about this earlier.” My voice wavers, guilt and fear tangling in my chest.

“Show me in my office.” Carter’s expression softens, concern replacing surprise.

“Okay.” I slip the sketchbook back under the counter and into my bag.

As we walk out, I glance back at my regulars, giving them a reassuring smile that feels more like a grimace. The drive to the station is filled with tense silence. My thoughts race, imagining Carter’s disappointment, his anger at withholding this from him.

Once inside Carter’s office, the sketch artist, Joe, is already waiting. With trembling hands, I place my drawing pad on Carter’s immaculate desk, flipping it open to the sketches. Carter’s eyes widen in amazement as he examines the drawings.

“You’re an artist?” He’s clearly impressed.

“I used to draw a lot.” I hesitate, the guilt overwhelming me. “I wasn’t sure how important this would be, and I… I was hoping that doing the sketches with Joe would be enough. That I could answer your questions and be done.”

I swallow hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

“But after spending time with you, learning about the case, about those girls… I realized I needed to do more, and if there was anything I could do to help find them, I should do it.”

To my surprise, instead of anger or disappointment, there’s only admiration in Carter’s eyes.

“Jenna, these are incredible. They could really make a difference.” He examines the sketches closely, his finger tracing the intricate lines. “The level of detail here is amazing. They’ll be a great help in identifying the men and places involved.”

Relief washes over me, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m part of something meaningful, something that can bring light to the darkness of my past.

Joe leans in, his professional curiosity evident. “These areremarkably precise. The facial features and architectural details are like looking at photographs.”

Carter nods in agreement. “They might be good enough to run through our databases and see if we can get any hits on the men.” He pauses as he looks at the sketches of buildings and rooms. “As for the places… That might be trickier.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, my heart sinking.

Carter sighs, running a hand through his hair. “My resources are limited. We’re chronically underfunded, and this kind of wide-scale search… It’s just not something we can execute.”

My hopes deflate, but Carter quickly continues, “But that doesn’t mean these aren’t incredibly valuable. Even if we can’t immediately locate these places, having these layouts could be crucial if we do find them.”

Joe nods enthusiastically. “Absolutely. And who knows? Maybe we can find a way to get some help with the search. These sketches are too good to not use to their full potential.”

As they continue to discuss the possibilities, a heavy weight lifts from my shoulders. The fear of Carter’s reaction and the guilt of my initial hesitation begins to fade, replaced by a sense of purpose.

I may not be able to change my past, but I can shape a better future for those girls with these sketches.

Some good can come from the darkness I endured.

“Do you know where any of these places are?” Carter examines one of my sketches; his brow furrowed in concentration.

“I don’t.” I shake my head, feeling a pang of guilt. “We were always moved around, never told our location.”

Carter nods thoughtfully, his attention never shifting from the sketches. “These are incredible. Even without exact locations, they’re invaluable.” He pauses, then adds, “I’ll give these sketches to my brother, Blake. He might be able to get some of Guardian HRS’s resources to perform a search.”

My heart skips a beat at the mention of Guardian HRS. During my time with them, there were whispers of what the organization could do with their advanced technology and vast resources. If anyone can find these places, it will be them.

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