Page 49 of Twin Jeopardy

“The message does seem to be referring to your previous assault,” Jake said. “And I’m no expert on graffiti, but this looks similar to the writing on Vince’s truck.”

“At least they didn’t smash my windows.” She was trying to make a joke, but the effect was spoiled when her voice broke on the final words.

The crunch of tires on gravel signaled the arrival of a sheriff’s department SUV. Sergeant Gage Walker exited the vehicle and strode toward them. Tammy had interviewed Gage many times for cases she had reported. Though similar in appearance to his brother, the sheriff, Gage was more easygoing and less intimidating. He nodded to Tammy, then studied the red-smeared car and the sinister message. Then he turned to the crowd. “I’ll talk to the rest of you in a bit. Meanwhile, give us some room, will you?”

The others moved away, herded by Jake. Gage turned back to Tammy. “Tough way to end the night,” he said.

“It sure is.”

“Any ideas who’s behind this and the attack on you last night?” he asked.

“None.”

“I think it’s the same person who trashed my truck,” Vince said. “The same person who sent those notes about Valerie.”

“V,” Gage said. He stepped back and took a few photos of the car, then turned to Tammy. “Why threaten you?” he asked.

She glanced at Vince. Their relationship wasn’t exactly a secret, but she also wasn’t sure where they stood. “Tammy and I are friends,” he said. “Good friends. If this ‘V’ has been watching me, they’ve seen us together. Maybe they think hurting Tammy is a way to get back at me.”

“I read the report on your assault,” Gage said. “You told Declan you thought your assailant was a woman?”

“Yes.” Vince frowned at her. Something else she hadn’t told him. But again, she hadn’t wanted him to worry. If V and her attacker were the same person, did that mean it was Valerie? Or someone pretending to be her?

“Why would V want to get back at you?” Gage asked.

“I’m not sure whoever this is has a reason,” she said. “Or at least, not one that would make sense to us.”

“In some of the communications, V seems to be assuming the role of Valerie,” Vince said.

“Any chance this is your sister?” Gage asked.

“The sheriff asked me that too,” Vince said. “I don’t know. Valerie disappeared fifteen years ago. Why appear out of nowhere now, and why try to hurt me?”

“When you came here tonight, did you see anyone or anything out of the ordinary?” Gage asked.

“No. And I was looking. After what happened last night, I was spooked.”

Gage took her through her steps that evening, from the time she left the newspaper office until she drove to search and rescue headquarters, and verified that she was the last person to arrive at the meeting.

“No one arrived or left after you?” Gage asked.

“No one,” she said.

“I didn’t see anyone come or go,” Vince said.

“All right. We’ll process the scene and see if we come up with anything,” Gage said. “You’ll need to leave your car here. Do you have someplace safe to stay tonight? And what about your mother? Is she home alone?”

“My brother is with her. He’s moved in temporarily.”

“I’ll see that Tammy gets somewhere safe,” Vince said. He straightened and took his hands from his pockets. “Do you need anything else?”

“Not right now,” Gage said. “I may have more questions later.”

“I have a backpack in the car I’d like to grab,” she said.

Gage slipped on a glove and opened the back door of the vehicle, and waited while she leaned in and took out the backpack. “Check to verify nothing is missing,” he said.

She did so, pawing through the notebooks, extra camera battery, tape recorder and other tools of her trade. “Everything looks okay.”

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