Page 91 of Trouble Comes in Threes

“Okay,” Tony said. “Onto the next.”

“The second one is a woman,” I said. And we repeated the same process we’d been through with the first sketch.

Tony started drawing her, and when he finished, Mikey gasped.

“She looks like you, Aunt Rose!”

I took a longer look at the face on the screen, and it hit me that he was right. I’d thought she looked familiar, and now that he’d pointed it out, there was no denying that she strongly resembled me. We had different chins and hairlines, but we shared the same eyes and nose.

To my surprise, Tony didn’t ask any follow-up questions. Instead, he began to pack up his things. “If you give me your email address, I’ll send a copy of each of these to you and Sheriff Simmons.”

I gave him the information and followed him to the door. “Thank you again, Tony. Do I need to pay you now, or will you settle up with Joe?”

“He’s already taken care of it, ma’am,” he said with a head bob, then studied me. “Joe said this was personal, but if you need me to send these sketches to a detective, be sure to let me know. You don’t have to wait for your husband to do it. Especially since he has his hands full with both murders.”

“Thanks again, Tony,” I said. “I’ll be sure to let you know if I need help.”

I shut the door behind him, and Tony hadn’t even had a chance to go down the steps before Neely Kate pounced on me.

“What was that all about?”

I cast a glance at the girls, who were on the sofa, totally engrossed in the children’s show on the television, while Ashley read a book on the love seat. I knew I should redirect them to do something else, but better to keep them occupied while I explained everything to Neely Kate and Jed.

“That was so cool, Aunt Rose!” Mikey exclaimed. “I want to draw people when I grow up!”

“You could practice by drawing your sisters and your cousins,” Jed said from next to the love seat. “How about I get you some paper to practice on.”

Mikey jumped up and down. “Okay!”

“There’s some printer paper in Joe’s office,” I said, motioning to the French doors on the far living room wall. “And also some pencils.”

Jed and Mikey headed for the office, while Neely Kate followed me back into the kitchen.

“What was that all about?” she demanded in a hushed tone.

“Let’s wait until Jed comes in so I don’t have to repeat it.”

Jed appeared in the doorway a few moments later, wearing a somber expression. “What haven’t you told us, Rose? Has someone been poking around the farm? And why does that woman look like you?”

“No one’s been here,” I assured him. “It was from my vision.”

“The one of you dying?” Neely Kate whispered.

“I had another vision last night, but I had it while I was asleep, and no one was around.” I filled them in on what had happened and what I’d seen, along with the first dream vision I’d had.

Neely Kate’s forehead wrinkled. “You had dream visions of yourself?”

“No, I’m certain it wasn’t me. Plus, I heard her speak, and she was definitely someone else.”

“Someone who looks like you?” Jed pressed.

“Apparently,” I said, taking a seat at the kitchen table. “But this is the first time I’ve ever had a vision of someone who wasn’t close to me, so I have no idea how I had it.”

“And you’re sure it wasn’t just a garden variety nightmare?” Jed asked.

“Joe suggested the same thing, but I’ll tell you what I told him. No. Besides, it was too similar to the vision I had at Piney Rest. I know it was a vision.”

Jed nodded. “Okay. I believe you.”

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