Page 38 of The Girl in the River

The waitress came over with their food, and Derrick waited until she was finished delivering their order before relaying what she’d learned.

“Sounds like we need to find out more about Jesse Habersham.” Derrick wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Maybe the fiancé knows.”

“I don’t like it,” Ellie murmured. “If she had a twin, then she lied about not having family. And if she and Jesse are the same person, then she’s hiding something.” She stewed over that possibility. “She must be running from something,” Ellie said.

“Or she committed a crime,” Derrick suggested.

That was definitely motive for running and changing her name. “Let me see your laptop.”

He pushed it toward her and scooped up a forkful of coleslaw while she entered the name Jesse Habersham into the computer’s search engine. The name did not appear in the criminal databases, nor did she have an arrest record. Ellie found three Jesse Habershams in the DMV database – one was sixty years old, the second a middle-aged teacher, and the third a pretty blond with bright blue eyes. Mia had hazel eyes. Jesse was thin too, 110 pounds, which was at least fifteen pounds less than Mia.

Ellie leaned closer, studying the shape of her face; although Mia’s cheeks were fuller, the dainty nose and high cheekbones were the same.

“Did you find her?” Derrick said as he finished his sandwich.

“MiaisJesse,” Ellie said, as she showed him the DMV picture. Her hair color was different, and she was obviously wearing contacts and had gained weight but it was her. “Let me see what else I can find out about her.”

Clouds started hovering overhead, stirring a much-needed breeze. Ellie wiped perspiration from her forehead as she researched Jesse Habersham. A Google search turned up several articles.

The first was a human-interest piece featuring a small clothing boutique she owned. “Listen to this, Derrick. Jesse was a waitress turned clothing designer who designed her own line and sold it in a little boutique called Moonbeams. It was located in the town of Red River Rock.”

Derrick’s gaze swung to her. “That’s only half an hour or so from here, where the Penningtons lived.”

“Interesting.”

In a photo, Jesse looked hip in her outfit and stilettos with her blond hair in a chignon, nothing like Mia in her jeans, flannel shirts, and a ponytail. Ellie scrolled to the next article and Derrick studied it with her. “She was engaged. Here’s the announcement.” In another picture, Jesse stood in a sparkly red dress beside a tall, handsome man named Kevin Moon.

“Moon is the name of the local businessman who owns half of Red River Rock,” Derrick said.

“This must be his son.” Ellie pointing out a photograph of Kevin and his father Armond.

Ellie wiped her face as a raindrop pinged off her cheek. Thunder rumbled and people began to pack up their leftovers and hurry inside before the storm hit.

Intrigued, Ellie found another article dated five years ago, with images from the wedding day. Pictures of the happy couple and family and friends on a riverboat created a montage.

But the headline made her lose her breath.

WEDDING OF PROMINENT GROOM KEVIN MOON TURNED TRAGIC WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT ON THE BOAT. BRIDE JESSE HABERSHAM THOUGHT TO HAVE DIED IN THE EXPLOSION.

FORTY-EIGHT

FOGGY MOUNTAIN

A frisson of unease skittered up Ellie’s spine.Jesse was thought to have died at her wedding and Mia had disappeared from hers. How odd was that?

Stomach churning, she pushed away her food basket. “Before we talk to Mark, I say we take a little trip to Red River Rock.”

Lightning lit up the sky, popping off the tops of the mountain. Derrick grabbed the laptop and they made a mad dash for the car as the gray clouds unleashed. She slammed the door and they sat for several minutes while the rain pounded the car.

“While we wait out the worst of the storm, see what else you can find on Jesse Habersham’s disappearance,” Ellie said.

Derrick consulted his computer. “There was an investigation by local sheriff Kincaid, but Jesse’s body was never found.”

“Because she didn’t die,” Ellie said. “She assumed another identity.”

Seconds later, Derrick snapped his fingers. “Six weeksafter the explosion, a woman’s body thought to be Jesse surfaced.”

“But we know it wasn’t her,” Ellie said. “Does the article identify her?”

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