Page 28 of Last Rites

And once again, Dani repeated the story, from the moment she saw him until the moment he drove out of sight.

“Do you think you could recognize him again if you saw him?”

“Yes, sir,” Dani said.

“How long have you been in Jubilee?” he asked.

“Going on four days. I’m still at the Serenity Inn, but now that I have leased a home, I’ll be moving in. Unfortunately, I’ll be waiting four more days for the moving company to get here with my belongings.”

“Have you, at any time, seen the man previous toseeing him in the parking lot? Maybe in a café or sightseeing?” Rance asked.

“No, sir, but during the time I’ve been here, I haven’t done much sightseeing. I came to find a place to live and have spent most of my time viewing apartments and houses.”

“Right,” Woodley said. “Now I’m going to trade places with Keith. Can we get you some water? Or a soda?”

“Water would be fine,” Dani said.

“I’ll get it,” Aaron said, and left the conference room while seating arrangements were being shifted so the composite artist could get to work.

Aaron came back with a cold bottle of water and a folded paper towel for a coaster. He broke the seal on the lid so it would be easier for Dani to open and then set it down near her elbow.

“Thank you,” she said, then unscrewed the lid and took a quick sip.

“Welcome,” Aaron said, then watched her tilt her head to take a drink. Afterward, he noticed a tiny drop of water lingering on the edge of her lip. It felt like forever, but it was only seconds before he made himself look away.

As they were getting set up, Sonny Warren got a call and excused himself, leaving Aaron in charge, so Aaron took a chair from the table and moved it to a point that would give him a clear view of Dani’s face.

It was a beautiful sight upon which to gaze, but hewished he knew what was bugging her. Every time footsteps passed the door to the room they were in, she glanced toward it, as if she was afraid of who might be coming through it.

It took an hour of the artist’s questions and Dani’s answers, as she had Keith move the eyes farther apart, then at another viewing, add sharper bone structure to the face, then a longer neck, and finally a slight hook to his nose.

With that last touch added, Keith turned the image toward Dani once more.

“How does this look?” he asked.

Her eyes widened, and then she shuddered. “Like he’s looking straight at me and knows I saw him.”

Keith glanced up at the sheriff.

“I think we’re done, sir.”

Woodley took the sketch. “Thank you, Keith. Good job. We’ll get copies of this distributed to precincts in the area and go from there. Thank you again, Miss Owens.”

“Happy to help,” Dani said, and then glanced around the room. “I have a question. My identity won’t be mentioned in any public reports, will it?”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed.I was right. Sheishiding something, or she’sinhiding. And for her sake, we need to know what or why.

“Absolutely not,” Rance Woodley said. “Your name will be kept completely out of this.”

Dani nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Aaron said and, once again,escorted her through the building and back out into the lobby. But this time, instead of holding the door open for her, he walked outside with her, out of earshot of everyone else.

“I have a question,” he said.

Dani paused. “About what?”

“What are you afraid of?” he asked.

---