“I appreciate you coming by.” Jennie led them to the front door.
He hadn’t noticed the three heavy-duty locks when they’d arrived. His mind spun, attempting to put the clues about this woman together.
Halting his thoughts to examine later, he stepped onto the front porch. “Not a problem. That’s what we’re here for. I’ll letyou know if we find anything and get the phone back to Zoey as soon as possible.”
“She might not have many contacts on it, but she doesn’t like to be without it.” Jennie chewed on her lower lip. “Idon’t like her to be without it.”
He nodded his understanding. What young person didn’t want their phone with them at all times? That took him back to his lack of protest observation from earlier. “Goodnight, ma’am.”
“Goodnight, detectives.”
The door clicked shut behind him. He took a moment to allow his eyes to adjust. The dusk of evening on their arrival had turned into the black of night.
He meandered down the dimly lit pathway, trailing Brandon to the car. Once buckled in, he turned to his partner. “Well?”
“I think it’s just like it sounds, and we’re fortunate that at least one of my sister’s students listened.” Brandon hesitated.
“But?”
His partner shrugged.
“Oh no, you don’t. You’re not clamming up on me. You think Jennie and Zoey are hiding from someone, don’t you?”
Brandon flipped on the headlights and pulled from the curb. “Affirmative. We’re on the same page, partner.”
David scratched the back of his neck and scanned the street out of habit. “I don’t want to pry into their personal lives, but what if this isn’t random?”
“I’m hearing you loud and clear.” Brandon stopped at the intersection and turned left. “Before we do a full background check, why don’t we talk to Emily Hanover? Maybe she can give us some insight into her tenant.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
David’s gut twisted. In his line of work, he saw terrible things happen to people all the time. He had a bad feeling and wasunsure he wanted to know what horrible thing had happened to Jennie.
***
Palm on the door, Jennie had held her breath until she heard the detectives’ car drive away. She couldn’t afford to have the police pry into her life. Not that they would discover anything criminal, at least not for her. The possibility that the detectives’ digging would bring evil to her door—a chance she couldn’t afford. Then again, only one person from her old life knew her location, and Tina would die before she told anyone.
“Momma? Did I mess up by calling Detective Whitman?”
Jennie cupped Zoey’s face in her hands. “No, baby. I’m glad you called. You did the right thing.”
Zoey chewed her bottom lip. “But what if they—”
“No.” She kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “We’ve been safe for six years. Maybe it’s time to quit hiding and start living.”
Zoey grinned. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“Neither can I.” She chuckled. “You’ve never complained, and I admire you for that. But I think it’s time you have a normal childhood. No ten-year-old should be forced to be anonymous.”
Small arms wrapped around Jennie’s waist. “I love you, Momma.”
“Please be cautious. Even normal kids can’t be careless.”
“I know. I’m not stupid.” Zoey rolled her eyes.
Jennie shook her head. The teenage years zoomed at her like a racecar. “Go eat and get ready for bed.” She spun her daughter to face the kitchen and gave her a pat on the backside.
Zoey skipped away, her brown hair bouncing with each step.
