Dead Ringer (33 page)

"Hey, you can't do that!" the receptionist shouted.

Kendall kept moving. She spotted Dr. Young as she came out of an exam
room. "Dr. Young?"

The doctor looked up. "Yes?"

"My name is Kendall Shaw. I'm a friend of Nicole Piper's. She didn't
come home last night and I'm worried. Have you seen her in the last eighteen
hours?"

"Doctor, this woman burst in," the receptionist said.

The doctor held up her hand to stop the receptionist. "No, I haven't
seen her."

Kendall's unease doubled. "Could she be in the hospital and you not know
it?"

"She would call me if the baby was coming." The woman grimaced.
"Unless she was unable to call.
Let me call the hospitals."

"Okay. Thanks."

Kendall waited as Dr. Young called all four hospitals in the immediate
area. No Nicole Piper.
No one fitting her description.

The doctor hung up the phone on the wall.
"Nothing."

Kendall nodded. Something was very, very wrong. "Thanks."

"Call me when you find her."

"I will."

Kendall left the office and kept moving until she reached her car. She
called Carnie Winchester at the adoption agency and learned no one there had
seen Nicole either.

This was wrong. All wrong. "Damn."

Dialing again, she waited until an officer answered, "Henrico Police."

"Jacob Warwick, please."

The operator sent her to voice mail. She pressed zero on her phone and
asked for Zack Kier. When she learned he wasn't on the premises, she asked for
David Ayden. She made a point to mention this was not work related. It was
personal.
An emergency.
Even after all that, she still
wasn't sure if Ayden would take her call.

A few seconds later, a deep voice said, "Ms. Shaw."

"I need a favor."

"I don't give interviews or quotes."

"It's about my roommate. Nicole Piper."

"Something wrong with the baby?"
The edge in his voice turned to
concern.

"I can't find Nicole. I went by her studio and she wasn't there. I
called the adoption agency.
Went to her doctor's office.
No one has seen her. This isn't like her."

A tense moment followed. "I'll put out a bulletin now."

Relief washed over her. "Thank you."

"Has anyone been bothering her? She had concerns about Dana Miller."

Kendall couldn't hide her distaste. "I saw Dana talking to her at
Lindsay's opening."

"But you haven't seen Dana around?"

"No." She checked her watch. "I don't think Nicole came home last night.
I didn't realize until this morning that she was missing." Panic laced each
word.

"Okay. I'll look into this."

"I'm going by my house right now and see if she's returned."

"I'll start looking for her."

She gave him her private cell number. "Please call me as soon as you
find out anything. I'll do the same."

"Good."

"I half hoped you'd tell me not to worry and that I was overreacting.
But I'm not overreacting, am I?"

"No, I don't think so."

Tears burned in her throat. "Look, I know we haven't been on the best of
terms."

"None of that matters. Let's find Nicole."

"Thanks." She called Brett to tell him she was going to be late.

The effects of the overnight flight were catching up with Adrianna so
she headed to the Java Cafe, located three doors down from her shop. She'd
ordered a triple espresso, extra hot.

She visited for a few minutes and then pushed out of the door back into
the bitter cold. She shivered, wishing she'd taken time to put on a jacket.

Three steps away from the cafe, a man called out to her.

"Hey, Miss Barrington."

Smiling, she turned.

The guy standing there looked average enough.
Jeans.
Flannel shirt.
Dark hair.
But
there was something about him that set her nerves on edge immediately.

Maybe it was the way he clenched and unclenched his right hand. Maybe it
was the fact that his left hand was in his oversized coat pocket and she
couldn't see it. Or that behind him a parked truck waited unmanned and running.
All the facts collided in her brain in a fleeting moment.

She took a step back. "Yes?"

His gaze on her, he stepped toward her. "I have something for you."

Electricity snapped and popped as he jerked his hand from his pocket. He
was holding a Taser.

The next seconds played out in excruciating detail.

Adrianna threw her hot coffee at him. The steaming hot black liquid hit
him squarely in the face. Immediately, he pressed his hands to his face and
recoiled. He dropped the Taser.

"Bitch," he growled.

Adrianna didn't bother to analyze the situation. She ran.
And screamed as loud as she could.

It was close to two when Jacob and Zack parked in front of Adrianna
Barrington's design shop. They'd been headed to see the retired officer who'd
investigated the Turner murders when they'd gotten a call:
Woman approached
by would-be attacker.
The responding officers had found a Taser on the
sidewalk. The victim, Adrianna Barrington, looked like Kendall Shaw's twin.

Jacob pushed through the front door of the design shop, Zack following
him. Bolts of fabrics, soft carpeting, and overstuffed chairs greeted them,
along with soft scents of lavender. The place was very feminine.
Very upscale.

Jacob didn't understand people who put so much time and energy into
choosing their decor. But the place reminded him of Kendall. She would eat up
the kinds of stuff displayed in the shop.

The place was a reminder that he and Kendall were polar opposites. The
chances of them making it were slim. A smart bookie wouldn't touch a bet on their
relationship.

And still he knew he wanted it to work between them. He just hoped
wanting was enough to overcome the odds.

Jacob and Zack moved to the front desk, where Jacob saw a bell. He
tapped it with his hand. From behind a curtained door he heard, "I'll be right
there."

The curtains fluttered and an older, very distinguished woman appeared.
She was dressed in sapphire pants and a blouse. Her silver shoulder-length hair
was held back with a silver headband. Her smile faltered when her gaze skimmed
the two men. "May I help you?"

Jacob moved forward but not so close as to spook her. He pulled out his
badge, as did Zack. "We're looking for Adrianna Barrington."

Her spine stiffened. "May I ask why?"

Jacob felt as if he had an audience with the queen. "We have a couple of
questions for her about the attack today."

"I'm her mother. Margaret Barrington." She said the name as if it should
mean something. It didn't.

"She's in the back on a long distance call."

"We'll wait."

"I can have her contact you."

At that moment, a woman pushed through the curtains separating the back
of the store from the front.

The woman damn near took his breath away. She was tall, lean, and
dressed in designer jeans, a silk blouse, and high-heeled black boots. A gold
link-chain belt encircled her narrow waist. Stylish blond hair framed an oval
face and accentuated violet eyes.

She was stunning.

And she could have been Kendall Shaw's twin.

Jacob shook off his surprise and exchanged glances with Zack to make
certain he wasn't imagining the connection. Zack looked as shocked as Jacob
felt.

"Adrianna Barrington?" Jacob asked.

Adrianna's smile was cautious. After her attack today she was smart to
worry. "What can I do for you gentlemen?"

"They came about that attempted mugging earlier today. They're
detectives with the Henrico County Police," Margaret interjected.

Adrianna studied their badges. "I'm impressed. I didn't think an
attempted mugging warranted so much attention."

Jacob tucked his badge in his back pocket, as did Zack. "We think your
attack may be linked to three murder cases."

Her expression darkened. "I'm not sure how I can help."

Zack shoved his hands into his pockets. "Anyone ever tell you that you
look like Kendall Shaw?"

Adrianna didn't appear flattered. "Sure. Everyone has their double."

"Gentlemen, is there a point to this?" The annoyed question came from
Margaret.

"Is there a place where we can sit and talk?" Jacob asked.

"I don't see what there is to talk about," Margaret said.

Adrianna studied Jacob for a beat. He got the sense that her patience
was wearing thin. She was rushed, busy, and didn't want to deal with any more
unexpected turns in her day. "Sure. Have a seat at the conference table."

The four sat around the glass tabletop. The chairs were too fancy for
Jacob but he was surprised to discover they were very comfortable.

He laid his file on the table and opened it. He pulled out DMV pictures
of the victims. "Do you know any of these women?" He named each as he touched
her picture.

Sighing, she leaned forward and studied the images. "No. I've never seen
any of these women. What's this about?"

"These women were murdered. Have you heard about the case? It's been
covered in the media."

She frowned. "No. I've been out of the country. I've been in France on a
buying trip. I returned only this morning."

"We believe these three women were sisters--that each was adopted by a
different family. And we also believe the killer might have known this." He was
fishing here but wanted to gauge her reaction.

Adrianna didn't hide her impatience now. "What are you getting at? And
how does this have anything to do with me?"

Margaret started to drum her fingers on the table.

Zack leaned forward. "Were you adopted, Ms. Barrington?"

Amusement brightened Adrianna's eyes. "No."

Jacob studied Margaret trying to find similarities between her and
Adrianna. They both dressed well and they carried themselves like queens. But
that was all surface. He was more interested in bone structure and body types--the
kind of traits created by genetics. Both women were tall but they didn't share
any other similarities. Margaret's face was round, Adrianna's long and all
angles. Margaret's hands were short, while her daughter's were long and slim.

"Ms. Barrington, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"She's an only child," Margaret supplied.

"Was your father married before?" Zack asked.

"No."

Jacob looked at the older woman. "Could he have fathered any other
children?"

"No. I am certain of that." Margaret hesitated. "And I can assure you
that I have had no other children and that I gave birth to Adrianna. I have
countless pictures to prove it."

Margaret Barrington was lying. Jacob knew it.

"It's important that you be honest with us," he said quietly. "We
believe the killer knows his victims are sisters and that's why he's killing
them." Again, he was fishing but he needed to dig as deep as he could to find
the connection. "We think he may have attempted to take Ms. Barrington today."

The older woman paled. "Why would I lie? I have nothing to hide."

Adrianna tapped manicured fingers on the table. Her patience was
dwindling. "I can appreciate you have a difficult job, Detectives. But we can't
help you. I'm not adopted. Daddy had no other children."

"You have facial features similar to those of two of the victims," Zack
said. He wasn't willing to give up just yet, either.

Adrianna rolled her eyes. "I'm not adopted, so it doesn't matter who I
look like."

"Okay. But understand that whoever is linked to this family is in mortal
danger."

Adrianna nodded. "Thank you, but we can't help you. Now, if you'll
excuse us."

Jacob's gaze bore into Mrs. Barrington. She swallowed but didn't quite
meet his gaze. Slowly he gathered up the pictures of the dead women. "When he
takes his victims, he holds them for days before he strangles them."

The older woman paled.

"You're upsetting my mother," Adrianna said.

The older woman swallowed. She knew something but wasn't saying.

"Drugs them.
Their wrists and ankles are raw from
struggling."

Tears pooled in the old woman's eyes.

"Detective," Adrianna said as she rose from her chair. "Enough. Leave."

At this point Jacob couldn't force it.