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“Please let me know if she comes to you. We’re really worried about her.” Lori handed over her card.
“I surely will, Agent Page. I surely will. Poor chile can’t get a break no-how, can she?”
Later that day, they continued to work with Leanne and Chrissie, basing their new hunt on Rae being a female, showing them year books from the schools in the district, and still got no results. Leanne spoke wearily. “Lots of the kids refuse to appear in these books, you know. They stay away the day of picture taking on purpose.”
Chrissie added, “It’s hard to imagine that same hot dude wearing those skinny jeans being a girl. I mean… does she wear a wig? I keep seeing her with short hair like the kid with Jessi had but maybe she has a hairpiece?” Finally, after giving it their best, they gave up. Another possible link gone.
Beau, still worried about Lori being out there on her own, felt slightly better knowing that Larry had kept his promise about partnering with her. In fact, yesterday had proven him right. According to the report he gave, Larry had stopped Lori from getting run over by a motorcycle while crossing to their car.
When he heard the story, Beau questioned her and Lori had played it down, but Larry’s expression had shown him a different side to the tale.
“What exactly happened?” Alone in the men’s room later, Beau pumped Larry.
“Man, she’s really stressed about this girl, Jessi. Her mind’s not on watching where she’s going. Something rang over her phone and rather than paying attention to where she was stepping, the message absorbed her completely. I just grabbed her back is all. The driver might have missed her although he yelled some particularly foul stuff at her. I think the close call scared him silly.”
“Jesus… really? Having access to the personnel files here in this office, I’ve gone over the ones on Lori they sent from California and didn’t get the feeling that she’s acted this way during other cases. In fact, she’s known to be coolheaded. I think it’s this girl – Jessi – who has her rattled.”
“You can say that again. I’ve seen her close to tears more than a few times.”
“I’ll talk to her. Thanks, bro. It’s been hell knowing she’s out there combing some of the places you’ve been to. I’m thankful you’re with her.” Beau looked down to the floor so Larry couldn’t see how upset he was that he couldn’t be there himself. It terrified him to think she could be shot at any time by this crazy psycho who’d painted a target on her back.
“I know what you mean. It’s eerie. Too quiet. I know something’s gonna break. Just don’t know what or when. I’m off now. Talk Lori into taking an early night, okay?” Larry’s hint wasn’t lost on Beau, and he smiled.
“Will do. I have a basketball game at Mellie’s school I promised I’d show up for. I’ll ask Lori to come along, get her mind off the case. It’ll be good to think about something else for a change.”
***
Jessi watched out the window as Rae left in the morning for school dressed as a girl, her daily regular appearance so opposite to the one she wore when portraying the person she swore she was meant to be.
Even her name, Raven, had been a shocker when Jessi had first run into her in the hallway between classes. Rae… Raven had tried to disappear but hadn’t been quick enough. Jessi saw her, their eyes had met, and she’d known her new friend’s real identity. That was at the beginning of their friendship.
After Ray had rescued her from the bullying situation, dressed as her male persona and looking so different, Jessi had wondered about the confusion. Maybe Raven had a twin brother. Eventually, as they got to know each other better, the truth had come out. Raven liked to play games.
She had two personalities and performed them both flawlessly. One was completely manufactured, a nerdy female with no friends. So stuck up that no one went near her.
And the hot boy who strutted with his head held high. According to Raven, or Rae as she preferred, this was who she was meant to be… her real personality. Male Ray felt good about himself. He walked tall and made others stare with longing.
Loving the power it gave him, the notoriety, he’d even encouraged her into acting like a male for a time. Playing the part, she’d understood the reason he’d preferred it over his ordinary identity. Now, she wasn’t so sure if she’d been acting the role for Rae or for herself.
At this time in her life, being a female worked. Hadn’t Lori liked her as she was? Even Agent Walker seemed to care… even though she was just a girl. Mixed up, her mind settled on one thing. She had to coax Eva to let her go into Rae’s house to see if she could find out anything about what the weirdo planned next.
Chapter Forty-seven
Jessi followed behind Eva as they entered through the back kitchen door into Rae’s gorgeous sprawling house. “We don’t have to tiptoe, Eva. Rae left for school already, I saw her drive away almost an hour ago.”
“It’s true. Perdón. I no feel calm when I come into big house. Is loco. I know. You no touch nothing.”
“I promise. I just want to have a look in Rae’s room.” Jess left a worried Eva to do her chores, cleaning up the mess that Rae always left around the place. One would imagine a tornado had blown through, but Jessi knew Rae messed things up on purpose, just to rattle the housekeeper.
Making her way through the modern, impersonal sanctuary that didn’t at all resemble what Jessi imagined most real homes to look like, she went straight to Rae’s room. She noticed the door being shut and reminded herself she needed to leave everything as she found it. Once she stepped inside, the perfect tidiness gave her the creeps. It was as if Rae had to hide herself away from anyone seeing the real person.
A blast of violet scent also struck her and brought Rae’s image to mind. When in a good mood, the girl often wore heavy perfume that smelled so much like the flower that it overwhelmed and gave Jessi an itchy nose. She’d mention it the first time Rae had brought her into her room… big mistake.
“The perfume was my mom’s. Dad said she wore it all the time.”
Remembering the remorse on Rae’s face and her words… words that had brought both girl’s to tears. “I killed my mom. She died giving me birth. It’s why my father can’t stand to look at me.”
“I’m so sorry, Rae. That’s terrible. But I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to grieve.”
