Deadly Image by Tamelia Tumlin

exactly. Maybe I just think that because she acted so differently.”
    “Do you remember anything else?”
    Ace’s heart tanked at the quick shake of Tenesha’s head. He’d hoped for something. Anything that would exonerate Lexi.
    “Thank you, Tenesha. You’ve been a big help.” Ace handed her a business card. “If you think of anything else, please give me a call.”
    “I will. What I didn’t understand is why the little girl kept crying for her momma. I mean she was right there beside her.”
    Ace froze. “She asked for her momma?”
    “A couple of times. The woman just told her to shut up and said that she was her momma.” Tenesha stood and smoothed a wrinkle from her orange and black uniform. “I’ve never seen her act that way toward the little girl before. She’s always been so kind and gentle.”
    Ace rose to his feet as Tenesha walked back toward the counter. Something still didn’t add up.
    Had Lexi mistakenly taken too much of her meds? Or maybe had forgotten to take them completely? Or was there something else going on? Something he was missing?
    * * *
     
    Lexi couldn’t stand it a moment longer. The house seemed to be closing in on her with each passing hour. Every room held a sharp reminder that Anna was missing, and the presence of the FBI only added fuel to the fire.
    She couldn’t even share her fears with her parents. Her mother had gone into town to pick up a few groceries since her fridge was now nearly empty, and her dad had gone back out with a couple of the local law enforcement to meet a group from the local church. Apparently, someone from Faith Community Church was heading up a volunteer search party. Lexi would have rather been out there with them instead of stuck in the house waiting for a ransom call that might never come. At least then she’d feel like she was doing something to help find her daughter. Waiting by the phone for the past few days had proven pointless. No one had called and it didn’t look like anyone was going to.
    Lexi paced the living room, stopping every few seconds to peer out the bay window.
    Where was Ace?
    He’d left earlier that morning to check out the latest lead – an eyewitness who claimed Lexi had taken Anna to a fast food restaurant the day her daughter disappeared. Another ridiculous claim that would lead absolutely nowhere, but as Ace had said earlier, it was his job to check out every lead.
    Lexi clenched her fist so tight her nails dug into her palm. She’d seen the disappointment in Ace’s eyes when his partner claimed they had an eyewitness placing her with Anna at the time of her daughter’s disappearance. Even after she’d tried to explain how impossible the story was, she could tell Ace didn’t believe her.
    At least not fully.
    Frustration splintered through her. Why was the town doing this? Making up stories about her? She hadn’t done anything to her daughter, yet she seemed to be the only lead the FBI had.
    Lexi jerked the navy blue curtains covering the bay window closed. There was no way she would have ever hurt her daughter. The accusations were insane. How could anyone think she’d do such a thing?
    Lexi froze, hands stilled on the coarse fabric. Unless…
    No! No! No! That was ridiculous.
    Her hand tightened around the material. Surely she’d remember if she’d done anything to Anna.
    Not if you had forgotten to take your meds.
    The thought crawled through her mind and planted a huge seed of doubt. What if they were right? What if she had hurt Anna and just couldn’t remember? What if she had forgotten to take her meds?
    Errgh!
    Lexi whirled away from the window and headed for the front door. She needed to get out of the house before she actually started to believe their accusations herself. She hadn’t done anything to her baby. She was sure of it.
    Yet a niggling doubt plagued her as she ran out the door toward the thicket behind her house. Could she really be absolutely sure?
    The crisp autumn breeze whipped