Page 12 of In Her Wake
“Not that I’m aware of.But Trentville’s a small place.They could have run into each other anywhere.”
Jenna nodded, already mentally shifting gears.“Ms.Fenwick, we appreciate your time.If you think of anything else that might be relevant, please call me directly.”She slid a business card across the desk.
“Of course.”Darla took the card.“You will find her, won’t you?Marjory is...”Her voice faltered.“She’s not just my employee.She’s my friend.”
“We’re doing everything we can,” Jenna assured her, the same words she’d given to Harry Powell.“One last thing,” Jenna said, lifting her pen to a fresh page in her notebook.“Where did they find Marjory’s car?”
“On Driftwood Road.Just outside the city limits.”
Jenna wrote it down and closed the notepad.“Thank you,” she said, and she and Jake left the office, the mannequin’s empty eyes still haunting her thoughts.
Outside Evergreen Realty, Jake held out his hand for her cruiser keys.
“I’ll drive,” he said.“You look like you need a minute to think.”
Jenna didn’t argue.Her mind was already racing ahead, connecting dots, forming and discarding theories.She slid into the passenger seat as Jake started the engine.Then she called headquarters and ordered officers to go to Driftwood Road to impound and examine Marjory’s car.
“Rebecca Ashcroft,” Jake said once they were moving.“Why am I not surprised?”
"Because trouble follows that woman like stink follows a skunk," Jenna replied.The boutique owner's file was thick with complaints—public disturbances, harassment allegations, and one DUI that she was allowed to plead down to reckless driving."Her estranged husband even got a restraining order against her."
“Yeah, I heard about that.”
“I had to arrest her last spring after she threw a display rack through the window of the Cozy Cup Café.All because they changed their pumpkin spice latte recipe.”
“Right, I remember that.”Jake navigated around a delivery truck.“But mannequin-making kidnapper?That’s a hell of an escalation from temper tantrums.”
“The mannequin wearing the same clothes Marjory had on today is what worries me most,” Jenna said, staring out the window at the passing storefronts.“It means this wasn’t just planned—it was executed with precise timing.Whoever did this had the mannequin ready, got Marjory sometime after her one o’clock showing, and planted that thing in her kitchen before Harry came home early.”
“Professional,” Jake agreed grimly.“And we still have no idea what happened to the real Marjory.”
The unspoken words hung between them:or if she was still alive.
Jenna pulled out her phone.“I’m calling Spelling.This is bigger and stranger than Trentville PD resources can handle.”
Colonel Chadwick “Chad” Spelling headed the Missouri State Highway Patrol.He and Jenna had worked together on several high-profile cases over the past few years, developing a mutual respect that transcended the typical local-state law enforcement rivalry.More importantly, Spelling had resources Jenna didn’t—forensic labs, behavioral analysts, manpower.
She dialed his number, and he answered on the second ring.“Sheriff Graves.This is an unexpected pleasure.”
“Colonel Spelling,” she replied, formality masking the urgency in her voice.“I’ve got a situation in Trentville that I believe warrants Highway Patrol involvement.”
“I’m listening.”
Jenna outlined the case—Marjory’s disappearance, the unnervingly detailed mannequin left in her place, the timeline they’d established so far.Spelling remained silent until she finished.
“My God,” he said finally.“That’s...unusual.”
“That’s one word for it.”
“You have reason to believe this Rebecca Ashcroft might be involved?”
“She had a public falling out with Marjory, has been making threats.Plus, she has a history of erratic behavior and severe mood swings.She’s also going through an extremely ugly divorce from her husband Cecil, who now lives in St.Louis.I’m checking into that right now.”
Spelling was quiet for a moment, processing.“I’ll send a team to Trentville first thing tomorrow to the Powells’ home.Keep the scene secured.Don’t let anyone touch that mannequin until our forensic team gets there.I’ll get there myself as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, Colonel.”
“One more thing, Sheriff.”His voice dropped slightly.“Any...special insights on this one yet?”
