Jane Doe's Return by Jen Talty Page A

deliver that bastard to them. “Truthfully, I don’t know. You’re daughter’s case is officially closed and all the reports indicate that Jane Doe was attacked by the same man, although that was never proven.”
    “I know Travis believes other innocent girls have died, but I wonder if simply talking to Jane
    Doe would ease his pain.”
    It would probably only add to it, which was why Shauna had to keep her identity a secret. She set this lie in motion, now she had to live with it. “I’m not sure. However, I do believe we need to focus his attention on the here and now cases, especially those that are similar.”
    “Do you believe the authorities convicted the right man?”
    Not an easy question to answer without giving herself away. “I really don’t know. For now, I think Travis has too much on his mind and it’s blending with his past. He’s a very determined man.”
    “Yes, he is,” Rita smiled. “When the cops first picked up Williams for my daughter’s murder, I was relieved. I felt as though I had some kind of closure, but with Travis’s thoughts and convictions, I have to wonder. He’s very smart and very good at what he does.”
    “Yes, he is.”
    “Sometimes I think we are all just nuts,” Rita said.
    “I don’t think any of us are nuts.” Shauna fought the tears that begged to run down her cheeks. The need to be strong for this family outweighed her own personal agony.
    Rita pulled Shauna into the kitchen with her. “Enough of this serious stuff. Rita placed a cutting board in front of Shauna. “You get to slice the cucumbers.”
    “I think I can handle that.”
    Rita put her hands on her hips. “So, tell me. Is my son behaving himself?”
    “Oh, yeah. Always the gentleman.” Shauna easiest of the boys to train. I told him it was his job to teach Marie how to be a lady. I think he took it a little too seriously.” Rita held a locket that dangled from her neck, gave it a quick kiss and smiled at Shauna.
     
     
    “What else can I do?” Shauna asked, praying that it didn’t consist of actually cooking anything.
    “I think we’re all set. John’s got the steaks on the grill, so just take this salad to the table.” Rita handed a bowl to her.
    “I can handle that.”
    “Are agents allowed to date each other?” Rita opened the door to the dining room with a slight grin.
    “I think it’s highly frowned upon,” Shauna said between gasping breaths, and then came face-to-face with most of the Brown family.
    While the dining room seemed spacious, she felt closed in. She sat in her chair, hoping no one really noticed her. Being a part of a normal family was not something she knew anything about.
    “I’m told you grew up in Saratoga,” John, Travis’s father, said to her over the noise of the kids.
    She nodded, trying to avoid getting pulled into the conversation. If she remained quiet, she thought they’d continue with their own family discussions, letting her mold in with the furniture.
    “Do you have a lot of family there?” Rita asked. Her smile gave Shauna a sense of warmness, but it was the sensitive look in Rita’s eyes that gave her the courage to answer.
    “My dad lives there, but we’re not close.”
    “That’s sad,” Jessica said. “My dad’s a pain, but I think I’ll keep him.” She batted her eyelashes at her father.
    “Jess, I said no.” Bill gave his daughter a
    pointed glare.
    “Mr. Brown?” Kirk, Jessica’s boyfriend piped in. “Would it make a difference that my mother is one of the chaperones?”
    “It might. Would she be driving you back and forth?” Bill cocked his head.
    “Yep, I mean…yes, sir.” The young boy shot upright in his chair.
    Shauna watched as her heart filled with a mixture of emotions that she didn’t know where to file. “What are we talking about?” She placed her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her hands.
    “A dance! Kirk asked me to a dance with his church on the Minnie Ha Ha , a cruise boat that circles