Who’s That Girl Read online

  “Maybe I’ll see you again when I come back. I know I don’t have any legal right to ask, but would you contact me if her condition changes?”

  Dr. McLaughlin hesitated a moment, then nodded. “I think I can make an exception in this case, since the circumstances are a little out of the ordinary. Thanks again for coming.”

  He and Skip headed back to the exam area where the unidentified girl lay.

  Breathing a prayer that the girl’s identity would be discovered and her family contacted soon, Kate made her way through the hospital doors to the parking lot.

  Back in her Honda, she glanced at her watch, then returned to the highway and headed south toward Copper Mill. By this time, most of the volunteers from church would have arrived at the campground.

  They should have made a good start on the cleanup, Kate mused. Paul enjoyed challenging his congregation to serve the community, and both she and Paul had been encouraged by the enthusiastic response to his call for volunteers.

  The intoxicating scents of spring flowed in through the open window, filling Kate with renewed enthusiasm for the task ahead. A part of her envied the campers from all over the region who would fill the Ash Grove Campground in a few weeks to enjoy the great outdoors.

  But only a part, she admitted to herself. As much as she loved spring, she wasn’t quite enthusiastic enough to spend her nights sleeping on the ground.

  Kate drew in a deep breath, enjoying the mingled scents of the spring blooms that dotted the sides of the roadway. A day spent outdoors was the perfect antidote for the gloom that had settled over her upon realizing she wouldn’t be able to identify the girl at the hospital. The image of the bruised face swam into Kate’s mind, and her mood grew somber again.

  What could have marred her features like that? Dr. McLaughlin might be willing to wait until the girl regained consciousness, but Kate couldn’t. The question lingered in her mind, demanding an answer. Some kind of accident seemed a likely explanation, but Skip hadn’t found any wrecked vehicle.

  Kate sucked in her breath. Could those injuries have been inflicted intentionally? What if the mystery girl had been the victim of a mugging or beating? Kate’s heart swelled with compassion.

  She tried to use her artist’s imagination to picture what the girl might look like if she wasn’t covered with scrapes and bruises. Would her full lips be curved in a habitual smile, or did she have a more serious nature? What color were her eyes? Probably blue, Kate decided, given the paleness of her hair.

  Again, Kate’s heart went out to the young stranger. With her whole being, she longed to see the girl free of the disfiguring marks and the memory of whatever put them there, laughing with her head thrown back, a carefree expression on her face.

  Who could she be? And why had she called Kate’s name? The questions continued to tease at Kate’s mind as she skirted the north end of Copper Mill and headed along Hamilton Road toward the campground. Her fingers drummed an impatient rhythm on the steering wheel. Puzzles had a way of stirring her to action, and this was one she simply couldn’t resist.

  But she couldn’t do much to solve it right at that moment, she reminded herself as she passed under a sign that arched over the driveway: “Ash Grove Campground. Peace to all who enter here.”

  With a sigh, Kate reluctantly pushed the puzzle of the mystery girl to the back burner of her mind...for the time being. At the moment, she had other work to do.

  Gravel crunched beneath her tires as she pulled into the parking lot and headed for the center of the grounds. She parked her car in a space facing the flagpole and slid out. True to her expectations, she could see Faith Briar members hard at work around the grounds.

  Livvy Jenner looked up and waved a pair of shears at Kate before she went back to pruning a shrub near one of the cabins. LuAnne Matthews stuck her head out of the open cabin window and called a greeting.

  Kate looked around for her husband. She finally spotted him helping Sam Gorman gather up dead branches they had trimmed from one of the pine trees. He glanced her way when she slammed the car door. The two men exchanged a quick word, then they both walked over to greet her.

  Livvy put down her pruning shears, and a moment later, she had joined the group. LuAnne emerged from the cabin, followed by Renee Lambert, who held a dust rag in one hand and cradled Kisses, her beloved Chihuahua, in her other arm.

  “How did it go up at the hospital?” LuAnne called as the two women made their way toward the little knot of people clustered in front of Kate. “Who’s that little gal we’ve been prayin’ for?”

  “I have no clue.” Kate almost laughed when everyone stared at her with identical stunned expressions.

  Livvy put her hands on her hips. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “I wish I was.” Kate recounted the scene in the emergency room and her bewilderment at being called in to identify a stranger.

  “How bizarre,” Renee said. “Why would this person—whoever she is—want to involve someone she doesn’t even know?” She nuzzled her cheek against the top of Kisses’ head, and leveled an appraising gaze at Kate. “On the other hand maybe you do know her, but you’ve just forgotten.”

  Before Kate could respond, Renee pursed her lips and added, “You might want to consider beginning a regimen of ginkgo. It’s reputed to help with memory problems, especially when one reaches a certain age.”

  Kate’s eyes flared wide. She opened her mouth to sputter a rejoinder, then caught sight of Paul swiping his hand across his mouth to hide a grin. Her lips twitched into a smile of her own, and she shook off her irritation at Renee’s pointed comment. The older woman’s meddling was a constant feature of life in Copper Mill, and she knew by now that there was no point in wasting her breath on a protest that would go unheeded.

  Deep furrows lined Sam’s forehead. “Do you think it’s someone local? Maybe you know her parents but you haven’t seen her all that much.”

  “I don’t think so,” Kate told him. “Even though she’s pretty banged up, I couldn’t see even the barest resemblance to anyone I know.”

  “Banged up?” Renee’s eyes gleamed. “That sounds sinister to me. You know, crimes are often perpetrated by someone the victim knows. I’ve heard that time and again on CSI. I wonder who’ll turn out to be the perp in this case.”

  Kate stifled the desire to roll her eyes and let Renee’s remark pass without comment.

  “So what happens next?” Paul asked. “Is there anything more you can do?”

  Kate spread her hands wide. “It’s hard to say. I’m planning to go back and check on her from time to time. Other than that, I know she needs our continued prayers.”

  “Now, that’s something we’re good at.” LuAnne beamed. “And I can do plenty of it while I’m cleanin’ that cabin. Come on, Livvy. Let’s get back to work.”

  Paul stayed with Kate while the three women and Sam returned to their projects. He slipped his arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze. “That must have been a shock to drive up there and not recognize the girl when you expected to identify her.”

  Kate leaned against him. “That’s putting it mildly. And ranking right up there with the question of her identity is why she asked for me. Both Dr. McLaughlin and Skip insist she spoke my name, but I can’t imagine how she knows about me or why I would be the one she’d want them to contact. It’s all so mysterious.”

  Paul’s clear blue eyes lit up. “In that case, it’s right up your alley, isn’t it? You’d never be able to turn your back on a puzzle like that.”

  “You know me all too well.” Kate chuckled, then grew somber, remembering how vulnerable the injured girl looked. “And I’ve definitely been pulled into this mystery, since she called for me, for whatever reason.” She drew a quick breath and focused on the tasks awaiting her. “Did you hand out all the supplies we brought, or are there still some left for me?”

  “There’s still plenty to choose from.” Paul grinned and gestured toward the pickup bed. “We didn’t want you to
feel left out.”

  Kate wrinkled her nose and laughed. “Thanks. I think.” She planted her hands on her hips and surveyed the supplies that still remained in the truck. “So what’s my assignment?”

  The smile faded from Paul’s face, and he stared down at his feet for a moment. When he met her eyes again, he wore a sheepish expression. “Well, I didn’t hand out assignments. I just let people pick the jobs they wanted, first come, first served. And since you’re the last to arrive...”

  Kate pursed her lips and turned a mock glare on him. “Let me guess. The restrooms, right?”

  “I’m afraid so.” Sympathy shone from Paul’s eyes, though Kate could have sworn he was struggling to hold back a grin.

  Laughing at his discomfort, she poked a finger into his ribs. “Just try to keep a straight face until I’m out of sight, okay?”

  Paul gave her a cheeky grin. “I’ll do my best, but no promises.” Dodging a second jab from her finger, he returned to Sam and their tree-trimming project.

  Their banter restored Kate’s flagging spirits despite the fact that latrine duty awaited her. Surely the day had to get better from here on out...even if it involved cleaning toilets.

  She reached into the back of the pickup and hauled out a broom and a mop, then a bucket and a plastic caddy filled with various cleansers, paper towels, rags, sponges, gloves, and a roll of trash bags.

  She eyed the distance between the truck and the restroom building and decided she could carry it all in one trip. She looped the handle of the bucket over one arm and picked up the caddy. Grabbing the mop and broom with the other hand, she propped them over her shoulder and set off, feeling a little like the dwarves in Snow White getting ready to go to work in the mines.

  Whistling the familiar “Hi Ho, Hi Ho” melody under her breath, Kate marched resolutely toward the restrooms.

  Chapter Three

  Once away from the hum of activity around the main camp area, Kate was struck by the eerie silence of the place. The skin across her shoulders tightened, and she shook off the unpleasant feeling, laughing at the sense of foreboding inspired by the isolated location. There were a dozen other people only a stone’s throw away, after all. It wasn’t like she was stranded alone in some remote area.

  It felt that way, though, she reflected as she propped the mop and broom against the concrete wall and pushed open the heavy door to the ladies’ side of the building.

  The musty smell made her nostrils quiver. She remembered that same odor in the camp her youth group had used when she was growing up in San Antonio. Apparently, all campground restrooms smelled the same, regardless of where they were located.

  Kate held the door open with one foot while she picked up the mop and broom and carried them inside with the rest of her supplies.

  The door swung shut behind her, making a clanging noise that made Kate think of a jailer closing a cell door. She set her bucket and the caddy of cleaning supplies down and willed her heart to stop racing.

  She found the light switch by the door and flipped it on, but the thin light cast by the feeble bulbs overhead did little to dispel the gloom, and the muted daylight that filtered inside did little to help.

  Kate stepped outside again and looked around on the ground for a large rock. Finding a chunk of granite the size of a brick, she used it to prop the door open. It was silly, she knew, to let her imagination run away with her like that. Still, she couldn’t help feeling that she didn’t want to be closed in.

  The maneuver helped, letting in enough light and fresh air to help her feel less claustrophobic. Kate looked around, satisfied by the improvement, and gave a decisive nod. It was time to get to work.

  Where to start? She picked her way through assorted leaves and bits of paper that littered the floor and took a quick tour of the square room, pleased to note that none of the toilets seemed to be plugged up. At least she could concentrate on cleaning instead of dealing with plumbing issues. She turned on the tap in one of the sinks, hoping the water wasn’t still shut off from the previous winter. To her relief, it flowed freely.

  A survey of the walls and ceiling showed her that a clan of daddy longlegs had taken up residence during the cold months. Ugh! Continuing her inspection, she noted that the walls were dingy and in need of a wash. All in all, the facility wasn’t in terrible shape, but it could definitely stand some sprucing up.

  Kate decided she would start with the ceiling and work her way down. She had to take care of those daddy longlegs first thing or she’d never be able to focus on the rest of her cleaning.

  Holding the broom by the handle, she lifted it high overhead and swept it back and forth, knocking the cobwebs off the ceiling. The daddy longlegs scuttled toward safety. Kate swatted at the escapees until all of them had been dealt with.

  Pleased with her progress, Kate leaned the broom against the wall, rolled up her sleeves, and donned a pair of rubber gloves she took from the caddy. She squirted a dollop of pine-scented cleaner into the plastic bucket and carried it over to the nearest of the four sinks, where she filled it with hot water. Retrieving a terry-cloth rag from the caddy, she dipped it into the foamy solution and proceeded to scrub down the walls.

  While she worked, she hummed one of her favorite hymns, pleased to find that the act of worship chased the gloom away like the sudsy liquid was washing the grime from the walls.

  As Kate scrubbed higher up on the walls, water ran down her arms and dripped off her elbows onto the painted concrete floor. She pulled a couple of paper towels from the roll in the caddy and used them to mop off the moisture.

  She eyed the small puddles that had formed on the smooth brown floor but decided to leave them for the time being. She would take care of them later when she mopped the entire floor. By the time she finished the third wall, the clean, fresh pine scent had replaced the dank smell that had been so obvious earlier. Kate breathed deeply and gave a satisfied nod. Working in there would be a lot more pleasant if she didn’t have to hold her breath.

  With that chore out of the way, Kate scrubbed the four toilets, then got ready to tackle the sinks that lined the opposite wall. Cleanser, a scrubber sponge, and a hefty application of elbow grease produced gleaming results in short order. She had just wiped the last trace of cleanser from the third sink and was giving it an approving glance when heavy footsteps sounded outside. Seconds later, Millie Lovelace, Faith Briar’s secretary, burst through the doorway.

  “Somebody knocked over a jug of bleach in one of the cabins. We need some more paper towels to help clean—”

  Without warning, Millie’s feet shot out from under her. A scraping sound jarred at Kate’s nerves as Millie skidded across the concrete floor, her arms flailing like a windmill. Before Kate could reach her, Millie landed on her back, coming to rest with her head and shoulders in the middle of the floor and the lower half of her body out of sight under the first stall.

  Kate gaped at the sight of the gray-haired secretary sprawled unceremoniously on the concrete. Then she hurried over to crouch beside the prostrate woman, ignoring the twinge of complaint from her arthritic knee.

  “Millie, are you all right?”

  The stunned secretary pressed one hand dramatically over her heart and took several deep, shuddering breaths. A long moment later, she turned her head and glared up at Kate.

  “Do I look like I’m all right? I could have broken every bone in my body!” With a groan, Millie rolled to one side and started to push herself up.

  Kate put her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. “Are you sure it’s wise for you to move? Maybe you should just lie still. Stay right there, and I’ll go get some help.”

  Before she could move, Millie seized her arm with a grip of iron. “And have a group of gawkers trooping in to see me lying here like this? Don’t even think about it. Just give me a hand and help me up.”

  Against her better judgment, Kate stood and held out her hand. Millie took Kate’s proffered hand and pulled herself to her knees, then fully u
pright.

  Kate eyed her closely, wondering if she had just made a foolish mistake. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than Millie swayed on her feet. Kate reached out to steady the woman, but Millie swatted her hand away.

  “You don’t need to fuss over me. I’m fine.”

  “I’m not fussing,” Kate protested. “I just want to make sure...” Her voice trailed off, and she let her hand drop back by her side. Once Millie got her feathers ruffled, there was no point in trying to reason with her.

  Millie stiffened and fixed Kate with a steady glare, as if daring Kate to offer sympathy. She didn’t appear to be in any pain, although her face looked paler than usual.

  “I’m just glad you weren’t seriously injured,” Kate said, trying to keep her tone casual.

  “What were you thinking, sloshing water all over the place like that?” Millie pointed to one of the small puddles on the floor near the wall. “You should have mopped that up instead of creating a safety hazard.”

  Kate stared down at the puddle and opened her mouth, but no words came out.

  “What would have happened if someone else had fallen because of your negligence and soaked the church insurance for a whopping amount?” Snatching up a roll of paper towels, Millie did an about-face and strode out the door, still pale and limping slightly.

  “But—” Kate stared after the retreating figure. Was she really to blame for the mishap? She walked over to inspect the puddle Millie had indicated. It was possible, she supposed, that the floor was slick enough to cause someone to slip and fall. But as far as Kate could tell, Millie hadn’t stepped anywhere near it.

  What could have caused her to slide like that? Kate looked for traces of mud from the previous day’s rain shower that Millie might have tracked in unwittingly. Some of that gumbo was as slick as grease. But apart from some faint tracks made some time ago and a few crumpled pieces of paper, the floor was reasonably clear.