Page 5 of Protector Unmatched

“Hmm.” Winter tilted her head. “Both have some of the same features as the woman in my vision. Shape of the face, nose, chin—all of it looks very familiar. Of course, they both look a little younger, too. And the hair is tripping me up. Neither one has the same hair as the Daphne I saw. And it’s so hard to imagine what they would look like with long black hair. It could be either one of them. Sorry.”

Pearce nodded. “No worries. The photos were probably taken about ten years ago. We’ll just have to go and visit them both to see what they look like now.” He checked the driver’s licenses again. “Let me run a couple of additional searches on these two to see where they work and whether they still live at the address on the license. Then we’ll head out.”

“We?”

He turned his head to meet Winter’s surprised look. “Of course we. You’re the only one who’s seen the woman. You’re the only one who can identify her.”

“Can’t you just go and take a picture of the two and then come back and show me?”

“It’ll be easier to identify the woman if you see her up close. A picture can distort things. It’s not as reliable. And we need to be sure.” Because if this woman really wanted to kill him, then he might have to take drastic steps and eliminate her before she could do him any harm.

“But Logan doesn’t like it when I leave the compound,” she said.

“He’s never gonna find out.”

“Famous last words.”

Pearce shrugged. “You’ll be invisible the entire time.” And not just because in her current state—shimmering golden—she couldn’t be seen in public. The demons were still after her for her psychic gift. If Winter ever fell into their hands, they would have a tool with which to destroy the Stealth Guardians.

“Come on,” he said, “don’t tell me you don’t get cabin fever, being cooped up here day in day out.”

“Fine. I’ll go with you.”

It took only a few minutes to research the two Daphnes and find out where they worked. It took another twenty minutes to leave the compound invisibly and make their way to the workplace of the first Daphne. It was a preschool.

Pearce felt his heart pound harder when they entered the small building in which the preschool was located. Would he meet his would-be killer here, where wee toddlers and kids up to five years of age were playing without worry, without a care in the world? Was the woman who was going to kill him masquerading as a preschool teacher?

Pearce held Winter’s arm and led her down the short corridor, reading the signs next to the doors. Though nobody was in the corridor, he didn’t speak and instead pointed to one of the doors, directing Winter there. On a sign it said, Miss Daphne Atherton’s class. A window in the door allowed them to look into the room.

He saw movement behind the door and several kids running around a woman who was handing out sugary treats. He stepped aside to give Winter sufficient space to look into the room, while he watched the corridor to make sure that nobody surprised them.

It took less than thirty seconds for Winter to turn away from the window in the door and shake her head, mouthing, “No.”

He understood and nodded. Silently they left the building. Outside, still invisible, he asked, “Are you sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

“Okay, let’s check out the other Daphne.”