anything’s possible. We have no idea what new contacts Rod’s made in that time. I’ve barely scratched the surface of this investigation. How soon do you plan to go back to work, by the way?”
“On Wednesday.”
“That’ll have to change, I’m afraid. Until the culprit is caught, it’s not safe for your little girl to be left with your friend. This person might resort to kidnapping to get the money.”
The color drained from Natalie’s face but the Ranger quickly continued.
“Since we don’t want any harm to come to you or your daughter, it makes the most sense for you to stay home and take care of her until we know it’s safe for you to go back to work. This is an emergency situation. My boss will make the arrangements with Mr. Willard at the pharmacy so your position isn’t jeopardized while you take more time off.”
Natalie could hardly keep up. She was reeling. “Thank you for that.”
“The sooner we can get this case solved, the sooner you can get back to the life you’ve made for yourself. While you’re home, we can work more quickly.”
We? “What can I do to help?”
“I need to know your husband’s habits, his friends. I’ll be going through your personal accounts and phone records. Did he have a laptop?”
“Yes, but he took it with him.”
“It wasn’t found at the hotel, but the police impounded his car. Maybe it will have turned up there, along with his cell phone. I’ll find out when I get the forensics report. Have you gotten rid of any clothes and belongings he may have left here?”
“He only left a few things behind. I don’t want anything he owned. I don’t even want to see it. Whatever was found at the hotel can be donated or thrown out.”
“I’ll let them know. As for his things here, we can go through them together. You might recognize clues that wouldn’t make sense to anyone else. I guess the crucial question is...would you be uncomfortable with me staying here for a while? Will it make your daughter unhappy? If the answer is yes to either of those questions, then I’ll have you watched and proceed on my own.”
Everything was happening so fast she could barely process it. Natalie put her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “I can tell you’d prefer working from here.”
“I would. I came dressed for the part, just in case.” He sensed her hesitation. “But please don’t let that sway you. We’ll get the job done either way.”
He seemed decent up front. She didn’t know why, especially given the way Rod had deceived her, but she trusted him even though they hardly knew each other. “I want this menace gone from my life as soon as possible. I have confidence in you.”
“Thank you for that. My gut tells me the person who ransacked your house isn’t finished, and if I’m here ’round the clock I may be able to speed up the process of catching him. But you have to be absolutely comfortable with the decision.”
She’d been pacing the floor but came to a standstill. With her own personal Texas Ranger guarding her and Amy day and night, what was there to be worried about? “I am comfortable with it,” she stated quietly, “but I don’t have an extra bedroom.”
“That’s not a problem. I have a bedroll out in the car. I can put it down anywhere. Hopefully, I won’t prove too much of an inconvenience.”
“If there’s any inconvenience, it will be my daughter waking you up in the middle of the night when she starts crying. It doesn’t happen very often, but I’m warning you now her lungs are in perfect working order.”
His half smile melted her insides.
“While she’s asleep I’ll go out to the car and bring in my bedroll and groceries.”
“Groceries?
“I told you I came prepared. I stopped at the store on the way here. I’ll put my things in the den, out of sight.”
He’d thought of everything, she marveled. “Let me give you the second remote for the garage so you can pull your car in. I’ve got an extra house key for you, too. I asked Rod to give them back to me when he left for good.”
“Thank you.” He followed her into the kitchen where she started searching through a drawer.
“How soon do you think the police will release his car?”
“I’ll find out tomorrow.”
“I only ask because the baby quilt I made for Amy is missing. I can’t think why it would be in his car, but it’s the only place I haven’t looked. We only ever went places as a family in my car. He said his was for business only.”
“Everything they found when it was impounded will be returned to you.”
She nodded and handed him the key chain with the remote.
“Be right back.”
* * *
SO FAR, SO GOOD.
Kit walked outside, aware the surveillance team was still parked a little ways down the street. He phoned them and told them they could leave, but he wanted them back at six-thirty in the morning.
After activating the remote, he drove into the straightened-up garage and then pulled Natalie’s car inside, next to the laundry room door. He got out and made a first trip into the house with the groceries.
While she put the items away, he went back for his tool bag and suitcase. He took his things to the den with its floor-to-ceiling bookcase on one wall. The entertainment center took up the other wall. He noticed more framed pictures on the end tables; pictures of Natalie with a woman he guessed must be her mother.
He could see where Natalie Harris got her beauty. And the barefoot little girl in a ruffled, lemon-colored top and shorts who now came into the den with one of her push toys had the look of both of them. She stopped short of bumping into Kit’s shoe and looked up at him with her grayish-green eyes.
Was she about to cry at seeing a stranger? It didn’t even matter—Kit decided she was the cutest little girl he’d ever seen.
Natalie had come into the den and leaned down to address her daughter. “Amy? This is Ranger Saunders. He’s going to stay with us for a while.”
“Ranger Saunders is too hard to say. You can call me Kit.”
Surprised, Natalie stood. “Kit? I thought you said your name was Miles.”
“It is, but most people call me Kit. It’s my nickname.” He hunkered down next to Amy. “Hi, honey. What’s your name?”
“Tell him you’re called Amy,” her mother urged. “You can say it. Ay-mee.”
“Me,” her daughter mimicked, leaving out the A.
He smiled and pointed to his chest. “I’m Kit. Kit.”
“You can tell her
