around?”
“That you’re an important part of a case.”
“What case?”
“A secret one? Kids love secrets.”
“Do you have children?”
“No. I’m not married.” He had been once, but that ended the day he walked in on his wife with another man. He’d wanted to try to work it out, but she didn’t. They had gotten married too young, not even a full year after high school, where they had dated for their junior and senior years. She changed a lot, but so did he. He hadn’t realized how much until that moment of finding her with a man in their house.
“Once I tell Sammy it’s a secret, I’ll never have any peace. He’ll want to know every detail.”
He towered over Aubrey, still sitting on the couch. “Then simply tell him...” Sean couldn’t think of anything to say. “I have two nephews and one niece but haven’t seen them as much as I used to when I lived in Amarillo. You’ll figure something out.”
“I’m glad you have so much confidence in me.” Her gaze latched onto his.
And he couldn’t look away. There was something about her that had kept him up a good part of last night viewing the courthouse surveillance tapes and the traffic cams all around the places she went yesterday. Then early this morning, he got up and called the owner of Sweet Haven Parlor about their video footage. The man agreed to meet Sean at his store. He was there before the owner arrived. It gave him an opportunity to look around the building and parking lot next to it.
Breaking eye contact, he stepped back, and in response to her last comment, he said, “Your reputation as a judge is excellent. Tough but fair.”
“Some think those two words are opposites.” She stood and smiled. “But thank you. Coming from a law enforcement officer, your words mean a lot to me.”
The temperature in the room seemed to rise. He moved back another couple of feet and bumped into the chair across from the couch, then tipped his hat. “I’ll keep you informed. ’Bye.” He started for the office door.
“You forgot something.”
His laptop. Heat burned his cheeks from embarrassment. He slowly rotated toward her and grabbed his computer. “Thanks.”
When he left the house, he headed to the police officer sitting in his car in the driveway. “Officer Carter, call me if there’s anything odd going on.” He handed the younger man his business card. “And have the officer who replaces you do the same.”
“Yes, sir. It’s been quiet. The only things that have happened are Judge Madison’s kids coming out here and you arriving.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way.” Sean strode to his SUV and climbed into the driver’s seat.
He drove to the police station, not far from the courthouse, to see the police chief, who usually worked Saturday mornings. Sean found him in his office and shook hands with him.
“Officer Carter says everything is quiet at the judge’s house. What can I do for you?” Chief Juan Perez asked.
“I’d like your officers to be on the lookout for a white Chevy Malibu, most likely a recent model with a dent in its driver’s-side back fender near the bumper. I have a partial Texas license plate number. The last three digits are two four nine. I’m heading to my office to run the information through the DMV, and I’ll let you know what I find. I believe the driver was responsible for putting the dead rat and the judge’s deceased husband’s lost wedding ring in her car trunk yesterday.”
“Sure, I’ll let my police force know. Anything to help Judge Madison. I want the trial of Villa to go smoothly. Has anyone approached her about it?”
“No. I’m not sure this has anything to do with Bento Villa. A judge can sway a verdict in some cases, but there are other ways to change the outcome of a trial that are more effective. How are the people testifying against Villa doing?”
“Okay. The US Marshals are protecting the main person in an undisclosed place. In Villa’s case, there’s a lot of forensic evidence, as well as a video taken by a bystander.” The police chief leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. “Could this have anything to do with her husband’s murder?”
“Maybe, especially with returning the wedding ring. But why now, after two years have passed? I’ve been working on the case off and on since I came here, and not much new information has turned up.”
“The crime didn’t happen in my jurisdiction. I’m glad you’re working it. Samuel was a good man.”
“And the family should have closure.” He of all people realized that, since there was no resolution to what had happened to his brother. Sean pushed to his feet. “Thanks again for the officer sitting outside the judge’s house. I need to get to the courthouse before it shuts down for the weekend.”
“Leave the information about the white car with my sergeant. He can run down the information you need and call you.”
“Thanks.” Sean left the police chief’s office and stopped to give Sergeant Vic Daniels what he would need to run down the vehicle. Then Sean decided to walk to the courthouse across the street.
The day was perfect, with temperatures in the low seventies and a light breeze from the Gulf with smells he relished—fresh with a hint of brine. He circled the building before going inside, assessing its security before he went to the employee parking lot behind the courthouse. There were a handful of vehicles in that lot. He noted where Aubrey’s car was yesterday and the locations of all the security cams. She obviously hadn’t parked with the thought of making sure her car was in full view of the surveillance cameras. On Monday, that would need to change. As well, he would have a chat with the person who monitored the video feed. As he studied the best places where a deputy sheriff could be stationed near the rear exit, the sense of being watched rippled down his spine. He whirled and scanned the back of the building.
Someone had been at a window on the second floor looking outside but jumped back when he turned. It happened so fast, he couldn’t even identify the person as a male or female. Aubrey’s office was on that floor. He hurried into the courthouse and raced up the nearby stairs.
When he arrived in front of the entrance to Judge Madison’s office, the door was ajar. Sean removed his gun and kicked the door wide-open, scanning the room as he moved forward. He turned slightly to the left and swept his gaze over a sitting area and a bookcase with every shelf filled, then onto the large desk with two chairs in front of it.
As he twisted toward the right, a large figure clad in black lunged for him. The assailant raised his arm. In a split second, a hard object crashed into Sean’s skull.
* * *
Aubrey slid the cookie sheet into the preheated oven, then straightened, her glance bouncing from the flour all over the counter to the vanilla spilled next to the sugar. Then she swung her attention to Sammy and Camy. The ingredients that went into making the cookies covered them from head to toe.
“Camy, you need to take off your shoes. You have an egg all over one of them. When did that happen?” Probably when she’d gone to answer her cell phone. She shouldn’t have turned her back to answer it, though she’d
