down.
“Alicia Wells, but she’s been with me for years. The same with Juanita. She worked for my uncle before she came to me when I got married. I don’t see either one involved in robbing me.”
While Melora gave the sheriff Alicia’s address, Daniel strode to the porch door and checked it out.
“It doesn’t look like the lock has been tampered with. Who has a key to this door?” Daniel moved back toward Melora.
“The same people. The same key fits all my doors. But again, I can’t see Alicia or Juanita trying to rob me. And my uncle certainly wouldn’t.”
Daniel knew her uncle. Tyler Madison was part of the same social circle as his parents. Although now that his father had died, Daniel’s mother didn’t go out much. “Where does Juanita live?”
“Here. She has a suite and has lived here since the beginning of my marriage. She’s like family.” Melora narrowed her eyes on Daniel, daring him to say otherwise.
The sheriff rose, sympathy on his face. “I’ll talk with Alicia Wells and come back later to see if Juanita knows anything. I don’t have to tell you to change your locks and code.”
“I’ll interview Juanita, Sheriff, and let you know what she says.”
The sheriff nodded toward Daniel. “Fine. I’ll leave my deputy to finish processing the scene. Melora, if you find anything missing or remember anything, call me. I’ll have some deputies cruise by here and keep an eye on the place.”
In one fluid motion she was on her feet, but Daniel noticed her hands still trembled. She clasped them together and walked the sheriff to the door. Daniel scanned the room, looking for anything out of place. Other than the desk chair knocked over, everything seemed as though it were in its place. So if it was a burglar, why didn’t he see any evidence that the man was searching for valuables? Had she interrupted him right after he’d broken into the house? And why did he bother to reset the alarm if it was just a burglary? Most thieves get in and out fast. Was he waiting for Melora to come home and didn’t want to alert her to his presence?
When she reentered the room, she drew in a deep breath. She wasn’t a very good actress. Relief that the sheriff was gone was visible in her expression and the way she carried herself. But the second she spied him, her full tension returned. She stuffed her hands into the front pockets of her expensive brown slacks.
“Who is Patches?” Daniel finally took a seat in a chair.
She stared at him a few, long seconds before she covered the distance and sat where the sheriff had. “He’s my cat.”
“Where is he?”
“He hides when strangers are here. Now that I think about how he flew into my arms, I should have known something was wrong.”
“How do you really know the man didn’t take anything?”
She blinked, her eyes large for a brief moment, then her expression neutralized. “I didn’t see him carrying anything with him. Did you?” One eyebrow rose as though challenging him.
“There are items that are small but valuable. Jewelry, for one. I would suggest you confirm nothing was taken. I’ll go with you to make sure the house is secure. Then I’ll wait for Juanita to return.”
She gripped the edges of the couch cushion. “Let me get something straight with you. Juanita didn’t have anything to do with this. Over the years, she’s had plenty of opportunities to rob me.”
“I still want to talk with her. Your daughter and housekeeper should be home by the time we finish checking the house and you call a locksmith to come out here to change your locks.”
“I can go through everything later.”
“I’m here to help you. You do want to find the man who attacked you?”
Melora sat up straight, her mouth firmed in a frown. “Of course, but I don’t want Kaitlyn to know about any of this. She’s only five and with all that’s happened lately she’s understandably upset.”
“Then, when she comes home, just introduce me as a friend who’s visiting.” He stood. “We probably should get moving if we want to be finished before they arrive. I’ll see what I can do about the door I kicked in. I wouldn’t want your daughter to see it and get upset.”
Her teeth dug into her lower lip as her eyelids closed. “Yes.” But she didn’t move for a long moment.
When she pushed to her feet and her gaze met his, for a few seconds he glimpsed fear in the depths of her green eyes. Weariness lined her beautiful features, triggering his concern. “I’m here to help you. You can trust me.”
Daniel’s words replayed through Melora’s mind as she called a locksmith and a handyman she’d used before to replace the door and locks and as she and the Texas Ranger worked their way through the house. She didn’t know the meaning of the word trust anymore. With the discovery of her husband’s body, the nightmare that had started two years ago with his disappearance was back to plague her.
For almost two years, she’d managed to live her life as if everything was normal. But it had never really been normal since she’d married Axle Hudson six years ago. She’d become trapped in a marriage to a man who had criminal connections and a cruel streak. Not even her uncle could have helped her. Axle had been like a son to him and her husband could do no wrong in his eyes. How would Uncle Tyler ever believe Axle was a criminal, especially when she had no proof?
Even she’d had a hard time believing Axle’s chain of restaurants might be a front for illegal activities. Not the man she’d loved. But once he’d caught her eavesdropping on one of his conversations while she tried to figure out what was going on. After that, the atmosphere in the house had changed. His subtle comments about the value of life and how he would hate for their daughter not to have a mother scared her so much. To the point that she’d started planning her escape from him.
Then Axle went missing. And if she’d still believed in God, she would have thought He’d stepped in and taken care of her problem. That all changed, however, when her house was trashed and she was threatened by two unknown men only days after she’d reported her husband’s disappearance to the authorities.
Keep quiet and stay put and you won’t end up like your husband—dead. The intruders’ words two years ago flashed in and out of her mind. They’d been after Axle’s flash drive then, too. She stumbled as she returned to the living room.
Daniel grasped her arm and steadied her. The brand of his fingers around her biceps zipped a fiery path through her.
She stepped away, needing space. “I told you the man didn’t take anything. My jewelry is all there. Even my husband’s coin collection is intact. And it’s quite valuable.”
“Still, it needed to be checked out. You must have interrupted him right after he came. Not much was even disturbed except in the office. Do you use that room much?”
“No.” She shivered. That had been her husband’s domain and the place where he had threatened her if she continued to snoop into his activities. After that, she’d avoided his office. “Other than a few important pieces of paper my uncle needed concerning the restaurant chain, I’ve left it as is.” She
