after being found buried on a local animal rescue’s property.
“Your uncle? Tyler Madison? What does he have to do with your husband’s restaurant chain?”
“When Axle wasn’t found, I took over the temporary running of the business. My uncle was the one who helped me and found a top-notch man to run it until Axle turned up.” She stared at the door her attacker had disappeared through only an hour before. “I’m afraid business isn’t my forte. I needed someone who was an expert. Uncle Tyler had the perfect man.”
“Ah, so you don’t know much about your husband’s business?”
She shook her head. Axle had purposefully kept her in the dark about his dealings and finances. “Eating at the restaurants is the extent of my knowledge concerning them. But the business is part of Axle’s estate and my daughter’s legacy.” And she had every intention of selling the chain as soon as she could. She didn’t want her daughter connected in any way to something illegal. With the Texas Rangers suddenly interested in Axle’s business, all her fears that the restaurant chain was somehow tied to criminal activities were validated.
Daniel gestured toward the couch. “What does Axle’s will say? Who stands to gain from your husband’s murder?”
“My daughter, who is five years old. Everything was left to her in a trust. I have a yearly allowance and this house.”
“Did you know the terms of the will before your husband’s death?”
“Yes. But my uncle has provided for me in his will. Besides, I also have the trust my parents set up for me. I didn’t need Axle’s money.” Her only goal was to look out for her daughter and her well-being. Although exhaustion clung to her, she remained standing in spite of Daniel taking a seat. “Are you accusing me of killing my husband?”
“No, should I?”
TWO
Melora collapsed into the chair near her. The thought that someone would suspect she could have something to do with a murder stunned her. “I was surrounded by people in the days around my husband’s disappearance. My housekeeper who lives here. My uncle stayed with me when Axle didn’t come home and I couldn’t get in touch with him. The day he disappeared I was at a conference in Dallas. My daughter was here with Juanita, and when Axle didn’t come home, I had her go to my uncle’s until I could get back to San Antonio.”
“I just like covering all the facts and details of a case. I’ve been assigned to find out what happened to your husband.”
“Again, I want to know what case you’re working on.”
“One that could have far-reaching consequences. That’s all I can tell you right now.”
And she wouldn’t tell him that she had contacted the FBI in Dallas after her conference to tell them the little she knew about her husband’s activities. Axle had let her go to the conference since she was the chairperson of the committee working for the mayor on drug education. He’d known she wouldn’t do anything with Kaitlyn in his hands, that she would never leave her daughter behind in San Antonio. But also, she was sure Axle had her followed. That feeling had stayed with her during her brief time in Dallas and all the way back to San Antonio. She still felt she was being watched. All she wanted was for Daniel Riley to leave her and her daughter alone.
She massaged her temples. “I don’t know anything more and my daughter will be home any minute. I don’t want anyone upsetting her.” She pointedly stabbed him with her gaze. The door he’d used to come into the house was through the mudroom, which she could close off so Kaitlyn wouldn’t see the busted door.
“I’d like to talk with Juanita, but I’ll make sure Kaitlyn doesn’t know why I’m here.”
“I appreciate that. She doesn’t understand why her daddy was gone for so long and then last week we had a funeral for him.” The sound of the garage door going up rumbled through the house. Melora wearily shoved herself to her feet. “Juanita and Kaitlyn are home.”
He followed her into the kitchen. “I noticed your daughter was at the funeral.”
Yes, and Melora had noticed he had been there, too, with the other Texas Ranger, Anderson Michaels, who’d come to the Alamo Planning Committee in October. Another committee she was on. Axle had wanted her to project the right image to the world, and she’d never complained because she liked making a difference and helping where she could. In fact, she still tried to maintain as normal a schedule as possible although she’d buried her husband two days ago.
She threw him a glance. “Kaitlyn needed some closure with her father.” She hoped instead of Kaitlyn getting distressed because her father hadn’t come home that her daughter’s nightmares would stop since she’d gotten to say goodbye to her daddy at the funeral.
The knob on the door to the garage turned. Melora fortified herself with a deep breath and faced her daughter who raced into the room with Juanita trailing at a more sedate pace.
“Mommy, you’re home.” Kaitlyn threw her arms around Melora’s legs. “I had a great time at Cara’s.”
While her housekeeper made her way toward her suite off a back hallway, Melora hugged Kaitlyn. “I’m so glad. We’ll have to have Cara over here soon.”
“Tomorrow?” Her daughter bent back and looked up expectedly.
Melora forced a chuckle that fell flat. “We’ll see.”
Kaitlyn leaned around Melora, peering at Daniel Riley. “Who are you?”
He crossed the kitchen, a smile lighting his gray eyes as though they were pieces of silver. “I’m a friend of your mother’s.”
Her daughter tilted her head and studied the Texas Ranger. “How come I’ve never seen you?”
His shoulders lifted in a shrug. “That’s going to change today. I’m Daniel.”
She tapped her chest. “I’m Kaitlyn.”
“I thought so. Your mother talks about you a lot.”
Kaitlyn beamed. “Yeah, she tells me all the time I’m her pride and joy.”
“I can see why.”
“Have ya met Patches yet?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“He’s hiding. He does that all the time with someone new.” Kaitlyn stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Don’t worry. He’ll get used to you. Then he won’t leave you alone.”
Melora moved forward to break up the little bonding session. She wanted the Texas Ranger out of her house as soon as possible. “Speaking of Patches, aren’t you supposed to feed him, young lady?”
“Yeah.” Kaitlyn turned her full attention back to Daniel. “Would ya like to help? I’ll hold Patches while you pat him.”
“Hon, he needs to leave.”
Daniel shot Melora a look that said their conversation wasn’t over. “Yeah, I’m sorry I have to go. But I’m sure I’ll
