Trail of Lies (8 page)

Clay. What was his son doing here? Then he remembered and groaned.

Pulling the door open, he stood to the side to let his seventeen-year-old into the house. “You're early.”

“Basketball practice was over early so I came on over.” Clay spotted the bag on the floor nearby. “Going somewhere?”

“I'm sorry I have to cancel tonight, but a case I'm working on—”

“Fine. It's not something that hasn't happened before.” His son started to turn to leave.

“Hold it. Why don't you take the tickets to the Spurs' game and have a friend go with you? We can go to dinner and a game another night.” Daniel withdrew his wallet and removed the two tickets he'd bought for a night with his son. He held them out to Clay, not sure by the frown on his face if his son would even take them.

Clay glared at them for a long moment, then snatched them from Daniel's grasp.

“If this wasn't important—”

“Dad, don't. I've heard that before. Thanks for the tickets.” He pivoted and hurried out the door.

Daniel stared at the empty entrance. He'd done it again. He'd blown it with his son and he couldn't blame Clay for being upset. After three years of clashing over just about everything, he'd started making some headway with Clay recently and now this would set him back. If he didn't get so wrapped up in work, maybe he would have remembered about his plans with Clay and been able to make other arrangements.

With a heavy sigh, Daniel grabbed his bag and left his apartment. When this case was over, he would make it up to Clay somehow. Their relationship had always been rocky since Cheryl had divorced him when their son was four. She'd found another man who could give her what she wanted, and she'd made it clear to Clay it was his dad's fault their marriage had fallen apart. Cheryl had done everything she could to make sure her son didn't want to live with Daniel through the years.

Shaking those memories from his mind, Daniel reached his truck and slipped inside. He needed lessons on how to
be a father. He certainly couldn't use his own sire as an example. He and his dad had butted heads most of their relationship. Like father, like son? He hoped not. He didn't want to make the same mistakes his father had with him, but it seemed as if he was heading down that path. Somehow he had to break the pattern.

When he parked behind Gisella's car in front of Melora's large house forty-five minutes later, darkness blanketed the landscape as though it were trying to cut them off from the rest of the world. Melora's place was in an area with few houses surrounding her. Each home in Lone Star Estates had several acres, which gave the impression of isolation.

Gisella opened the door for him.

“Any problems?” He entered the house, the scent of baking bread and roasted chicken peppering the air. His stomach rumbled its hunger.

Gisella chuckled. “Welcome to my world. I've smelled that for a couple of hours. And there weren't any problems other than my allergy to cats rearing its ugly head. It's been quiet except for Kaitlyn who let it spill that Patches had been missing for several days last week, then suddenly returned. The little girl thought they had lost him for good, but she'd been saying her prayers and God brought him back to her.”

“Patches was missing? Melora didn't say anything about that.” What else was she keeping from him?

“It's probably nothing, but you wanted to know if I learned anything out of the ordinary. Cats do tend to be independent and go off, but I didn't get the impression that Kaitlyn's had ever been gone overnight.”

He removed his cowboy hat and tossed it on the table in the foyer. “Thanks. I'll check with Melora about it. She ran this morning for a reason.”

“Kaitlyn is very attached to Patches. If something happened to the cat, that would certainly make a statement.”

“And I intend to find out why someone is terrorizing Melora. What does she know about the flash drive?”

“She doesn't think she knows anything.”

“Maybe she does but doesn't realize it. I'm taking her tomorrow to see the man in a coma at the hospital. She may have seen him meeting with her husband here at the house.”

“That would be a break if we can find out more about him. See ya.”

After Gisella left, Daniel was drawn toward the kitchen by the sounds coming from there. Leaving his bag in the foyer, he covered the distance to the room quickly, his appetite whetted by the aromas wafting to him.

Kaitlyn leaped to her feet when she saw him come into the kitchen. “You're here. We can eat now.”

“You waited for me?” Daniel asked, realizing he and Melora had never talked about him eating dinner tonight with them. He'd even considered grabbing something on the way here, but for some reason he didn't stop, almost as if the aromas drew him across miles of San Antonio.

“We haven't been waiting long. I asked Gisella to stay if she wanted, but she had something she had to do tonight. If you've eaten, that's okay.”

“Are you kidding? I haven't, and this smells wonderful.”

Kaitlyn took his hand. “First, we've got to wash up. Mommy won't let me eat until I do. I'll show you where.” Tugging on him, she led him toward the mudroom. “Mommy put a stepstool for me to use. One day I'll be tall like you and not use one.”

While the child chattered about how important it was to sing the “Happy Birthday” song two times while washing
her hands, Daniel stood there still slightly in shock, the words to the tune filling the air. Remembering his own son's childhood put Daniel on alert. He hadn't been very successful with Clay, and he was male. Daniel didn't know the first thing about a young girl.

Kaitlyn hopped down from the stool. “Your turn. Remember Happy Birthday,” she held up two fingers, “two times.”

“Sure,” he murmured.

When he didn't start singing, Kaitlyn did. Halfway through the first time, he joined in, his voice strained. He said her name while she said Mr. Riley.

At the end she giggled. “Silly. This is your song.”

“But it isn't my birthday.”

“You have to pretend.”

Pretending he knew how to do. For seventeen years he'd been pretending to be a father and not doing such a good job, according to both Cheryl and Clay. “I'll remember that next time.”

Reentering the kitchen, he immediately captured Melora's attention and saw the twinkle in her eyes. Her mouth twitched as if she could barely contain her laughter. He could imagine how he sounded—off-key, stumbling over the words to a simple well-known song.

“It's been a while since I sang that,” he said to her as he sat at the table set for three. “Juanita isn't joining us?”

“She's going out with a friend. She does most Mondays.”

He lowered his voice and said, “So it isn't my presence that's keeping her away?”

“Don't flatter yourself.”

“I understand, Juanita, you're leaving us to enjoy all this delicious food alone.” Daniel gestured toward the table laden with a roasted chicken, cooked potatoes, carrots,
onions and celery. “If I cooked all this, I wouldn't be able to resist sampling it. Must be an important person to keep you away…” he drew in a deep breath of the smells tempting him to salivate “…from this.”

The housekeeper pinned her dark eyes on Daniel. “I've tasted my own cooking before.” She untied an apron she had around her waist, slung it over the back of a chair and strode toward the hallway that led to her suite of rooms.

“She goes to see her older sister at Uncle Tyler's.” Melora took her seat.

“Older sister?” Which one? When he investigated Juanita, he'd learned she had three.

“Carmen is Uncle Tyler's housekeeper.”

“I see.” He couldn't shake the feeling the reserved housekeeper wanted to avoid him. Why? Was it as Melora had said and Juanita didn't trust law enforcement or was it something else? The preliminary information Evan had found on the housekeeper didn't indicate anything that would make him think she was hiding something, but still the niggling sensation he'd learned to listen to plagued him when he was around the woman.

“C'mon, Mr. Riley. Mommy's waiting to say the blessing.”

Daniel sat. “Just wondering if Juanita had a date.”

“Like on TV?” Kaitlyn took a gulp of her milk, leaving a white mustache as evidence.

“Honey, remember the blessing. You need to wait.”

The little girl leaned toward Daniel and whispered loud enough that Juanita could probably hear it in her room. “See what I mean?”

He winked at Kaitlyn, who had her mother's features but the coloring of her father. “Yes, I do.”

Melora blessed the meal and not a second later Kaitlyn dived into her food as though she hadn't eaten in days.
“We're not racing to see who is going to finish first, honey.”

Kaitlyn paused shoveling in the vegetables and slowed her movements almost to a crawl—that lasted all of ten seconds.

Daniel kept his chuckle to himself, his gaze connecting with Melora's across the table. In that moment he felt her intense protectiveness toward her daughter, and he could begin to understand why she didn't know what to do when the threats started. He was exposed to evil in his job, but not Melora. She spent her time raising her daughter and volunteering to help others. Something inside him softened toward Melora as if he could place himself in her shoes and see where she was coming from. He did know he would do anything to protect Clay even if their relationship was rocky.

 

“It's been a long day, honey. It's time for you to get some sleep.” Melora's body still ached from the wreck that morning. She covered Kaitlyn with the pink coverlet and bent down to kiss her.

Before she could, her daughter scooted up and sat back against the headboard. “How about a story?” She peered around Melora toward Daniel who stood in the entrance. “Will you read me one? Please, Mr. Riley.”

“You don't want your mom to?” Daniel's surprised look encompassed his whole face.

Kaitlyn shook her head. “She can anytime.”

“If it's okay with your mom.”

Melora straightened and went to the bookcase, selecting the story that her daughter wanted to hear every night the past few weeks. Handing it to Daniel, she gave him a smile. “Go for it. If you can do voices, she loves that.”

As Daniel took the book, Kaitlyn clapped her hands. “Yeah, Mommy does a great troll.”

“I'll have to hear that one day.” Daniel sat on the bed next to her daughter and opened the fairy-tale collection to the first story.

Kaitlyn splayed her fingers across the written page. “Not that one.” After flipping through the book, she found the fairy tale she wanted and tapped it. “I want to hear Snow White. A prince saves her.”

As Daniel began to read, Melora eased into the chair to listen to his deep, gruff Texas drawl. At first he was hesitant, but soon the words began to flow from him as he got into the story. By the end he even had the evil queen down with a wicked-sounding voice. Would he be her Prince Charming and save her and Kaitlyn? If he could, she was sure he would.

When he closed the book, Kaitlyn clapped. “Another one, Mr. Riley.”

“Call me Daniel. We're gonna be spending a lot of time together. And as far as another story. Maybe tomorrow night.”

Kaitlyn threw her arms around Daniel's neck and kissed him on the cheek. “Okay. You read better than Mommy.”

Daniel's face reddened. He rose, peering back at Melora as though he didn't know what to say to her daughter.

Melora stepped forward. “Time for bed now.”

As Kaitlyn snuggled down under the covers, Melora kissed her and switched off the bedside lamp with scenes of princesses from Disney movies.

“Good night, Mommy, Daniel.”

In the dimness of the night-light, Melora made her way toward Daniel framed in the doorway, waiting for her. The soft look in his eyes hinted at a vulnerability that spoke to Melora. She'd known he had been married once and
had a teenage son who lived with his mother. She couldn't imagine being separated from her daughter. That was the reason she'd stayed with Axle.

She closed her daughter's door partway then headed toward the kitchen. She still needed to clean up the rest of the dishes. If she kept herself occupied, maybe then she wouldn't focus on the pain she'd glimpsed in Daniel's eyes—as though he'd realized what he'd lost.

In the kitchen she began to rinse the plates to put in the dishwasher.

“Here, I can help you.” Daniel came up and opened the appliance.

“You're a guest.”

“A guest? Is that what I am?”

She slanted him a look and was captured anew by something in his eyes that spoke to her. Loneliness? She knew about that. “What do I call you then?”

“Until we find who killed your husband, I'm your bodyguard.”

“What if we can't?”

“I will. If we discover what they want of Axle's, I have a feeling they will make themselves known to us.”

“Can't I just wish them away?” Even she heard the weariness and fear in her voice. At least she didn't have to pretend anymore with Daniel that everything was all right when her life was falling apart.

He touched her arm, compelling her toward him. “They aren't going to go away until they get what they want or are caught.”

“I know. This nightmare has to end now.”

“Tell me about Patches.”

“The cat? What do you want to know?”

Daniel released a long breath. “When are you going to trust me?”

“I'
d say I'm trusting you with my life but even more so with my daughter's. Just by having you here, I'm taking a risk.” Melora took a step back.

“If this is going to work, there can be no more secrets between us. Kaitlyn said something about Patches being gone.”

Melora swung back toward the sink and turned on the water to continue rinsing the dishes. “Yeah, he disappeared for a while, but he's home. He's safe now.” The fear she'd experienced at the time deluged her. Perspiration beaded her forehead, and her pulse sped just thinking about the incident and what happened because of it. She'd made a run for it, and she and Kaitlyn had ended up in an accident.

“There's more to it, isn't there?” He settled his hand on her shoulder, a gentle, supportive gesture.

She slid a glance toward him, and all tension was gone from his expression. Concern softened his eyes and beckoned her to let go of her fear and talk to him. “When you came over last week, that call I received was from someone letting me know if I didn't cooperate with them and keep my mouth shut, next time it would be Kaitlyn missing or me.” She bit down on her lip to still the quaver in her voice.

His hand slipped from her shoulder to her arm, and he rotated her toward him. “Why didn't you tell me this sooner?”

“I am now. That was the reason I tried to run. And this morning I discovered I couldn't. They wouldn't let me.”

“A direct threat against your daughter means we need to do things a little differently.”

Her hands shaking, she stuck a plate under the flowing water then gave it to him. “What?”

“I'll have to make sure she is covered at all times. I don't want her to go to school. For the time being we'll keep her close to home.”

“She'll want to know why. She loves school.”

“Tell her she's taking her Christmas vacation a little early. Tell her whatever you need to.” He cocked his head. “Anything else I should know?”

Tears blurred her vision. She kept her head turned away from Daniel. She felt her world falling apart. Her throat swelled. She would not cry in front of him.

“Melora, have you told me everything?”

His voice gently coaxed her. She wasn't alone anymore in this fight. Swallowing several times, she murmured, “I think so. I…” A glass slipped from her fingers and smashed against the granite sink.

Daniel reached around her and turned off the water then rotated her toward him. With his finger under her chin, he lifted her face and looked at her.

Through the sheen of tears she saw a smile brighten his eyes as they skimmed over her features. He cradled her face in his hands. “I know this isn't easy for you. I have a son, and if someone threatened him, I would do anything to protect him. You made the right decision to trust me.” His voice was husky and warm.

“I shouldn't have tried to do this by myself, but I didn't
know what to do. When I think about it, I don't understand any of this. I don't know anything other than Axle wasn't the man I married. He was fine until I questioned him about what he was doing. I'd heard him talking with that man who came to the house and I heard them mention drugs. I thought he was taking some kind of drug. That he might be sick and not telling me. Obviously, I'm naive about what is happening in the case.” She laughed but heard no humor in the sound.

“Because you wanted to believe the best in your husband?”

She nodded. “When I asked him, he changed completely. Used Kaitlyn to keep me in line. When he disappeared, I thought he'd left me because our marriage had been rocky at best for the six months before he disappeared. I quickly realized that it wasn't Axle's style to walk away and leave everything. That's when I called the sheriff and reported him missing.” She shuddered when she thought of that last encounter with Axle before she'd gone to the conference. His need to control her. Possess her like a trophy, not a person.

Daniel drew her to him and wound his arms around her. “I'm sorry you had to go through that. This is the first time you mentioned Axle talking about drugs. You may know more than you think once you let yourself remember.”

The feel of his embrace gave her strength, pushed down the lump of emotion so she could lean back and stare into Daniel's eyes. “I want to box up everything in Axle's office. I think that's what we should do first. I've been through it, but maybe you'll find something I'm not seeing. My husband lived in a world I'm not familiar with.”

“Then that's where we'll start looking, but first I want to take you to the hospital to look at the man in the coma. If it's the same person, you might remember something
that can help us ID him. For months we've been trying to figure out who the man is. If we can ID him, we might be able to find out more to help us end what's been happening. Then I would like us to pay a visit to the Bustles and Spurs Café at the Riverwalk.”

“Why?”

“Maybe there's someone at your husband's restaurant that you'll remember. You didn't see the man's face who broke in here, but you might remember his voice. I know it's a long shot, but it might pay off.”

The same voice on the phone last week. Yes, she'd remember that. “How about Kaitlyn?”

“I'll have Gisella guard her. I already told her to be on standby in case I need a second person.” He smoothed her hair back from her face and framed it between his large hands.

“Won't that let them know I've talked to you for sure?”

“After today at the hospital, I have a feeling they already know, and besides, now that you have, there isn't much they can do about it. Maybe then they'll leave you alone.” He dropped his head toward hers.

His lips were inches away from hers, and they tingled with anticipation. In the middle of all that had happened, she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to forget the past few weeks and become lost in his embrace.

At the last second he pulled back, his arms slipped from around her. She moved away, feeling as though she'd missed out on something worth a great deal.

He put more space between them. “I'd better go check and make sure the house is locked up tight.”

She watched him hurry from the kitchen and couldn't shake the emptiness she experienced. Being so totally
wrong about Axle caused her to be leery of men. Then why did she all of a sudden desire Daniel to kiss her?

 

In the dining room Daniel paused and gripped the back of a chair, leaning into it. What was he thinking? Kissing Melora? He knew all the reasons he shouldn't, but he couldn't get it out of his mind—the sight of her full lips waiting for his, her spicy scent spinning a web about him, the feel of her in his arms as though she belonged there.

His work was his life. He was good at his job and didn't need to be distracted by a beautiful, stately woman who was hurting. How could he heal her when he couldn't help himself?

A movement in the foyer riveted his attention. He straightened, his hand going to his holster.

Kaitlyn walked in, rubbing her eyes.

“What's wrong?”

“I heard a noise outside my window.”

Melora gasped from the entrance into the kitchen.

He peered back at her. “I'll go check while you see to Kaitlyn.”

“You're going outside?”

“Yes, but lock the door right after I leave and don't open it for anyone but me.” He covered the distance to her. “And if I say everything is fine, don't open the door. Call the sheriff.”

“But—”

“Do as I say,” he whispered in a rough voice. “I'm going out the kitchen door. I'll come back to it when I need in. Okay?”

Eyes huge, Melora nodded and opened her arms for Kaitlyn to come to her. “Daniel will check to make sure there isn't anything out there that could get you.” Hugging her daughter against her, she followed him to the back door.

Outside, he didn't move away until he heard the lock click in place. Then he withdrew his Wilson Combat pistol from his holster and gave himself a few minutes to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. Easing forward, he strode the perimeter of the house. Wind whipped by him. Clouds raced across the nearly full moon. The scent of rain hung in the air.

He rounded the corner of the house where Kaitlyn's room was. He didn't think it was anything since she was on the second floor, but he wasn't taking any chances with Kaitlyn or Melora. He slowed and scanned the area. With no bushes near, only a couple of leafless trees, he made his way to her window. A scratching sound like long fingernails against the glass filled the wind-tossed night. A tree branch scraped against the pane, which was probably what Kaitlyn heard.

But to be sure, he took his penlight from his pocket and checked the ground around the area below the window. Nothing.

Relief momentarily cloaked him, but quickly his usual vigilance pushed it away. The threat against Melora and Kaitlyn was still out there. Possibly watching the house right now. Again, he panned the area around him before heading back inside.

At the door he waited for Melora to open it, pleased she had followed what he'd said. “It wasn't anything. A tree branch against the window.”

Melora breathed a sigh. “That's good.”

“A tree branch,” Kaitlyn said from the kitchen table, a glass of milk sitting in front of her. “Are ya sure?”

Daniel knelt in front of the little girl. “I will keep you safe.”

Kaitlyn yawned.

“I know someone who is tired. Ready to go back to
bed?” Melora came over to her daughter as Daniel rose, and held out her hand.

Kaitlyn peered up at both of them, her eyes shiny with tears, her bottom lip trembling. “Do I hafta?” she asked, followed by another yawn.

“Yes.” Melora slipped her hand around her daughter's and tugged her up. “But tell you what. I'll let you sleep in my room with me tonight.”

“Thanks, Mommy.” Kaitlyn threw her arms around Melora's waist. “How about Daniel?”

A bright cherry red painted Melora's cheeks. “He has his own room.”

“Oh, okay.” Kaitlyn started for the door, stopped and looked back. “C'mon.”

“I'll walk you ladies to your room,” Daniel said.

Kaitlyn hurried up the stairs ahead of them. “I left Mr. Snuggles in my room. I don't want anything to happen to him.”

“Mr. Snuggles?” Daniel fell into step next to Melora, trailing several feet behind her daughter.

“Kaitlyn's stuffed dog. Axle wouldn't get another dog after his died two and a half years ago. Kaitlyn loved Bailey as much as Axle did. She used to snuggle up against him and fall asleep. He was so good with her even though she was a toddler. Last year when we were shopping, she saw the stuffed dog and thought it was her daddy's dog. I couldn't resist getting it for her.”

“My son had a favorite stuffed monkey. He took it everywhere until it literally fell apart and his mother had to throw it away. He was mad at her for days.”

Kaitlyn darted into her bedroom, snatched the brown stuffed animal off the bed and raced back into the foyer. “Mr. Snuggles was getting lonely.”

At Melora's door, Kaitlyn went on into the room while
Melora paused outside in the hallway and faced Daniel. “I'm glad you're here. I'm not sure what I would have done otherwise.”

“I'm leaving my door open, and I'm a light sleeper. If you need me, all you have to do is yell.”

She smiled, the sea green of her gaze sparkling like sun-bathed leaves.

The urge to kiss her drenched Daniel, but one look into her room put a halt to those thoughts. Kaitlyn lay curled on the top of the coverlet, her eyes drooping closed. “Good night.”

Daniel waited until Melora went inside her bedroom and closed her door before pulling out his cell and calling Gisella. “I'll need you tomorrow to stay with Kaitlyn while I take Melora to see our coma guy. Melora told me tonight that someone called after the missing cat was returned and said her daughter was next if she talked,” he said as he made his way downstairs.

“What time?”

“Ten. Then after we visit the hospital, I'm taking her to lunch.”

“Lunch?” Surprise sounded in Gisella's voice.

“Don't get any ideas, Hernandez. We're going to Bustles and Spurs to see if she recognizes anyone at the restaurant.”

“That could stir up a hornet's nest.”

“Yeah, but we don't have much to go on right now except Melora and that someone thinks she knows where the flash drive is.”

“What if that puts her in danger?”

The idea of Melora being in peril caused his fingers to clench around his cell as if he could pulverize it into dust. “She's already in danger. The only way to keep her safe is to find the person who murdered her husband and why. We
need to find that flash drive and see why it's so important to others.”

“See you tomorrow.”

After he disconnected with Gisella, Daniel placed a call to his son to see how the game went. He wasn't sure Clay would even answer, but when he did, Daniel strained to hear Clay over the din. “Where are you?”

“At my buddies'.”

“Doing what?” Daniel asked, and realized his mistake immediately.

“Nothing to concern you. I've got to go.” His son clicked off.

Daniel brought his cell away from his ear and stared at it as though that would change the way the conversation had gone.

“Are you all right?”

He whirled around to find Melora standing in the entrance to the living room. “Just a little father/son bonding—not.” He stuffed his cell back into his front pocket. “I wish I could go back and start all over….” He shook his head. “Never mind. That wouldn't change anything. I don't think I have what it takes to be a good father.”

“Kaitlyn sure has responded to you. Not many people read her bedtime stories or get to have a detailed demonstration of how she takes care of Patches.”