Into the Fire

by Margaret Daley

  After unlocking the chain link entrance, Kane advanced inside. Maggie came up beside him. With a deep scowl, he swung around and stared at the padlock then back at the stacked boxes.

  “What’s wrong?” Apprehension washed over Maggie as though she had been caught in a sudden downpour.

  “Someone has been in here.”

  Chapter Four

  “How can you tell?” Maggie scanned the boxes in the cage in the storeroom and didn’t see anything that looked out of place. Everything was neat, piled around the perimeter in orderly rows two deep.

  Kane pointed to three of the boxes that were in back with four on each side of them. “Because I stacked the back row four high and the second one three exactly. One’s missing.”

  “Are you sure?” The implication meant the intruder probably had been after something he’d thought was in the apartment.

  “Yes.” His jaw hardened into a firm line.

  She gestured to his key ring. “Is that the only key to the padlock?”

  “Edwina has the other one.”

  “Would she have a reason to take one of Henry Payne’s boxes?”

  “No, and they were heavy. She can’t lift anything over ten pounds. I can’t see her taking a box for any reason.”

  “Then that means someone picked the padlock.”

  “Or took Edwina’s key.”

  The damp chill in the cage seeped into her bones. “Who has a key to this room?”

  “Only the tenants in the building.” Kane walked to the storeroom’s entrance and checked the lock. “This looks okay.”

  Not liking the idea that one of the tenants took a box of Henry’s possessions, Maggie moved to the cage’s padlock. She bent down and examined it. “Has this always had scratch marks on it?”

  Kane inspected it, too. “No. It’s brand-new. I didn’t have a padlock for this cage until I needed it for Henry’s possessions.”

  “Picking a lock isn’t easy. Maybe it was a burglar who knew what he was doing.” She hoped that was the case and not something tied to the murder and the people at Twin Oaks Apartments.

  “Then how did he get in here?”

  She shrugged. “With a key, or he picked that lock, too, and it doesn’t show.”

  “I’m glad I’m getting added security on the doors into the building.”

  But that wouldn’t help if the culprit was someone in the building. The very idea chilled her. “Someone probably read about the murder and saw an opportunity to steal from a dead man. You know how some robbers read the obits and see when a person’s funeral is then go rob him when everyone is at the service.” Maggie wanted to believe that, but in her heart, she couldn’t shake the idea that one of the tenants decided to steal from Henry something of value.

  “I suppose that could be the case, but…”

  “That might also explain why the burglar came to my apartment. Maybe he didn’t know I’d moved in. I’ve only been here a short time and I don’t think all your tenants even knew of me moving in. You hadn’t advertised in the paper about renting the apartment yet.”

  “Yeah, but his funeral was weeks ago, so the thief certainly took his time. And I didn’t put these boxes in here until the police were through.”

  “The police didn’t release the apartment until recently.” Am I grasping at straws? Trying to convince myself it isn’t a neighbor? Maggie hooked her hair behind her ears.

  “I guess it’s a possibility…” Frowning, Kane shoved his hand through his hair. “Since Henry didn’t have any close relatives or friends for that matter, who’s to know what’s missing exactly.”

  “That’s sad that he didn’t have anyone.” Maggie leaned against the wall, her exhaustion catching up with her.

  “You didn’t know Henry. I don’t feel sorry for him.”

  The brief flash of anger that descended over Kane’s features took Maggie by surprise. He didn’t usually show his emotions like that. What had Henry done to him to cause those kinds of feelings? “Then why did you rent to him?”

  “Because being mean isn’t a good enough reason to evict a person who paid his rent on time and didn’t disturb the neighbors with loud music. He was a good tenant. My hands were tied.”

  Were they? Or was there more to it? Maggie shook the nagging questions from her mind. She didn’t like the direction her thoughts were taking her. She was beginning to suspect everyone around her, and she had no real reason to do that. She hadn’t known Henry, and his murder wasn’t her problem. She had enough of her own to deal with—namely, what was she going to do about Vicky Pennington?

  “This almost seems futile. I’ll have to look into a better lock for this door and each cage.”

  “And maybe you and Edwina should be the only ones with a key to the storeroom.” His eyebrows rose, and she quickly added, “At least until everything is solved concerning Henry.”

  “So, you’re thinking what I’ve been thinking and not wanting to voice aloud?”

  Their gazes connected, and a bond instantly leaped between them. “Yep. It could be a tenant.”

  “I hope we’re wrong.” Kane closed the door and secured it. “I’ll walk you to your apartment.” A shutter fell over his features as if he were closing down his emotions.

  “You don’t have to. I think I can find my way to my place.” Maggie sent him a grin, wanting to lighten the mood after their discovery of the theft and its ramifications.

  “With all that’s happened, humor me.” The grim lines of his mouth indicated the opposite of humor.

  Maggie went first up the narrow steps to the main level, conscious of Kane behind her. The hairs on her nape tingled. Uncomfortable with his intense gaze, she made it a point to be next to him on the wider staircase to the second floor.

  At her door, she turned toward Kane to thank him. That intensity in his expression wiped the words from her mind.

  Finally, he blinked and shook his head. “Sorry. I’m still trying to get past the theft and that it could be someone I know. I realize Henry had some valuable things, but why just one box?”

  “Good question. Are you going to call David Morgan?”

  “Yes. Although it probably has nothing to do with Henry’s murder, David needs to know there was a robbery even if we can’t figure out what was taken.”

  “Well, thank you for walking me to my apartment.” She twisted around to unlock her door. As she stepped into her place, memories of her attacker swamped her, and she hesitated, the dull ache in her head a constant reminder of what happened the day before.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Just tired.” She wasn’t ready to admit her reluctance to come back to the apartment after the intrusion. This was her home now, and yet she felt violated, the feeling of security elusive.

  “Would you humor me some more? I’d like to check out your place before I leave.”

  Was it that obvious what was going on with her? She glanced at the mirror she’d hung in the hall, and all she saw were weary lines and dark circles under her eyes caused by her recent ordeal. “You don’t have to.”

  “I know, but when someone intruded into your apartment, I feel as if he also broke into mine. I’d do the same for anyone in this building.”

  The last sentence was added after a ten second pause as though he needed her to know it was only business. She got the message loud and clear, but that didn’t stop the disappointment from surging. She tamped it down. She had no business even looking at a man at the moment, let alone considering anything else.

  Maggie waited by the door while Kane first checked the two bedrooms, then the living room and kitchen. Ten minutes later he stood in front of her again.

  “All clear. Here’s my card. If you hear or see anything suspicious, call me. I can be here in less than a minute.” He laid the card in her palm.

  The touch of his fingers focused all her senses on him. A light woodsy scent drew her toward him while the warmth and concern in his gaze telegraphed the danger in this attractio
n. He’d made it plain he was a loner, like her. She needed to respect his wishes and yet—

  She pulled back. “Thanks for looking around. I know your new security measures will help, but it…” She didn’t know how to put into words her feelings of anger and sadness that at odd times during the past twenty-four hours had produced a lump in her throat.

  “But you lost a certain amount of innocence yesterday.”

  She tilted her head. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought of it that way. Until someone breaks into your home, you don’t think it will happen to you. That only happens to the other guy, not you.”

  “Even with the university, the crime rate in Seven Oaks isn’t high. Then in less than a month two crimes have happened in my building. That doesn’t sit well with me.” His own anger threaded through his words and carved frown lines into his face.

  “Do you have an inventory of Henry’s boxes? Maybe if we figure out what was taken, that might help Edwina’s nephew.”

  “Edwina boxed up his belongings, but she didn’t make an inventory that I know of.”

  “I’ll ask her tomorrow when she comes for breakfast.” Maggie moved to the door, grasped the knob and leaned into the wooden edge, all the activity catching up with her. Fatigue weighed her down. “Would you mind if Edwina and I went through the boxes left if she doesn’t have an inventory? Maybe she’ll be able to figure out what’s missing.”

  “No, I don’t mind. There isn’t anyone to claim Henry’s possessions. I’m going to keep them for a while just in case someone comes forward that we don’t know about. But why the interest?”

  Maggie lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Oh, I don’t know. I can’t shake the feeling everything is connected.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “For the very reason not many crimes happen around here and suddenly several do in a short space of time.” Despite her protests that she didn’t need to get involved, here she was getting involved. But she wouldn’t sleep well until Henry’s murderer was caught. “Also, someone probably used a key to get into my apartment and the storeroom. How did the intruder get ahold of not just one but two keys? Seems like a lot of trouble for just a plain ole burglary. There are easier targets than that.”

  Kane smiled. “You’ve got a point. Are you going to give David a run for his money?”

  “No way. I just don’t want anyone visiting me again.”

  “They won’t if I can help it.”

  The fervent tone in his voice reassured Maggie, but then some things were out of their control. She knew that firsthand. “I appreciate what you’ve done. Thanks.”

  Kane went out into the hallway and turned back toward her. “You’re welcome. Call, if you need me.”

  When Maggie shut the door, she collapsed against it and stared into her living room. Call, if you need me. Those words rang through her mind. There was something about Kane McDowell that tempted her to discover more about the man.

  “Not good, Maggie,” she muttered to herself as she pushed away from the door, mentally doing the same with thoughts of Kane, and ambled toward her bedroom.

  She paused in the doorway and scanned the area, her attention finally resting on the spot on the floor where she’d fallen. Memories of the day before again deluged her as though a storm rampaged through her. Was the intruder yesterday tied to the murder or a robber looking for valuables? At the moment she didn’t even know which one she wanted it to be. If the break-in was tied to the murder, the person would have no reason to come back now that he knew someone else lived in Henry’s apartment. If he’d been looking for something, it probably was in the box taken from the storeroom. If it was a burglar, with the new security measures that should be all that was needed to keep her safe. She should be all right either way. But if it was someone in the apartment building, what did that do to her theory?

  Even though Kane had checked out the room, she knelt and looked under the bed. Dust bunnies were all that greeted her inspection. She rose and started for the closet. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her Bible on the table next to her bed. Her fear and earlier thought about things not being in a person’s control made her seek guidance from the One who did control life.

  In Job 11, Maggie found what she needed to sleep. In the Lord’s hands she would be safe.

  * * *

  “This is delicious, Edwina. You can fix me breakfast anytime.” Maggie popped the last bite of the lemon poppy seed muffin into her mouth. She’d probably have to exercise every day next week just to work off the calories from the two large ones she’d devoured. Then again, she hadn’t eaten much yesterday, so maybe it would all balance out.

  “Are you sure you don’t want some of my tea? It comes from England.”

  “No. My body is used to at least four or five cups of coffee before noon. I think it would go into shock if I fed it anything else.”

  “Talk about going into shock. I can’t believe someone took one of Henry’s boxes.” Edwina pushed herself to her feet and shuffled over to the coffeepot on the counter. She brought it to the table and poured some into Maggie’s mug.

  “Please, you don’t have to wait on me.”

  Edwina smiled. “This is my treat even if we’re in your kitchen.”

  Maggie doctored her brew with milk and one scoop of sugar. “Do you think you and I could go through Henry’s boxes in the basement? If you can figure out what’s missing, maybe we can come up with a reason why someone would take that box out of all the ones there.”

  The older woman’s eyes sparkled with a lively gleam. “We could be detectives. I love reading mysteries, and it would be interesting to try some of the techniques I’ve learned over the years of reading them.” She leaned across the table. “Personally, I think that’s where David got his love for police work.”

  “From you?”

  Edwina nodded. “He spent time with me in the summers when his parents went on vacation. I always had a mystery lying around. When he was older, he started reading them, too.”

  “When do you have some time?”

  “Let’s do it tomorrow after church.”

  “You’ve got yourself a date.”

  “Speaking of dates, are you going out with anyone?”

  Maggie caught her breath in surprise. She stared at the mischievous look in Edwina’s eyes. “I—I—no.”

  “Kane’s been alone too long.”

  “You aren’t very subtle.”

  “No one has ever accused me of being subtle.”

  Maggie chuckled. “That’s one of the things I like about you, but don’t get it in your head to try and fix me and Kane up. I’m not interested.”

  Edwina tapped her finger against her chin. “Let me see. You sat next to him on my couch last night. You left with him, and you say you aren’t interested?”

  Maggie rested her elbow on the table and cupped her chin in her palm. “Have you ever noticed how vulnerable he is?”

  Edwina’s soft laughter permeated the kitchen. “Kane vulnerable? I never thought to describe him as that, but—” she peered off into space for a moment “—now that I think about it, you’re right. How perceptive you are. He didn’t used to be like that. The war changed him. He’d just gotten engaged to Ruth when his Army Reserve unit was called up and he had to go to the war zone. When he came back from recuperating at his parents’ place in Florida from an injury that cut short his tour of duty, all he said about Ruth leaving Seven Oaks was she had a better offer in Dallas. He never talked about her after that.”

  “He never said why they weren’t getting married?”

  “Nope. In fact, he said little to anyone. He retreated to his basement workshop. He fixed up an apartment across the hall from it so he could live down there. He used to live in the Sellmans’ apartment.”

  “So, no one knows why his engagement was broken off?” Maggie took a sip of her coffee.

  “That’s between Kane and Ruth.”

  “What kind of injury did he sustain?”
>
  Edwina shrugged. “He doesn’t talk about it with anyone.” She paused and tapped her chin. “Come to think of it when John moved in a few months later, I got the impression that they talked about it, but then that wouldn’t be so unusual since John served with him.”

  Her curiosity aroused, Maggie wanted to pump Edwina for more information, but then she didn’t want her to think she was interested in Kane. If her landlady thought that, she would never have any peace.

  Ha! By the gleam in Edwina’s eyes, she already thought it, so Maggie better prepare herself for more attempts.

  “When I asked about his move to the basement once, he told me it was closer to his workshop and easier for him. He’s been thinking of making furniture full-time lately. Demand for his pieces has grown quite a bit in the last year.”

  “Quit working at the university?”

  “Yeah, he doesn’t need the job. When his great-aunt died and left him with this house years ago, she also left him with a sizable inheritance, part of which he used to convert the mansion into an apartment building.”

  Maggie bit back another question concerning Kane. She didn’t need to encourage the woman any more than she already had. Instead, she asked, “Do you have any kind of list of Henry’s possessions?”

  “Not in so many words.” Edwina touched her temple. “It’s all stored up here. I may be seventy, but my mind is sharp as any twenty-year-old’s.”

  “So you—” The sound of the doorbell interrupted Maggie’s reply. “Who could that be?”

  “There’s only one way to find out. Go answer it.”

  Maggie hurried into the foyer, aware that Edwina had followed. When Maggie opened the door, Vicky Pennington had started back toward her apartment. The sight of her birth mother whisked any words of greeting from Maggie’s mind. She stared at the woman’s retreating figure.

  Glancing over her shoulder when Edwina cleared her throat, Vicky saw Maggie and came back toward her with a plate in her hand. “I didn’t think you were home. Hi, Edwina. I know you brought Maggie something for breakfast, but I thought since I made several cheesecakes this morning, you might like one, Maggie. I haven’t gotten a chance to formerly welcome you to the building and give you a housewarming gift.”