by Rebecca Deel
She shook her head, humor evident in her eyes. “I tried to convince her to donate all the items in her big old house. After all, who needs fifty pairs of shoes, most of them men’s shoes? That made absolutely no sense to me because she was widowed. To be honest, I think she never intended to collect so many things. And once the piles grew, she didn’t know what to do with it all. It overwhelmed and paralyzed her. Add to that her lifetime habit of saving everything, and she became a walking example of The Hoarders.”
“When were you in her house last?”
Annie frowned. “Oh, I’d say a month or so before she died.”
“Do you know what happened to her?”
Sadness filled her eyes. “Such an ugly thing, my dear. Gretchen and I had gone to dinner that night at Delaney’s. Oh, we had such fun talking about our school days and her teaching days. Not much had changed. Anyway, I drove her home about eight. Gretchen was an early riser even in retirement. A lifetime habit is hard to break. I found her the next morning.”
Darcy reached over and squeezed the other woman’s hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to bring up bad memories, but I understand she was murdered.”
Tears filled Annie’s eyes. “It would have been easier to accept her death had it been from natural causes or a fall. But I didn’t lose her that way. Someone beat her to death with a hammer.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Rio started his run at an easy pace until his muscles warmed, glad to be outdoors in spite of the cold wind cutting through his clothes. At least he didn’t have to run on a treadmill. Man, he hated to run on those things. He didn’t know anything more boring than running that way. Made him feel like a hamster on a wheel, all that effort getting him nowhere. Outside, he might be running in a much bigger circle, but at least he had new scenery, people, and the occasional dog to outrun. Of course, this time of day, there was a lot more activity than his normal runs at four o’clock. The world was quiet and peaceful that time of morning.
As he ran, he thought about Allen White. The agent was determined to push Darcy back into performing. He had a feeling the business manager wouldn’t give up without an explanation. Rio would love to step in and make him back off. He couldn’t, though. Darcy wasn’t helpless. She was a strong woman who was fully capable of handling White. Unless she asked him to step in or it became obvious she was in danger from the agent, Rio would have to keep his opinions to himself.
For the next mile, he turned his attention to the break-in at Darcy’s house. He should touch base with Nick, see if he turned up anything after they flew to Bayside. Maybe he found a usable print on the door frame.
During the third mile on a deserted stretch of road, an engine revved. He’d been aware of a vehicle nearby for the last half mile. Rio glanced over his shoulder. His heart rate spiked as a black SUV raced toward him. The vehicle churned up dirt as it swerved off the blacktop. With seconds to react, Rio leaped from the roadway and raced into a stand of trees. The driver yanked the SUV back on the road and darted away.
Rio scowled, searching for the license plate number. Covered in mud. Bad driver or deliberate act?
The remaining miles passed swiftly as he kicked up the pace another couple notches. When he reached the house, Rio stretched and allowed his breathing to regulate. He tugged off his sweaty t-shirt and opened the front door.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Trent snapped.
“Hello to you, too, Sunshine.”
“Shut up and answer my question, Kincaid.”
“I’m going to take a shower and eat.”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“Do I?” Rio asked, his tone mild. The way he felt inside was anything but mild. He liked Trent, respected his skills and his obvious love for his sister. He did not appreciate being questioned as though Rio’s morals were spotty.
“I asked you to get rid of the guy pestering my sister. That did not include putting your hands on her.”
He was trusted to save a fellow operative’s life but not to touch Darcy? Rio’s eyes narrowed. “That was her agent, Allen White. He’s pressuring her to return to the stage.”
Trent scowled. “I’ll have a talk with him.”
“No, you won’t. If Darcy needs help, she’ll ask.”
“Stay out of my business, Kincaid. How I deal with my sister has nothing to do with you. And that brings me to my other point. Keep your hands off her.”
“I care about her, Trent. You should know by now I treat all women with respect. Beyond that, my relationship with Darcy is off limits to you. If she doesn’t want me around, I’ll abide by her wishes.” Much as it would rankle. He liked her and he flat out loved her music. She was the reason he’d survived the aftermath of so many deployments. One day soon, he’d tell her how she’d saved his sanity. “You get a free pass this time because of your injuries. Your sister is an adult. You need to back off.”
“She’s sick, Rio.”
“So what? She’s not contagious.”
“I don’t want her hurt,” he growled.
Rio stared, wrenching his fury under control. “You can’t wrap her in cotton to protect her, Trent. I would never hurt her in any way.” Trent flinched at his soft voice. “We’ve been on two dates. I want to go on more because I like spending time with her. We might continue to date or not. Whatever we do is not up to you. If you try to interfere, you and I will have a problem.”
Silence filled the room. Finally, Trent said, “If you hurt her, you’ll have my fist in your face.”
“Fair enough.” His lips twitched. “You’ll have to wait in line, though. Darcy is tough enough to take me on herself if I upset her.”
Satisfaction and a little pride lit his friend’s face. “That is true. Something I’d like to see myself.”
“Thanks a lot, buddy.”
“Did you girls kiss and make up?” Nate asked. He leaned one shoulder against the wall as a handful of trainees traipsed to the front door, carting arm loads of towels and old clothes.
“We reached a truce.” Trent speared Rio with a meaningful glance. “For now.”
Yeah, he got that Darcy’s big brother was sending a warning. It was unnecessary. Only time would convince Trent that Rio had honorable intentions. With a salute to his comrade in arms, he walked past his teammate. “Shower time for me.”
“Lunch will be ready soon.”
Dressed a few minutes later, Rio dodged a trainee carrying a loaded box of toys down the hall. “Sorry,” she called back over her shoulder. With a chuckle, he continued to the kitchen. Nate had set up another big spread of food on the counters. Huge bowls of taco salad sat next to bags of tortilla chips. The scratched dining table had three kinds of cookies on platters. Nice. His mouth watered at the sight of fresh baked oatmeal raisin cookies, his favorite. How did Nate find time to cook and bake like this?
“Trent already ate and limped off to take a nap.”
“Maybe that will sweeten his attitude,” Rio muttered.
“Don’t bet on it, Rio. Darcy is his kid sister. He’s going to be protective.”
“I know. I get it. I was the same way with my younger brothers.”
“No, you weren’t. It’s different with a sister.”
And the autoimmune disease only added to his protective instincts. Rio sighed. “I suppose you were the same.”
Nate snorted. “Worse. Trent’s handling this a lot better than I would have.”
Light footsteps sounded, coming toward the kitchen. Rio turned as Darcy crossed the threshold. Immediately, he went to her and cupped the side of her face with his palm, searching her haunted gaze. “What’s wrong?”
She bit her lower lip.
“Come sit with me.” He clasped her hand and led her to the table. Rio sent a pointed glance toward Nate who promptly left the room without saying a word. “Talk to me, sweetheart. Did you go to the deli?”
“Brian’s doing a great job. Everything is progressing on schedule.”
; Hmm. Not that, then. “Where did you go after that?”
“Otter Creek Books. I met Del and Madison. They’re really nice.”
So what had upset her so much that she was talking about everything except what he wanted to know? Rio studied her face, noted the pallor. Shock? He crossed to the counter. He grabbed a green tea bag and dumped it in a cup and nuked the water while she continued telling him about the store and the customers she’d seen while sitting at the counter.
When the microwave signaled the end of the heating cycle, he removed the bag and emptied a packet of stevia in it and stirred. He wasn’t sure this would take care of it, but he’d try this first. If it didn’t, he’d sprinkle a little sugar in it to counteract the shock. As long as he didn’t overdo it, a small amount of sugar shouldn’t set off any inflammation.
He returned to his seat and set the cup in front of Darcy. “Sip this.”
She stopped talking and picked up the cup with shaking hands. “Sorry.”
“Hey, it’s all right. Even hardened soldiers have to deal with shock.” He waited until she drank half the tea before he said, “Let’s try this again. What happened, baby?”
“I talked to one of Del’s employees, a woman named Annie.”
A grandmother to a bunch of rambunctious boys she adored.
“She was friends with Gretchen Bond.”
He wrapped his hand around one of hers.
“Annie was the one who found her body. Rio, she was beaten to death with a hammer.”
His hand tightened as his mind flashed back to the two occasions on a mission where he and his teammates stumbled across people who’d met an untimely end in a similar manner. Sympathy welled up for Annie. Finding her friend that way would stay with her the rest of her life. “I’m sorry she had to be the one to find her.”
“What if the break-in is related to Ms. Bond’s murder?”
“It’s been a couple years since she was killed.”
“But the police never found the murderer.”
“It’s possible.” He frowned. “But why wait this long to break into the house and rip up the floor?”
She sighed. “I don’t know. Doesn’t make much sense, does it? I guess I got spooked.”
Maybe. Rio didn’t intend to tell her he’d wondered if the previous owner’s death was connected. Too much time had passed without an indication of the killer returning to the scene of the crime. Now that White was in town, Rio was more inclined to think he had something to do with the holes in the floor. What better way to scare Darcy into going back to the life she’d been living than to make this safe haven seem dangerous?
“We can talk to Nick.”
“Stella Armstrong was here while you slept. She promised to do some digging on Gretchen Bond.”
“She was a U.S. Marshal before she married Nate.”
“Wow. How long have they been married?”
“Two weeks.”
“She asked me about a job for a friend of hers, Leah Conner.”
“Leah and her husband, Dean, moved here about a month ago. Do you have a place for Leah?”
“I’ll need at least one helper. According to Stella, I’ll have to teach Leah what to do. She doesn’t cook.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem. She’s a smart lady.”
Darcy tilted her head. “You know her?”
“Talked to her a couple times in town and she and her husband helped move Stella’s belongings into Nate’s place. She and the Conners have been friends for a while.”
“Must be nice to have friends like that.”
Rio captured her chin in the palm of his hand. “Sweetheart, you have friends like that.”
Her cheeks flushed. “The PSI students don’t count.”
“Maybe not, but Durango does. You are one of us now.” He would have said more, but his cell phone rang at that moment. Rio checked the display screen. His eyebrows shot up. “I need to take this.” Rio swiped his thumb across the screen. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hope this isn’t a bad time, son.”
“What’s up?”
“I need a favor.” A pause. “Well, your Uncle James needs a favor.”
“Name it.”
“Would you have room at your place for a boarder?”
“As long as it’s not one of my brothers who had a fight with his wife, sure.” His attempt at levity was met with silence. Uneasiness twisted through his gut. “Dad? It’s not one of my siblings, is it?” Man, he hoped not. His brothers were all deliriously happy with their mates and he didn’t relish seeing one of their marriages fall apart. He loved his sisters-in-law. They were amazing and perfect matches for his brothers.
“No, son. They’re all happy as far as I know.”
“Talk to me, Dad.”
“Mason is being released from prison tomorrow, Rio. James doesn’t want him to come back here. The town’s already up in arms about his release and there have been threats made against him. Will you let him stay with you for a while?”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Darcy watched with growing concern as Rio’s expression went blank. She’d seen that look often on her brother’s face when he was upset and didn’t want anyone to know. Had something happened to a family member? Not knowing what else to do to offer comfort, she reached over and threaded her fingers through his.
He glanced at her, raised their clasped hands and kissed the back of hers while he listened to his father speak. After a bit, he said, “Do I need to go pick him up?” More silence, then he closed his eyes. “Dad, please,” he said, voice choked. “Don’t cry. It’s going to be okay. He’ll be fine. I’ll pick him up and bring him here. I assume all the legalities have been taken care of?” He was silent for a moment. “Who does he report to?” Then, “Dad, I don’t mind. Yeah, love you, too.”
Curiosity soon outpaced the concern. Who would be fine? She squeezed his hand when he ended the call with his father. “Are you okay?”
He placed his phone on the table and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m fine, baby.”
“Your family?”
“Safe. My father called about my cousin, Mason.” Rio eased her away from him. “He’s being released from prison tomorrow.”
Her jaw dropped. Prison? Not the explanation she’d been expecting. She recalled the conversation she’d overheard. “Mason wants to stay with you?”
“Uncle James wants him to stay with me instead of going home.”
“But why? I would think the only place your cousin would want to be was home.”
“He can’t go home,” he said, his voice flat. “They live in a small town, smaller than Otter Creek. The residents know he’s being released and have already made threats against him. Uncle James is afraid for my cousin’s safety.”
“Why was he in prison?”
“Vehicular manslaughter. He got behind the wheel of a car while drunk and hit a family in another vehicle. A mother and her infant were killed in the wreck.”
“Oh, Rio. How tragic for everyone involved.” Including his cousin. “How long was he in prison?”
“Thirteen years.”
“That’s a long time.”
“Could have been longer. The judge could have given him up to 60 years. As it was, Judge Hart wanted to make an example of him. I’d say he accomplished that.”
“Is he being let out on parole?”
His face hardened. “No. He was denied every time he was eligible for it. The sentencing judge and the victims’ family made sure of that. He will be on probation for a good while, though.”
“You’re picking him up?”
He nodded. “I’ll have to leave early tomorrow morning.”
“Would you like me to go with you?”
An emotion Darcy couldn’t identify glowed in his eyes. “You will never know how much the offer means to me, Darcy. However, the trip will take about 8 hours total plus whatever time we need to spring him. That’s a long time in a car for you and Trent still needs assistance.”
&nb
sp; “And?”
A wry smile curved his lips. “I don’t know how Mason will react to seeing me, much less a stranger.”
“Bring him back here with you.”
“I planned to drop him off at my house.”
“Rio, bring him here. He shouldn’t feel like he’s being abandoned in a strange town, as if you’re embarrassed by him.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” She smiled. “I’ve got plenty of room.” Darcy stopped. “Rats. I have the room, but not a bed. We need to go shopping.”
He chuckled. “I’m happy to offer my muscles. First, though, you need to eat.”
“As do you.”
“True enough.” He drew Darcy to her feet. “I’ll ask Nate if he can stay longer. I don’t trust your brother to be a couch potato without an enforcer present. The PSI trainees are too busy to do that.”
She frowned. “Do you think he’s that unwise?”
“He’s Special Forces, sweetheart. He hates being housebound, will push himself too hard. If he does, Trent could pop stitches and set himself back in recovery time.”
Without saying more, Darcy handed him a thick paper plate and chose one for herself. She eyed the taco salad which smelled fantastic. Who knew healthy food could be so appetizing? She scooped out a portion. A glance inside the coolers revealed more soft drinks and bottled water. Guess she was drinking water. She frowned. Come to think of it, she hadn’t drunk any water today, a habit she couldn’t let continue. While she waited for Annie to help customers, Darcy had surfed the Internet on Sjogren’s Syndrome on her phone. One of the things she’d read was the need to drink a lot of water, particularly reverse osmosis water. She needed to ask Brian to install a whole house filtration system with the reverse osmosis in the kitchen. Otherwise, her bottled water bill would be high.
After lunch, she and Rio hunted down Nate who agreed to stay until they returned. An hour later, Darcy was the owner of a queen-size bed. Another stop at the closest department store netted a nice comforter in hunter green, a couple pillows, two sheet sets, and a bed skirt. In a different department, she discovered a sale on towels and washcloths. Perfect. She needed new ones for herself and Trent anyway. She might as well buy them now.