“How long do you think the man has been dead in my house? I haven’t been back here in three days.”
“Less than eight hours. I’ll let the ME narrow that down some more, if he can.”
“So, last night.” She shivered and hugged her arms across her chest. Her gaze fixed upon the grandfather clock. “It’s almost nine. I’ve got to get to the courthouse.”
When she started to rise, Brody placed a hand on her arm. “No, you don’t. Call Laura and let her know what’s happened. Delay the trial a day. I need to wait until the police come.”
She settled back on the couch. Her head throbbing, she squeezed her eyes closed, but immediately the scene in her bedroom filled the screen of her mind. She never wanted to go in there again. How could she, after what she’d seen? “I can’t delay it more than an hour or so. I won’t let Petrov and his pals win. If I delay it a day, no telling what they’ll do to get me to do it again. May I use your cell?”
He unclipped the phone from his belt and gave it to her. “I can’t get anything from your room. It’s a crime scene, and I need to leave it as is.”
“These clothes don’t seem so bad at the moment.” Rebecca punched in her office number.
Laura answered on the first ring. “Brody, where’s Rebecca?” Her voice sounded frantic, rushed.
“It’s me. I’m using his phone,” Rebecca said, realizing her law clerk would have known it was Brody’s cell by the caller ID. “I’m at my house. I’ll be late. The trial will be delayed until ten o’clock.”
“Why? What’s wrong? You’re never late.”
“The witness who disappeared has been found—in my bed, dead. Is Randall there?”
“No, I thought he might be bringing you in.”
“I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”
“Hey, you can’t leave me with a dead man in your bed. What’s going on?”
“That’s about all I know. The police haven’t even arrived yet.”
When she hung up, Brody took the phone. “I called Randall right away. He’s on his way here so he can take you to the courthouse.”
“You’re staying here at the crime scene?”
“Yes. I want to make sure every clue is collected and every possible person is interviewed. Although it occurred in the middle of the night, someone might have seen something and not realized it. If there is some way to tie this to Alexandrov, the federal government would be happy. Before moving here, he was involved in all kinds of schemes in Maryland. When things got hot for him there, he packed up and came here.”
“Aren’t we lucky?”
“Randall told me the FBI talked with Alexandrov this morning concerning the body found at the pawnshop. They want to put the screws to Petrov, see if he’ll turn against Alexandrov.”
Rebecca sat up straight. “Why didn’t you tell me? Don’t you think I need to know that?”
“I’m telling you now. This morning was the first I heard about it.”
Tension gripped her and squeezed. Lowering her head, she rubbed her eyes to ease the pounding behind them. “I’m leaving with Randall, and believe me, I’m going to have him repeat the whole conversation to me. I want Petrov to pay for his crimes.”
“The person behind Petrov is his brother-in-law, Alexandrov. He is not a nice man. Not one we want running around San Antonio.”
“And you think Petrov is a nice man?” She glanced out the large window behind her couch as a couple of squad cars pulled up in front of her house.
“He’s a minion, only following orders. We want the man giving those orders.” He stood. “The thing we need to ask is how the killer got inside. You have an alarm system. Was it on when you left three days ago?”
“I thought so, but I’m not 100 percent sure.”
“We’ll check the system and all entry points.” Brody headed toward the foyer to meet the police.
She rested her back on the couch cushion, staring up at the ceiling, trying to compose herself before she went to the courthouse and tried to act as if nothing had happened at her house. She didn’t want the defendant or his cohorts to think they’d gotten to her. Voices drifted to her, along with the sound of men tramping toward her bedroom. But she couldn’t deny she felt violated—her home invaded first by a killer and now by the police. Running her hands down her face, she tried to block the noises coming to her and the stench of death that seemed to follow her from her bedroom, and for a few moments she visualized what it had been like right before everything fell apart on Thomas’s birthday. When she’d been chosen to be the judge for Petrov’s second trial, she’d known her life would be difficult, but not like this. She felt like Humpty Dumpy when he fell off the wall and cracked into hundreds of pieces. All the king’s men couldn’t put him back together.
Will I be able to piece my life back together when this is over? Will Thomas? Doubts that she or her brother would be able to make things right again engulfed her.
“When are you going to buy something new to drive?” Rebecca slipped into Brody’s rented SUV.
His chuckle rang in the cooling air. “In between working several murders and protecting you,” he tapped the steering wheel, “this will do until things settle down.”
“What if they don’t?”
As he pulled out into traffic, he flicked a glance at her. “They will. We caught a break with the man who was found in your house.”
“What?”
“The witness fought his attacker. There were two blood types found at the scene. One could be the killer’s. The lab will run DNA on the samples. Maybe the murderer is in our database. They’re rushing all tests in this case, but it will still take time. Also, on a closer comparison of the two murders, Charlie and I aren’t as sure that they were done by the same person.”
“Two different killers?”
“Possibly.”
“Well, at least I have some good news. The witness’s testimony today went well. He came across as credible and convincing. If the other one does, too, Petrov is going to have a hard time getting off.”
“I know Petrov didn’t want to make a deal beforehand with the government, but this may persuade him. Randall told me they moved Petrov to a more secure area.”
“I want him to pay for what he did to the man he murdered. I don’t care if the murdered man was in the wrong place at the wrong time and his death wasn’t intended. Petrov has made my life a mess. He went into that building to murder someone. It doesn’t count if it wasn’t the right person.”
“But to get Alexandrov would be huge for the government.”
“Where’s the justice for the victim?”
“It’s sometimes a hard question to find the right answer to.” Brody pulled onto her street.
Rebecca spied her home, with yellow tape strung up out front, announcing to the world that a crime had happened there. “I appreciate your taking me by my house. I have some papers and a few items I want to take with me to the ranch. I’m going to stay at the ranch for the time being. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to live here again.” She and Garrett had bought the house a few years after they got married. They’d fallen in love with it when they first saw it. Now her memories would always be tainted by the witness’s murder in her bedroom. A lid had slammed shut on that part of her life. She didn’t like change, and suddenly her life was a series of changes, one after the other.
“Did you find out how the killer got in?”
“He disabled the alarm system and came in through your back door. The door will need to be replaced. The lock on it wasn’t as good as the one on your front door.” Brody parked at the curb.
“How did he disable my alarm?”
“He broke the power by circumventing the circuit using aluminum foil. You might check into other alarm systems, too.” He grasped the door handle. “The house has been processed, but we won’t release it right away. Maybe in a day or so.”
“That’s okay. I don’t intend to come back—at least not anytime soon. With Tho
mas in the hospital and Tory focused on him, I need to be there for the girls.”
“You’d make a great mother.”
His statement surprised her. All she’d been centered on lately were murders, the Russian Mafia, and crimes. The idea of having a family still appealed to her. She’d wanted children, but she might have to be satisfied with loving her two nieces. “Well, I don’t see that happening anytime soon, and I’m certainly glad right now that I don’t have a child. I wouldn’t want any child of mine to be subjected to what’s going on.”
“It’s an unusual circumstance.”
“Doing my job?” She shoved open the door and headed into her house.
Brody caught up with her and stopped her. “I’ll go in first, or have you forgotten what happened here?”
She rounded on him, the frustration and fury she’d kept bottled up inside the whole day pouring out. “How could I? Oh, don’t worry. I’ll let you do your job.”
“Listen, Rebecca, I know this isn’t an easy situation.”
Her anger poured out, as though someone had uncorked a stopper. “I’m sorry. You aren’t responsible. Alexandrov and his thugs are.”
“We’ll get him, and whoever has done this.”
“You say that with such confidence.”
“Because I believe it. When someone comes after a friend of mine, it becomes personal. I won’t give up until justice has been done.”
“We’ve been around long enough to realize that doesn’t always happen, even with the best of intentions.”
“C’mon. Let me check the house, and you get your stuff, then we’ll go by and see Thomas before going to the ranch.”
“I’d like that. I kept hoping I’d get a call today that Thomas was awake. I need to see him and the girls. They are what keep me going. When I’m sitting up there on the bench, listening to the testimony and the evidence submitted, I feel so alone.”
He faced her. “You are not alone. You have me. You have the Lord. You have a lot of people who care about you. Friends. Family.”
His nearness comforted her. She laid her palm flat against his chest. The beat of his heart thumped against her hand and soothed her even more. “I don’t usually throw myself a pity party. Just ignore my most recent outburst.”
He covered her hand with his. “I’d be worried if you didn’t have an outburst or two.”
“Oh, good. I get to have another one, and you won’t think I’m falling apart.” Her last words reminded her of how she’d felt this morning—as if she’d cracked and fragmented into hundreds of pieces.
“Tell you what. Next time you want to have an outburst, find me. I’ll listen to you.”
“That’s a sign of a true friend. It’s like those ten years apart hadn’t happened.”
A shadow clouded his eyes. “They did. They honed us into the people we are today.”
For all they had shared today, a barrier stood between them. She didn’t want that. She needed him. “I know we aren’t the same two people we were growing up. What has happened to us since we parted has changed us, especially with all the evil we’ve seen in our jobs. But nothing is going to change our friendship. I won’t let it this time.”
“Do I have a say in this?”
“Of course. I know it takes two people for a rela—friendship to work.” The word relationship had come so easily to mind, but she didn’t want to send the wrong signal. No matter how hard it was, friendship was all she would allow herself to feel—after Garrett. She wouldn’t go through losing another man the way she had lost her husband.
“Aunt Becky, where have you’ve been?” Kim threw her arms around Rebecca the second she stepped into the house, later that evening. “I missed you.”
“Honey, I missed you, too. Where’s Aubrey?”
“She went to bed. I told Hattie I wouldn’t go to bed until you came home.”
“I’m sorry it took so long today.”
“Have you two eaten yet?” Hattie asked from the entrance into the back hallway.
Rebecca threw a look at Brody. “We went to see Thomas, then because it was so late, we went on and grabbed something at the hospital cafeteria.”
“You should have called.” Reproach roughened Hattie’s voice.
“I’m sorry. I left a message on the answering machine when I stopped by my house to get some things. I thought maybe you were outside with the girls.”
The rigid set to the older woman’s shoulders relaxed. “I was. It was a beautiful day, so I took them to the stables to see the animals. They get tired of staying inside so much. The young officer here was fine with that.”
“Yeah, Aunt Becky, I want to go riding again. Can we go this weekend?”
“Sure. I could use a good ride myself.”
“Hattie took Aubrey and me to see Dad right after school. She said you would be working longer today.”
“The trial didn’t start until late, so we stayed longer at the end of the day.” Because she wanted it finished as quickly as possible. She wanted her life back.
“Okay, Miss Kim, you have seen your aunt. It’s time for you to get ready for bed.”
“Do I hafta?” Her niece swept her pleading gaze from Hattie to Rebecca.
“Sorry, you have to. You have school tomorrow. Did you do your homework?”
“Yes, and Mr. Calhoun checked it.”
“Where is my dad?” Brody secured the lock on the front door, then strode toward Hattie and the back part of the house.
“He’s in the den with Tory. She was here in time for dinner this evening.” Hattie shot Rebecca an irritated look before turning on her heel and making her way down the hall.
“She usually checks the messages on the machine. I guess she forgot,” Rebecca said with a long sigh. “I’m not used to having to account for myself.”
“I think it’s more from worrying than anything else. A lot has happened.”
“You don’t need to remind me. I’ll talk to Hattie later.”
When Rebecca entered the den with Brody, Sean and Tory stopped talking and looked at them. Hattie stood frowning in the center of the room.
“We were wondering where you two were.” Sean took a sip of his drink.
“Don’t you start, Dad. We had things to do.”
“That you couldn’t tell us about.”
“Rebecca said she left a message on the machine.” Hattie went to the phone and checked. “There’s no message here.”
They all stared at Rebecca. She settled her fist on her waist and looked at each one of them. “I left a message. I guess I could have called a wrong number. You should personalize your answering machine.”
“Rebecca is right.” Tory rose. “I’ll make sure to do that before I go to sleep. Are the girls in bed?”
“Aubrey is already asleep according to Kim, and Kim went upstairs a few minutes ago.”
“I’ll say good night to her, then, and check on Aubrey.” Tory crossed the room to the door. “I haven’t seen them much lately, and I don’t want them to forget who I am.”
“They understand you’ve been busy with Thomas.” Rebecca noted the dull sheen in her sister-in-law’s eyes. This had taken a toll on her, too. Thomas was Tory’s husband, and Rebecca knew all too well what it was like to have one’s love in the hospital, fighting for his life. Garrett hadn’t made it, but from what the staff had said tonight, Thomas was out of danger. Now the big question was when he would wake up and how affected he would be by the ordeal he had gone through.
“I can remember when I was a child,” Tory said. “You understand to a point, then you begin to wonder why your needs aren’t being met.”
Before Tory left, Rebecca asked, “How was Thomas today?”
“No movement. I was hoping the whole day I’d get to see what you did. But nothing. When the doctor came, he didn’t seem too excited about what happened during the night. Actually, when he left, I cried. I’d gotten my hopes up.”
“I’m sorry, Tory. I didn’t mean to make it wors
e for you. It could still be something.”
“I hope so,” Tory said on a heavy breath. “Good night. It’s been a long, emotional day. After I see to the girls, I’m going to bed.”
When her sister-in-law left, Rebecca looked from one person to the next, her gaze finally resting on Hattie. “Should I go talk to her?”
“I did earlier. This has been hard on her, especially all the unknowns. Will Thomas wake up? When? How will he be? What will he remember?”
“I know what she’s going through. I’ve been there . . .” She refused to go back to three years ago and relive Garrett’s death.
Brody slipped his arm around her and whispered in her ear, “You are not alone.”
Her eyes blurred, and she dropped her head forward. I will not cry. I will not cry. It doesn’t change anything.
Brody drew her to a wingback chair and sat her down. Then he took a seat across from her. “I didn’t want to tell you over the phone, but today Rebecca found a dead man in her bed at her house.”
“What! When?” Sean sat forward, clasping his hands together. “Why didn’t you let me know right away?”
“There wasn’t anything you could do. The San Antonio police are taking care of the crime scene.”
“Who was it? Why?” Hattie mirrored Sean’s position on the couch, her knuckles white from her tight grip.
“The ‘who’ is the witness who left the protection provided for him, refusing to testify. It didn’t make any difference. He ended up dead.” Brody removed his cowboy hat and put it on the coffee table near him.
“I guess the Russian Mafia don’t care that you aren’t going to testify.” The picture of the man posed in her bed flashed into her mind. Chilled, she hugged her arms to her.
“So the why is the Russians are mopping up every loose end they can.” The fierceness in Sean’s voice blasted the air. “Do they consider Rebecca a loose end?”
“Dad, calm down. We’re doing everything we can to make sure she’s safe. A lot of guys on the police force are taking this personally. They won’t let anything happen to one of their own.”
Hattie’s forehead furrowed. “Rebecca isn’t a police officer.”
Scorned Justice: The Men of Texas Rangers Series #3 (Men of the Texas Rangers) Page 15