He got back in his truck and pulled out of the Tyler drive, hiding his truck in the grown over service road where he’d parked it before. He stayed there until a familiar orange and white truck drove by .
Jay just watched .
48
P an had finally calmed down over what it was that Levi had said to her—Pip hadn’t gotten a clear idea what it was, something to do with what a man wanted from a woman or something—and was laughing and teasing Pip about her relationship with Matt .
So far the only sister who seemed concerned was Perci. It would always be Perci who worried about her the most, wouldn’t it ?
For some reason, the thought of Perci got stuck in her head. Along with a real feeling of trepidation .
Like something was about to happen .
Pip drove the rest of the way home with one ear tuned to Pan and part of her attention elsewhere .
Perci wasn’t hurt, or anything, Pip would have felt that, but something was wrong. Was about to happen .
They pulled into the drive and parked where Pip usually parked. Pan’s little two-door was off to one-side, where it had always been parked before, and everything looked fine .
Except the front door was standing wide open. Pip was almost certain she’d closed it. Maybe. She couldn’t be certain .
It could have been left ajar and blown open by the wind. It was an extremely windy day. Or Phoebe could have arrived and left it open .
Her oldest sister didn’t drive, after all. Phoebe could be inside somewhere and just not have heard them drive up. Phoebe only had sixty percent hearing in one ear, even with her hearing aid. Sometimes Phoebe just missed things .
She could even be up with her drove of goats .
So why did Pip feel like that was the wrong answer ?
“Pan…something’s wrong .”
“I know.” Her usually bubbly, lively little sister was ghost pale. “What do we do ?”
What did they do? What Tylers always did .
They dealt .
But they weren’t stupid—they called Libby, the old Border collie, from the far barn and kept her with them as they went inside their home. She was older, but fiercely protective. If anyone was in there, Lib would know .
Once Pip stepped into the hallway, she knew where the most damage would be. She ordered Pan to stay outside on the porch—not that her sister would listen, but…she had to try. Instead, Pan went straight to the study, where their father kept his rifles .
Pan had always been the best shot of the lot of them .
The rest of the house was undisturbed, though someone had taken a cinnamon roll out of the pan. She’d put them on the counter to cool before she’d left. None had been missing then .
The toilet seat was up in the downstairs bathroom, the one right between her and Perci’s rooms. The one she had used right before she and Pan had left .
The seat shouldn’t be up .
Pip pulled in a deep breath and opened her bedroom door .
It was as clean as she’d left it .
Except for one thing .
A stuffed yellow horse rested on her pillow .
Pan yelled out before Pip could touch it .
Pip forgot about the stuffed horse and ran toward her little sister quickly .
What she found had her wanting to lose her lunch that Matt had bought her just two hours earlier .
49
H er shift was only half over, but Perci couldn’t shake the feeling that something had happened .
She’d asked Tiff for an extra hour on her lunch break. That would give her time to drive home and check for herself. If her car had just started, but once again it had given out right when she needed it most .
She had no other option; she knocked on Nate Masterson's office door as hard as she could. It was like nails through her heart to ask him for help but this was for her family. There was nothing she wouldn't do for her family .
He jerked the door open, a clear look of annoyance on his face. Perci didn't give him a chance to say anything. "I need a ride home now. My car won't start. Hurry !”
He held up a hand and glowered down at her, like always. He would be almost handsome if he didn’t glare all the time. But that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he had wheels. “Calm down. Tell me what's wrong .”
"Pip's in trouble. Right now. I just know it ."
"How do you know ?”
“I just do . I always know when she's in trouble. I need to get home . Now .”
“Let me grab my keys. Call Joel .”
“I've already tried. He's out of cell range. Something's wrong, Nate, really wrong. Please, hurry .”
“I'll get you there. But this better not be some wild goose chase. And I’m docking your pay until we get back here .”
"It isn't a wild goose chase. It's my sister ."
They had just pulled out of the parking lot when his phone rang. He looked at her. Surprise was in his dark green eyes. “It's Pan. Answer it ."
Perci did. She listened to her sister's panicked words, fighting off the nausea. "Nate’s driving me home now, Pan. I'll be there as soon as I can. Okay. I understand. Yes, I have money. I'll take care of it. We'll be there as soon as we can. Don't let Pip out of your sight. You have the gun? Good. Don’t let her out of your sight. It’s her he’s after. I just know it. We'll be there when we can. Stay safe and I love you.” She disconnected and looked at the man driving her. His expression had darkened at her words. "We need to stop by the general store. I need… I need to buy new underwear ."
"Now? What the hell is going on, Perci ?"
She shivered--she couldn't stop shivering. Why was this happening again? "Someone broke into our house. He slashed all of my underwear into pieces. And he took Pip's. All of hers. Every last pair of her underwear is just gone . I need to buy her new underwear. Before I get home. My sister... We need new underwear... Can you drive me to the store, please ?”
50
P ip would never stop shaking. The attack had been so damned personal, had hit right in the center of where she felt most vulnerable. Where her twin was most vulnerable , too .
She was glad she wasn’t facing this alone. If she had found it all by herself she didn't know what she would've done. She was grateful Pan was there, but her first instinct had been to call Matt. To have him there next to her , too .
But when she’d dialed his number with Pan’s cell phone—Pip didn’t carry one of her own—he had been out of range .
Why had someone broken in and taken her underwear ?
It didn't make any sense at all. Neither did the destruction to Perci's room. All sorts of thoughts were running through her head. She was just glad Pan was there. They locked the doors and waited. Joel was coming. Joel and some of his people. And Perci—Perci was coming, with Nate .
Phoebe still had the boys over at her house. The boys were safe; it made her sick to even think that this could have happened while her younger brothers were there .
What were they going to do about this? How were they going to find the person responsible? She trusted Joel, of course. She knew he wouldn't stop until he had those answers. But why? Why had someone targeted them again? Just what had they done this time? They stayed to themselves. Didn't hurt anyone, barely interacted with anyone .
Or maybe that was it; maybe someone didn't like them because they were suddenly a part of the town again? Did they have enemies ?
She knew they did .
The Gundersons and the Rutherfords for one thing. Did they have something to do with this? Both Jay Gunderson and John Rutherford were out there. Somewhere. And they hated her family, hated her and Perci, for sure .
Pip barely made it to the back bathroom before she finally lost her lunch .
Pan followed her in there. "I called Phoebe. And Levi…Levi's going to be here in five minutes. He doesn't want us here alone until Joel can get here. Joel’s clear a
cross the county. Levi's coming, Pip. We will be okay. I promise we’ll find the one who did this. Then we will sic Joel and his brothers on them. How’s that sound? They are a pretty scary sight ."
Pip washed her face and nodded .
She wanted the answers, wanted the world to be safe again. Was that so much to ask ?
51
M att had just pulled in when Levi came running out of the front door. His brother had a gun in his hands. Not that unusual—rifles were the number one accessory in Masterson County, after all .
Levi didn't stop moving; he ran straight to Matt’s truck and hopped in. "What the hell's going on Levi ?"
"Get to the Tylers. Now . Some sonofabitch broke in. Pan's over there with Pip now ."
Matt didn't question, he just hit the gas .
They were halfway there before he calmed himself down enough to ask what had happened .
“I don't know. Pan called Phoebe. She was afraid, Matt. Someone had broken in and done something to the twins’ rooms. I didn't ask for details. I just told her to grab the gun and wait for me there. I told her that I'd be there as soon as I could. Figured you'd feel the same way ."
"You're right about that. We sure the guy isn't still there? You call Joel?" Matt refused to let panic take hold. Levi had said she was there with her sister. She was safe. That something could happen to her and her sister in the meantime hadn't skipped his notice. But he wasn't going to panic .
That ten miles between their place in the Tylers seemed like one hundred. He made it in seven minutes .
Pip and her sister met them at the edge of the drive. Matt jumped from his truck and ran to her. "Pip, baby, come here ."
She ran off the porch and threw herself against his chest. Matt closed his arms around her .
He was only barely aware of Levi pulling Pan closer himself .
They just held the sisters for a very long time .
52
P ip knew she was a coward. But that didn't matter in the moment. What mattered was that he was there and she was safe. For one moment she gave in to the fear, the weakness, and just let him hold her. Couldn't she just let him hold her for a little while ?
He felt so much stronger than her father. So much stronger than the world. She just wanted him to hold her for a few minutes longer. He seemed to understand that .
He was holding her just as tightly as she was holding him. He didn't pull away until the sheriff's SUV pulled in, lights blazing. Pip's brother-in-law stepped from the cab and rushed across the yard toward them .
"What the hell happened? What's going on? Pip, honey? Pan; girls talk to me." Pip stepped out of Matt's arms and looked at her brother-in-law. “When we got home, Pan and I noticed that the door was wide open. We called the dog then came inside and checked the house ."
"That ever happens again you are to get back in your car and drive straight to our place, no hesitation,” Joel ordered. “Anytime something happens, you understand ?"
Pip nodded. But this was their house. Not the Mastersons. It was her home, hers and her father's and Perci's and the boys; their home that had been violated. They had every right to go inside .
But they would discuss that later. Joel needed to know what they’d find inside. "We went inside and checked the house. Someone had been in there. He left the toilet seat up, and ate one of our cinnamon rolls. Perci’s room took the most damage. Someone dumped her dresser on the floor. He cut her bras and panties into pieces. They're all ruined. My room ..."
"What did they do in yours?" Matt asked. He was still next to her, his hand on her shoulder. He pulled her back so that she could rest against his chest while she faced his brother .
"My top drawer was open. My underwear is gone; it’s nowhere in the house. My entire top drawer was empty. We did laundry yesterday; everything but what I'm wearing now was in that drawer. And now it's gone. Perci's is destroyed. Why would he do that? Why did he do that ?"
Joel stepped closer, and put his hands on her cheeks. Her sister's husband kissed her lightly on the forehead. “I don't know, baby, but I'm going to find out. I can promise you that ."
"Tell them about the rest of it, Pip," Pan said from next to Levi .
"What else?” Matt asked from behind her .
"There was a stuffed horse on my pillow. Yellow, with black points and a pink hairbow. We didn't touch it. But I know it's not mine. We've never seen it before. And in the middle of Perci's bed was one of our kitchen knives. Jammed right into the center of where my sister sleeps ."
53
M att looked at his older brother, seeing the same fury he felt in Joel's eyes. It was a clear threat against the twins. They were the only sisters living here now. But what did it mean? Matt didn't have a clue; he was a vet not a cop .
"Joel, any ideas what this means ?"
"It damn well means she's not staying here tonight alone ."
"Perci's on her way home. Nate’s bringing her," Pan said. “I'm not sure why he's bringing her, but he is. She’s not alone. They should be here any minute ."
"That doesn't matter, the twins are not staying here tonight ."
"I can't leave Wind Lover," Pip said. "Or the rest of the horses. It’s me and Perci here right now, until Dad gets back. Someone has to stay with our livestock .”
She looked up at him like he would have all the answers. But Matt didn't. All he had was the anger. And the fear. "Don't worry, baby. I'm staying, too. I'm not leaving you and your sister here alone ."
Matt put his arm around her from behind, resting his hand over her stomach. He pulled her closer. Just breathed her in. Reassured himself that she was safe, and right there in front of him. What if she and Pan had arrived while the sonofabitch was there? What would they have done then? They had the rifle, but he knew the truth .
They were practically defenseless against a man his size. Against a man of any size. They'd fight—he had no doubt that the Tylers would fight—but they would lose. They were just too damned small to defend themselves all that well .
How could he not worry ?
Pip shocked the hell out of him when she leaned back against him. Let him hold her. When her hand wrapped around his arm .
She just stayed there while they watched Nate's truck pull up the drive .
Pip's twin hopped out of the passenger seat and ran up the steps. Matt felt Pip start to shake in his grasp. He let her go. She threw herself at her identical sister and the two of them clung together. Probably much the same way they'd been doing since birth .
Matt looked at Nate as his brother followed behind Perci. The fury was hard to miss on Nate’s face, as well .
It was obvious that Perci was just as frightened as the other two sisters. And why wouldn't she be? She had been just as violated as Pip. Why had someone done this to these women? That's what Joel was going to have to find out. Matt was going to ride his brother’s ass until he did .
"I need to see, girls," Joel said. "But I don't want you touch anything ."
"There's not much to see in Pip's room,” Pan said. "It's as neat in there as always. Except her top drawer is open. And the stuffed horse. Watching everything. Perci's room is where the real mess is ."
"I need to see for myself," Perci said. There was determination in her face. And fear. It hurt Matt to look at her, seeing how much she resembled Pip. It was like seeing Pip’s fear doubled. Nate practically hovered over Perci as they all walked down the narrow hall that led to the bedrooms .
The Tyler house wasn't overly large and it was crowded. Levi and Pan had stayed outside .
Matt was there when Nate and Perci and Joel got the first look at what had been done to Perci's room. Scraps of tattered lace and cotton littered the floor. But it was the big chef’s knife jammed through her blankets int
o the mattress that made the boldest statement .
They crossed the hall; Matt entered Pip's bedroom just after Joel. He’d never been in her space before. It was painted a cool light blue, neat and feminine. And it smelled like her. The top drawer of the old dresser that was in good need of painting stood open. Empty .
It was the only thing out of place in the room .
The eighteen-inch stuffed horse, yellow with a black mane, almost looked as if it belonged on Pip's pillow .
If they had not mentioned it, he never would've known that it didn't .
To Matt, that horse was more of a threat than anything else had been .
Why would someone go to all of the trouble of vandalizing one twin’s room, and leaving a cute gift in the other’s? Why would he destroy Perci's underwear, and take her sister’s? Who was the real target of the bastard who'd been there today ?
Levi took Pan back to their place. She hadn't wanted to go, but Levi had pulled the dirty card. Reminded her that she had work to do. Told her he was her boss, after all .
It was not exactly how Matt would've done it, but it was effective. It got the youngest Tyler sister back to where she was safe, at least. Which had been Levi's objective in the first place. They all knew that—except possibly Pip and her sisters. He wished Pip would go back with his brother, too. Let him stay with the livestock. Pip would be safe that way .
He knew better than to even suggest it .
There was no way in hell he was leaving her there without him. Perci actually thanked Nate for the ride home, standing close to Nate .
That told Matt exactly how frightened Perci was. And why wouldn't she be ?
Someone had driven a twelve-inch knife through her bed. The place where a woman was the most vulnerable. The bastard had violated it on purpose. It made him wonder if the threat was actually against Perci? Anyone who knew anything about her would know that threatening one of her sisters would terrify her .
Discovering the Doctor (Masterson County Book 2) Page 11