“Then who is tormenting us?” Jennie rested her cheek on Zoey’s head and let the tears fall. The only thing she knew for sure was that she had to keep Zoey safe, no matter what happened to her.
***
David collapsed on the recliner in Jennie’s living room. He closed his eyes and thanked God for protecting Zoey. The cloud of failure of figuring out who targeted Jennie and her daughter hung over his head, but he refused to allow it to consume him. He’d spent the last four hours reassuring the mother daughter duo that he and Brandon wouldn’t stop until they arrested whoever had turned their life upside down.
Jennie stirred on the couch. She tucked Zoey tighter against her and relaxed, falling back to sleep.
The pair had wormed their way into his heart. He’d do anything to protect them.
The front door opened. He popped to his feet and reached for his Glock. Brandon waltzed in. David’s shoulders sagged in relief. He held a finger to his lips and whispered, “Shh. Theyfinally fell asleep twenty minutes ago.” He motioned for his partner to join him in the kitchen.
“Here’s what you asked for.” Brandon handed him the item and dropped onto a seat. “How are they doing?”
David pocketed the rubber bracelet. “Worried. Exhausted.” He pulled a chair near Brandon and collapsed onto it. “I’m at a loss. We know Eddie isn’t after them, and Kenny’s out of the equation, assuming he didn’t hire someone, but that doesn’t seem likely. We have nothing to go on.”
His partner drilled him with a stare.
“What?”
“There’s a reason I came over.”
David lifted a brow and motioned for him to continue.
“The police department where Tina lives called the station a little while ago. Tina came home from her work trip to a break-in. Someone destroyed her home, looking for something specific.”
“And?”
“Once they allowed her into the house, she had a bad feeling about the motive and immediately went to her safe.”
“Would you please get to the point?”
“It was open.” Brandon wiped a hand down his face. “That’s where Tina stored Jennie’s address and any pictures they share.”
David closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. “Whoever broke in is after Jennie. And knows where she lives.”
Brandon nodded. “The officers said, according to the evidence, the break-in occurred the day Tina came to visit Jennie.”
The new information swirled in his mind. David rose and strode over and placed his hands on the kitchen counter and lowered his head. “Who would do that?” Sweat popped out on his forehead and swallowed the bile creeping up his throat. “It’s someone from Jennie’s past. Only a friend or acquaintance from her time in Indiana would know she’d confide in Tina.”
“We need to wake Jennie and get a list of people she knew from back then. But, David, there’s another problem.”
He swung around to face his partner. “What?”
“The emergency key ring Tina kept in the safe is missing.”
“Don’t tell me.” David stomach twisted into a knot.
Brandon exhaled. “Jennie’s house key was on the ring.”
“What about my key?” Jennie’s question had both men freezing in place.
***
Jennie had tucked Zoey in on the couch and went searching for David. She hadn’t expected to discover him and Brandon talking about her house key. The headache that she’d woken up to and the stress of the day had taken a toll. Her patience was running low right now.
She shoved her fists on her hips and glared at the men in her kitchen. “Well? Are you going to stand there or are you going to tell me what’s going on.”
“I…uh…” Brandon shoulders drooped. “I got a call from the PD where Tina lives. Someone broke into her house.”
