“Did you know about this?” he demanded as he walked onto his back porch and sat down with his third cup of coffee.
“This? What is the ‘this’ I should know about, mijo? And why does it take the place of being respectful to your elders?”
“Good morning aunty. Now, did you, or did you not, conspire with the hellion to keep it secret from me that she was moving into old Mrs. Willoby’s house?”
The shriek that pierced his ear made him distance his phone from his head.
“That little imp! To put Audrey through all that grief for nothing.”
“Audrey...really?” Because he distinctly rememberedhercrying in his arms when she’d believed Lauren had left.
“Ciate, you know nothing! I’m on my way.”
She hung up before he could discourage her.
And just like that, he’d contributed to the further ruination of his off day.
Placing the phone down on the table, his gaze drifted over to the Moor house. The place was a hive of activity. Men he didn’t know carried paint buckets and construction equipment; there was a plumbing crew from town; and Sam Ferriday was over there installing security cameras on the second story roof line.
Before learning that someone had tampered with the previous owner’s life, he’d wondered why the devil incarnateneeded protection, now he preferred her caution. The whole town needed to be cautious. He felt it, the discordant chaotic energy cloaking the mountain, felt the threat of something dangerous lurking, watching. He wanted to discount the feelings, but they were coming from his gut, and he knew better than to ignore the feelings that churned there.
He frowned at the Moor house. The Willobys had cleaned out their mother’s belongings and Ms. Green’s renovations had certainly destroyed any possibility that he’d find any additional evidence, but he felt compelled to confirm it before he moved on.
“Shit.” He never should’ve touched her again. Never should’ve threatened her again. He just couldn’t seem to maintain his control around her.
And he couldn’t understand why.
If he was going to be able to access the house again, he would need Ms. Green’s cooperation. A warrant was possible, but it was more time and paperwork, and he wasn’t likely to turn up anything new outside of Ms. Green’s portal to hell.
He grinned, then resolved to do better.
Making his way back over to the Moor house, he bypassed the back porch and walked along the side to get a better view of the work inside.
R&B, at a more respectful decibel level, drifted from the open windows. He smelled fresh paint, cut wood, Pine-Sol, and bleach. It would be a miracle if she didn’t burn out her fucking lungs, he thought, irritated all over again.
He saw a glimpse of her charming a worker like he was a snake swaying to the sound of her voice, by the sway of her ass in snug peach-colored shorts, her breasts stretching a cut-off white T-shirt to within an inch of its frayed existence.
These men simply didn’t perceive the danger they were in. He saw it clearly.
Bypassing the four stairs that led to the old laundry room on the side of the house, he headed for the front porch and knocked.
Ms. Green opened the door with a high wattage smile that momentarily made him forget why he was there. The smile contorted into a scowl when she realized it was him.
“We really don’t have to do this. But since you’re here, apology not accepted. Don’t come back.”
“Apology?” He wasn’t here to apologize for any damn thing.But if that’s the cost for her cooperation…
“Sorry for earlier. It isn’t my intention to cause you any more trouble, Ms. Green. Just the opposite.” He chose is next words carefully. “There may be something still in the house that could help us in our investigation. Do you mind if I take one last sweep to see if there’s anything we missed before you get fully settled in?”
“The family confirmed the house had been released by your office, so try again, Sheriff. Are you attempting to plant drugs in my house?”
He looked in the house and saw one of the workers watching them with interest.
“Can we step out into the yard?”
She turned to see one of the painters turn sharply and take a keen interest in the wall he was painting.
Ms. Green stepped out of the house and closed the door behind her. They walked to her SUV and stood beside it.
