“No, I came to talk to her. The door was ajar, so I assumed something was wrong.”
“They must have left,” Clara said softly, almost to herself.
“Who?” Jesse asked.
“I don’t know.” Clara swallowed, then winced. “Whoever wanted the USB.”
Holden sat beside her on the couch, his hand going to the small of her back, the need to touch her consuming him. “USB?”
“I was with Indie in the parking lot of The Tea House when I suddenly remembered that on the night Scarlett died, she was rummaging through the spice drawer. So I ran home and found a USB that she’d hidden in the peppercorn jar.”
“What was on it?” Jesse asked.
She dropped her head into her hands. “I don’t know. Just as I found it, I heard someone else in the house. That’s when I calledyou. They attacked me and I dropped it. If it’s not on the floor in the hall, I’m guessing they took it.”
Holden frowned at Jesse. “Pretty big coincidence that they came in at exactly the right time.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Jesse looked back at Clara. “Was anyone around to overhear your conversation with Indie?”
“I don’t—” She stopped, her brows dipping. “A car pulled in beside mine, but I didn’t look over, I only heard it. I guess they could have rolled down their window and listened.”
“And then followed you home,” Jesse finished.
Holden cursed. This was getting too fucking dangerous, and he didn’t like Clara being in the middle of it.
“Did you see who it was?” Jesse asked. “Did you recognize them, or could you give us a description?”
She shook her head, her brows tugging together again. “I didn’t see them. They were always behind me. I don’t even know the color of their car. I’m sorry. But thereissomething I’m certain about.”
Holden leaned closer. “What?”
“It was a woman.”
CHAPTER 24
Clara’s fingers wrapped tightly around the mug of hot cocoa. She hadn’t taken a single sip since Holden had placed it in her hand. People moved around her, deputies leaving her house while her brother and Holden spoke in the hall.
It was nearing evening, but she’d barely absorbed anything anyone had said after talking to Jesse.
She touched her neck. She could still feel that arm wrapped around her. And her throat still felt light, like the air wasn’t getting through.
It was hard to breathe suddenly, and she couldn’t look away from the spot in the hall where the person had grabbed her.
“Clara.”
Jesse crouched in front of her.
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.”
Rage flickered over his features, but it came and went so quickly she almost missed it. He was trying to shield her from his anger. But he couldn’t. Not completely. “What do you want to do? I’ve still got a few hours left of my shift, but you can stay with Becket until I finish.”
“Or you can come with me,” Holden added quietly.
God, nothing seemed like the right choice. She didn’t want to intrude on her brothers. Things weren’t good with her and Holden. And she no longer felt safe in her own home.
“Sheriff.”
