The sex had been fantastic, but today reality was setting back in. Whoever had murdered Miguel Hernandez was still on the loose, and El Jefe, who might have been responsible, still expected her and Drake Trucking to join his organization.
“You ready?” Dressed more casually today in dark blue Levi’s, a white western shirt rolled up to the elbows, and a pair of black cowboy boots, Linc walked out of his home office down the hall.
The residence, apparently over a hundred years old, had been completely remodeled. It was simple and masculine, yet everything inside was modern and entirely first-class, including the stainless kitchen, the bathrooms, powder room, Linc’s office, and home gym.
And everything about the place fit him perfectly.
“Let me grab my purse.”
In a pair of jeans and a sleeveless blue print blouse, she joined him inthe slate-floored entry. She’d only brought an overnight bag. Aside from what she’d worn yesterday, she hadn’t packed the kind of clothes she would need for the city. Since Linc wanted to go to his office after they talked to the Grangers, then later they were going out to supper, he’d agreed to stop by her house so she could change into something more appropriate.
And now that it appeared she was staying at the ranch—she flushed at the memory of last night—she needed to bring more of her clothes back to his place.
With the strap of her laptop slung over Linc’s shoulder, she walked beside him out of the house. He helped her into the Jeep and they headed for the helipad, where the chopper was waiting when they arrived. It swooped up, crossed the short distance between their two homes in minutes, and set down again in the field across from Joe’s little house.
Carly went around to the back door and unlocked it, but Linc caught her before she had time to get inside.
“Let me take a look first.”
It seemed a little over the top. She didn’t think El Jefe would be lying in wait in her small rundown house, but under the circumstances, caution wasn’t a bad idea.
When Linc returned a few minutes later with a grim look on his face, a shot of fear slid through her.
“What is it?” She pushed past him into the kitchen and he didn’t try to stop her. First she noticed the broken window over the kitchen sink, then the awful destruction around her. Her legs refused to move. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She heard the crunch of broken glass as Linc came up behind her, drew her back against his chest.
“It’s only stuff,” he said softly. “It’s easily replaced.”
She glanced around the room, at the shattered coffee cups on the floor, the pictures smashed against the walls, and her eyes filled. “It’s not just stuff. It’s my stuff . . . and Joe’s.”
She felt his muscles tighten.
Carly started walking through the debris, seeing dishes dragged outof the cupboard and broken into pieces, the stuffing from the sofa tossed onto the living room floor.
Linc opened the door to the garage and flipped on the light. Walked out then walked back in. “Your pickup’s okay. They must not have gone into the garage.”
Her legs shook as she headed down the hall to her bedroom. The bedding had been pulled off, the perfume bottles and photos on the dressers had been shoved off onto the floor.
“Why?” she asked. “I told him I’d do what he wanted. Why would he destroy my home?”
“We don’t know it was him. Not for sure. I didn’t see any kind of note. If it was El Jefe, he didn’t leave a message like before.”
Her legs felt wobbly as she crossed the carpet to her closet and slid open the doors. Some of her clothes had been ripped off the hangers, but most still hung on the bar.
“He was wearing down by the time he got to the bedroom,” Linc said, “his anger mostly spent.”
She brushed a tear from her cheek, sank down on the foot of the bed. She glanced up at Linc, whose features looked as grim as she felt.
“You sure you didn’t do this just so I’d have to stay out at the ranch?” she teased, trying for a lighter note.
His eyes met hers and his lips twitched. He sat down beside her and pulled her onto his lap. “I’m glad you’ve still got your sense of humor.”
Her gaze lit on a broken framed photo of her and Joe. It was her graduation from high school. Joe had been so proud of her that day. Her throat tightened and a fresh rush of sadness swept through her. “Yeah.”
“I’ll put some people on this, have the place put back together.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know.” His eyes crinkled at the corners. “I promise I won’t make it so nice you’ll want to move back in.”
