Trail of Lies (2 page)

“Good. We'll check for fingerprints.” The sheriff donned a latex glove and carefully picked up the knife to drop into an evidence bag.

“You probably won't find anything since he wore gloves, but maybe he was careless and we'll catch a break.”

“It's happened before, and I'm always grateful when it does.” Karl removed his cowboy hat and held it in his hands as he sat on a beige couch while Melora took the wingback
chair across from him. “Can you tell me what happened? Anything about the man?”

She ran her long tapered fingers along her chin. “It happened so fast. I thought Patches had knocked over something in the living room. I came in to investigate. The next thing I know a man tackled me to the floor. The rest is a blur.”

Daniel remained standing by the door to the porch, listening to the shaky thread in her voice. His instincts told him there was a lot more to the story.

“What did he look like?” The sheriff rotated his cowboy hat in his hands.

“He had a black ski mask on. That's about all I really saw.”

“What color were his eyes?” Daniel asked as he took several steps toward the pair.

“I—green—no, I think brown.” Melora kept her gaze fastened on to the sheriff as though hoping Daniel would go away if she ignored him.

Frustration churned in his gut. “Sheriff Layton, the suspect was about five feet nine. His build was compact. Strands of black hair hung below the ski mask a few inches. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a gray T-shirt, plain as far as I could tell and black leather gloves. His arms were deeply tanned. I gave you the description of the car he used to get away. Oh, and he ran fast, as though he were a runner.”

“That's a start. We've got a BOLO out on the car.”

“Will you let me know when you find it?” Although he knew the sheriff would follow up on the partial license plate and see if he could find a match with a white Honda Accord, Daniel planned to do his own checking into it. He had to do something to find the person who murdered his captain. So much of what he and the other Rangers of
Company D had discovered had led nowhere. They knew there was a criminal group in the state called the Lions of Texas and two of the activities they were involved in were drug running and murder. Axle had obviously double-crossed them, and he paid the price. His body was a clue Daniel hoped steered them in the right direction.

“Sure.” The sheriff turned his attention back to Melora. “Do you have any idea how the suspect got into the house?”

She waved her hand toward the porch door. “It was unlocked. The bolt was in the wrong place. I know it was locked when I left and my alarm was on when I came home.”

“Who knows your alarm code?” the sheriff asked, removing a pad from his pocket.

“My housekeeper, a maid who comes twice a week to clean and my uncle.” She rubbed her temple. “I think that's all. I don't make it a habit to give out my code.”

“Who's the maid?” The sheriff jotted something down.

“Alicia Wells, but she's been with me for years. The same with Juanita. She worked for my uncle before she came to me when I got married. I don't see either one involved in robbing me.”

While Melora gave the sheriff Alicia's address, Daniel strode to the porch door and checked it out.

“It doesn't look like the lock has been tampered with. Who has a key to this door?” Daniel moved back toward Melora.

“The same people. The same key fits all my doors. But again, I can't see Alicia or Juanita trying to rob me. And my uncle certainly wouldn't.”

Daniel knew her uncle. Tyler Madison was part of the same social circle as his parents. Although now that
his father had died, Daniel's mother didn't go out much. “Where does Juanita live?”

“Here. She has a suite and has lived here since the beginning of my marriage. She's like family.” Melora narrowed her eyes on Daniel, daring him to say otherwise.

The sheriff rose, sympathy on his face. “I'll talk with Alicia Wells and come back later to see if Juanita knows anything. I don't have to tell you to change your locks and code.”

“I'll interview Juanita, Sheriff, and let you know what she says.”

The sheriff nodded toward Daniel. “Fine. I'll leave my deputy to finish processing the scene. Melora, if you find anything missing or remember anything, call me. I'll have some deputies cruise by here and keep an eye on the place.”

In one fluid motion she was on her feet, but Daniel noticed her hands still trembled. She clasped them together and walked the sheriff to the door. Daniel scanned the room, looking for anything out of place. Other than the desk chair knocked over, everything seemed as though it were in its place. So if it was a burglar, why didn't he see any evidence that the man was searching for valuables? Had she interrupted him right after he'd broken into the house? And why did he bother to reset the alarm if it was just a burglary? Most thieves get in and out fast. Was he waiting for Melora to come home and didn't want to alert her to his presence?

When she reentered the room, she drew in a deep breath. She wasn't a very good actress. Relief that the sheriff was gone was visible in her expression and the way she carried herself. But the second she spied him, her full tension returned. She stuffed her hands into the front pockets of her expensive brown slacks.

“Who is Patches?” Daniel finally took a seat in a chair.

She stared at him a few, long seconds before she covered the distance and sat where the sheriff had. “He's my cat.”

“Where is he?”

“He hides when strangers are here. Now that I think about how he flew into my arms, I should have known something was wrong.”

“How do you really know the man didn't take anything?”

She blinked, her eyes large for a brief moment, then her expression neutralized. “I didn't see him carrying anything with him. Did you?” One eyebrow rose as though challenging him.

“There are items that are small but valuable. Jewelry, for one. I would suggest you confirm nothing was taken. I'll go with you to make sure the house is secure. Then I'll wait for Juanita to return.”

She gripped the edges of the couch cushion. “Let me get something straight with you. Juanita didn't have anything to do with this. Over the years, she's had plenty of opportunities to rob me.”

“I still want to talk with her. Your daughter and housekeeper should be home by the time we finish checking the house and you call a locksmith to come out here to change your locks.”

“I can go through everything later.”

“I'm here to help you. You do want to find the man who attacked you?”

Melora sat up straight, her mouth firmed in a frown. “Of course, but I don't want Kaitlyn to know about any of this. She's only five and with all that's happened lately she's understandably upset.”

“Then, when she comes home, just introduce me as a
friend who's visiting.” He stood. “We probably should get moving if we want to be finished before they arrive. I'll see what I can do about the door I kicked in. I wouldn't want your daughter to see it and get upset.”

Her teeth dug into her lower lip as her eyelids closed. “Yes.” But she didn't move for a long moment.

When she pushed to her feet and her gaze met his, for a few seconds he glimpsed fear in the depths of her green eyes. Weariness lined her beautiful features, triggering his concern. “I'm here to help you. You can trust me.”

 

Daniel's words replayed through Melora's mind as she called a locksmith and a handyman she'd used before to replace the door and locks and as she and the Texas Ranger worked their way through the house. She didn't know the meaning of the word trust anymore. With the discovery of her husband's body, the nightmare that had started two years ago with his disappearance was back to plague her.

For almost two years, she'd managed to live her life as if everything was normal. But it had never really been normal since she'd married Axle Hudson six years ago. She'd become trapped in a marriage to a man who had criminal connections and a cruel streak. Not even her uncle could have helped her. Axle had been like a son to him and her husband could do no wrong in his eyes. How would Uncle Tyler ever believe Axle was a criminal, especially when she had no proof?

Even she'd had a hard time believing Axle's chain of restaurants might be a front for illegal activities. Not the man she'd loved. But once he'd caught her eavesdropping on one of his conversations while she tried to figure out what was going on. After that, the atmosphere in the house had changed. His subtle comments about the value of life and how he would hate for their daughter not to have a
mother scared her so much. To the point that she'd started planning her escape from him.

Then Axle went missing. And if she'd still believed in God, she would have thought He'd stepped in and taken care of her problem. That all changed, however, when her house was trashed and she was threatened by two unknown men only days after she'd reported her husband's disappearance to the authorities.

Keep quiet and stay put and you won't end up like your husband—dead.
The intruders' words two years ago flashed in and out of her mind. They'd been after Axle's flash drive then, too. She stumbled as she returned to the living room.

Daniel grasped her arm and steadied her. The brand of his fingers around her biceps zipped a fiery path through her.

She stepped away, needing space. “I told you the man didn't take anything. My jewelry is all there. Even my husband's coin collection is intact. And it's quite valuable.”

“Still, it needed to be checked out. You must have interrupted him right after he came. Not much was even disturbed except in the office. Do you use that room much?”

“No.” She shivered. That had been her husband's domain and the place where he had threatened her if she continued to snoop into his activities. After that, she'd avoided his office. “Other than a few important pieces of paper my uncle needed concerning the restaurant chain, I've left it as is.” She had been so grateful that her uncle had seen to Axle's business. She'd wanted to sell it and distance herself as far as possible from what could be an illegal enterprise, but because her husband wasn't dead, only missing, she couldn't do anything. But that all changed last week when
his body was identified after being found buried on a local animal rescue's property.

“Your uncle? Tyler Madison? What does he have to do with your husband's restaurant chain?”

“When Axle wasn't found, I took over the temporary running of the business. My uncle was the one who helped me and found a top-notch man to run it until Axle turned up.” She stared at the door her attacker had disappeared through only an hour before. “I'm afraid business isn't my forte. I needed someone who was an expert. Uncle Tyler had the perfect man.”

“Ah, so you don't know much about your husband's business?”

She shook her head. Axle had purposefully kept her in the dark about his dealings and finances. “Eating at the restaurants is the extent of my knowledge concerning them. But the business is part of Axle's estate and my daughter's legacy.” And she had every intention of selling the chain as soon as she could. She didn't want her daughter connected in any way to something illegal. With the Texas Rangers suddenly interested in Axle's business, all her fears that the restaurant chain was somehow tied to criminal activities were validated.

Daniel gestured toward the couch. “What does Axle's will say? Who stands to gain from your husband's murder?”

“My daughter, who is five years old. Everything was left to her in a trust. I have a yearly allowance and this house.”

“Did you know the terms of the will before your husband's death?”

“Yes. But my uncle has provided for me in his will. Besides, I also have the trust my parents set up for me. I didn't need Axle's money.” Her only goal was to look out
for her daughter and her well-being. Although exhaustion clung to her, she remained standing in spite of Daniel taking a seat. “Are you accusing me of killing my husband?”

“No, should I?”

M
elora collapsed into the chair near her. The thought that someone would suspect she could have something to do with a murder stunned her. “I was surrounded by people in the days around my husband's disappearance. My housekeeper who lives here. My uncle stayed with me when Axle didn't come home and I couldn't get in touch with him. The day he disappeared I was at a conference in Dallas. My daughter was here with Juanita, and when Axle didn't come home, I had her go to my uncle's until I could get back to San Antonio.”

“I just like covering all the facts and details of a case. I've been assigned to find out what happened to your husband.”

“Again, I want to know what case you're working on.”

“One that could have far-reaching consequences. That's all I can tell you right now.”

And she wouldn't tell him that she had contacted the FBI in Dallas after her conference to tell them the little she knew about her husband's activities. Axle had let her go to the conference since she was the chairperson of the committee working for the mayor on drug education. He'd known she wouldn't do anything with Kaitlyn in his hands, that she would never leave her daughter behind in San
Antonio. But also, she was sure Axle had her followed. That feeling had stayed with her during her brief time in Dallas and all the way back to San Antonio. She still felt she was being watched. All she wanted was for Daniel Riley to leave her and her daughter alone.

She massaged her temples. “I don't know anything more and my daughter will be home any minute. I don't want anyone upsetting her.” She pointedly stabbed him with her gaze. The door he'd used to come into the house was through the mudroom, which she could close off so Kaitlyn wouldn't see the busted door.

“I'd like to talk with Juanita, but I'll make sure Kaitlyn doesn't know why I'm here.”

“I appreciate that. She doesn't understand why her daddy was gone for so long and then last week we had a funeral for him.” The sound of the garage door going up rumbled through the house. Melora wearily shoved herself to her feet. “Juanita and Kaitlyn are home.”

He followed her into the kitchen. “I noticed your daughter was at the funeral.”

Yes, and Melora had noticed he had been there, too, with the other Texas Ranger, Anderson Michaels, who'd come to the Alamo Planning Committee in October. Another committee she was on. Axle had wanted her to project the right image to the world, and she'd never complained because she liked making a difference and helping where she could. In fact, she still tried to maintain as normal a schedule as possible although she'd buried her husband two days ago.

She threw him a glance. “Kaitlyn needed some closure with her father.” She hoped instead of Kaitlyn getting distressed because her father hadn't come home that her daughter's nightmares would stop since she'd gotten to say goodbye to her daddy at the funeral.

The knob on the door to the garage turned. Melora fortified herself with a deep breath and faced her daughter who raced into the room with Juanita trailing at a more sedate pace.

“Mommy, you're home.” Kaitlyn threw her arms around Melora's legs. “I had a great time at Cara's.”

While her housekeeper made her way toward her suite off a back hallway, Melora hugged Kaitlyn. “I'm so glad. We'll have to have Cara over here soon.”

“Tomorrow?” Her daughter bent back and looked up expectedly.

Melora forced a chuckle that fell flat. “We'll see.”

Kaitlyn leaned around Melora, peering at Daniel Riley. “Who are you?”

He crossed the kitchen, a smile lighting his gray eyes as though they were pieces of silver. “I'm a friend of your mother's.”

Her daughter tilted her head and studied the Texas Ranger. “How come I've never seen you?”

His shoulders lifted in a shrug. “That's going to change today. I'm Daniel.”

She tapped her chest. “I'm Kaitlyn.”

“I thought so. Your mother talks about you a lot.”

Kaitlyn beamed. “Yeah, she tells me all the time I'm her pride and joy.”

“I can see why.”

“Have ya met Patches yet?”

“No, I haven't.”

“He's hiding. He does that all the time with someone new.” Kaitlyn stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Don't worry. He'll get used to you. Then he won't leave you alone.”

Melora moved forward to break up the little bonding session. She wanted the Texas Ranger out of her house as
soon as possible. “Speaking of Patches, aren't you supposed to feed him, young lady?”

“Yeah.” Kaitlyn turned her full attention back to Daniel. “Would ya like to help? I'll hold Patches while you pat him.”

“Hon, he needs to leave.”

Daniel shot Melora a look that said their conversation wasn't over. “Yeah, I'm sorry I have to go. But I'm sure I'll see you again, Kaitlyn.”

“Great! I'll show you Patches then.” Her child hurried toward the utility room where Patches's food was kept.

Once Kaitlyn was out of the kitchen, Daniel said, “I'd like to talk to Juanita before I leave.”

Melora peered toward where her daughter had disappeared. She needed to get rid of the man as fast as possible in case someone was watching the house. “Fine. I'll take you back to her suite. After that, I'd like you to go. I don't want Kaitlyn to know anything about today.”

“Don't you want to find out who murdered your husband? Who broke into your house? It's possible there's a connection.”

While he studied her, she struggled to remain as calm as possible. “Of course. But I don't see a connection. And I have to think of my daughter's emotional well-being.”
And her physical well-being.
What if Kaitlyn had been here when the man had broken in? Both sets of intruders had frightened her, but the last one seemed more sinister—desperate almost, as though time was running out. Chills encased her in a cold sweat. Her heartbeat sped up. She didn't know how long she could keep up the pretense that everything was all right. This facade she had to put on weighed heavily on her.

“I shouldn't be long.”

Melora swept her arm across her front, indicating the
hallway Juanita disappeared down, then started forward. “Her room is back here.”

The hair on her nape tingled under the Ranger's hard gaze. He wasn't going to let this investigation die until he'd turned over every clue he could get. Fear mingled with her frustration. She hadn't wanted to say anything to Uncle Tyler about what had happened two years ago. She didn't want him worrying or worse—trying to do something about it and getting hurt. He'd taken her in after her parents died when she was nine. He was all the family she had except for Kaitlyn.

Melora stopped in front of a closed door and knocked. Her housekeeper answered, peering first at her then Daniel, wariness in her dark eyes. Although she knew about the break-in after Axle had vanished, Melora hadn't told her about the threat. And Juanita had never questioned why Melora hadn't reported the break-in to the sheriff. Juanita was an American citizen, but she was leery of law enforcement. Some of her family had been deported back to Mexico.

“This is Daniel Riley with the Texas Rangers. He has a few questions for you. We had an intruder today, and Ranger Riley managed to chase the man away but didn't catch him.”

Juanita's attention remained focused on Melora for a few seconds. “I don't know anything about a break-in.”

Touching her arm, Melora gave her housekeeper a reassuring look. “I know.” She bit back the words, “Humor him and he'll leave.”

“May I come in?” Daniel asked, nodding toward the sitting area visible behind Juanita.

“I was getting ready to leave. I have to get dinner ready.” The housekeeper blocked the entrance into her suite. “I don't understand what you think I know. I wasn't here.” She
shifted her gaze to Melora. “Was anything taken? Nothing was bothered in my room.”

“No, not that I can tell.”

“Who left first, you or Mrs. Hudson this afternoon?” Daniel asked, scrutinizing the housekeeper.

“I did with Kaitlyn. I had a few errands to run before the play date.”

“What errands?”

“Pharmacy and dry cleaners.” Juanita glanced at Melora.

“Did you talk to anyone?” Daniel shifted to hamper Juanita's view of Melora.

“Just the cashiers.”

“Did you notice a white Honda Accord parked in this area when you left?”

Juanita tilted her head to the side and thought for a moment. “No.”

“No one unusual around?”

Juanita shook her head.

Daniel withdrew a business card. “If you can think of anything that might help us find the man who broke in here, please contact me.”

Pocketing the card, her housekeeper moved out into the hall and closed her door. “If that's all, I've got dinner to cook.” She ambled toward the kitchen without giving Daniel a chance to say anything.

“She's tough,” Daniel said with a chuckle.

“Yes, and observant, so if she said she didn't see anyone, there wasn't anyone out there.”

“What time did you leave this afternoon?”

“1:00. My meeting was at 2:00 and since we're a ways out of San Antonio, I needed to leave early. And I didn't see anyone, either.” She trailed after her housekeeper down the hall, again feeling the Ranger's scrutiny.

“Either the man is good at hiding or he came after you left. Do you follow a certain routine?”

“No. This meeting, however, is public knowledge and so is my participation.” Remembering that the man had indicated he'd been waiting for her return made her fearful. Her hands quavered, and she had to curl them into fists to keep the Ranger from seeing her alarm.

“But the man wouldn't know about your daughter and her play date?”

The question brought Melora up short. She gripped the frame of the door that led into the kitchen. “So you think he either didn't care my daughter would be home or he was watching the place?”

Daniel skirted around her. “It's a possibility we need to consider.” The pounding of her heartbeat nearly drowned out his next words, “I'll keep you informed of my investigation.”

In other words, he'd keep in touch, possibly come back to the house. Alert whoever was watching her. She wanted to tell him she didn't want the case pursued, but there was no way she could tell him her reasons. She didn't know what to do anymore.

Why, Axle? Why did you get mixed up in something illegal?
Those questions had rumbled around in her mind for the past two years, and she was reminded yet again that her judgment concerning her husband hadn't been good. What had she missed? Why couldn't she have seen what kind of man he really was?

“Mrs. Hudson?”

Daniel's voice, full of concern, wrenched her back to the present—a present filled with a Texas Ranger who asked too many questions.

“Are you okay?”

She blinked. “What do you think?”

He peered over her shoulder at the housekeeper and moved close to her. “I think you're scared and hiding something.” He tipped his cowboy hat. “Good day. I can find my own way out.”

Melora watched the man stride away, his steps long, economical, as though he never had a wasted motion. Dressed in tan slacks and a white, long-sleeve shirt with a black tie, he looked the part of a Texas Ranger down to his brown boots, his white cowboy hat and silver star he wore over his heart. Confident. Controlled. Capable—in any situation.

She wished she had those traits, especially right now. Then she would know who to trust, what to do. How to get out of the mess her husband had put her and Kaitlyn in.

 

Frustration churned Daniel's gut. Everywhere he'd gone he'd run into dead ends. But he knew that Axle's widow wasn't telling him everything. Behind the exhaustion, he glimpsed fear. Of what? He intended to find out. Somehow he felt it was connected to her husband's murder and possibly Captain Pike's. It wasn't just the break-in that had scared her.

Daniel could still remember the text message he'd received, along with all the Texas Rangers in Company D, from Captain Pike three months ago. His last one.
Convene at my house, ASAP. Major case about to explode.
When they'd arrived, they found him dead from a gunshot wound and another man critically injured. That man still hadn't woken up or been identified. If only one of the Rangers had gotten there before someone had killed their captain.

Daniel pulled into the parking lot of the Texas Ranger's station in San Antonio. On the way here from Melora's house, he'd had Ranger Oliver Drew run the partial license plate numbers against white Honda Accords in Texas. He hoped the list wasn't too long. He needed a break. After
climbing from his truck, he strode toward the building, the temperature warmer than usual for the end of November, a hint of rain in the air.

Inside he found Oliver right away, sitting at his desk. “Did you get anything?”

“A list of seven vehicles in the San Antonio area—more for the whole state of Texas.”

“Seven. That's not bad. First check them and see if there are any that have been reported stolen. Maybe the suspect was dumb enough to use his own car.”

Oliver chuckled. “You're dreaming, but I'll take care of this list for you. Captain wants to see you.”

Daniel looked toward Captain Benjamin Fritz's office. As a lieutenant, Daniel often ran things by his captain. Pushing open Ben's door, he stuck his head in. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yep, come in. I need you and Anderson to go back to the Alamo Planning Committee meeting. I don't like what's been happening. A lot of important dignitaries will be attending the celebration. Stress that, with the threatening letter the committee received in October and the phone call Hank Zarvy got a few weeks ago about the event, we want them to think about having a smaller, more intimate event for the 175th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo. We think it would be better and far safer. I know the threats have been vague. Nothing but warnings that if we don't cancel the celebration, something bad will happen. But we haven't been able to trace anything.”