“Rex!” Lily exclaimed as she pulled her Corolla into the driveway. He shouldn’t be outside. When she’d left him that morning, she’d locked the house up tight and turned to catch the poor fellow looking forlornly at her through the front window.
She threw the car into park and jumped out. “Come here, boy.” She bent to his level to coax him and he ran over, eager to greet his owner, wagging his tail and giving her a few sloppy kisses.
Aiden pulled into the driveway behind Lily and was quickly by her side, bending to pet the dog. “Something wrong?”
“I don’t know how he got out.” Lily stood and started toward the front door, holding Rex by the collar.
“Wait,” Aiden called, stopping her with a hand on her wrist. “Take the dog and go sit in my truck.”
He walked back with them and opened the door. Rex jumped in without hesitation, but Lily turned toward him, eyebrows arched. “Why?”
“Let me check around first. I’ll be right back.” He put a hand under her elbow and helped her into the passenger’s seat, then popped open the glove compartment and took out his Magnum.
“Why do you need that?” Her voice rose with alarm.
He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he seemed to change right in front of her. His eyes narrowed, his jaw tightened, and his lips thinned. “Lock the doors.”
Aiden turned and walked slowly toward the house. He made his way up the front steps to the front door. It was locked. He checked the first-floor windows—all secure. Nothing looked broken or out of the ordinary, but when he walked around to the back, a door was wide open. He knew Lily was careful, that she was the type to lock the doors. He held the gun up and stepped through the doorway into the kitchen.
Every cupboard door had been thrown open, every drawer too, the contents pulled out or poured onto the floor.
He moved farther into the house. The furnishings were sparse, but what Lily did own was either ruined or damaged. The bookcases in the living room were overturned, and books lay strewn all over the room. Whoever did this had even picked up some of the novels and thrown them at the wall, hitting framed family photos and knocking them to the floor where they lay smashed. The cozy-looking chair beside the bookcases had a kitchen knife stuck in the back of it.
Aiden stood still for a moment, listening for movement. Hearing nothing, he made his way upstairs. There were three bedrooms. One was an office, another a guest room, and then there was the master suite, Lily’s bedroom. All had been vandalized. Once he’d checked every closet, room, and hiding place, he tucked his gun into the back of his waistband and fished out his cell phone.
Aiden left the house a few minutes later through the front door and made his way to the truck. He opened the passenger-side door where Lily sat with Rex on her knee.
“Someone did a job on your house. They broke in through the back. I guess so no one would be able to see what was happening from the road.”
“Oh my God!” Lily moved Rex over to the driver’s side and jumped out. She started toward the house. “How bad is it?”
Aiden jogged to her side. “Pretty bad. I called the sheriff’s department. Someone’s on the way. Probably shouldn’t go in. They’ll want to secure the scene.”
“I just want to see.” She opened the front door and stepped inside. A gasp escaped her and her hands flew to her mouth. “Who would do this?” She moved farther in, but Aiden stopped her with a gentle hand on the shoulder. “I don’t understand.” She began to cry and he pulled her into his arms.
“Shhh,” he soothed, stroking her hair.
“What if I was home? I wouldn’t have had any way to protect myself. I don’t have my gun. What do you think they wanted? To hurt me?”
“Don’t know.” He let her go so she could have a look around. “Can you see if anything’s missing from here? It may have been a robbery.” He said the words but knew they were hollow. This was no robbery.
“I don’t have anything worth stealing, really. I don’t keep money in the house.” She took a cursory glance around. “I can’t tell.”
She was flustered and had every right to be, but he needed her to come back to herself, to pay attention. “Your TV and laptop are still here. I saw them when I looked through the house. I don’t know about jewelry though.”
Lily shook her head. “I don’t have any valuables.” She sighed. “You don’t think it was one of the Lyonses, or maybe they hired someone to do this?”
Aiden shook his head. “I doubt it. Why would they?”
They went back to the truck and waited for help. Minutes later, Deluca pulled into the long circular driveway and got out of his patrol car.
“You reported a break-in?” he said, looking from Aiden to Lily.
Aiden filled him in, and after taking statements, Deluca secured the scene, pulling shut the back door and wrapping yellow police tape around the porch. “Someone will be here shortly to dust for prints and collect any evidence, but you’re going to have to find somewhere else to stay for a while. Deluca’s gaze roamed up to Aiden’s.
“Can she grab some stuff? You know, like personal items?” Aiden asked.
Deluca shook his head. “Sorry. You’ll have to buy those things until we give you the all clear. Your insurance should pick up the tab. Just make sure to keep all your receipts.”
“Can we go now?” Lily asked.
“Yes. We’ll be in touch. I have your cell phone number.”
“She’ll be staying with me, deputy,” Aiden said, and Lily didn’t protest. She slipped her hand into his as they headed back to the truck.
As Aiden slid behind the wheel, he spied Deluca, cell phone in one hand and the other slamming the side of Lily’s house with such force, Aiden could almost feel the anger in the blows, or was it frustration? God, he wished he could creep over and find out what was happening, but he had to go before Lily spotted him.