LITMIR.BIZ

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the living room to talk, then you should get what you both need to take to the ranch.” Cade glanced at Michelle. “She’s coming over here.”

      “Mom, I’m almost an adult. What’s going on? Is this connected to the Mederos-gang case?” She set both fists on her waist.

      Tory faced Michelle. “Let’s talk in the living room.” She slid her arm across her daughter’s back.

      Michelle shrugged away, her eyes large. “You’re scaring me.”

      Tory pushed the front door wide. “Inside first.”

      Michelle huffed and plodded into the living room, then whirled around, both hands on her waist again. “Why was the police chief here? Why did you take me out of the game?” She fluttered her hand at Cade. “Why is he here?”

      Cade clamped his jaw tightly together before he said something he would regret. He wished he had the right to step in.

      “Someone broke into our house today right after you went to the game. They smashed your window in and trashed your room and...” Tory swallowed hard. “And the bathroom. When I came home, whoever did it must have run before he could do any more damage to the rest of the house.”

      Michelle’s hands slipped from her waist, and her arms dangled at her sides. “He could have hurt you.”

      “Yes. We’ll be staying at Cade’s ranch for a few days while the police process the crime scene and I get a top-notch alarm system. So until then he was kind enough to offer us a place to stay.”

      Michelle threw a narrowed-eye look at him. “Why him? Why can’t we stay at Papa and Grandma’s house?”

      Tory’s eyes closed, and she took a deep breath. “Because they live in San Antonio and you have school.”

      “It’s only twenty-five miles away. You could drop me off at school before going to work. Or how about the hotel downtown not far from the courthouse? We could stay there.”

      When Cade fixed his blue eyes on Tory and cleared his throat, she quickly added, “Also because this could be connected to the Mederos case I’m prosecuting right now. Cade will be there for our protection. This trial shouldn’t last too long. This could be just a prank, or the man I’m prosecuting right now may be behind it. I can’t take the chance and ignore what happened.”

      Tears welled into Michelle’s eyes. “Someone is after you? Mederos is the head of the biker gang. I’ve heard stories...” Her voice caught on a sob.

      “I don’t know what’s going on yet, honey, but as a Texas Ranger Cade will be working with the police on finding out what’s going on in addition to making sure we’re all right.”

      A tear ran down Michelle’s cheek. “I don’t want to lose you too.”

      Cade’s heart ripped in two at the thought of his daughter’s anguish and the years he’d missed. Anger he’d shoved down in the dark recesses of his mind surged to the forefront. Tory should have trusted their love. He should have returned home and claimed his daughter despite Tory’s marriage and what she and Derek had told everyone in town. Now it was too late.

      “Baby, you aren’t going to lose me.”

      “You don’t know that.” Michelle’s voice rose several levels.

      “I’m not going to let anything happen to either one of you.” The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them.

      “Y’all can’t say that for sure. Quit treating me like a child. I’ll be fifteen soon.”

      Tory released a long breath. “We’ll talk about this later. Give Chief Drake—and Morgan a chance to figure this out.”

      “Do I have a choice?” Michelle glared at Tory, then him.

      “No, but it’s for the best. C’mon. Let’s pack up and leave.” Tory turned toward the hallway but waited for Michelle to follow.

      Cade hung back and trailed behind the two down the long hall. Tory hurried in front of her daughter and closed the bathroom door before they passed it. He started to check the damage out, but Michelle’s gasp when she looked into her bedroom echoed through the air. The bathroom could wait. He quickened his pace down the corridor.

      When he came up behind Michelle, chaos like a tornado had ripped through the room greeted his inspection. This was not a prank, but the actions of someone who had a score to settle. Some of the clothes were ripped apart. And then there was the skull and crossbones painted in red on the wall. Was that blood? The sight solidified his resolve no matter what, he would find who did this to his daughter’s room.

      A tall thin man squatting on the floor rose and removed the toothpick from his mouth. He looked past Tory and Michelle to Cade. “I’m Detective Alexander. I’ll be processing the room. Trying to lift fingerprints on some of the drawers and anything else I think the intruder touched. So far I haven’t gotten too many usable ones.”

      “Cade Morgan, the new Texas Ranger assigned to this area. Nice to meet you. Can Michelle come in and get some clothes to take with her?”

      “So y’all aren’t staying here?” the detective asked as he moved to them in the entrance.

      “No, not right now.” Tory peered around the man to take in the bedroom.

      “I’ll board up the window when I finish with the crime scene. I still have the bathroom to process and finish this room so I’ll be here for a while.”

      For a second the words crime scene hung in the air. Michelle hugged herself and dropped her head, all her anger from before deflated.

      “I appreciate that. What have you already gone through?” Tory put her arm around Michelle, and this time her daughter let her.

      “That third of the room.” The detective gestured toward the far side. “I’m working my way to the door. So long as you don’t touch any wood or pieces of furniture, you can get what clothes and items you need. If either of you see anything is missing, let me know.”

      “Thanks. We will. Michelle, Cade will stay with you while you gather what you want to take.” Tory pointed to a duffel bag. “Use that.” She gave her daughter a hug. “We’re going to be all right.” When Tory pulled back, she quickly left Michelle with him.

      But as she hurried away, Cade glimpsed her shiny hazel eyes. His emotions concerning Tory that he’d locked away demanded their release. He couldn’t let that happen. Tory had never really known him or she wouldn’t have jumped into a marriage with his best friend to give Michelle a father while he was fighting in the war in the Middle East. Appearances had always been important to her, but she should have waited longer, dug deeper into why he hadn’t answered her calls and letters. He’d been on an extended secret mission for the Army Rangers and didn’t know anything until he’d returned to camp five months later.

      Tory didn’t investigate why she hadn’t heard from him and perhaps that had been for the best in the long run. He’d learned from her not to let his heart get involved. Being detached had helped him on most of his cases, and in this situation he had more of a motive to solve it quickly. Being around Tory stirred memories he wanted to forget.

      * * *

      Tory hurried into her bedroom, grabbed a suitcase in her closet and swung it up onto her bed. That was when her gaze locked on her pillow. Her photo was gone, but she desperately wanted to see it. Try to pinpoint when it was taken, especially if it was a few hours ago.

      Keeping her attention trained on the task at hand, she quickly packed clothes for a few days as well as anything else she might also need during that time. Her hands trembled as she snatched her items. When she shut the suitcase, she lifted the bag from the bed and tightened her grip around the handle to still the shaking. She had to be strong for Michelle.

      “Are you ready?” Cade asked from the doorway, his gun and badge no longer hidden. His large, imposing body, from his boots

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