Chapter 2 #2
“No. I opened the front door and the front room’s been ransacked. I closed it and we got back in the car.” Maren’s voice was shaking, dammit. She did not want to lose it in front of Juni. She glanced in the rearview. Juni was holding her drawing and whispering to it.
“Are there any weapons in the house?”
“No. Well, kitchen knives? But no guns or anything.” Now she could hear sirens in the distance. She kept her eye on the house for what her older brothers would call ‘squirters’ but no one ran out the front door.
Doesn’t mean they aren’t going out the back, which is how they must have gotten in.
No one came out of her house.
“What vehicle are you in, ma’am so they can identify you?”
“I’m in a white Subaru, just three doors down, across the street.” A police car turned onto their street and drove past her. “One of your guys just went by me.”
“Good. I want you to stay in your vehicle until you’re approached. Your front door is unlocked?”
“Yes, they don’t need to knock it down or anything.” Maren watched Juni look up from her drawing. She looked at Maren first, then at their home. “Are you okay, Junebug?”
“Who are you talking to, ma’am?”
“My niece is in the back seat. She’s almost five.”
Maren watched two police officers enter her home as another squad car came up the opposite end of the street.
They went through her side yard to the back.
Nothing happened for the longest five minutes of her life, then two officers came back out the front door, spoke for a minute, and headed toward her car.
“Are we under arrest?” Juni asked.
“No, we’re not, but they need to talk to us.”
“Can I ask them if Mr. Kibble is okay?”
“Let me talk to them first, okay?”
“Maren?”
“Yes, sweetie?”
“It’s okay if the ice cream melted.”
Maren blinked back sudden, surprised tears even as she smiled. “Thanks, Juni.”
Maren rolled her window down, then changed her mind and got out of the car. The officers introduced themselves as Officers Brown and Gebhardt.
“I take it you didn’t find anyone in there?”
“No. It looks like you might have interrupted them when you came home,” Officer Brown said. “They did a thorough job of tearing the place apart, but you’ll need to verify how much has been taken.”
“I see.” Maren was afraid her legs might give out under her. She felt lightheaded, and like this was all happening to someone else—the same way she’d felt when an officer arrived at her door to tell her Mira was gone. “Do I need to go in now?”
Officer Gebhardt nodded. “We’ll come with you of course. We’ll take your statement.”
“Do you think they’ll come back?” Maren had lowered her voice as she glanced at the back seat.
“Doubtful. It’s probably kids looking for prescription pills and drug money.”
Maren nodded. She turned to the car and opened Juni’s door. “Come on, sweetie. We need to go inside and look around.”
“Is Mr. Kibble okay?” Juni asked the officers.
“You have a pet?” Brown and Gebhardt shared a concerned look.
“No,” Maren explained. “It’s her teddy bear. I’m sure he’s okay.”
“They did hit the little girl’s room, too,” Brown told her.
Shit. Of course they did.
“Hit my room?”
Maren picked Juni up to carry her. Juni’s weight in her arms actually made her feel more stable.
“That means they went through your things, but it’ll be okay, I promise.
” Maren nuzzled the little girl’s hair as she carried her down the street, hating that she was making promises to a little girl she wasn’t certain she could keep.
The front room was just the beginning. The most disturbing thing was the couch cushions.
They’d been ripped open and the stuffing torn out.
Maren’s bedroom was a disaster—every drawer pulled out and tossed, the closet stripped of all her clothes, shoeboxes open and strewn everywhere with all her belongings.
Her jewelry box was gone of course, which made her sick to her stomach.
At least she was wearing the locket with her sister’s and their parents photos inside, a gift from her brothers.
But her mother’s engagement and wedding rings were gone, along with a pair of diamond earrings from Maren’s last boyfriend—a guy who took off as soon as he realized that Maren was about to become an insta-mom.
I should have sold those last month instead of changing my mind again.
Worse, though—they’d taken her computer—her sole source of income.
She’d have to report the theft to her supervisor at the hospital who would have to alert compliance since there were sensitive medical documents.
Maren’s head throbbed just thinking about making that call.
She told the officers so they could note it in their reports.
The kitchen was probably the least torn up, though Maren’s instinct was right and the freezer door was wide open.
She looked inside for the little container of frozen water with her spare credit card suspended in the middle, but it was gone.
Just to add insult to injury, her squashed bread dough was lying in the middle of the kitchen floor.
She reported everything to Brown while Gebhardt took pictures.
The other two officers had gone on their way—probably to another robbery.
“Actually, we haven’t had any break-ins in this area lately,” Brown said when Maren asked.
“Lucky me then, hopefully not starting a trend.” She smoothed her hand down Juni’s hair. The normally chatty, outgoing little girl had tucked herself up against Maren and was sucking her thumb.
She saved Juni’s room for last.
“Can I leave her with you?” Maren asked Brown. “And Officer Gebhardt and I can go through it?”
Officer Brown gave her a soft smile. “Your daughter would be able to tell us best if anything is missing.”
“Niece,” Maren corrected her. She sighed. “All right. Juni, you need to be brave now, all right? And remember that everything can be replaced.”
“Except Mr. Kibble.”
“Sometimes we have to make new friends, sweetie.”
They walked down the hall to the room at the end. The door was wide open and Maren could already see blankets on the floor and the mattress askew. The sight enraged her. The little shits could take whatever they wanted from her, but to tear up her baby’s room?
If I ever get my hands on the people who did this…
When they got to her room, Juni pulled her face away from Maren’s neck and looked around. She was surprisingly quiet and composed, a completely different little girl from the hangry one not even an hour ago.
Maren desperately wished to have that one back.
Juni’s room was absolutely destroyed. Seriously, did whoever did this think Maren kept cocaine in the toy box? Maybe that’s what they did—ew, horrible thought.
“Mr. Kibble!” Juni squirmed out of Maren’s arms and she set her down. Juni ran toward a pile of white cotton fluff and fuzzy brown cloth that had once been Juni’s favorite stuffie.
Maren clenched her fists. “I can fix him right up, good as new,” she said. It was a miracle she didn’t sound as deranged with rage as she felt. Officer Gebhardt silently took pictures beside her.
“What’s this?” Juni picked up a piece of cloth. It took Maren a second to remember the beanbag doll she’d just finished. Scattered beans, lentils, and barley confirmed that someone had ripped apart all her work.
“That was supposed to be a surprise,” Maren said quietly, sharp tears returning to her eyes.
Juni studied the painted fairy. “She’s from the book. She’s so pretty.” Then she looked up at Maren. “Thank you.”
That did it. Maren had to turn away to wipe her tears.
There was no way they were spending the night in that house.
“Will you be staying with a friend?” Officer Brown asked. “We’ll need the address in case we need to contact you.”
Working as a medical records coder from home for the past three-plus years and raising a toddler on her own had pretty much killed Maren’s social life and circle of friends. Her brothers, Reid and Beckett, were both on missions and she hadn’t heard from either of them in over a week.
“No, I think we’ll be finding a hotel room tonight.”
Brown nodded. “You have my card. When you figure out where you’re going, call or email me.” She gave Maren another smile and a pat on the arm. “I’m very sorry about your loss.”
God, if I never hear that phrase again, it’ll be too soon.
“Thank you.” She looked over at Juni, who had collected what was left of Mr. Kibble and the fairy beanbag doll after the officers were done photographing her room.
She was standing clutching both, not wanting to sit down on anything.
Maren sent up a silent sorry to Mira. Rationally, she knew this wasn’t her fault, but her heart still made her feel like a failure.
They gathered some clothing and toiletries, then headed back out to their car. Brown and Gebhardt were kind enough to stay until they were ready, saying they could do their reports at the kitchen table.
Then they were off, stopping only once along the way for dinner—Juni got her hamburger after all. Once they got to their room, they ate and then Maren made the call to her supervisor. She left a message, relieved that she didn’t have to talk to her right away. This day had been long enough already.
“Let me see Mr. Kibble,” she told Juni. “I brought my sewing kit, and I can have him stitched up before bed.”
“Do I have to go to school tomorrow?” Juni asked as she yawned.
“We’ll see, sweetie. Why don’t you lie down and I’ll turn on a nature show, okay?”
Juni nodded and crawled under the covers. Maren found a show about koalas—perfect to send a little girl off to sleep—and started sewing Mr. Kibble back together.
Her phone rang, startling her into pricking her finger—of course.
“Shit,” she murmured, and glanced at Juni, but the little girl was still out.
She looked at the screen and saw PRIVATE NUMBER.
She closed her eyes, relieved it wasn’t her supervisor.
She didn’t have the spoons to get chewed out about stolen hospital property.
Would the police have a private number? It would give the department name or station, right? Or maybe it’s a detective?
“Shit.” Maren picked up her phone and hit connect but the call had already gone to voicemail.
“I’m making a mess of this.” She unlocked her phone and dialed voicemail. Whoever it was had left a message. There was a pause that made her think it must have been a spam call, then a man’s voice spoke.
“Maren, you don’t know me, but I worked with your sister. My name’s not important. Probably better if you don’t know.” The voice paused.
My sister? Maren felt like her veins had been flooded with ice water. My sister’s been dead for almost four years.
“If you’re getting this recording, it means they got me.
I’m sorry, but you and Juniper are in grave danger.
Your sister was brave and she loved you and her daughter more than anything.
She was part of an NCIS investigation and her death was no accident.
By now someone may have found you. Don’t go home.
Take Juniper and go to Watchdog Security in Lyons, Colorado.
There you’ll find Arden Volker. She’s Sean Volker’s sister and Sean is Juniper’s father.
Trust no one else.” Another pause. “I’m afraid Sean is dead, too. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”
The line went dead.
Maren sat completely still.
Was this a prank? Some sick joke? She turned the recording over in her mind. A stranger who knew Juni’s name. Who knew Mira was gone. And the thing that shocked her the most—Juniper’s father was dead.
She played the man’s voice back in her head. Your sister was brave. Her death was no accident.
But Mira’s death was an accident. A hit and run. The police had been very clear.
Except this man—this possibly dead man—was very clear, too.
An NCIS investigation.
And considering where Mira had worked…
Oh, God. What if the break-in wasn’t random?
Her death was no accident.
She looked at Juni asleep under the covers. One small hand was curled under her chin.
Then Maren was on her feet.
Don’t go home. Her twin’s voice told her in her head.
She was already at the dresser, stuffing clothes back into the bag she’d only half unpacked.
Take Juni and go.
Her hands weren’t shaking this time. Details in the room had gone crystal clear instead—the obnoxious carpet pattern, the scuffed wood veneer, every sound outside.
Sean Volker’s sister. Sean is Juni’s father. Trust no one else.
Don’t go home, Maren. Take Juni and go.
To Arden Volker. A complete stranger.
Could she risk it?
What choice do I have?
“Juni.” She touched the little girl’s shoulder. “Juni, baby, we need to go.”
Juni surfaced slowly, blinking, then she was suddenly wide awake. “Are the robbers here?”
“No, sweetie.” Maren zipped the bag and looked around the room. Sewing kit still open on the bed—she grabbed it. Mr. Kibble, half-stitched, ear flopping. The fairy doll. Phone charger. Or maybe I should toss my phone like they do in the movies. “We’re just going on a little trip.”
“Now?” Juni’s voice was small. “It’s nighttime.”
“I know.” Maren lifted her, bag over one shoulder, and Juni’s arms came around her neck automatically, the way they always did. “You can sleep in the car.”
“Where are we going?”
Lyons, Colorado. She didn’t know where that was. She’d buy a trucker’s atlas on the road and find it without using a navigator in case she was being followed. But, she’d be taking her car, and the plates could be traced…
This is crazy. What I’m doing is crazy.
You don’t have a choice, Sister Mine. Sorry I never told you about Sean.
She hit the lights and closed the door behind them without looking back.