Chapter 24
Kendall took the spare key from the hook in the pantry. As she was handing it to the detective, Cooper frowned.
“Let me see it,” he said. He studied one side, then the other. “Did you try to make a copy of this?”
“No, why?”
His expression darkened as he handed it to the detective. “Do you see what I see?”
Detective Rossi did his own study of the key. “Wax.”
Cooper nodded.
She was confused. “What does that mean?”
“He pressed this key into wax so he can have a copy made.” He took the key back from the detective and showed her the tiny bit of wax on the edge. “We need to change your locks, which I planned to do anyway for better ones.”
She felt so violated. What she wanted to do was scream, then cry. Instead, determined not to let the fear and anger consume her, she took a deep breath. “Can we get them changed today?”
“I’ll do it,” Cooper said. “We just need to go buy what I need.”
“Wish I’d noticed that before all three of us handled it,” Rossi said.
“If his fingerprints were on it, they’re smeared now.
” He put the key back on the hook. “Guess I won’t need this after all.
Make sure to give me a spare to the new locks.
My CSI team needs to get back in here. Until you get back from the store, I’ll have a patrol officer park in your driveway. ”
“I appreciate that.” Even with the locks changed, she didn’t know if she could ever live here again. The thing that bothered her the most was the sight of her panties and bras scattered around in her bedroom. Had he taken any? She shuddered at the thought of her underwear in his hands.
“Let’s take a walk around the backyard,” Cooper said. “Then we can go buy some locks.”
Rossi followed them outside, and the two of them trailed behind Cooper as he made a sweep of her yard.
At their first meeting, the two men had been like dogs marking their territory.
Growly and suspicious. Now, it appeared that they respected each other, and that the detective accepted Cooper’s experience and skills.
“He stood here and watched the house,” Cooper said, stopping behind a large azalea bush.
That was it. She was having all the plants taken out so there was nothing to hide behind. The area he was showing them had been mulched, and it was obvious that someone had shuffled their feet while standing on the wood chips.
Detective Rossi stepped next to Cooper and eyed the ground. “I’ll have my people look at this, see if they can get a shoe size.”
From there, Cooper circled the perimeter of the yard but didn’t find any other evidence of the man’s presence. He took her hand. “Let’s go buy some new locks.”
“I can’t go back to my house,” Kendall said. “Not today.” She’d have to return to clean up the mess after the police said she could go back in, but she couldn’t face it now.
Cooper glanced at her before returning his gaze to the road. “I won’t leave you alone. Not even in a hotel.”
She’d noticed that he’d kept an eye on his rearview mirror. “Do you think he’s following us?”
“No, we’re not being followed right now. I understand you not wanting to be there, but I need to know you’re safe.”
“I’ll visit my father while you change the locks. You can drop me off there.”
“He’s home now?”
“Probably. He got home from his cruise yesterday. I’ll call him.” After talking to him and confirming he was home, she said, “He’s there. I need to tell him what’s going on anyway. You can meet him when you come back to get me. Turn left at the next light.”
He grinned. “Meet the parent, huh?”
“And I should probably warn you. He’s never liked any boy I’ve brought home.” That wasn’t true, but it was fun to tease him, and she could use some fun right now.
“So, the bar is high.” He made a funny face. “Will I have to have you home by midnight when we go on a date?”
“My curfew was eleven. If I wasn’t home by then, he’d come looking for me.”
“For real?”
“Yep. Because of my kidnapping, my parents were overly protective. Mom more than Dad, actually. Take a right at the stop sign. It’s the white house with the blue shutters in the middle of the cul-de-sac.”
“Didn’t you tell me that you lived in a gated community?”
“We did, but after I left home, he downsized.”
“Does he live alone?”
“Yes, but his lady friend spends a lot of time here. Just drop me off. You can meet him when you come back.”
“I figure about three hours by the time I go to the store, then to your house and get the locks changed.”
“That’s fine.” When she opened the door to get out, he slipped his fingers around her arm, stopping her.
“Do me a favor and don’t go anywhere else, okay?”
“I won’t.”
“Good. Now give me a kiss to hold me over until I see you again.”
The kiss was brief, but even so, the spark was there. After she pulled away, he gave her that smile that could break hearts the world over. She traced her thumb along his bottom lip. “See you soon.”
“Count on it.”
She unlocked the door with her key, then glanced back and waved. Always in protection mode, he waited to leave until she was safely inside her father’s house. She found her dad in the kitchen, stirring something on the stove. “What smells good?” She walked to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Chicken and dumplings.”
“Yum. My favorite.”
He grinned. “I know. I was about to call you, see if you and Livie wanted to come to dinner.”
“You know I can’t resist your dumplings. Did you have a good time on your cruise?”
“We did. You should do that someday. Alaska is pretty awesome. I’ll show you pictures later.”
“Is it okay if my friend joins us for dinner?”
“Friend?” He set the ladle on the paper towel he had on the counter, turned down the burner to simmer, then leaned back. “Stacy coming over?”
Stacy was another teacher she was friends with who sometimes joined them for one of her dad’s meals. “No, this is a guy friend.”
His brows went up. “A man?” He peered around her. “Where’s Livie?”
“I have a lot to tell you. Make yourself a cup of coffee, and I’ll make a cup of tea, then we’ll talk.”
He took two cups from a cabinet. “Sounds serious.”
“You could say that.” He was going to go ballistic when she told him about Livie’s kidnapping, that Livie’s father was back in the picture and that she had a stalker. Because he’d been gone, she hadn’t told him any of that yet.
After they settled at the kitchen table, her gaze followed the steam rising from her cup. She wished she didn’t have to tell him any of what had happened this week. None of it was good…well, except for Livie having her father in her life.
Before she was halfway through telling her story, a storm was brewing in his eyes, and his expression darkened with each detail she shared. She gave him credit for not interrupting her until she finished. “So, that’s pretty much it.”
He sat back in his chair, the silence between them thick as she waited for him to speak. “You and Livie are moving in with me,” he finally said.
“No, Dad. Cooper and his friends are experienced at this kind of thing. We’re safe with them…with Cooper.”
“You don’t know this man, Kendall. How do you know you can trust him?”
“He’s Livie’s father. She loves him already, and he would die for her. That I do know.”
“I’ll make up my own mind about that. Why isn’t he here now?”
“Because he’s at my house installing new locks. Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s also putting up cameras around the house.” He hadn’t said he was going to do that, but she’d bet money that he was.
“If you refuse to stay here, I’m coming to Myrtle Beach with you.”
She loved her father beyond measure, but he could be stubborn and opinionated.
The guys didn’t need him interfering in this mess she’d found herself in, and he would want to be right in the middle of it.
She also wanted time with Cooper, to see if maybe there was something between them, maybe even a future for them.
With her father there, she wouldn’t have that chance.
“No, Dad.” At seeing the hurt in his eyes, she reached for his hand. “I understand you’re worried, but we need to let The Phoenix Three do their job. This is what they do, and they’re very good at it.”
He sighed heavily. “And I’m supposed to just sit back and do nothing?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you talk to Cooper about that? He might be open to having you help in some way.” She felt kind of bad that she was handing over the job of telling her father to stay out of this, but he was more likely to listen to Cooper over her.
“He’s here now,” she said when the doorbell chimed. This was going to be interesting.
“Good timing.” Her dad headed to the stove. “I’ll plate our dinner while you get the door.”
“That didn’t take lo…” Her smile faltered at seeing it was a stranger at the door and not Cooper. So stupid. Why had she just assumed it was Cooper at the door? “Can I help you?” There was something about the man’s eyes that raised the hair on her neck, and she tried to slam the door.
He put his foot inside, blocking her from closing it. “Hello, Kendall.” He brought up his arm and pointed a gun at her. “You have two choices, my dear one. Come quietly with me right now, or I come inside and shoot your father.”
It was him, Livie’s kidnapper. But those eyes were ones that haunted her childhood memories, eyes she’d had nightmares about. “You,” she whispered.
He smiled. “Yes, me. I wondered if you’d remember, and it pleases me that you do. So, tell me. Does your father get to live another day?” He peered around her, looking into the house. “Or not?”
Her mind wanted to shut down, go blank, crawl under the covers and hide.
Her body wanted to faint. Her stomach took a sickening roll, and she thought she was going to be sick.
Her seven-year-old self wanted her mommy.
She remembered crying for her mother and the bad man—this bad man—laughing.
She was paralyzed, unable to think, talk or move.
“Kendall?” her dad called. “Bring your man in so I can give him a hard time.”
She heard the humor in her father’s voice, and if she didn’t do something, she’d never hear him tease her again. The thought that this evil man standing in front of her would shoot her father woke her up, freed her limbs to move.
There was no choice to be made here. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her.