Chapter 40
chapter
forty
Caleb stared at the driver’s license, his mind racing.
The photo was unmistakably Valentina. Same dark hair. Same sharp features. Same wary eyes.
But the name read Sofia Ramirez.
His back muscles tightened as concern filled him.
Who had he let into his home?
His jaw clenched as he carefully closed the box, still using the glove.
He’d need to call the sheriff, turn this over to him.
He also needed to handle this situation at the house before someone got hurt.
Should he confront Valentina himself? Or let law enforcement take the lead?
If Valentina was dangerous—if she had anything to do with the murder—confronting her could put everyone at risk.
But waiting could be worse.
He’d call Sutherland first, he decided. Then talk to Valentina before the sheriff arrived. He’d make sure it was in a controlled environment. That Naomi and Max were nearby.
A crack echoed through the woods, the sound of a branch snapping underfoot.
Hamilton’s head shot up, his ears pinned forward. A low growl rumbled in his chest.
Caleb’s hand flew to Millie’s arm, pulling her behind him as he scanned the tree line.
His other hand moved instinctively toward the gun at his hip.
“Caleb,” Millie whispered, her voice thin with fear.
“Stay behind me.” His gaze swept the dense undergrowth.
Nothing moved.
But someone—or something—was out there.
Caleb’s pulse hammered in his ears as he reached for his weapon, his fingers closing around the grip.
He knew he shouldn’t have brought Millie out here.
Now she was in danger. This had been a terrible idea.
He scanned the woods. “Who’s there?”
His pulse pounded in his ears as he waited.
Another stick broke.
His grip on the gun tightened.
Millie clung to his arm.
He could hardly breathe as he anticipated the worst.
A moment later, a shape emerged from the shadows.
A deer.
Caleb exhaled slowly, his hand still on his gun.
It was just a deer.
The creature stepped delicately through the leaves, pausing to sniff the air before bounding into the trees.
Caleb wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. At how fast his adrenaline had spiked. At how close he’d come to using his weapon on a white-tailed buck.
But he couldn’t.
Because the truth was, he and Millie weren’t safe out here.
Not with a killer still wandering free. Not with a woman living under his roof who’d lied about her identity.
He turned back to Millie and saw that her skin was still pale. His heart pounded with compassion and regret.
He shouldn’t have let her come out here.
“We need to get back,” he told her.
“Okay.”
He put the box into his backpack, took her arm, and started back toward the house. As they walked, he constantly scanned the woods around them.
Hamilton and Biscuit fell into step beside them, the dogs alert and watchful.
But Caleb’s mind was already three steps ahead.
Call the sheriff. Get Millie inside. Find Valentina.
Then he planned on getting some answers.
Millie’s heart was still racing as she and Caleb hurried back toward the house.
Her mind kept replaying the image on the license. Valentina’s face. A different name.
What did it mean? When had she left it there? Or had she had someone else leave it for her?
Even more so—why would someone leave that in the woods? If it had been Valentina, wouldn’t a hidden compartment in her suitcase be easier?
On the other hand, why would someone else leave it in the woods for her? Unless she was planning to escape and needed the new identity. Maybe they couldn’t get it to her in the house, so they left it out here instead.
She supposed that was a possibility. But even that didn’t make much sense.
She glanced at Caleb as the house came into view in the distance. “What are you going to do?”
She knew he’d already called the sheriff. But Sutherland was still twenty minutes out.
“I’m going to talk to her.” Caleb’s voice sounded hard, and his jaw looked tight.
They reached the house and stepped inside.
She wondered if he’d talk to Naomi first. But he didn’t.
Instead, he took the stairs two at a time.
He hadn’t invited Millie to come along, but she followed behind, Biscuit at her heels. Hamilton had stopped downstairs to get some water.
Adrenaline thrummed through her veins. Millie had known something was off about Valentina. She’d felt it from the beginning.
But having proof was different.
Having proof made it real.
When they reached Valentina’s room, Caleb stopped and looked at Millie. “Stay back—just in case.”
Just in case? Just in case what?
Did he think Valentina had a gun? That she’d attack?
The thought made her throat tighten.
She stayed near the stairway and waited.
Caleb knocked firmly on the door. “Valentina, we need to talk.”
Silence.
Millie’s pulse quickened.
Maybe Valentina wasn’t inside. Maybe she was downstairs, or outside, or—
Caleb knocked again, harder this time. “Valentina.”
Again, nothing.
Millie watched as Caleb tested the doorknob.
It was unlocked.
Her heart thudded with anticipation in her ears.
He pushed the door open and scanned the interior.
She waited for a report on what he was seeing.
When he stayed quiet another moment, she finally asked, “Well?”
“It’s empty.”
Her eyes widened. What sense did that make?
She wanted to see this for herself.
She stepped closer and peered inside.
Just as Caleb had said, an empty room stared back.
It wasn’t just empty of people and dogs.
It was empty of all Valentina’s belongings.
The bed was made. The dresser drawers hung slightly open, their contents gone. There were no shoes by the door. No jackets on the hook. No toiletries in the bathroom.
Millie moved to the closet and pulled it open.
Her breath caught in her throat. “All of her stuff is gone.”
“Where could she be?” Caleb muttered, his eyes narrowing.
“I . . . I don’t know. Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen her since last night.”
“Me neither.”
“Exactly what was she up to when she came here?” Caleb murmured.
“And why would she leave without taking that box with the ID and cash in it?”
Those were excellent questions.