But something, someone nearly had.
“I’m sorry!” she cried out. “I heard the motor racing away. Heard the shots. I was scared, Mac. So scared—”
“Never, ever again, Keiley,” he ordered, his voice rough, shaking with fear and pain. “Swear to me. Never again. You hide. You don’t face anything. Especially not me without warning. Never again, Keiley. ”
“Never. ” Her head shook, her body trembled. “Oh God, Mac. What’s happening? What’s going on?”
Lifting his head, he looked over her shoulder to Jethro. His friend lifted his hand, and between his fingers were the white lace panties that had been missing from the living room.
Beneath the balcony, Jethro mouthed.
“I don’t know yet, honey,” he answered Keiley, flicking Jethro a hard look as he tucked the material out of sight.
Easing her back, he stared into her pale face, his gaze going over her quickly, searching for injuries.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. ” She sniffed, her hands going over his shoulders, his chest, and his abdomen, obviously ascertaining that he was just as fine. “Just terrified. Mac, who would be that stupid?”
“I don’t know yet. ” He drew her back into his arms, watching as Jethro moved back into the living room and stood staring around. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. ”
12
Her home was a damned crime scene. She wasn’t allowed in past the living room door. She was to stay out of the way, but she was to stay close, and she was more terrified than she had ever been in her life.
Keiley sat on the stairs, the boxed pizza sitting untouched beside her, a half-empty glass of wine clutched in her hands as Jethro and Mac dusted the living room for fingerprints. They hadn’t called the sheriff. They had called Jethro’s boss, then began investigating.
She had no idea Mac had kept all the equipment he had from his time in the Bureau. But he had. Stored in a large duffel bag in the attic had been stuff she hadn’t even recognized and hadn’t understood as he tried to explain some of it. All she did understand was that it seemed to be connected to an old case of Mac’s.
Finally, she had taken her wine and moved to the stairs, where Mac had sat the pizza after collecting it from the delivery boy. A boy who hadn’t even gotten out of his truck. Mac had met him in the driveway with the money and sent him on his way before striding into the house, ordering her to eat, then joining Jethro back in the living room.
She could hear their voices and had managed to catch part of the conversation. Something about her panties under the balcony. Someone had stolen her panties.
She pushed her fingers through her hair, took another sip of the wine and rose to her feet. She moved cautiously back to the doorway, aware of the wary looks Mac and Jethro were casting her as she watched them.
“Do you think he’s the reason I’ve had so many things come up missing lately?” she finally asked, realizing she should have mentioned the other articles before now.
Both men froze, their gazed sharpening, expressions becoming savage.
“Like what?” Mac asked dangerously.
“Well, my comb. Remember?”
He nodded sharply. “All you mentioned was a comb. ”
“There was a bottle of my favorite perfume. The dress I wore last week to that meeting in Virginia. The engraved pen you bought me for Christmas just little things, Mac. ”
His jaw hardened dangerously. “What else?”
Keiley frowned. “That’s all I’ve noticed. ”
“How long has this been going on?” Mac snapped. “And why the hell didn’t you tell me about it?”
She hunched her shoulders defensively. “I’ve been busy. I thought I had misplaced them until I went looking for the dress last night. I was going to mention it, but—” She cleared her throat. “Things happened. ”
“Mac, anyone could have found out you were investigating that case before you left,” Jethro muttered, barely loud enough for her to hear.
“What case?”