Page 23 of In the Line of Ire

"Whathappened?" I asked gently.

"I thinksomeone was in my bed while I was at work." Natalie looked up at mewith wide, frightened eyes. "The covers were turned back just alittle and there was a dent in the pillow, like someone's head hadbeen resting on it. The girls and I were out to dinner with myparents."

"Haveyour daughters noticed anything strange?"

"Ididn't think so until Lucy mentioned a couple of odd things. Herviolin was out of its case one day and some things in her bedroomwere moved around. She thought her sister was borrowing stuff but Idoubted it. Then Emily mentioned that she found the TV on one daywhen she came home from school and heard a door slamming. Shebrushed it off as her imagination, but now I put it all together, Ithink someone might be going into our house when we're not thereand touching our personal possessions."

"Couldit be your ex-husband?" I asked.

"Oh, no.No, definitely not," she said quickly. "We actually had a veryamicable divorce and we get on well now. There was nothing horribleor bad to end the marriage, it just fizzled out, so I know there'sno animosity there. Plus, I know it couldn't be him because he's anoil engineer and has physically been stationed on the oil rigs forthe past three months. He doesn't get back to Montgomery foranother two weeks."

"Haveyou confirmed that?" I asked.

"Yes, Icalled the rig and I asked to speak to him and he was there. I feltbad about it but I was sure you would ask that question so Ichecked. Ms. Graves, I'm so tired from staying awake at night,worrying about this, and I don't want my daughters to be at homealone in case someone is waiting for them. We're either beinghaunted or something very sinister is going on inside my home. I'msure you can imagine the terrible thoughts running through my head.Can you help me?"

Ireached for the case papers we kept in the room for new clients andplaced them in front of her. "Make a list of everything that'shappened and I'll investigate it personally," I told her. "I'm surethere's a simple explanation for this. A lot simpler than anoveractive poltergeist."

Nataliereached for the pen I offered her. "That's what I'm afraidof."

Chapter Six

At somepoint the previous evening, the mall board agreed to pay the agencyfee and that was why I was standing in the back of the van Solomonoccasionally used for undercover work. I was also having a wireinserted into my bra.

"Testing," said Solomon, holding a headphone to hisear.

"Boo," Isaid.

"Saysomething else."

"Something else."

"Veryfunny."

"Ithought so!"

"You cando your blouse up now."

I winkedat him. "Must I?"

"Please," said Delgado, "I want to turn around."

"Sorry,forgot you were here." I quickly buttoned my dull, black,short-sleeved blouse, the best match I had per Samantha'sinstructions to wear only black. Usually my clothes were a lot morecolorful and definitely a lot more fun. I hoped I would feel chicand elegant in the black blouse and pants, but mostly I felt boringand drab. So, I perked the look up with gold earrings and a swatheof pink lipstick. It wasn't much but at least I didn't feel like Ilooked too plain.

"You'llbe here the whole time?" I asked.

Solomonnodded. "Delgado will be in the mall with you and I'll be here,right outside. Lucas will be monitoring you primarily from theagency but he'll arrive in a few minutes."

"What ifI need help?"

"We'vetimed it precisely. If you call for assistance, I can be at thestore within two minutes. Delgado might be a little longerdepending on where he is in the mall."

"Thelongest it would take me to reach you is seven minutes," saidDelgado. He crossed his arms over his mall cop uniform andstretched his legs. Solomon insisted on two operatives working andSamantha suggested a security guard position as the most likelyfit. All Delgado had to do was wander around the mall and blend in,facilitating his travel easily between the customer and theemployee zones.

"What ifyou're otherwise engaged?" I asked. "Or dealing with some kind ofcrazy shopper?"

"No oneis crazier than you," said Delgado.

I put myhand to my mouth in mock shock and gasped. "That's littlecomfort."

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