Page 22 of Christmas in the Shadows

She stayed behind him as he stepped farther into the house. She had no idea what they might find. Part of her didn’t want to know.

She didn’t want her memories of this place to be stained with any painful or horrifying images.

Tex flipped on the lights, and the utility room came into view. It looked as she’d left it with the washer and dryer on her left and honey-oak cabinets above them.

Then they crept forward into a small hallway leading into the kitchen and dining room area.

Those rooms also looked fine.

She let out a sigh of relief. Maybe she was making this out to be more than it was. Maybe that man had started to go inside, but then he’d heard the truck pull up and changed his mind.

“Everything look good so far?” Tex muttered.

“So far, so good.” Her voice sounded a little perkier than she’d intended.

But when they stepped into the living room, all her hopes disappeared like well-behaved students during a full moon.

The room had been turned upside down. Her Christmas tree lay on the floor, ornaments scattered and broken. Her bookshelf had been tipped over. Her couch cushions and pillows littered the floor. Anything she’d had hanging on the wall was now crooked, and one of her family pictures had even been smashed.

Someone had definitely been sending a message.

Chelsea frowned. She still wasn’t sure what that message might be.

CHAPTER 7

Tex convinced Chelsea that she needed to call the police. He might be able to overlook the brick thrown into Gilbert’s house. But he couldn’t overlook this.

This break-in made someone look unhinged. And Tex didn’t like it.

At the police’s request, Tex and Chelsea waited outside while the cops checked out Chelsea’s place and looked for fingerprints or other evidence.

As Chelsea and Tex lingered on the driveway, Gilbert appeared through the hedges. A petite woman walked beside him. She was probably in her sixties with light blonde—maybe white?—hair styled in a pixie cut.

“Are you okay?” Gilbert rushed, his brow wrinkled with concern. “We saw the police lights. What happened?”

“Someone broke into Chelsea’s place,” Tex explained.

The woman gasped, and her hand flew over her mouth. “That’s terrible. Is everyone okay?”

“Thankfully, yes,” Chelsea said. “And nothing appears to be stolen . . .”

“How strange,” the woman murmured, her eyes wrinkling with confusion.

Gilbert must have seen Tex studying the woman and realized they hadn’t been introduced yet. He snapped into a more upright position.

“Excuse my manners,” Gilbert started. “Tex, this is Anna. Anna, Tex.”

“Nice to meet you.” Tex offered a friendly nod. “So you’re the one who captured this guy’s heart? Good for you.”

Anna squeezed Gilbert’s arm. “After my husband passed, I never thought I’d fall in love again. But what can I say? Gilbert was irresistible.”

That just went to prove there was someone out there for everyone.

After a moment passed, Tex shifted the conversation back to the break in.

Tex looked at Gilbert then nodded toward Chelsea’s house. “You didn’t see anything, did you?”

“Honestly?” Gilbert shook his head. “Anna and I were listening to Duran Duran when we saw the police lights flashing outside.”

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