Page 138 of Trouble Comes in Threes

“Yep! Your momma’s gettin’ your clothes, then she’s comin’ with you.”

“Can Muffy come?” Hope asked. Muffy, who sat at her feet, let out a forlorn little whine.

“Of course Muffy’s comin’,” I said. “We wouldn’t dream of leaving her behind.”

“But we’re in our pajamas!” Mikey protested with a laugh.

“You don’t need to change,” Joe said. “You can go in your PJs.”

“It’s a pajama party!” I said, trying to make this impromptu trip fun and not scary.

“Yay!” the little girls called out in unison.

“So get packin’!” Joe said. “Now you have nine minutes.”

The kids ran back into their rooms, although Ashley hesitated for a moment in the doorway before turning inside.

Joe turned to Witt. “Can you grab a bunch of stuff for Liam?”

Witt’s forehead burrowed with concern, but he nodded. “Of course. Three days?”

“Hopefully that’s enough.”

Witt turned his back to the hallway and lowered his voice. “I take it that it’s bad?”

“The third murder victim was someone on Bruce Wayne’s landscape crew,” Joe said.

Witt’s eyes widened. “Shit. Are you stayin’ with ’em at Rose’s aunt’s house?”

Pain crossed Joe’s eyes, but he shook his head. “I wish I could, but I think I could serve them better by trying to catch the people who did this.”

Witt nodded. “Then I’m goin’.”

Joe studied him for a moment, his gaze flicking to our son, who was snuggled into Witt’s side. He nodded. “Thank you.”

Witt gave him a grim nod, then turned around and announced to Liam that he was going on vacation, and they needed to pack.

Joe turned to me, guilt filling his eyes.

“Don’t look like that,” I said, cupping his cheek. “You’re doin’ the right thing by staying.”

“My head says I am, but my heart…”

“Daddy!” Hope called out. “Can I take my tutu?”

Joe released a chuckle. “Duty calls.” But he still looked torn, like he could hardly bear looking away from me.

“Go pack clothes for our daughter that won’t make my sister roll over in her grave,” I said with a small laugh. “Meet you in eight minutes.”

He gave me another kiss, then turned and walked away.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

After we got everyone packed and their luggage downstairs, I showed Joe the box in his office.

“See?” I said as he took out the contents and looked them over. “Nothing special.”

“I agree. And it’s not like they could have known you were going to dig up the box. It’s just a coincidence.” He put everything back inside and closed the lid. “But if you have that note that Harvey left with his sister, I’d like to take it to the station.”

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