Page 28 of Shelter for Martina

“Then why would I be worried?”

“How would your kids feel about that?”

He snorted. “It’s none of their damn business.”

“Well, okay, if you’re sure…”

“I’m positive. I want you to be able to come and go as you please.”

“Then I insist on giving you a key to my place too.”

He chuckled. “That’s perfectly fine. Not a problem.”

“Good. Okay. I’ll have one made. And Albert?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you text me sometimes during the day? I mean, I miss talking to you while I’m at work and all that.”

“I will. I didn’t want to get you in trouble at work, but yes—I’ll do that.”

“Good. I’ll look forward to it. See you tomorrow evening?”

“I’m counting on it. Night, babe.”

“Night, Albert.”

Bud hung up the phone and smiled. She was his. He wasn’t sure he wanted to say those three little words yet, but he sure felt them.

* * *

He’d neglectedto ask Martina what he might be able to pick up for dinner, so he just decided he’d wait. There wasn’t a grocery nearby, but he could still go get something if he didn’t have what she wanted to fix.

It seemed to be taking a long time for her to get to his house. When he’d texted her around lunchtime, she hadn’t said anything about having anywhere she had to be after work, so he had to believe she was just running a little bit late.

He’d been home for a little over an hour when he heard a car in the drive, so he headed to the door to greet her. As soon as he saw her face, he knew something was wrong. Her eyes were red, and so was her nose, and even as far away as she was, he could see her hands shaking. When she looked up and saw him standing there, she began to sob out loud and ran straight for him.

He caught her as she bolted through the door and clutched her to him. “Babe! What’s wrong? Martina, you’re scaring me! Are you okay?”

“Look!” she screamed and held out her phone. He took it out of her hand and stared down at the screen.

It was a text from an unknown number, and the message was short and sweet.

Quit asking questions about your daughter. She’s dead.

“When did you get this?”

She was still sobbing. “About the time I got in the car to leave work! I’ve been sitting in the parking lot, crying!”

Bud pulled out his phone and hit a contact. “Yeah, it’s Griffin. Tell me somethine… I have somebody here who just got what I consider a threatening communication through a text from an unknown number. Any way you can trace that?”

“Bud, I’m sorry,” Brad told him, “but no. I mean, we can go through the carrier, get a court order and make them release the records, but if it came through a carrier other than the recipient’s, it could take weeks and we still might not be able to figure out where it came from, especially if it was a burner phone.”

“I was afraid of that, but I had to ask. Thanks.” Ending the call, he tossed his phone down on the table in the foyer and hugged Martina tight. “Shhhh, baby. It’ll be okay. I’m so sorry, babe.”

“Why are people so cruel? Why would somebody do that?”

“There’s only one reason. We’re getting too close.”

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