Page 17 of Clara's Secure Hideaway

“What was that?” Heath stooped down and picked the flying object off the floor. “Looks like the lid to a USB stick.”

“Why would that be in Avery’s stuffed animal?”

“Simple answer, because someone hid it in there. What we really need to figure out is what was on the thumb drive that was so important Mitch risked his neck to break in and take it.”

7

Heath flipped the lid between his fingers and a hundred questions erupted in his mind.

“Are you sure that’s from a USB stick?” Clara asked, glancing over his shoulder.

“Pretty sure. Do you have an extra one laying around the house we can use to compare? Just to make sure?” If she didn’t have one, they could make a quick stop at the sheriff’s department. He always had one or two cluttering up his desk drawer.

She swished her lips to the side then disappeared down the hall.

He gave the room a quick glance. Nothing else seemed amiss in the space. A white wicker basket held toys in one corner and every book was in its place on the little shelf. A yellow and blue comforter covered the bed with pillows neatly laying side by side. Only the dismembered stuffed animal with its fluffy innards displayed gave signs that anything was wrong.

Clara should still go through the rest of the room, but he’d bet his paycheck that they’d found the most important thing Mitch left behind.

But just like everything else Clara had pointed out in the house, he had no real way to prove it.

“Here,” Clara thrust her hand forward and a USB stick laid in her palm.

He plucked it from her hand, ignoring the burst of excitement in the pit of his stomach when his skin touched hers. He snapped the cap on the end of the stick and held it up. “Perfect fit.”

“Great, now how do we find the USB stick that the lid actually belongs to? Do I need to cut off the heads of all my children’s toys to see if anything else is hiding?” She rubbed the fabric of her sweater by her neck between her thumb and forefinger and glanced around the cozy space. “Oh, God. What if he has something unsafe hidden here? Something that could harm the kids if they accidently got their hands on it. We need to check everything.” She dashed forward, determination in her stride.

He secured an arm around her waist to stop her forward momentum, anchoring her in place before she did something she’d regret. “Hold on a second.”

She stopped and stared at him with large, uncertain eyes. She swallowed hard. A light blush crept up her neck and settled on her cheeks.

“I…I’m sorry,” he stammered, dropping his arm and escaping her personal space. “I shouldn’t have done that. It’s just…we need to take a minute and think.”

She ran a hand through her long locks, pushing the strands off her face, and her forced chuckle rang false in his ears. “It’s fine. I shouldn’t have charged in like that. You’re right. Rushing in and destroying my kids limited possessions won’t help anything.”

“Let’s sit down and talk for a second.” He could tell she was close to spiraling. He had to remember she was a civilian, a woman whose life had been rattled—again—and all she wanted was to keep her children safe.

He waited for her to dip out of the room then followed her down the hall to the living room.

She dropped onto the edge of the couch, and he opted to sit beside her but with enough distance that it’d force him to keep his hands to himself.

“Can I get you anything? Water? Something to eat?” he asked.

She dropped her head back to rest on the cushion. “This is my house, remember? I should be the one offering to get something for you.”

“True, but I’m not the one who’s had the rug pulled out from under them. A glass of water is the least I can do.”

“I don’t think water’s going to calm me down, but thanks. The only thing that’d calm me is knowing I’ll never have to deal with Mitch again.”

“Then I think it’s best if I take you back to the shelter and you let me handle things from me here on out.”

“I guess that makes sense,” she said, frowning. “What will you do next?”

“I’ll file a report for the emergency order. I can’t promise you that charges will be brought up against him regarding the house. There’s no evidence he’s actually been inside or stolen anything. Nothing directly links him to the blanket or missing ring. We can dust for prints, but it will take time to get the results and might not hold up since he used to live here.”

She scrubbed her hands down her face, defeat in her slumped shoulders. “And I suppose I destroyed my daughter’s stuffed animal too? I swear, sometimes the system is nothing more than a joke. No wonder women are afraid to point the finger at their abusers. It can feel like no one is in your corner, no one will make sure that finger doesn’t end up getting ripped off.”

“I know this is frustrating, and I believe you about everything. But that’s different than having enough evidence to convince a judge.” Leaning forward, he tapped his fist on her knee to gain her full attention. When her eyes finally locked on his, he said, “And I’m always in your corner, okay?”

---