Page 5 of Out of the Shadows
Cody led the dogs around to the back of the house while Logan helped Laura out of the car. “I’m fine,” she said even as she winced at her sore muscles.
“The paramedic said tomorrow you’ll feel like you were hit by a truck—oh wait, youwerehit by a truck.”
“Mom, let us help you for a change.” Sydney picked up the bag of personal items they’d collected from their totaled 4-Runner.
“You need to take it easy too, Sydney. You’re going to be sore, just like me.”
“I’m young, I’ll bounce back faster,” Sydney teased. She sounded almost like her normal self.
Laura sighed. She had never felt old—and thirty-six wasnotold. But the ten-minute drive from the accident to home had stiffened her muscles. A couple Tylenol and lots of water and a hot bath sounded very good right now, but that might have to wait until tomorrow because she wasn’t certain she’d be able to get out of the tub on her own tonight.
“Mom!” Cody screamed.
Logan ran to the back of the house and Laura followed as fast as she could, her heart pounding.
Cody was standing in the backyard, holding the collars of the two Labs, who were both trying to get out of his grasp.
The back door leading into the large, country-style kitchen was askew. The beautiful antique cabinet she’d lovingly restored last summer, where she kept her favorite dishes and her grandmother’s china, had been pushed over and partly blocked the threshold.
Someone had broken into her house.
She drew Sydney close to her side. “Where’s Bagel?” Sydney asked of their nine-year-old beagle. “Bagel!” She ran toward the house, but Logan pulled her back.
“Wait, Sydney.”
He had his phone out and dialed 911.
“What if they hurt him?” Sydney wailed. “Or he got out and is lost? Or a coyote got him? Bagel can’t outrun a coyote!” Tears started to fall.
As if the little dog heard them, a chunky beagle wiggled through the space between the fallen cabinet and the door frame. He bounded over to Laura, his white-tipped tail wagging furiously. Sydney collapsed to her knees and hugged him. He licked her tears.
Logan said into his phone, “I need to report a break-in.”
Chapter Three
Jack arrived at the Barrett house at five in the morning. The sun had already broken over the McDowell Mountains and the eighty-degree morning would turn to triple digits before noon.
Logan Monroe’s sister lived north of Phoenix, where every house was on a couple acres and many people owned horses. Jack had always wanted a spread out here, but it was beyond his price range. After paying off the debt his ex-wife had amassed, he was still in the rebuilding phase. His goal was to buy a place with elbow room before Austin started high school. The little house he’d bought last year should appreciate with all the work he was doing on it, and he hoped to sell it for a good profit in three years.
Logan hadn’t given him much detail, only that his sister’s house had been broken into and he wanted to hire Jack. Jack didn’t think that was necessary—Phoenix PD, though understaffed, had a unit dedicated to property crimes. They had a decent clearance rate.
But Logan had become a good friend over the last couple months and his business had Angelhart Investigations on retainer, so if Jack could help him with a personal matter he was happy to do so.
Logan answered as soon as Jack knocked. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes. “Thanks so much for coming, Jack.”
“Not a problem.”
Two Labs greeted Jack with wagging tails, but they were well-trained enough not to jump on him. He put his hand out for them to sniff, then he pet them.
“Seriously, I woke you in the middle of the night and I really appreciate you coming up here. Laura finally went to bed after the police left.”
Jack looked around. Standard ranch-style house with a lived-in, homey feel. “What did the police say?”
“They took prints from Laura’s office and the back door, where the burglars broke in. Pictures—a decent boot print was visible on the door where it was kicked in. But one of the officers—Tom Degas—said he didn’t find much. Whoever broke in didn’t even take anything!”
“We’ll figure it out,” Jack said as they walked back to the kitchen. A long center island provided ample counter space for food prep, herbs grew in a picture window that looked out back, and an amazing Spanish-tile backsplash behind the Wolf gas stove added color to the large, functional space.
The kitchen was L-shaped, and the short part of the L was a cozy sunroom with a couch, extra storage and a solid wood shelf that had been knocked over. Someone had swept broken plates and bowls into the corner. The door was lopsided, unable to fully close.
