Page 36 of Texas Scandal

Tiernan knew the two weren’t close. The call seemed to catch her off guard.

“Do you mind if I take this?” she asked, looking at Prescott.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Tiernan can bring you up to date if you miss anything.”

“Hello?” Melody answered after a quick nod. Nervous tension pulled her shoulders taut. Concern lines scored her forehead. She rolled her head around like she was trying to ease some of the knots.

He turned to Prescott with an ear toward Melody.

“Coffee?” he asked the lawyer.

“Yes, please,” Prescott said. The move also stalled for time since he wanted to hear at least Melody’s side of the conversation with her mother. He grabbed mugs and began pouring, hearing a few starts and stops coming from Melody as she kept getting cut off.

“So, you’re worried about Coop and that’s the reason for the call?” Melody asked, indignant. She muttered a few words that he couldn’t make out as Prescott took one of the mugs on the counter.

Tiernan motioned toward the dining table where he brought the other two.

“I’m sorry you don’t think I’m ‘there’ enough for you and Coop, but you two aren’t the only ones going through this and...” Melody must have gotten cut off. She issued a sigh. “What? When?”

The concern in her voice drew the lawyer’s attention, as well.

“What was stolen?” she asked. A few beats of silence passed as Melody chewed on her bottom lip. He liked the look of his jacket around her shoulders more than he wanted to admit. But he was concerned about the conversation. “What else?” The blood drained from Melody’s face, turning it bleached-sheet white. She glanced over at him and mouthed,a locket.

Tiernan cursed. Prescott nodded. He got it. The locket that had been dropped off at his office belonged to Melody’s mother.

“The blood on the locket is a match to Jason’s,” Prescott informed. “My guess is that someone intended to plant it at your home.”

Melody brought her hand up to cover a gasp, muting the mic. “It would tie me to Jason’s murder.”

“The sheriff said he had an informant who pointed the finger at you,” Prescott said. “But he didn’t produce a name.”

“Because he doesn’t have one?” she asked.

“That’s my guess,” Prescott stated. “The sheriff is stalling.”

“How did the person break in?” Melody asked after rejoining the conversation with her mother. She was quiet for a long moment. “I’m sorry this happened to you.” She paused. “I’m sure Coop is out of his mind with worry. Is he going to stay with you?” Another beat passed. “I’m sure he’s too busy.” Silence. “No. I didn’t mean anything by it. Coop is a busy person.” The unspoken words wereunlike me. “I’m sure he is doing everything he can.” More of that silence came. “I’ll check on you, Mom. Don’t worry about me. I’m good.” The words had a slight chill to them. “Talk to you later.”

Her mother didn’t ask how her daughter was doing?

Melody ended the call and then joined them at the table. “Sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize,” he said quickly. “Sounds like we solved the mystery of where the locket came from.”

“My mother’s house was broken into five days ago, but she didn’t discover the break-in or the missing locket until yesterday,” Melody supplied. “Her housekeeper figured it out and put a timeline together.”

“Your mom doesn’t have any camera security?” Prescott asked.

Melody shook her head. “She decided the government is keeping an eye on everyone through their own security devices. She’s paranoid about being watched and doesn’t want to make it any easier on them than it already is. She went on a rant about how we’re all giving up way too much information about ourselves with all these devices.”

Tiernan didn’t use much more than a cell and a laptop. His social media was nonexistent except for his business account. For him, it was less about privacy and more about being too busy to fiddle with it. Plus, the last thing he wanted to do was stare at a screen all day. Speaking of his business, he needed to make a whole lot of phone calls to let customers know their orders were no longer possible by Christmas.

Prescott was making notes in his phone.

“Do you have a key to your mother’s place?” he asked.

“No,” she said after a thoughtful pause. “Not since she moved out of our family home.”

“Where did the break-in occur?” Prescott asked.

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