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“We’ll get it cleaned up. ” Rowdy’s arms were wrapped around her from behind, his presence sheltering her. “I’m sorry, baby. ”
“It’s not your fault. ” Kelly shook her head, trying to hold back the fear growing inside her. “He’s angry now, isn’t he?”
Always be my good girl. You’ll always be my good girl.
“Yeah, he’s angry now,” Rowdy admitted. “But he’s not the only one. Do you want to go through the room now or wait till morning? It might be better to wait. ”
She had been violated again. Kelly could feel the pervasive knowledge that even though the attacker hadn’t touched her again, he had still violated her. He had taken something else from her.
She shook her head. “I need to get this cleaned up. I can’t stand knowing it’s destroyed like this. ”
She had to force back her tears. It broke her heart, seeing her treasures destroyed as they were, knowing there was nothing she could do to bring them back. But wasn’t that the purpose behind this sort of attack? To take her mementos, the things she loved away from her?
She moved into the bedroom, staring around at the destruction, and wanted to scream. This was her room. She had had all her treasures here. Her jewelry, her stuffed animals, her dolls. And her hair bows. For once Rowdy hadn’t been able to save her hair bows.
She bent down and picked up the pieces of a hair comb. The small fake pearls were crushed, the little crystals shattered. It had been one of her favorites.
“We’ll replace them, Kelly,” Rowdy promised behind her. “All of them. ”
She cradled the bit of plastic that was left in her palm. They could replace the hair bows, but nothing could replace the sense of security that had been stolen from her.
FOURTEEN
Rowdy had finally managed to convince Kelly and her mother to leave the bedroom alone until morning. They were both exhausted when he and his father walked into the bedroom at three a. m to find the two women crying in each other’s arms.
Rowdy had taken Kelly to his bedroom where he held her as she slept, and Ray had taken her mother to their bed. Rowdy was certain his father had gotten no more sleep than he had though, despite the fact that Dawg and Natches had slept downstairs until the security system could be repaired.
At eight, Rowdy met Ray in the hallway heading downstairs.
“Kelly still asleep?” Ray kept his voice low.
Rowdy nodded sharply.
“Coffee?” His father’s eyes glittered with anger.
“If I know Dawg, it’s already on. ” Rowdy was certain he had smelled it moments before he left his bedroom.
Ray tugged at the band of his jeans and sniffed sharply, his jaw bunching. “Let’s go get some. I’ve had about all I can take of sitting around and thinking. ”
Rowdy knew exactly what he was talking about.
They met Dawg and Natches in the kitchen. Both men were hunched over steaming cups of coffee, talking quietly as Rowdy and Ray entered the room.
“It’s fresh. ” Dawg nodded to the pot on the counter.
“Did you manage to find anything this morning?” Rowdy asked as he moved to the cabinet and pulled two cups down.
“Nothing. ” Dawg sighed. “Me and Natches went over this place with a fine-toothed comb. Whoever it was slipped in like a damned ghost and back out the same way. ”
“Bastard!” Ray snapped. “I’m about tired of this, Rowdy. Maria and Kelly are losing enough sleep. They don’t need this. ”
“I know, Dad. ” Hell, he didn’t need it. He was having nightmares the way it was.
“He was just watching her until you came back, Rowdy,” Dawg informed him. “We found several places where he’s been watching the house from. The rains have wiped out most of the evidence of someone watching, but he likes to snack while he’s watching. A few candy papers, a couple of soda bottles. No prints though. We checked for that. He’s watching from points above the house, several different areas. ”
“She said she knew she was being watched,” Rowdy sighed. “She felt it. ”
“We’ll find him. ” Natches’s eyes were flinty, cold. “He’ll make the wrong move soon. ”
