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"Pretty small feet," Raith murmured as he knelt down to study the distinct footprint left in the mud. He stuck out his own size twelve and guessed, "Probably a nine, you think?"
"Eight," Purcell corrected and stretched forth his own leg. "Same as me."
Raith balled his hand into a fist. When his fingers were slow to comply, he frowned at them before he realized they were too cold to work properly. He wasn't even wearing a coat; he'd left the house too quickly to remember something so triv
ial.
"Jesus, Malloy, aren't you freezing?"
He straightened. "I'm going to go inside and look around," he finally decided, thinking if he was calm enough to notice the weather, he was as calm as he was going to get.
"Go." Purcell waved him off and returned to his inspection, scanning for more clues. Raith entered through the back door, shuddering when he caught sight of the splintered doorframe the intruder had kicked in. He nudged it open with his toe, scanned the kitchen and started to relax a little when he saw everything in its usual place.
"He was probably in his late thirties, early forties," Chase was saying as Raith entered the living room. Willow's brother stood in the center of the room, giving his statement to Hinton. "Small for a man, probably only fivefive or five-six."
Hinton nodded and noted the information on a pad of paper. "Caucasian?"
"Yeah," Chase answered and lifted his face when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Instantly his cheeks went dark. Glaring at Hinton, he pointed toward Raith. "What the hell is he doing here?"
Raith swallowed when Hinton looked up in surprise. "Uh..." he stuttered, shocked by the anger in the assistant county attorney's expression.
"Where is she?" Raith asked calmly.
Chase growled, "I think you should just leave. Right now. You've done enough to my sister."
Raith glanced toward Hinton. "Where?"
The deputy didn't say a word, but his gaze slid toward the hallway that led to her room.
Raith nodded his thanks. But when he started that way, big brother stepped into his path.
"You're not going anywhere near her."
"Get out of my way, DeVane."
Chase didn't move. "Just turn around and leave. She doesn't want you here."
Raith's eyes flashed angrily. "Well, you know what? I really don't care. That woman is carrying my child." He motioned jerkily down the hall. "I have a right to see if she's okay."
Behind him, Hinton gasped out a gurgled sound of shock. Chase's eyes narrowed, probably ticked the rumor was going to spread throughout the entire sheriff's department by eight a.m. tomorrow. But Raith didn't care about that either. He just wanted to see Willow.
"She called you when she had an intruder in her house a goddamn week ago, Malloy. And you didn't believe her then. So you lost your chance to act all worried and upset."
Raith took a step back. Chase's comment struck right to the core of the problem. His face drained of color; the guilt hit him square in the chest. His vision grayed. For a dreadful second, he was sure he was going to pass out, but he stayed on his feet.
"If she'd gotten killed tonight, it'd be your fault."
Raith lifted his face and in a hoarse voice, rasped, "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I..." He broke off suddenly before he broke down and started bawling.
"Just let me see her, God damn it," he whispered. "Soon as I see that she's okay, I'll get out of here. All right?"
Chase glared at him for moment and then moved an inch. He didn't exactly get out of Raith's way, but it was enough to let Malloy know he wasn't going to argue anymore.
Raith blew out a relieved breath and hurried past him. At the opened doorway to Willow's room, though, he paused.
She sat curled on the bed with her back to him, her knees pressed tight together and her feet flat on the floor. Her still-wet hair dripped down her back. She'd changed from the bathrobe Purcell said she'd been wearing and was now huddled inside flannel pants and a sweatshirt. The way she sat made her look lost and afraid and way too frail.
When he stepped into the room, she turned her head, not enough to actually see who'd come in, but enough to let him know she heard his entry. The icy breeze wafting in through the broken window was warm compared to the chill coming off her.
