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After a can of chicken noodle soup, he checked his e-mail. Another message from Kimberly, Robert’s wife, was in his inbox. Another round of pictures of their girls. He wrote back with the usual pithy comments.
Doing well. Be back to Virginia soon. Hard to say when, but please tell everyone to stop worrying.
Everyone included the community of fellow marshals and their families. Minus Robert.
He’d taken part of Virginia with him anyway. His U.S. Marshal badge sat on his desk next to his computer along with a photo of Robert right after he’d received the commendation for his work uncovering white supremacist groups on the eastern seaboard. Right next to the Cuban cigar he’d given Jack that verynight. Fortunately, Jack didn’t smoke, or he might not still have it.
He couldn’t have known then that night would be the last time they’d celebrate anything together. Staring, Jack noticed with a shock that the Cuban cigar was gone from its placement near the photo. That didn’t make sense, since it had sat next to the photo of Robert since he’d moved in, one of the few things he’d made sure to unpack.
He searched the room as a sinking feeling spread when he recalled that Lexi had sat at his computer the previous day. He’d left her alone for a few minutes, and it was then that she must have pocketed it.
But why would the kid steal, of all things, a rare Cuban cigar? It didn’t matter why, the whole thing smacked of rebellion and unacceptable behavior.In his own home.He’d been right about that kid all along.
Pent up frustration bubbled over, and he fought the instinct to put his fist through the wall.Calm down.He could stomp over there right now, and interrupt their family dinner. The grandma would glare at him over her sumptuous fried chicken as he accused her granddaughter of being a thief.
What would Maggie do? Would she believe him or stand up for her daughter? And would she have any idea why the kid had done it?
Not that it mattered.
He had no idea why kids did half of the things they did. He couldn’t go over there now; he was too upset to be rational. He’d wait until tomorrow. Either way, his favorite neighbor was about to get some lousy news because her daughter was a thief.
Chapter 5
Jack jerked awake. He’d fallen asleep staring at the bottle of sleeping pills. It sat, unopened, near his digital alarm clock.
Another night without assistance. So what if he’d tossed and turned for hours. Somewhere in there, he’d actually slept, and at least it was something. He showered and shaved, taking time to note the bags that were starting to accumulate under his eyes.
I wonder how long a man can go without sleep.
A few minutes later, he heard Maggie’s SUV make its valiant efforts to start. He glimpsed outside to see Lexi run to the car and hop in the passenger seat. He’d already made up his mind to speak to Maggie about the cigar first, unable to trust that he could keep his temper in check with the kid.
That’s what he got for allowing himself to be taken in by Maggie—the kid, stealing out of his home. All things considered, it was a much better idea to keep to himself, but for now he just wanted to get the cigar back.
He’d already decided he wouldn’t press charges, and Calhoun would have talked him out of it anyway. But one thing was for sure: the kid would never step foot inside his house again.
A few minutes later Maggie returned, and he slowed his breathing as he strode outside to meet her.
“Hey. I need to talk to you,” Jack said.
Maggie met his gaze. “Sure, what’s up?”
“Can we go inside?”
The seriousness of the subject warranted privacy, and he had no idea how Maggie would react to the bad news. If there would be yelling, best to contain it indoors. In this arena, he had tons of experience.
“Of course.” She moved to her front door and unlocked it.
Maggie’s home was the same size and floor plan of his, but the similarities ended there. This house was a home—from the warm hues of the beige walls to the vanilla scented candles on the kitchen windowsill. Even the beige leather couch in the great room appeared to be worn in all the right places.
He took a breath. “I’m just going to say it. Something is missing from my home. From my desk, actually, and Lexi was the last person there.”
“Missing?” Maggie hovered near the kitchen table where she’d placed her purse.
“Missing—as in taken from my home. Gone.”
“But why do you think Lexi took it?”
He sucked in a breath. He’d been down this river called Denial with other parents, and he should have anticipated winding up there with Maggie, too.
