that. But I know you need your privacy. Even when you were little, you insisted on it.”
Risa remembered. Privacy had been hard to come by in her childhood, which had consisted of a long line of Hannah’s boyfriends in a series of houses. The men and the houses had seemed to deteriorate over time. And once she’d hit puberty, there’d been one man in particular that she hadn’t felt safe around. That was when she’d insisted on a lock on her bedroom door.
But the pad hadn’t been in her room. She’d looked the next morning again before work. Frowning, Risa recalled her frustration at the time. It hadn’t fallen beneath the bed, although she’d found the pencil there. Wasn’t tossed in the closet or stuffed in a drawer. It’d been gone.
The only other answer would be that someone had taken it. She reached for her water again. Drank. And if it hadn’t been Hannah, she was out of answers. The house had a good security system. She’d insisted on having it installed when she’d bought the place for her mother.
But the home was also equipped with smoke detectors.
The memory had her hand jerking in the act of replacing the water glass on the table. She’d replaced the batteries herself just last month. In truth, there hadn’t been a lot to keep her occupied as she’d healed. Risa had checked the alarms to be sure they were in working order.
And they had been. One might have malfunctioned. But all of them?
A cold wash of dread spread over her. Her gaze flew guiltily to her mother’s face. Because she was suddenly certain who had started that fire.
And why.
Eduardo Morales gave a perfunctory knuckle rap on Nate’s door before pushing it open. “I’ve got news.”
Stomach tightening with adrenaline, Nate glanced away from the computer screen. “Could use some good news for a change.” One look at his captain’s face had him doubting he was going to get it.
“Risa’s mother’s house burned down last night.” Morales walked farther into the room and sank into a chair.
Shock had Nate speechless for a moment. “Last night? Hell, she couldn’t have gotten home much before three. We left the hospital together.”
Morales cocked a brow at that, but said only, “The call went out at about five forty-five this morning. Jett Brandau can tell you more. Apparently he contacted the fire department after he heard. He’s got a relationship with a lot of those guys. Might have some details.”
Sometime Nate had come to his feet. He didn’t remember rising. His gut felt like it was twisted into pretzels. “Was she hurt?”
Morales looked surprised. “What? God, no, I’m sorry. Risa’s okay. They treated and released her. Her mother is staying overnight. Apparently her smoke inhalation was worse. Or maybe because of her age. Anyway, don’t be surprised if you don’t see Risa today. Or hell.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. For the first time Nate noticed that he looked like he’d aged years in the last week. “Don’t be surprised if she shows up either. She’s the toughest woman I know.”
Nate believed it. The only sign of vulnerability he’d ever seen in the woman was last night when she’d allowed herself to lean against him. Just a little. And her hand had remained in his, her fingers grasping tightly, until they’d been joined by the others.
First her boss. Now her mother. She had to be going nuts. And he knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t be thinking about herself and her needs. She’d be checking on everybody else. He glanced at the clock. Nine thirty. There wasn’t a damn thing he could do for her now. Or for the rest of the day.
Because he saw Morales looking increasingly speculative, he sank down in his chair again. Felt like a tightly coiled spring readying for release. “She didn’t need this on top of the shooting last night.”
“Any reason to think the two things are related?” Poleaxed, Nate could only stare at the captain, who then went on. “FBI is on Raiker’s shooting. Then the house burns hours later. They’re looking at every angle.”
“From what Risa said last night, they’re just in full coveryour-ass mode. Sounds like a massive federal screwup led to Raiker even being there last night. The assassin was shot and killed. I don’t know how burning the house down later would change anything.”
The captain nodded, as if not expecting any differently. “Told the commissioner as much, but he directed me to ask