Conceal, Protect - By Carol Ericson Page 0,8
discovered the break-in.”
He and the sheriff shook hands, and J.D. followed him up the porch.
Sheriff Greavy stepped into the living room and tipped his cowboy hat from his head. “Did you discover anything missing besides the medication, Noelle?”
“My mom left this place pretty sparse, Sheriff. She even took the TV with her to Aunt Kathy’s”
“What about your personal belongings? Jewelry? Computer? Camera?”
“I don’t have any of that stuff here. I had my laptop with me in the truck.” She looked around the room. “And it’s still there.”
Greavy flipped open a notebook and felt in his pocket for a pen. He found one and opened it against his chin. “You told Marlene that some prescription medication was stolen, but you didn’t tell her what kind. What was it?”
Noelle knotted her hands across her waist, while a rosy flush crept into her cheeks. “It was a generic brand of Valium.”
After what she’d been through the past month, hell, the past two years, she didn’t have any reason to be embarrassed about using a tranquilizer for stress or anxiety.
The sheriff scribbled a few notes and shoved the notebook back in his pocket. “You doing okay, Noelle? We all heard about—” he shot a glance at J.D. “—your troubles.”
Sheriff Greavy didn’t have to tiptoe around him. Prospero had already done a full background on Noelle Dupree and knew all about the murder of her husband two years ago.
But Noelle didn’t know that, and, judging by the way the color in her cheeks flared up even more, she had no intention of telling him anything about her past.
“I’m fine, Sheriff.” She untangled her fingers and shoved her hands in her pockets. “I don’t even take that medication. I just have it for insurance.”
Sheriff Greavy held up his calloused hands. “No need to explain anything to me, Noelle. Hell, it’s better than hitting the bottle when times get tough.”
The sheriff asked her a few more questions, dusted the door for fingerprints and then clapped his hat back on his head. “This doesn’t surprise me a bit. We’ve had plenty of break-ins with people stealing TVs, cameras, computers and prescription meds. I don’t think it’s an organized ring, but at least your burglar was neater than most.”
“Yeah, at least he didn’t trash the place.” She bit her lip, her eyes clouding over.
Must be thinking about that other break-in.
“I have to ask you something, Noelle.” Sheriff Greavy paused at the front door, grasping the doorjamb with a gloved hand. “You heard from Teddy?”
“No.” Her face had closed up tighter than a bear trap.
“Well, I heard he’s back in town.” The sheriff jerked his chin toward the room. “You don’t think...?”
“No.”
“Just askin’. You take care and get a good, solid lock on this door.” He touched a finger to the rim of his hat. “J.D.”
Noelle didn’t have to worry about keeping her brother a secret from him either. Prospero knew all about him, too.
Noelle stood beside him on the porch, watching Sheriff Greavy pull away. Her body vibrated like a taut string that hadn’t been plucked in years. If anything, the sheriff’s visit had made her more tense.
Seemed as if nothing but land mines filled her past, one incident after another that had to be avoided at all costs.
And she was facing the biggest land mine of all and didn’t even know it.
She puffed out a breath, and it hung suspended for a moment in the cold night air. “That wasn’t much help.”
“I don’t know.” He stood sideways across the threshold and waved her into the house. As she brushed past him, her ponytail tickled his arm. “Sheriff Greavy has a record of the break-in. That’s a good thing.”
Pivoting, she faced him, crossing her arms. “Thanks for your help tonight. I mean, for the truck and sticking around after the break-in.”
“No problem. Call the garage about getting that truck fixed, and...” Was it too soon to offer his services? Her stance, back ramrod straight and arms folded, screamed get the hell out. Probably not the best time.
“And take care. Like Greavy suggested, get a dead bolt on that door.”
“Will do.”
J.D. ambled toward the door, and she uprooted herself to make sure he made it outside. They said their goodbyes, and she didn’t even wait for him to reach his truck before shutting the door.
He slid into his truck and cranked on the heater. Rubbing his hands together and blowing on them, he watched the lights go off in the house until just the yellow glow from the front windows