Star Witness - By Mallory Kane Page 0,18

then stepped up to the bedroom door. “I need to see your room. I want to familiarize myself with it.” She shrugged, adjusting the position of the holster. The gesture was intimidating. Dani decided that Detective Kaye would have no trouble handling herself in any situation.

“Ignore the mess,” Dani said. She’d had Field set the boxes from her office by the bed so they’d be within easy reach. Her clothes were draped over the dainty chair that sat in front of a Victorian writing desk, and her shoes were next to the boxes.

Michele snorted. “This is not a mess. My two kids—they can make a mess.”

“You have two children? How old are they?”

“Seven and eight.” She smiled. “My mother takes care of them when I work overtime.”

“I didn’t realize detectives were ever assigned this kind of duty,” Dani said.

“I volunteer for overtime as often as I can. It comes in handy when you’re a single mother.” As she spoke, she checked the bathroom, then turned her attention to the bank of windows on the far side of the room. She frowned. “I don’t like those windows. They’re a security risk, so large and low to the ground. Someone could climb in.”

Dani swung around and looked at them. She hadn’t noticed how large they were, but now, with Michele’s words, the nape of her neck prickled. “Wow,” she said. “Thanks for pointing that out,” she finished wryly.

“It’s my job. But don’t worry. I’ll take a spin around the house every hour or so, just to be sure there’s no one hanging around. This is a pretty good area. It’ll probably be fine.”

“Unless Yeoman, or whoever tried to run me down, figures out where I am.”

Detective Kaye nodded. “That’s why we’re here,” she said. “Well, I’ll leave you alone. I see you’re working.” She started for the door. “Don’t worry about anything. I’ll be right outside. Holler if you need me.”

Michele went out and pulled the bedroom door to, leaving it ajar. Dani tried to settle back down and finish her report, but she couldn’t concentrate. Detective Kaye’s critical assessment of the windows had made her aware of just how big they were and how close to her bed. She set the computer aside and got under the covers, then turned out the bedside lamp.

She was almost asleep when she heard something. She froze, holding her breath and feeling a creepy déjà vu from the night before, when Harte had walked around outside her house.

She was probably letting her imagination run away with her. Settle down. She didn’t want to get a reputation as the public defender who cried wolf on her first night.

She turned over, trying to relax her tense muscles. She sighed, closed her eyes and did her best to clear her mind.

Then the noise sounded again. Like a scrape of a shoe on a hard surface. She yelped softly, then covered her mouth with her hand. She lifted her head and peered at the windows, trying to see if she could spot a moving shadow or something.

Then suddenly, a high-pitched screech rent the air. Dani shrieked involuntarily.

Almost immediately, a knock sounded on her door and it swung open. Michele stood there, her right hand reaching for her weapon. “What is it?” she whispered sotto voce.

“I’m sorry. Something made a horrible noise outside the window. But now that I think about it, I’m sure it was cats fighting,” Dani whispered, feeling silly.

Michele walked over to the windows and parted the curtains to look out. “I heard the screeching. I’m pretty sure it was cats too. But get your shoes on and go into the living room,” she said. “I’m going to take a walk around the house.”

“I’m sorry,” Dani repeated, but Michele was already heading out the front door.

Dani jumped up, shoved her feet into her sandals and grabbed her purse before going into the living room. She clutched the bag to her chest as she waited for Michele to return.

When the front doorknob turned Dani stiffened, but of course it was the detective.

“I didn’t see anything,” she said. “Not even cats. There were no footprints on that side of the house, and I think there would be, because it’s been raining a little.”

Dani nodded.

Michele eyed her. Her mouth twitched. “I see you’re all ready to go, with your purse and your sandals.”

Dani’s face burned. She probably looked ridiculous, but she wasn’t about to tell Michele she was hanging on to the bag because of the gun inside. She shrugged