When the Bough Breaks (Rose Gardner Investigations #6) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,21
to cross that line. For one thing, the yard wasn’t much better than the one at Mike’s construction site, and two, I wasn’t in the mood to tug at the skirts of the law. I was too tired and cranky, and I was craving a biscuit sandwich.
“You can go inside, but I’m stayin’ out here,” I finally said. “You can take lots of photos and show me. And if you do happen to get arrested, I’ll try my best to scrounge up the money to bail you out, but I have no idea how much those two false labor visits are gonna cost me since I’m not sure they’re covered by insurance, so no promises.”
“You used to be more fun,” Neely Kate said with a frown.
“Yeah,” I said, grumbling. “You wouldn’t be sayin’ that if you’d known me two years ago.”
She laughed. “Come on. Let’s get you that biscuit I heard you mumblin’ about under your breath.”
“It wasn’t under my breath. I wanted you to hear it.”
We headed back to the truck, and Tex, who was standing in the doorway to his spec house, gave us a wave. I waved back, but my attentions shifted to the house with the crime scene tape as we drove past. I had every intention of finding out what had happened to Mark Erickson. We’d just have to go about it another way.
Chapter 6
On the way to Mike’s, I called Joe and put him on speaker to fill him in on what we’d found out at the daycare and the neighborhood under construction. He listened and asked a few questions, then finally got to what I knew he’d been dying to ask since I’d told him where we’d gone.
“Did you two go in that house?” he asked in a firm tone.
“Which one?” Neely Kate asked with a huge grin that would have given her away if Joe had been there to see it.
“You know which one,” Joe snapped. “Did you?”
“No,” I said, not in the mood to hear them squabble. “We stood at the curb and looked from there. I wasn’t about to disturb a crime scene.”
He was quiet for a moment, then said, “Because you figured you’d get the information another way. From me.”
“I wasn’t countin’ on it,” I said. “We have other resources.”
He released a low groan. “You’re both gonna be the death of me.”
“I sure hope not,” I said. “I kind of need you to stick around.”
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, darlin’.” He took a breath, then said, “What are you two doin’ now?”
“We’re headed to Mike’s house to see what’s goin’ on with the kids.”
“I’ll send a deputy over,” Joe said.
My breath caught in my throat. By bringing in his men, Joe was taking this to the next level, which was a good thing. Something might actually get done, but it also meant this wasn’t as simple as Mike trying to keep me from seeing the kids. They were in danger. “But Mike’s house is in Henryetta city limits.”
“You let me worry about that,” he said. “In fact, if Mike’s in trouble with some criminal, I’m not sure I want either one of you anywhere near his house.”
Neely Kate started to protest, but I held up my hand. “We’ll head over, but we’ll wait on the street until the deputy gets there.”
I was sure he was going to shut me down, so he surprised me when he said, “All right. Just stay in the car, okay?”
“We’ll stay by it,” Neely Kate said, then hung up the call and gave me a sideways glance. “You know I didn’t promise, right?”
I crossed my arms over my chest, my forearms resting on my belly. “I’m fully aware of that.”
Neely Kate offered to pick up a breakfast sandwich from Merilee’s, but I told her I’d had second thoughts. I was too worried to eat it. All I wanted was to make sure my niece and nephew were safe.
When we pulled up in front of their house, the driveway was ominously empty.
“He’s still not home.”
“Maybe his truck is in the garage,” Neely Kate said.
I shook my head. “It wouldn’t fit. But if he’s not here, where is he? And more importantly, where are the kids?”
A sheriff’s car was heading toward us, and the deputy parked behind us. We both got out, and I was relieved to see Deputy Randy Miller get out of his cruiser and walk toward us. Randy was my friend, and I knew he’d take this seriously.