When the Bough Breaks (Rose Gardner Investigations #6) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,29

I need to catch up. Maybe you can explain it all a little slower this time.”

So I did. I started with seeing Mike at Walmart with Ashley and Mikey and arranging to see the kids. This time I told them about the weird vibe I’d gotten at Mike’s house last night—how he’d looked like crap and the house had been closed up. Neely Kate finished by telling them about our visit to the daycare and everything that had happened this morning.

“So Mike’s mother said he’s in a lot of debt?” Jed asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “She said he’s got several loans and maybe took out a second mortgage on his house. His parents offered him money, but he told them that he was about to close on a house.”

“Where does the murdered subcontractor fit in?” Witt asked.

“We don’t know that his murder is for sure tied to Mike,” I said, “but it seems like a huge coincidence.”

“Maybe,” Jed said, deep in thought. “I need to see his books.”

“Don’t you think Joe’s gonna take those?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Jed said. “But depending on what they found at the house, they may concentrate on that evidence first. Does he have an office for his construction business, or does he work out of the house?”

“Both, I think. He worked at home a lot when he had the kids full time, but he used to go to his office when Violet lived with him while she was sick.”

“Can you get into his office?”

I gasped. “You want us to get Mike’s books?”

“I don’t want to take them,” Jed said. “Just get a copy. I know it’s a lot to ask, but it might tell us something.”

“Do you think we should just let Joe handle it?” I asked.

He paused. “I have no doubt that Joe will do everything with the power available to him, but he has limitations.” His eyes narrowed. “I don’t.”

“What do you think happened to them?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he said, “but we’ve known for months that Mike likely has criminal ties. It’s time to find out what those might be. Maybe someone kidnapped the kids for blackmail.”

The thought made me sick to my stomach, but at least it was better than the alternative. Still, I needed to stop dwelling on what had happened and start doing something about it. Which meant I needed to get those records for Jed. But how? I’d meant what I’d said to Neely Kate—I wasn’t about to start stepping over crime scene tape or breaking into buildings.

Then it came to me. “Mike’s mother might help us.”

Neely Kate’s brow shot up. “Joe had to threaten her to get her to come over and unlock the house. What makes you think she’ll help get into his office?”

“Because once she realized the kids really were in danger, she started sharing everything. If she thinks we have a way to get to them faster, I think she’ll help.”

Jed nodded. “Then call her. Joe’s gonna get the books sooner or later, and we need to beat him to it.”

I felt like a traitor, but my loyalty to Violet’s children trumped my loyalty to Joe. I only hoped he’d understand.

I pulled out my phone and called Mike’s mother’s cell phone. She answered right away.

“Rose,” she said, sounding like she’d just finished a crying spell. “I owe you a huge apology. If I’d only listened to you and Joe last night, we might have stopped this.”

“I don’t think it would have mattered, Barb,” I said, my voice breaking. “Based on the fact he wouldn’t let us see them and acted so strangely about it, I suspect they were already gone.”

She started to cry. “Why wouldn’t he call the police? He would never hurt those children, Rose. He loves them. They’re his everything.”

“I know,” I said. “I’ve never once doubted that he loves them.” I took a breath. “But there’s a reason I’m calling. I need to ask you to help me get access to something. I think it will help me find Ashley and Mikey faster than Joe can.”

“You think you can find them?” The hopefulness in her voice made my heart skip a beat.

“I have a couple of friends who will be helpin’ me, and they’re known for gettin’ results. But I need to see Mike’s books for the construction company.”

“His books?”

“They might be able to help us figure out who took the kids.”

“You really think someone took them?” she whispered.

“Yeah.”

Mike’s mother was quiet for so long I was sure she was going to