by Laura Scott
* * *
The next morning, Noelle’s eyes were gritty from lack of sleep. She dragged herself out of bed to take care of Kaitlin and within minutes Caleb was up, too. She took Kaitlin upstairs to use the bathroom facilities while Caleb straightened up their temporary living space. She brought cold cereal and milk down for breakfast and this time Caleb led the prayer.
“Dear Lord, thank You for providing this food we are about to eat and keep us safe in Your care. Amen.”
“Amen,” she and Kaitlin echoed simultaneously, which made Kaitlin giggle.
The thought of spending the entire day in the basement did not fill Noelle with enthusiasm. She understood the need to be safe, but it was barely an hour and she already missed having natural sunlight.
Caleb must have understood her feelings, because he gestured to the staircase with his spoon. “I think we are probably okay to head upstairs for a while after breakfast, as long as we stay out of the living room. With the bright sunlight outside, it won’t be easy for anyone to see inside unless they come right up to the windows.”
“That would be great,” she said thankfully.
Noelle managed to keep busy throughout the next few hours, doing dishes and playing dolls with Kaitlin. When she heard Declan and Caleb talking in low tones, she left Kaitlin to her dollhouse and went down into the basement to see what was going on.
Caleb’s expression was grim as he stared at the computer. She nearly gasped out loud when she recognized the photograph of Heather, Caleb’s wife, on the screen. The woman was dressed in a racy outfit that barely covered the essentials.
“Where did you find it?” she asked. She couldn’t imagine what he must be thinking about seeing his wife dressed like that.
Caleb and Declan exchanged a long glance. “Eileen’s Elite Escort Services dot com,” Caleb admitted.
“Escort services?” Noelle frowned, not exactly sure what that meant. “What exactly does an escort do?”
Caleb shook his head. “I’m not sure I want to know.”
Declan’s expression was equally sober. “In theory the escorts are available for wealthy men who want a good-looking woman to appear at functions with them. However, we suspect there is far more to the escort’s duties than that.”
She remembered what Caleb had said yesterday, about prostitution. She hadn’t wanted to believe the worst, wanting to spare him the pain and humiliation. But obviously now that they found Heather’s photo on this website, there was no denying the truth.
“But why would Heather’s photograph still be on this site if she’s been dead for over a year?” she asked.
“That’s a good point,” Caleb admitted. He refused to meet her gaze and she worried that he somehow felt responsible for what his former wife had done. “Either the owners aren’t good at updating their website or they chose to keep the photo there for advertising purposes.”
“At least we know that this is another possible motive for murder,” Declan said.
“Is there a way to find out who owns this business?” Noelle asked as Caleb minimized the site as if to hide the photograph of his dead wife. She wanted to reassure him that this wasn’t his fault, but considering the stiff set to his shoulders and the way he was avoiding her gaze, she didn’t get the sense he would accept anything remotely resembling sympathy.
“I bet Brickner’s involved somehow,” Caleb muttered harshly. “The way he was dressed last night was far from subtle.”
“He could be the middle man,” Declan agreed. “Maybe he was reporting to his higher-ups about the business?”
Noelle wasn’t a police officer but what Caleb and Declan were proposing made sense. “We need to find a way to prove he’s involved.” Then another idea occurred to her. “What if Heather wasn’t murdered out of jealousy or rage, but because she wanted out? Maybe she threatened to go to the authorities if they didn’t let her go, so Brickner killed her?”
Caleb spun around in his chair to face her for the first time since she’d come downstairs. “You could be right about that. As Kaitlin was getting older and starting school, she may have had second thoughts about being involved in this escort business.”
The frank hope in Caleb’s eyes tugged at her heart. She just couldn’t imagine what it must be like to realize you’ve been betrayed to this extent by the woman you promised to love and cherish. Any illegal activity was bad enough, considering Caleb was a sheriff’s deputy, but an escort service that potentially doubled as a high-class call girl? She could barely wrap her mind around the concept.
“I’m sure you’re right,” she agreed softly.
“Hopefully we’ll find something tonight,” Declan said as he moved across the room. “I’m heading to the grocery store, and will be back in about an hour.”
When she and Caleb were alone, she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry you have to go through this,” she said.
His mouth thinned and he looked exceptionally weary as he shrugged. “I knew our marriage was falling apart, but I can’t help thinking I should have done more. Tried harder. Figured out that something like this was going on sooner.”
“Caleb, beating yourself up like this isn’t going to change anything. Besides, Heather is responsible for her own behavior,” she said.
He hung his head and took a long, shuddering breath. “I didn’t love her the way I should have,” he said in a voice so low she could barely hear him.
She put her arm around his shoulders and gave him a hug. “Maybe not, but she must not have loved you the way she should have, either.”
“You’re probably right about that,” he admitted. “We were young and I was infatuated with how beautiful she was. I remember thinking I was such a lucky guy to have a woman like her. But after we got married and Heather discovered she was pregnant, everything changed. Heather became obsessed with her looks, with her weight. She only gained fifteen pounds with Kaitlin and she worked out like a maniac afterward.” He paused and then continued, “And when Kaitlin was barely a year old she began her modeling career again. Which I’m sure was a big, fat lie.”
“We don’t know for sure that Heather wasn’t modeling back then,” she pointed out. “Maybe it was only later that she went into the escort business.”
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “The timing doesn’t matter, so I need to just let it go.”
“Your daughter needs you, Caleb. Have you noticed that she’s not afraid of you anymore? Heather betrayed you and your wedding vows, but your goal right now is to clear your name so that you and Kaitlin can become a family again.”
“Thank you,” he murmured. She stepped back so that he could stand up, but she wasn’t prepared when he gently cupped her face in his hands and stared down at her intently. “Noelle, I don’t know what I would have done without you,” he said mere seconds before he gently kissed her.
ELEVEN
Caleb’s heart pounded in his chest as Noelle returned his kiss with a sweetness he craved. It seemed like a lifetime since he’d held a woman, especially someone as pure and good as Noelle. But their brief moment of togetherness was interrupted when Kaitlin began to wail.
“Noa! My tummy hurts!”
Noelle broke away from Caleb and he wished the lighting in the basement was better so he could search her expression. Was she upset with him for overstepping his bounds? He hadn’t intended to kiss her, but then again, he couldn’t deny that he wanted to kiss her again.
“I better go check on Kaitlin,” she murmured, running a hand through her hair.
“We’ll both go,” he said, determined to take an active role in raising his daughter. If he could clear his name, or rather when he cleared his name, he had every intention of being a good father to his daughter.
Noelle cuddled Kaitlin close, pressing a kiss to his daughter’s forehead. “She fe
els a bit warm.”
“What should we do?” he asked. “Take her in to the doctor’s office?”
“I don’t think we need to panic yet. She isn’t throwing up or anything. We’ll just have to keep an eye on her. I’ll make something light for lunch, like soup and toast.”
“Cin’mon toast,” Kaitlin corrected. “I like cin’mon toast.”
“All right, we’ll see if Uncle Declan has cinnamon for your toast,” Noelle agreed.
Caleb stood there for a moment, feeling stupid. How was it that he hadn’t known that his daughter liked cinnamon toast? And what else didn’t he know? What else had he missed?
Too much. He realized now he should have stayed more involved in raising Kaitlin, especially after Heather returned to her so-called modeling career. He was ashamed to admit that he’d resented Heather for always getting a babysitter, when he never considered cutting back his own hours.
For a moment he wondered if spending fourteen months in jail and almost losing his daughter was God’s way of sending him a wake-up call.
And if so, he was grateful for being given a second chance.
* * *
The rest of the day seemed to crawl by in slow motion, and Caleb wasn’t sure if it was because Kaitlin was more fretful than usual or if he was just anxious to be doing something active to clear his name.
He spent time on Deck’s computer, trying to search for more information on Eileen’s Elite Escort Services, but every avenue he’d tried resulted in a dead end. He finally gave up, realizing that he and Declan would just have to put their energies into following Brickner and finding leads that way.
He played card games with Kaitlin, giving Noelle a break from the uncharacteristically clingy child. He knew Kaitlin wasn’t feeling well when she only ate half of her cinnamon toast and chicken noodle soup.
Declan brought home more than just groceries, he’d purchased three prepaid phones and used a fake email address to activate them.
“Thank you,” Noelle said, taking her phone gratefully. “At least now I have a way of getting in touch with you guys if needed.”
“These are mostly to be used in an emergency,” Deck cautioned.
“I know.”
Caleb cleared his throat. “I’d like to go back to Noelle’s house, see if we can figure out where the shooter was located.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea, especially now that your mug shot has been splashed all over the news,” Deck said.
“I know, but hear me out for a minute. If you and I dress in our uniforms, then no one will question us. We’ll look like a couple of cops gathering clues.”
“Yeah, except that the police have already done that.” Deck did not look enthusiastic about his plan.
“Who are the best sharpshooters on the team?” Caleb asked.
“You were one of the best,” Declan admitted. “But now Marc Brickner has the top slot.”
“I just want to take a look at the trajectory,” Caleb said, trying to find a way to change Deck’s mind. “I think there are only a few guys who could have made that shot.”
“Come on, Caleb, anyone from the team could have attempted the shot. Obviously, they missed.”
“The miss was sheer luck,” Caleb said. Although now that he’d learned a bit about prayer, he couldn’t help wondering if maybe God had spared him for a reason. “I bent over to pick up Kaitlin’s stuffed giraffe. If I hadn’t, I’m pretty sure I’d be dead.”
Deck seemed to consider that information before he reluctantly nodded. “All right, but I don’t think going into your old house to get a uniform is very smart. I’m sure there are hidden cameras set up to monitor the place.”
Caleb knew Declan was right. “I’ll borrow one of yours. We’re not that different in size.”
“All right,” Deck reluctantly agreed.
As Caleb dressed in one of Declan’s spare uniforms, he realized that he’d lost weight in prison. Where once Deck’s uniform might have been a bit snug, it now hung loosely on his frame.
“I need to hit the gym,” he muttered in disgust as he tightened the belt.
He checked on Noelle and Kaitlin before leaving, and Noelle’s eyebrows shot up in surprise when she saw him. “Wow, you look great in uniform,” she said.
He knew better than to be pleased by how she’d noticed, especially since there was no guarantee that he’d be offered another job with the SWAT team even if he managed to clear his name.
Although he secretly hoped Sheriff Cramer would hire him back.
One step at a time, he reminded himself sternly. He followed Deck out to the garage, and hid down in the seat as Declan backed out of the driveway and headed out of the subdivision.
He stayed hidden for at least ten minutes while Deck drove around making sure that he wasn’t followed. Deck was in his private vehicle and not a squad car, but hopefully the neighbors would assume it was an unmarked vehicle.
“You can sit up now,” Declan said after he made another right-handed turn. “We’ll be at Noelle’s house in about five minutes.”
Caleb couldn’t deny he was nervous about doing this, but he really needed to see the scene to be sure that he understood the facts. So far, they were building a case against Brickner, although it was circumstantial at best. Proving that Brickner had made the shot that nearly killed him wouldn’t be easy, but as a former sharpshooter himself, he knew that the crime scene could reveal a lot about the shooter.
He climbed out of the passenger side of Declan’s vehicle, trying to look as if he belonged. His beat-up red truck was gone, obviously it had likely been towed and swept over by the crime scene techs.
Had they planted more evidence to make him look guilty? He didn’t want to know.
As they approached Noelle’s house, he noticed that someone had nailed up a board over the broken window of her living room. At least someone had tried to protect her house from vandalism.
“Here are the bullet holes,” Declan said, waving a hand at Noelle’s front door. Caleb examined the one along the doorframe first, and if he stood straight the bullet hole was just below eye level.
“Thinks he’s hot stuff to attempt a head shot,” Caleb grumbled. Every cop knew that head shots were not usually attempted because of the small area. Chest and abdomen shots were the preferred target range.
It would be just like Brickner, a man with an overly healthy ego, to attempt a head shot.
Caleb slid a straw into the hole to figure out the track of the bullet. Turning, he carefully swept his gaze across the street. Where had the shooter been?
Then he saw the large tree between two houses, with thick branches low enough to grab onto. “How much do you bet he was up in that tree?” he asked Declan.
“Let’s go check it out.”
Caleb followed Declan across the street, hoping that no one was looking at him too closely. It was the middle of the day in summer and there was one elderly man mowing the lawn on a riding mower and a few doors down there were a handful of kids playing tag.
“Give me a leg up,” he said to Declan.
His buddy didn’t argue. With a leg up it was easier to get up into the tree, although he imagined that Brickner had managed the feat on his own.
He found the shooter’s spot without too much difficulty. There was a large branch with another branch shooting off to the right, making the perfect prop for a long-range rifle. There was a small opening between the leaves through which he could see Noelle’s front door.
Caleb took his time, finding the small section of the branch where the bark was worn away, likely from the weight of the rifle. He took a picture with the cell phone.
How long had the shooter sat up here waiting for his target? Several hours? Seemed unlikely in broad daylight. Even though there was an abundance of green
leaves, anyone living in one of these two houses would have noticed a guy hiding in the tree.
“I bet he had an accomplice,” Caleb muttered. Someone who’d tailed him from the time Caleb had left the jail? Possibly.
He swung down from the tree and dropped to the grass beside Declan. As they left the scene and walked back to Declan’s vehicle, he grew more certain that the shots were fired by Brickner.
But who was Brickner’s accomplice?
* * *
Caleb was relieved when they returned to Declan’s house without catching anyone’s attention. He swept his arm across his sweat-dampened brow, thinking that being a criminal wasn’t easy. All this skulking around, trying to hide from view? And for what? A little extra cash?
“How’s Kaitlin?” he asked when he saw Noelle cleaning up the lunch dishes in the kitchen.
“She says her tummy hurts, but so far she seems okay. I found a thermometer in Declan’s medicine cabinet and she has a very low-grade fever. Nothing to worry about yet.”
He didn’t like the thought of Kaitlin being sick. “We could send Declan out for medicine to help bring down her fever,” he offered.
“That would probably be a good idea, just in case her fever spikes later tonight.” The pucker between her brows was an indication of her worry. “And for sure if we have the medicine we won’t need it,” she added with a wry smile.
He wanted to pull her close and hug her, but he held back, unsure what she thought about their kiss earlier. He told himself not to push his luck. “Why don’t you make a list of things you think we might need?”
“Good idea.”
He changed his clothes while Noelle wrote out her list. He hung up Deck’s uniform with a pang of envy. He told himself that a career didn’t make the man, but he was too afraid that in his case it did.
What would he do for work if he couldn’t get hired back on the SWAT team? He might be able to find a security job somewhere, maybe at one of the local hospitals. The idea didn’t hold a lot of appeal, but he needed to remember that his daughter was his first priority.
