[16]
Wednesday morning
Tuesday afternoon had been productive, and Daniel felt satisfied with the work he’d accomplished, although his concentration level hadn’t been up to par. His headache had eased, though, so that was a relief.
He had his new computer and had needed to get some more things done today. If he’d tried to work with Katie in the room, he was afraid he’d be too distracted. So he shut himself away in his office and it worked. He was able to concentrate and get everything loaded from his backup drive onto the new device.
No one had bombed his house or set fire to his car or done anything to any of his other restaurants. Could the person be finished tormenting him?
He grimaced. He had a feeling the answer was no. But what did the person want? What was the point with all of the craziness? Who would benefit with him dead? The only people who came to mind were Riley and his mother. They would inherit everything. But he was certain neither of them were behind the attempts on his life. He stood and gazed out of the window. He’d awakened early with these thoughts refusing to leave him alone. Even a swim hadn’t helped much.
His mind kept circling back to the question. Why had Armstrong been at the restaurant that night?
He had no answer. The man’s daughter hadn’t known, and Armstrong’s mother hadn’t even realized her son wasn’t home. And none of the employees had been forthcoming with any information as to why the man would have been there.
And now Daniel had a nagging headache, sore muscles and joints. And he hadn’t seen Katie since she’d walked out of his house yesterday afternoon to go visit Quinn.
Haley had arrived just before Katie left and had been there ever since. She stayed tense. Alert. Ready for action if the moment called for it. And he appreciated it. Admired her for it.
“You would make a good Marine,” he told her.
A smile creased her cheeks. A real one, not one of those fake ones people used when they thought they were supposed to be amused with something they really didn’t find funny. “Thanks.”
His phone pinged and he glanced at it. A text from Riley, who’d left with Lizzie at the crack of dawn.
At the dig. Martin hasn’t shown up yet. People are wondering where he is. Can you check on him?
You call him?
Yes. Like ten times. No answer, just voice mail.
I’ll try him. Stay near your phone.
Daniel frowned and dialed Martin’s number. It rang four times, then went to voice mail. “Martin, you okay? Riley said you haven’t shown up to the dig yet. Call me.”
He texted Riley.
I’m headed to Martin’s house. Will let you know what I know when I know it.
The knock on his door brought his head up. At the motion, dizziness spun his head for a brief second, and he gritted his teeth while he waited for it to pass. Haley walked on silent feet to check who was on the other side. “It’s Katie.”
His heart thudded and he grunted. Those two little words had shifted his entire mood. For the better.
Haley let Katie in. When she stepped inside, she took off her coat and hung it on the rack to her right. “I wish it would snow later.”
“Riley would love that.”
“Not so much if she has to work the dig site in it. But it’s October. I can’t remember the last time it snowed in October. She’s probably safe.”
He smiled. “True.”
Haley picked up her coat and bag. “I’m off for a bit of shut-eye then. Call if you need me.”
“Thanks. You’re off for the rest of the day. We’ll trade out tomorrow morning.”
“Lovely. Bye, Daniel. Behave yourself.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Haley pulled the door shut behind her and that left Daniel staring at the woman who’d just blasted into his life and knocked his feet out from under him. “Put your coat back on, will you?”
She paused. “Okay. What’s up?”
“I need to make a house call. Riley texted and said Martin hasn’t shown up at the dig. He’s not answering his phone and no one at the university has heard from him.”
Katie slipped her arms back into the heavy coat, then waited on him to get his. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“Yes. I’ve got a hard head. I get a bit dizzy if I turn too fast and I still have a slight headache. I’ve had worse.”
He grabbed his keys and she reached for his hand and closed her fingers around his. Her hands were still cold from the chill outside. “I’ll drive.”
He sighed, then gave in. “Sure.” Why fight her? “You’re a control freak, you know that?” He shoved his keys into his pocket and she led the way outside. He climbed into her Jeep and she slid into the driver’s side and twisted the key. The vehicle rumbled to life and they rolled out of the driveway.
“I’m not a control freak.”
“Yes. You are.”
She shot him a sideways glance. “Maybe a little.”
“A lot.”
“And you’re stubborn.”
“I would agree with that.”
She huffed and shook her head, but he could see the small smile playing around the corners of her lips. “Do you mind giving me directions?”
“Head toward the university. He lives on Joshua Street.”
She followed his directions. He noticed her eyes bouncing from mirror to mirror. “We’re not being followed.”
“I know.”
“Not very talkative this morning, are you?”
“No, not very.”
“In a bad mood?”
“How’s Quinn?”
“Cranky. Ornery. Rude.”
“Sounds like he’s on the road to recovery.”
She laughed. “Yes. That’s for sure.” She drove in silence for the next few minutes.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem . . . off.”
She pursed her lips and glanced at him. “And you’re perceptive. But yes, I promise I’m all right. I’m just . . . reflective, I guess is the word.”
“About?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Family stuff. Trying to figure out some things.”
“Like what?”
“Like how to let go of the past.” Her smile was sad this time. She pulled to a stop in front of Martin’s home and lifted a brow. “And we’ll save that topic for later.”
“Right.”
They climbed from the Jeep. Daniel walked up the front steps and knocked on Martin’s front door. Katie stood quietly by his side, her eyes scanning the area. He knew she was making sure they hadn’t been followed or were targets for someone with a sniper rifle. Not that she would be able to see a sniper, but Daniel had to admit it felt good having someone have his back. He just hated the reasons for it.
Martin’s house sat on about two acres of prime property. He’d built the small mansion for his last wife but said he’d made sure he’d incorporated enough things about it that he liked in case the marriage didn’t last.
And it hadn’t. But Martin loved the house and he’d fought tooth and nail to keep it.
Daniel knocked again. “Martin, you home?”
The door flew open. His friend stood in the entryway, disheveled and—frantic? His hair stood on end and he’d misbuttoned his shirt. “What are you doing here? Who is she and why’d you bring her with you?”
Daniel frowned. “Riley called. You were supposed to meet her at the dig this morning to start her internship. This is Katie Singleton, she’s a friend. Now what’s going on?” He ignored the question about the reason for Katie’s presence.
His friend ran a hand through his already spiked hair. “I can’t believe this.”
“What?”
“It’s gone. It’s lost. No. Someone stole it.”
“Stole wh—ah . . . the coin.” Daniel and Katie stepped inside his friend’s home. Daniel’s eyes landed on the living area to his left and he blinked. “Have you called the police? Someone did a number on this place.” Martin wasn’t the neatest person in the world, but having a weekly housekeeper meant his home was usually spotless. The cushions had been pulled off the sofa, the chairs overturned, a lamp lay on the floor. “Were you here when this happened? Are you okay?”
Martin slumped onto the edge of the cushionless sofa. “No, I haven’t called the police.”
“Why?”
“I . . . I didn’t think about it. All I could think of was finding the coin.” He threw his hands up. “But it’s gone. And I have the media coming to my dig tomorrow. And now I have nothing to show for it.” Tears welled in his eyes and Daniel felt his breath leave his lungs. His friend just couldn’t catch a break. Martin’s hands shook and he wiped his face. “Unbelievable. Just . . .” He shook his head. “This is it. After everything I’ve worked so hard for, after everything I’ve done . . . I’m . . . done. My life is over.”
“No, it’s not. You’re going to cancel the media, get back in the dig, and find something else.”
Martin laughed. Almost hysterically. Then he buried his face in his hands and blew out a sigh. “Yes, I’ll cancel the media. I’ll definitely cancel the media.”
“And report this to the police,” Katie said. She pulled out her phone.
“No,” Martin said. “No police.”
“What? Why not?” She stopped mid-call.
Martin stood and drew in a deep breath. “If word gets out about this, all eyes will be on the dig, and while that was the original intention when I had the coin, I don’t want or need that right now.” He looked at Daniel. “You’re right. I’ll keep searching the site. There’s bound to be something else there. Another coin, something.”
“Wait a minute,” Katie said. “I’m assuming this is a pretty important coin. A coin that someone was willing to break into your house and steal. So you’re just going to let whoever did this get away with it?”
He held out his hands in a beseeching gesture. “I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want the media involved yet.”
“You’re bringing my headache back, Martin,” Daniel muttered. “Who else knew about the coin?”
“No one. Just you and me.”
Daniel pursed his lips. “Well, someone else knew about it. What about the other workers at the dig?”
“No. I didn’t tell them. I was there late one night when I found it. The only person I’ve shown it to is you. At the restaurant.” His eyes darkened. “You told someone.”
“What?” Daniel reared back. “Are you crazy? You know me better than that.” Daniel held his friend’s gaze and Martin’s shoulders slumped.
“I know. You’re right.” He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little frazzled right now.”
“I’ll say. Have you searched the house?”
“Yes, every square inch.”
“Well, so much for preserving evidence,” Katie murmured.
“I wasn’t thinking of preserving evidence,” Martin said. “I had to find the coin.”
“Are you sure whoever did this found it?” she asked.
“Of course they found it,” Martin said. “Look at this place!”
“Right. Well, where did you keep it? If you’d put it in your safe-deposit box, it would still be there.”
“My pocket. I decided not to put it in the safe-deposit box because I . . . I was keeping it as my lucky piece and now it’s gone.” He looked shell-shocked and Daniel felt a shot of compassion for his friend even as he wanted to berate him for his stupidity.
Katie shot a look at Daniel, then slid her gaze back to Martin. “If it was in your pocket, how did the person steal it?”
“I don’t know,” he shouted. “All I know is that it was in my pocket yesterday and now it’s nowhere to be found—and my house has been turned upside down.” He rubbed a hand down his cheek. “Let me think. Let me think. I took it out of my pocket and put it in my bedside table drawer. Now it’s not there. No one else has been in my house for three days. It’s gone. Stolen.” He looked like he might cry again.
“You need to get yourself together, Martin. Then you need to call your team and let them know what’s going on. Understand?”
Martin groaned. “Yes, yes, of course.” He looked at Katie. “I’m not usually so scattered and unprofessional. I’m sorry.”
“It’s understandable.”
Martin reached for his cell phone. He eyed Daniel and Katie. “No one can know about this, you understand? Don’t tell anyone.”
“We’ll keep it quiet, Martin, chill,” Daniel said. “Now get yourself together and get to the site. You’ve got a team waiting for you.”
Martin ran a hand over his face and sighed. “Yeah. Okay. Thanks.” He shook his head.
Daniel’s eyes fell on an item on the end table. He picked it up. “A pattern for a dress? Have you taken up sewing now?”
Martin rolled his eyes. “No, it’s for Sarah. I found it online and ordered it for her. There’s a market for these 1860s dresses, and she asked me to help her start selling them. Since you’re being so generous and still paying them while the restaurant is closed, she’s got some time to sew.” He used a forefinger to push the glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. “She’s become a friend.” He snatched the pattern from Daniel’s fingers and flung it back onto the end table. “So anyway, have you figured out who’s trying to put you out of business?”
Daniel looked at Katie. “No, but we’re working on it.”
“Hope you catch the guy. Now get out of here, I’ve got to get to the site. There’s got to be something else where that coin was. There has to be.”
Daniel clapped his friend on the shoulder. “I have no doubt that if there’s something there, you’ll find it.”
“You know the way out. Thanks for talking me off the ledge.”
Daniel wasn’t quite so sure the man was actually off the ledge, but maybe he wasn’t quite as close to going over as he had been. Whichever the case, there was nothing more he could do at this point. He placed a hand on the small of Katie’s back and escorted her to the door. Once outside, she took over the role of protector, her gaze traveling to and fro until they were both safe inside her Jeep. She cranked the engine and turned on the heater. “Stay here for a second, will you?”
“Why?”
“I want to take a look at something.”
She got back out of the vehicle and he watched her until she got back in. “What are you thinking?”
“Just an idea.”
“You want to share?”
“Martin’s home is in a nice area. Fairly short driveway, backs up to that wooded area, and is enclosed with a huge privacy fence. At least that’s what I could see from the windows from inside. When I went around to the side of the house, there was no way I could get into the back. He’s got the gate padlocked. I don’t even think I could climb over if I tried. Not without a ladder or standing on someone’s shoulder.”
He frowned. “Yes. All of that sounds right.”
“But the front . . .” She waved a hand toward it. “This road is pretty busy. It’s an older section of town. There are three businesses just across the street here.”
He nodded and figured he knew where she was going with her line of thinking. “Cameras?”
“Couldn’t hurt to check with the businesses. If they have one pointed to a street view, it might catch the front of Martin’s house.”
“I think it’s a great idea.”
“I’ll call Bree.” She pulled her phone from the clip and pressed a speed-dial number. Daniel listened as she talked. So pretty, so smart, so . . . off-limits? Maybe.
Then again . . .
She hung up.
He looked at her. “So. You want some help putting up cabinets?”