Page 32 of Hot For You

“You asked me about having a doll with me in my car and I told you no,” Carilyn said. “Does it have anything to do with that?”

“I’ll tell you when I can,” Cody said and she knew he wasn’t going to explain what was going on any more than that.

When they reached Leigh’s home, Carilyn was surprised to see a police cruiser and a sedan pulled up in front of the house. Detective Reese McBride and a police officer in uniform were standing on the porch.

She looked at Cody. “What are the police doing here?”

“Insurance,” Cody said as he parked the truck. “Just making sure it’s safe to go in.”

Cody jumped out of the truck, came around to the passenger side, and opened the door. He took Carilyn’s hand. “Easy does it,” he said.

“Thanks.” Her head was feeling a little better, but still woozy and she was a little unsteady on her feet.

Detective McBride walked toward them. “How are you feeling, Ms. Thompson?” he asked. “Cody tells me you took a spill from a horse.”

“Could be better,” she said, “but I’m doing fine.”

“Do you have the key?” the detective asked.

She handed over the key and stood on the sidewalk beside the truck as he and the police officer checked the house.

When they came out, Detective McBride was frowning. “I need you to take a look at the house.”

Carilyn’s heart beat a little faster as they walked up the stairs. “What’s wrong?”

He gestured to the front door. “Tell me if the house is in the same condition you left it in.”

“All right.” Not knowing what to expect, Carilyn stepped into the house. The hair on her arms rose.

It was a disaster with a vase shattered on the floor, a lamp that had been knocked over and broken, couch cushions in disarray, and a plant on its side and dirt spilled across the floor.

“No.” She looked at the detective, the words barely coming out of her mouth. “It was clean and orderly when I left.”

“Why don’t you see if you notice anything missing,” Detective McBride said.

“I don’t know that much about Leigh’s things.” Carilyn picked her way through the mess. “So far I can’t tell.” She knelt when she saw the framed photograph of Leigh, Misha, and herself, and picked it up off the floor. The glass was shattered. She shook her head and placed the photo on an end table.

She made it to the guest bedroom, which had been tossed, too. Her gaze fell on the place where the box for her new computer had been and her stomach bottomed out. It was gone.

“My new computer is missing.” She looked over her shoulder at the detective and Cody who were watching. She went to her suitcase. Everything had been thrown out and the software that had been shipped to her was gone. She told the detective. “That software can’t be used by anyone without an encrypted passcode, so it’s not likely he can break into it.”

But that would mean she’d have to have more software shipped to her and purchase another laptop. She put her hand to her forehead, trying to hold back tears.

Cody was at her side in a moment, his arm around her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

She held back a rush of emotion that made the back of her eyes ache and her headache worsen. “I’m okay.” Her voice cracked a little. “It’s just such a violation.”

“Yes, it is.” Cody squeezed her shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here.”

“I need to change first and gather a few things.” She looked at her clothing, which had been thrown all over the room. “It might take me a few minutes.”

“Take your time,” Cody said and he and the detective walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

A tear trickled from her eye and she brushed it away with the back of her hand. Crying wasn’t going to do a damn bit of good. No, she had to get a computer and had to set it up. She was going to find the bastard. And she was going to find him soon.

* * *

Cody wanted Carilyn to go back to the ranch and rest, but she convinced him that she needed to pick up another laptop first. She knew what she wanted and needed, so it was just a matter of getting a second one.

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