Page 53 of The Husband's Secret
She was very curious, but measuring the man based on the contents of his bedroom just now was really about distracting herself from the reality that it had been more than twenty-four hours since she had spoken to her child. Worse, she had no idea where Janey was. It was the most terrifying feeling of uncertainty and loss.
“Yes.” She pushed aside the emotion that wanted to paralyze her and left the room, followed him out of the house and to her garage, where his rental car was parked. He took a moment to check it closely for any sort of explosive or tracking device. He’d explained the need to her already, but she kept forgetting it had to be done. She couldn’t keep a thought except for wanting to find her daughter.
It would take about ten or so minutes to drive to Mallory’s town house. Brenda desperately hoped they would find answers there.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if Janey and Mallory were at her place and her cell phone had died and all the questions Brenda had were nothing more than a misunderstanding?
She could dream.
Mallory Lawrence Residence
Four Mile Post Road
Huntsville, 6:50 p.m.
There were lightson in Mallory’s town house. She had the end unit so there was no neighbor on the right side. Light shone through the front window as well as those on the end. Was it possible that she was home?
Brenda’s heart rate accelerated as they followed the sidewalk to the front door. The plant in the concrete flowerpot next to the door was dead. The temperatures hadn’t gotten so cold this season. More likely it had died from lack of water. Mallory would be the first to say she wasn’t exactly a homebody, and she definitely lacked any semblance of a green thumb. Her mother had probably planted it since her daughter would never be bothered with sprucing up the place.
Mothers did those kinds of things in hopes of making life simpler or just more colorful for their children, even grown-up ones. Brenda couldn’t imagine ever considering Janey anything but her little girl. She wanted to help her with her hair at her senior prom and her gown at her college graduation. Worry knotted in her belly. She wanted to watch her little girl grow up and become an amazing person.
Ben knocked on the door and it swung inward. But not because someone opened it… Apparently it had not been fully closed.
Brenda looked from the now open door to him. “Should we go in?” That cold, thick sensation of fear had started to travel through her again. This could not be good.
“I’ll go first,” he said.
She nodded. He was the one with the gun after all. And she was terrified at the idea of what they might find.
He stepped into the narrow entryway. “Mallory?”
Brenda did the same, coming up next to him and calling out, “Mallory?” The quiet made the creeping sensation of anxiety ooze onto her skin. “Janey?”
Ben reached back and closed the door. He glanced at her. “Stay behind me.”
She nodded her understanding. Her throat was too tight to speak.
He walked beyond the short wall that separated the small entry from the living room. Brenda was right behind him as they moved deeper into the space. There was no one on the floor…no one lying across the sofa or in a chair. All was perfectly tidy. They moved on toward the kitchen. Brenda peered up to the second-floor landing as they passed the staircase. Dark up there. Like the living room, the kitchen was neat and organized. No dirty dishes in the sink. Nothing on the stove. Nobody about.
Ben walked to the refrigerator and looked inside. When he drew back, he said, “Milk, eggs, yogurt. The usual. Nothing expired.” He withdrew a small pizza box. “The receipt—” he tapped the white ticket taped to the box “—is from yesterday. Cheese pizza.”
“Janey was here then. Just yesterday.” The possibility made her chest fill with hope. “She loves cheese pizza.”
He smiled, gave her a nod. “She was.”
With renewed purpose, they did a quick check of the laundry closet and small patio out back, then headed for the stairs. The carpet on the stairs and in the second-floor hall kept their steps quiet.
“Mallory?” Ben called out again.
“Janey?” Brenda held her breath, wished she would hear her daughter say,Mommy?
The first bedroom on the left, overlooking the street out front, was the largest and appeared to have an attached bathroom. From the door the room appeared clear. Tidy, like the rest of the house. They headed to the other side toward the adjoining bathroom, but the body lying on the floor on that side of the bed stopped them. Brenda drew up short, her breath catching in fear. But the short dark hair told her it wasn’t Mallory. Thank God.
Moving closer, it was obviously a man. Gray peppered his dark hair. Ben crouched next to him and checked his pulse. Hisback was toward Brenda so she couldn’t see his face. It wasn’t Mallory’s former boyfriend. He had blond hair. Could it be her father? Worry twisted inside Brenda.
“It’s Cummings,” Ben said as he looked up to meet her gaze. “He’s been stabbed.”
Brenda’s hand went over her mouth. “What if he came here for Mallory and Janey?” If it was true that he worked for the cartel, he may have decided she was in the way…and that he wanted Janey for manipulating Brenda to do whatever he asked.
