Page 40 of Tough Justice
She smiled. “Yeah. Grandpa was a bull rider, and he passed that passion to Lane. They always shared this little world I was never a part of, and I hated being on the outside. Grandpa always called me his sunshine. He’d sing me the song because it’d been my mom’s favorite. So when he gave me that little golden sun, it was like having a piece of him and Mom with me all the time.”
“Which means there’s no way you misplaced it, and I’m sorry it’s gone. I want to scour this entire apartment with you, just in case, but if you’re right, that means someone broke into your apartment. We need to call Spencer.”
She hung her head and squeezed her eyes shut for a beat. “I really like Spencer, but I’ve seen him way too much the last couple of days.”
Duke chuckled. “I couldn’t agree more. Why don’t you finish packing while I make the call? Make sure to keep your eye out for anything else that’s missing or moved. Anything at all that seems off. Can you do that?”
Drawing in a shuddering breath, she nodded.
Duke stood then extended a hand for her to hold.
She slipped her palm in his and let him pull her to her feet and crush her against his chest. With his arms around her and her face buried in his warmth, she felt safe.
Felt happy despite the turmoil bubbling in her gut.
“Can we stay like this for just a second?” she asked, circling her arms around him.
He rested his chin on her head. “For as long as you want.”
Breathing him in, she soaked up the moment. The quiet. The simplicity. Because as soon as she stepped away reality would come crashing down and drag her back to the shitstorm that was now her life.
Once her nerves were settled, she sighed and took a step back. “Okay, time to finish packing. Anything in particular I should bring?” She forced a lightness to her voice she didn’t feel.
Smirking, he raised his brows.
The fire from before returned with a vengeance but now wasn’t the time to reignite it. She slapped at his chest. “Never mind. Go make your call.”
With Duke gone, she went to her dresser and found everything she’d need for a couple of nights away. Her hand hovered over the lacy black panties and bra set she seldom wore. Glancing over her shoulder, she could only see the outline of Duke’s shoulder and hear the low, gravelly timbre of his face.
A shiver shot down her spine, and she scooped the sexy intimates from their spot before she lost her nerve.
Standing in front of her bed, she took mental stock of everything she’d grabbed that now lay out in front of her. She’d have to collect some toiletries from across the hall, but other than that, she should be set. She just needed to find a bag big enough to fit everything in.
Walking to the closet, she swung open the door and terror clawed at her throat. Taped to the inside of the door, a collection of pictures of herself stared back at her.
Duke keptan arm securely tucked around Suzy as they sat on the couch and went over more details with Spencer. He hated the look of fear etched on Suzy’s face. Fear that hadn’t left since she’d found the photographs in her closet.
Candid shots of her smiling at the bakery while talking with Millie. Moments snapped while pushing Parker down the street in his stroller. A photo of Suzy leading her horse from the barn.
Someone had followed her and captured flashes of her life then invaded her privacy by taping them inside her closet.
In her home.
He fought the urge to storm outside and scour the entire town until he found Chrissy and made her pay for inflicting even an ounce of pain—of fear—on Suzy. The woman was unhinged, and there was no telling what she’d do next.
“Is there anything else beside the necklace and pictures you found?” Spencer asked.
Suzy shook her head. “No. I went through the apartment and didn’t see anything else. I don’t know if I could stomach anymore.” She sank further against Duke.
He tightened his hold on her.
“And are there any signs of forced entry? Evidence that points straight at the woman you feel is responsible?”
She stared up at Duke.
He gave a little shake of his head. “No, but it’s clear someone has followed Suzy the last couple of days. All signs point to Chrissy.”
Spencer flipped his notepad closed and slid it in the back pocket of his pants. “I’m not saying they don’t, especially sincethere are no other suspects to dig into at the moment. But I have to keep my mind open to all possibilities.”
