Page 9

Austin reached out to pet the kitten, but when it hissed, he quickly drew his hand away. “Can I borrow your keys? Wade and I will do a quick sweep and let you know when it’s safe to enter.”

“I can do it,” Nate insisted.

“I know you can, but we got this. It’s more important for you to stay with Dorcas and keep her safe. This won’t take long. We’ll let you know when it’s clear.”

The rational part of Nate’s brain realized that Austin and Wade were more qualified to sweep for intruders, but he still bristled at being dismissed. He was a professional, one who’d been trained to do these types of jobs, and there were times when he got tired of being treated like a screw-up.

Then again, in all fairness, there was a time in his life not that long ago—and one he wasn’t particularly proud of—when he’d been the epitome of that very description. And once you earned that kind of a rep, it was almost impossible to get rid of it.

Austin nodded to Wade, and the pair crossed the lot to the building. Their size and the way they carried themselves made them look like a pair of Terminators. Without making a sound, they crept up the stairs and slipped inside the apartment.

While they waited, time seemed to slow to a crawl. No gunshots, always a good sign, and a minute or so later, the living room lights flickered three times, the signal for all clear.

The knot in Nate’s chest loosened. “It’s safe. We can go up now.”

He placed one hand at the small of Dorcas’s back as he walked with her up the stairs. The door to her apartment was ajar, and when they went inside, Dorcas gasped.

“Oh, my God. Shailene’s going to be pissed.”

Forget Shailene; Nate’s vision flashed red. His hands balled into fists. He wanted to punch something, preferably the assholes who trashed Dorcas’s apartment. They’d given it the same treatment as her sister’s house, with slashed furniture, broken glass, and shit strewn all over the floor. And like her sister’s place, all of her valuables were still there and in plain sight, including the television and assorted electronics.

Austin stood in the living area, his hands on his hips and a pissed-off expression on his face. “Any idea who did this?”

Looking more than a little shell-shocked, Dorcas shook her head. The kitten squirmed in her arms, and she gently set it on the ground. “No. It’s—oh, God. It was bad enough when it happened to Rita. This feels like...a violation.”

Her face had gone pale, and for a second or two, Nate feared she might pass out. Or puke. It was kind of hard to tell the difference.

Unsure what to do, he placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping it would provide some measure of comfort. “Don’t worry, Dorcas. We’ll clean this up, and we’ll keep you safe.”

She didn’t say anything for almost a full minute as she stared at her wrecked apartment. “They know where I live. They’ve gone through my things.” Her gaze snapped up, meeting his, and the fear in her eyes hit him like a sucker punch to the gut. “What if they come back?”

“I doubt they will, but if they do, we’ll take care of them.” Part of him hoped they would, because he wanted to pound the living daylights out of them. “No one’s going to hurt you. I promise.”

“Thank you.” She gave a nervous smile that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes.

The urge to pull her in for a hug was almost overwhelming. She could use some comfort and a measure of assurance, but he wasn’t sure how she’d respond to that kind of contact. Nate coughed to clear his throat. “Can you take a look around and see if anything’s missing?”

“Yeah.” She bent to scoop up the kitten, which was playing with the laces of her shoes. “Sure.”

Careful not to step on any of the debris on the floor, she crossed the living area and disappeared into her bedroom. Seconds later, Wade emerged from Shailene’s room, a decapitated stuffed animal in his hand.

“I take it this happened to her sister’s house as well?” Austin asked in a lowered voice.

“I think the sister got it worse. My gut says they paid Dorcas a visit for the sake of being thorough.”

“That means they didn’t find what they were looking for and thought the sister might have passed it to Dorcas,” Wade said. “Whatever it is, if they think she has it, or knows where it is...”

He didn’t finish the sentence. Didn’t have to. Nate knew exactly where Wade was going with it, and the notion triggered all sorts of protective instincts he’d never experienced before.

Dorcas came out of the bedroom, the kitten still in her arms, her eyes pinched tight with outrage. Some of the color had returned to her face, but the tremble in her lower lip let him know that she was still thoroughly rattled. In a way, he considered it a good thing. It would keep her alert and make her less likely to do anything foolish. “Nothing’s missing, but a lot of stuff’s broken.”

“That’s a sign of frustration, and the sign of an amateur.” Austin’s hardened gaze moved over the room before settling on Dorcas. When he spoke again, his voice softened a bit, but still carried an air of authority that was all but impossible to ignore. “I get the impression they didn’t find what they wanted. Any idea what that is?”

She shook her head, her thumb absently rubbing along the back of the kitten’s head. “No. I wish I knew.”

Austin’s lips pressed into a thin line. “When’s Shailene coming home?”

“Next Tuesday.”