Page 4 of Out of the Shadows (Angelhart Investigations)

It was heavy, a solid hardwood. But with a bit of straining, they got it upright. “I don’t dare open it,” Logan said. “Something

down there is broken. I hope not everything. Some of the things are family heirlooms.” He glanced to where the broken glass

had been swept. “There was no reason to break stuff.”

That was true, Jack thought, which told him the culprit or culprits were angry and impulsive.

He grunted and pushed the cabinet back into place against the wall. The tile floor had been damaged from the fall. He grabbed

the broom in the corner and swept up the shards. “If there’s a throw rug, we can put it on the tile so it doesn’t get further

damaged and keep chips from getting into the dogs’ paws.”

“Laura probably has something that will work.”

“I’m going to have to ask your sister hard questions,” Jack said. “Do you think she’ll be able to handle that?”

“Of course I will,” a female voice said from the hall.

Laura Monroe Barrett stood in the threshold wearing sweatpants and a tank top. A bruise covered a large part of her chest,

her darkly lidded blue eyes bloodshot. Her long blond hair was piled into a messy bun. Even with the tired face and casual

attire, she was a very pretty woman.

“Laura, this is Jack Angelhart.”

“Your PI,” she said as she walked over to the coffeepot. “Coffee?” she asked Jack.

“Yes, please,” Jack said.

“Logan, I told you not to touch the cabinet. It’s too heavy, you could have hurt yourself. I can get the neighbors over to

help.” Laura rinsed the pot, emptied grounds from yesterday and ground fresh beans.

“Jack insisted,” Logan said.

Laura glanced at him. “Thank you.” She stared at the coffeepot as it brewed.

“You need more sleep,” Logan said.

“I need to feed the animals, let the chickens out.”

“I can do that. I grew up on a ranch, too.”

She smiled thinly. “Thanks, but I want to do it. I also need to call the clinic and see if they can reschedule my appointments,

or if Davy can take them for me. Go home and sleep. We’re fine.”

“Jack is going to stay here until we know what’s going on, okay?”

“We’re fine , Logan. There’s a logical explanation, and the police will handle it.”

“Jack and his sister can get answers faster.”

“That’s not necessary,” Laura said, slightly dismissive.

“Yes, it is!” Logan exclaimed. His outburst surprised Jack and, apparently, Laura. Logan was one of the most even-tempered

people Jack had ever met.

Logan rubbed his face with both hands. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Laura, let me do this, please? Maybe this break-in is connected

to me or my business. I don’t know, and neither do you.”

“Do you think that’s possible?” Jack asked.

“Anything’s possible,” Logan said.

Laura put her hand on Logan’s arm. “Okay, for a couple days we’ll do it your way. I think you’re blowing this out of proportion,

but after the break-in—maybe you’re right. For a day or two,” she said pointedly, looking at Jack.

“It wouldn’t hurt to install a basic security system,” Jack said.

“Done,” Logan said. “I’ll get on it today.”

“Logan—” Laura began, then stopped when she studied his face. “All right, I’ll accept the help on one condition—go home and

sleep. You’re punchy.”

“I’m going to my office,” Logan said. “I’ll leave a list of instructions for my admin so she may call you for information.

I’ll sleep on my couch.”

“Just sleep, okay?” Laura hugged her brother. “I love you, Lo. But I’m a big girl.”

Jack walked Logan out. “I’ll keep an eye on her. I already sent Margo a message. She’ll start digging around, and when I need

to sleep either Margo or Luisa will be here. Have you talked to Laura’s ex-husband?”

“Laura left a message after the accident last night, but I don’t know if he called her back.”

“I want to talk to him—me or Margo.”

“Of course. For all of Charlie’s faults, he would never hurt Laura or the kids.”

“Maybe not, but we still need to rule him out.”

Logan nodded soberly. “Thanks, Jack. I mean it.”

“I’ll send you a bill,” Jack said with a smile.

Logan’s brows furrowed. “Of course.”

Sometimes, the brilliant Logan didn’t understand humor.

When Jack returned to the kitchen, Laura was gone. He stepped out back and found her unlatching the ramp to the chicken hutch.

One by one, the chickens descended, until an impatient brown one jumped off.

The pen was secure from predators. Part of it sat beneath the squat, barn-like hutch. The rest provided space to roam roosting

rods, and an awning for shade. Misters in the corner, off for now, would cool the air during sweltering Arizona days.

Laura scattered pellets and chunks of watermelon. The chickens rushed over, clucking all the way, and devoured their breakfast.

Then she unlatched a side door and lifted it to reveal the nesting boxes. She filled a basket with at least twenty eggs.

“Need help?” Jack said.

“Coffee’s ready. I’ll be in shortly.”

The two Labs ran around Laura, then went off into the field behind the barn. A chunky beagle sat in the shade near the barn

door, his tongue out.

“Laura, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you and your kids need to take precautions, until we can figure out if the

break-in was an isolated incident, or if they still think you have something they want.”

“I can’t imagine they’ll be back. There’s nothing here for them.”

“You don’t know that.”

“What?” She waved her arms around to indicate her land. “I have horses and some equipment in the barn that they could have

taken. They didn’t. They didn’t take any electronics or my shotgun. They went through my things . It was a violation, but not a theft.”

“Then what were they looking for?”

“I don’t know!”

The chickens closest to Laura squawked and scattered.

She took a deep breath, slowly let it out. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You have every right to be angry and scared.”

She didn’t say anything and he couldn’t read her expression. He hated that someone had shaken Laura and her family; he hoped

he could find answers.

He said, “Do you mind if I look around the property?”

“Go ahead,” she said, putting the basket of eggs on a worktable and opening the barn doors. The smell of hay and horse wafted

out, and several horses whinnied when Laura walked in.

While Jack walked around getting the lay of the land, he called Margo.

“Is our favorite gazillionaire alive and well?” Margo asked.

“He is. “His sister had a break-in last night.” Jack told her about the accident, the break-in, the lack of obvious motive.

“Hmm,” Margo said. “So you’re on babysitting detail?”

“For now. I’ll call in Lu to help. I need you to find out everything you can about Laura’s ex-husband, Charlie Barrett.”

“Think he’s behind it?”

“Doubtful, but he’s had some financial trouble in the past. Also, Logan is going to make a list of business concerns—anyone

who might not be happy with his decisions, disgruntled employees, things like that.”

“Seems weak.”

“And we need to talk to Brittney.”

“Well, you’ve ruined my day and it’s not even seven in the morning.”

“I can do it,” Jack said.

“No, I’ll do it. Damn. But seriously, why would Brittney go after Logan’s sister? Logan, sure. Brittney is a vindictive bitch.

But she’s also dense as a box of rocks. Oh, I guess I just answered my own question.”

“I doubt it’s Brittney,” Jack said. “Laura was run off the road by a large dark truck. I’ll talk to Laura about her vet practice

and anyone who has caused problems or threatened her there.”

“So you’re assuming the two incidents are connected?”

“Until we learn otherwise.”

“Okay, I’ll deal with Brittney and dig around into Charlie.”

“Talk to Logan first, find out where the guy works, where he lives, anything else that could be useful. Also, consider Logan’s

business and projects. I doubt anyone would target Laura because of her brother, but it’s a possibility.”

“Roger that. I’m on it. You need me to come up there, holler.”

“Thanks, Margo.” He ended the call and continued walking the property, making note of neighbors (all more than a stone’s throw)

and who might have security cameras facing the street—cameras that might have caught sight of a vehicle at Laura’s house last

night.