Page 47 of Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage 1)

TWENTY-TWO

At the window overlooking the parking lot, Terra held a cup of scalding coffee that Jack had purchased from a vending machine.

“I can’t believe she’s gone,” she said. “I can’t believe any of it.”

Pauline’s family could very well blame Terra and Jack for upsetting her. If Pauline had been allowed to rest, she possibly could have improved enough to survive. Still, Jim’s wife had asked for Terra. Perhaps she suspected she might die and take the secret she held to the grave with her if she didn’t speak up.

Jack tossed his cup into the garbage can. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Terra allowed Jack to lead her to an elevator. Her defense mechanism had kicked in, leaving her feeling numb. At the moment, she didn’t want to think or feel. The next thing Terra knew, she was sitting in his vehicle instead of hers and staring at her now-tepid cup of bad coffee.

“Try to pull yourself together,” he said.

“I am. I need to grieve. To process.” All this death. And for what?

Jack started his vehicle. “Pauline gave us something. We need to act on it.”

Terra rubbed her temples. “She believed Jim was cheating on her. The thing is, I’m not so sure he was cheating in the way she thought. I hate that she died thinking he was having an affair. I should have said so. Maybe she wouldn’t have gotten so upset that she—”

“You don’t know that he wasn’t. Maybe the woman Pauline saw him with is the person who got him involved in trafficking artifacts. Pauline hinted at that.”

“We need to find the picture Pauline mentioned. Maybe it will turn up while we’re searching Jim and Pauline’s home for additional artifacts.”

Jack nodded. “Or we could simply ask a family member about the picture, but I don’t think they’re too happy with us at the moment. Considering the circumstances, I got a warrant earlier to search the home. We need more than Pauline’s permission now.”

“Then let’s head to the house and see what turns up.”

He steered from the hospital parking lot and seemed to be caught up in his own thoughts. Just as well, since Terra needed to process all that had happened in the space of a few days. A half an hour later, Terra and Jack entered Pauline’s home to join the evidence techs who were already there. Any discoveries could help lead them to his killer.

Terra stood in the master bedroom and took in the photographs on the wall.

Abbie entered the bedroom, startling Terra. “The detective told me I could find you in here.” She let her bag slide from her shoulder onto the bed. Releasing a grief-filled sigh, she eased onto the edge and hung her head.

“I’m so sorry for your loss.” Though inadequate, the words came from her heart.

“You’re looking for a picture,” Abbie said.

Terra assumed Jack had told her. “Yes.”

“Mom kept important stuff in her jewelry box.” Abbie lifted her red-rimmed eyes to the mahogany box on the dresser.

Terra wanted to somehow reach out and comfort the woman, because she understood how it felt to lose both parents within a short time. But she said nothing. Abbie needed comfort from someone else. “Thank you for your help. We’ll do everything we can to find your father’s killer.”

“I know you will. I’ll help you. Anything you need. In a way, I think whoever killed my father also killed my mother.”

Abbie rose and moved to the box. She pressed her hands around the lid and hesitated. “Mom has a tall jewelry box in the closet where she keeps her long necklaces. This one contains social security cards and a few special things she held dear. I don’t know why she didn’t keep stuff like this in a safe or filing cabinet.”

She opened the lid and revealed a felted drawer containing rings, bracelets, earrings, and a few collectible coins. Abbie lifted the top drawer completely out. Beneath it rested the social security cards and a few envelopes. Abbie seemed familiar with the items in the box. She searched until she pulled out a small manila envelope and eyed it.

“Everything else I know about. But I haven’t seen this before. It must be new. Maybe this holds what you’re looking for.”

She offered it to Terra.

“Why don’t you open it?” Terra asked.

“Mom is gone. She isn’t going to care anymore. You go ahead.”

“What about you? Are you sure you want to see this?”