Trail of Lies by Margaret Daley

you?”
    â€œI saw him at Axle’s funeral and asked Hank Zarvy.”
    â€œHe’s investigating Axle’s murder.”
    Jorge stopped right outside the hospital’s sliding glass doors. “And you called him?”
    â€œYes, I think this wreck is connected.” At that moment Daniel pulled up and hopped out of his truck to help her and Kaitlyn get in.
    Before she could climb in, Jorge stopped her. “What’s going on?”
    The worry in his expression battered at her composure. She didn’t need to fall apart right now. Not with Kaitlyn looking to her for strength. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine now that Ranger Riley is here.”
    Â 
    As Daniel pulled up to her house, Melora caught sight of her uncle’s restored 1956 Thunderbird and moaned.
    â€œWho’s visiting?” Daniel slowed his truck.
    â€œUncle Tyler. Jorge must have called him. I wish he hadn’t.”
    â€œUncle Tyler is here,” Kaitlyn said from the backseat, excitement in her voice.
    Melora glanced at her. “Yes. He’s driving his latest toy.”
    Kaitlyn scrunched up her battle-scarred face. “Toy?” She sat up and looked out the front windshield. “Cool car and my favorite color—red.”
    â€œYeah, Uncle Tyler’s partial to red.” A memory of Kaitlyn’s face with bleeding cuts on it flooded her with fear all over again. Somehow she had to keep it from her uncle. She didn’t want him pulled into her problems. She wasn’t even sure what she was going to do—other than tell Daniel what was going on. She was in way over her head, fighting for her and Kaitlyn’s lives.
    A minute later when Melora let herself into her house, Uncle Tyler was striding across the large foyer toward her. She went into his embrace and battled to keep the tears that clogged her throat from spilling. Thankfully, at that moment Kaitlyn wedged herself between them.
    He bent down and picked her up. “Hi, princess. I heard you had quite a day.”
    Although his voice was light and his expression showed only love for Kaitlyn, Melora glimpsed the tension in his eyes. She knew she would have some serious explaining to do—before she talked with Daniel.
    â€œI was scared. Mommy and me were leaving on an adventure when that bad man hit us with a truck.”
    â€œWhat adventure?” Uncle Tyler swung his sharpened gaze to Melora.
    â€œDon’t know. It was a surprise.” Kaitlyn threw her arms around her uncle’s neck and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad to be home.”
    Juanita scurried into the foyer. “Oh, my baby, what happened to you?”
    As Kaitlyn launched into an explanation about the wreck, Uncle Tyler’s expression turned stony. There were only a few times when Melora had received that look—only when he was very displeased with her. She needed to talk with him before Kaitlyn said something about the cat disappearing. She didn’t want the situation to get any worse than it already was.
    Melora laid her hand on her daughter’s back. “Juanita, I think Kaitlyn should have some of her favorite ice cream. That will make her feel better.”
    Daniel stepped forward. “That sounds great. Can I share some ice cream with you?”
    â€œYeah,” Kaitlyn said. Her daughter took Daniel’s hand and tugged him toward the kitchen.
    Daniel was giving her the time to talk with her uncle, which she appreciated. Through all her dealings with Daniel lately, she realized one thing. He was a very perceptive man. Which meant she couldn’t keep anything from him anymore. It took too much energy—energy she didn’t have. But first she had to deal with Uncle Tyler.
    â€œLet’s go into Axle’s office.” A fitting place to have this conversation, she thought as she followed her uncle into the room and shut the door, preparing herself for the onslaught of questions.
    â€œAre you