Trail of Lies by Margaret Daley Page B

talked about a flash drive that Axle had, but I’ve looked in the house and can’t find it.”
    Daniel clasped his hands together, his gaze zeroing in on her. “Do you think your husband was messed up in something illegal?”
    The word yes stuck in her throat. She swallowed several times but still couldn’t get it out. Finally she nodded, sliding her eyes closed. She didn’t want to see the disappointment that she’d kept quiet for so long in his face.
    The next thing she realized was that Daniel was sitting down beside her on the couch, dangerously close, his lime-scented aftershave teasing her nostrils. “What did your husband do?”
    â€œI don’t know, but I think it involves his restaurants.” She tilted her head around to peer at him, the dark orbs of his eyes mesmerizing. “When I became suspicious something wasn’t right, I tried to discover what, but he found out and threatened me.”
    His expression softened. “Why do you think his restaurants were involved in something illegal?”
    â€œI overheard him telling a man that nothing better go wrong with the shipment to the Riverwalk restaurant and that it better be turned around and out of there before the employees showed up the next day for work.” She shuddered when she remembered Axle’s lethal tone. “I’d never heard him talk like that.”
    â€œThis man came to the house?”
    â€œYes. Axle wasn’t too happy about that. The next time I saw the man was a week later. He and Axle were talkinglate one evening right before dark at the stable where we have a couple of horses. I never saw that man here again.”
    â€œCould you describe him for a sketch artist?”
    â€œI could but I think it’s the man who’s been in a coma since September.”
    Daniel shot to his feet. “It is? Why didn’t you come forward? The day of Captain Pike’s murder, the man in the coma was found at the captain’s house, shot and close to death himself. He may be the only one who can tell us what happened to Gregory, and we haven’t been able to identify him.” Anger slashed across his face as he glared down at her.
    She opened her mouth to answer him when a scream curdled her blood.

SIX
    â€œK aitlyn!” Melora leaped to her feet and raced to her daughter’s bedroom.
    She heard Daniel right behind her. Silence came from Kaitlyn’s room, which only heightened her fear. Had someone gotten to her?
    It seemed to take forever to get to her daughter’s doorway at the far end of the hallway on the second floor. Before she could charge into the bedroom, Daniel grabbed her arm and halted her.
    â€œLet me,” he whispered and withdrew his gun.
    He peered inside, and the tension that gripped him melted as he holstered his weapon. Melora didn’t wait for his go-ahead. She surged past him and hurried to Kaitlyn sitting straight up in her bed, tears coursing down her cheeks, her lower lip quivering.
    â€œHoney, what’s wrong?” She sat next to Kaitlyn and drew her against her.
    â€œI dreamt…” The little girl swallowed the rest of her words and threw her arms around Melora.
    â€œYou’re okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Her daughter hugged her so tightly it was hard to breathe. Melora ran her hand down Kaitlyn’s back over and over, trying to calm the fear the dream hadunearthed. For the past few years she’d had her own share of nightmares.
    When Kaitlyn leaned back several minutes later, her eyes still glistened with tears, but none ran down her face. She inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. “Why did that bad man keep hitting our car?”
    Melora combed her daughter’s long hair back then cradled her head between her hands. “I don’t know, but Ranger Riley is here to help me figure it out.”
    Daniel came to the bed and knelt near Kaitlyn. “I