Before they could take a step, a loud howl ripped through the quiet. Spencer’s scalp prickled and he froze.
Giggling, Dani patted his shoulder and said, “That’s Petunia, my neighbor’s dog. She thinks she’s a wolf.”
Spencer chuckled, then gestured for Dani to get behind him. When she moved into position, he cautiously stepped into the foyer, paused, and listened for any sign of an intruder. The only sound was the ticking of the old grandfather clock in the parlor.
As they went from room to room taking pictures, it became clear that the place had been searched more than it had been vandalized. Downstairs, shelves were emptied onto the floor and cushions were sliced, with their stuffing bleeding out of the gaping wounds.
On the second floor, in the girls’ rooms, drawers were open and the contents thrown aside. The closet rods had been stripped of hangers with the clothes flung helter-skelter on the ground. As a final hurrah, the mattresses and box springs had been shoved off the bedframes.
With the two remaining suites empty and not yet remodeled, the only evidence the intruder had been inside the room were the footprints on the dusty hardwood.
Dani’s quarters were a mess, just as the girls’ had been, and Spencer sensed more than heard her small sigh. He gazed at the disorder and knew she had to be having a rough time dealing with the invasion of her personal space, but she didn’t break down. Glancing at her, he saw her straighten her spine and paste a stoic look on her pretty face.
However, reentering the kitchen, Dani’s impassive expression slipped, and Spencer witnessed the full impact of the experience as it slammed into her soul. The rest of the mansion had been searched, but the kitchen shambles displayed a malicious intent to cause destruction. Broken dishes and shattered glass were everywhere. And the fragments were mixed with piles of flour and sugar. Pools of milk and broken eggs decorated the stainless steel counter, while molasses and honey oozed down the dark wood cabinets.
Despite his assurances that the home invader was long gone, Spencer had been on the alert for an ambush. Now that they’d been through all three floors, he allowed himself to stow his gun in his ankle holster and stand down.
Putting an arm around Dani’s bowed shoulders, he said, “It’s not as bad as it looks. There’s very little damage anywhere but here.”
“Just a few cushions ripped open,” Dani murmured, staring at the kitchen.
“Even here, it’s mostly a mess.” Spencer squeezed her arm, then forced himself to take his hand away before he started stroking the soft flesh. “It looks as if the perp only smashed a few dishes and glasses.”
“Right.” Dani perked up a little. “All of the expensive equipment seems fine.” She walked over to the china hutch by the table. “Mrs. Cook’s vintage milk glass and Waterford are still intact too.”
“It looks as if your loss is minimal and you don’t have to worry about filing an insurance claim.” Spencer smiled encouragingly.
“True. With my deductible, it wouldn’t be worth the hassle.” Dani rubbed her hand across the back of her head. “Is it safe to let the girls come home?”
“Sure.” Spencer sent Ivy a coast-is-clear text. “After cooking all night, you’re probably exhausted. Why don’t you wait for the girls down here and I’ll go put the beds back together?”
“Adrenaline must still be rushing through me because I’m not at all tired.” Dani followed him up the stairs. “I’ll help with the beds.”
As Spencer and Dani worked together, he couldn’t help notice her lush curves, especially when she bent over. It wasn’t too bad while they were dealing with the girls’ beds, but entering Dani’s room, he suddenly felt like a perv staring at her heart-shaped bottom as she reached for a pillow on the floor.
Turning away, he shoved the mattress onto the box springs and asked, “Where are the moving boxes that your ex wanted you to go through?”
Dani jerked upright and put her hand over her mouth, pointing to the ceiling. “They’re in the attic. I couldn’t stand living with cartons all around. Do you think Kipp is the one who did this?”
“The good doctor is certainly high on my list of suspects.” Spencer raked his fingers through his hair. “How do you get into the attic?”
“Through the walk-in closet.” Dani trudged over to it. “The steps are hidden behind shelving that swings out on concealed hinges.”
“Interesting.” Spencer followed her into the closet, then watched as she swung open a rack filled with shoes and revealed a narrow set of steps.
“I’m not sure if this house was a stop on the Underground Railroad or maybe it had something to do with prohibition.” Dani grinned. “But I love this hidden staircase.”
As they entered the attic, Dani pulled a string attached to the overhead bulb. With the light on, the mountain of cartons stacked against the back wall was visible and it was evident that the boxes hadn’t been disturbed.
“Guess your intruder didn’t find his way up here,” Spencer commented as he and Dani retraced their steps into her bedroom. “Which means if it was your ex, he didn’t get what he wanted and he might come back.”
“I can’t really see Kipp breaking and entering over a book.” Dani stepped briefly into her bathroom to grab a fresh set of sheets from the linen closet, then started to make the bed. “I told him I’d give it to him.”
“Yeah.” Spencer helped her get the fitted sheet in place. “About that. I’m wondering if there’s something about that book we don’t know. And I for sure want to be here when you hand it over to him.”
“Like the book’s worth a lot of money?” Dani asked, then shrugged. “It crossed my mind, but I can’t remember the dang title. And it really doesn’t matter. Even if it is valuable, I’d let him have it.”
“Mmm.” Spencer couldn’t help but lose a tiny piece of his heart. Very few women would willingly give
