Bailey turned to look at Vince. “That’s stupid. He won’t lose me. Even when I do get married, Ryan will still be in my life.”
Vince pursed his lips. “I don’t know. Most men don’t like to share their wives. What does Dex think about you hanging out with Ryan all the time?”
“Touché,” Bailey said. “But I won’t marry someone who doesn’t like my best friend.”
“So if Dex proposed to you next week, you’d tell him no?”
Bailey sat up straighter and thought about it, then shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never considered it before, but I get your point. It would eat me alive if Ryan were to marry someone who didn’t like me. I can’t imagine losing his friendship over a woman.”
“Which is why he’s having trouble with this boyfriend. Ryan always wants to be there for you, but if you don’t need him…”
“What’s he going to do when I do find someone to spend my life with? I want to get married and have kids. I can’t stay single to save his male ego.” Her lips curled up at the thought. “He’s so stupid.”
“Well.” Vince chuckled and shrugged. “I did my best.”
Bailey laughed into her drink. “You did all right.”
“I know you’re going through a hard time right now, Bailey. I’m here if you need me.” He put his arm around her and pulled her close.
Bailey lowered her eyes to the pebbly shore and wondered fleetingly if things would ever be normal again.
“Thank you, Vince. I appreciate you telling me that. I guess Ryan told you what I found yesterday.”
Vince nodded and pulled his arm free. “That must be a pretty hard blow, especially after just losing your mom. I wish I had some answers for you, but I don’t.”
“My mom never talked to you about it?”
He shook his head slowly. “No. Not a word.”
Bailey swallowed and focused on a ski boat racing by, causing a wake that brought the shoreline closer. “I can’t believe she never told me.”
“I can’t either. I just can’t believe you didn’t know.”
They both turned when a hint of Chopin drifted from the upstairs window where Ryan was cleaning.
“I guess I better get back in there. I can’t let those guys have all the fun.”
Vince laughed and stood. “You’re the only person I know who considers cleaning fun.”
“Thank you for coming out here. I know when Mom died, you lost a friend, too.”
“Just keep in touch. You’re welcome at my house anytime.” He smiled a sad smile. “When I saw that you were here last night, I almost came over to check on you, but I didn’t want to intrude.”
“What?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “I wasn’t here last night. I stayed at El Lago until closing.”
“Oh. Who was here then?” He gestured toward the house. “The light in the garage was on, and a light upstairs, too.”
“Nobody should’ve been here.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Bailey stood and walked toward the house. “Which light upstairs?” Her heart pounded as she crossed the yard with Vince on her heels.
“It was the light in Helen’s bedroom.”
Bailey raced up the stairs and entered her mother’s bedroom. She looked around, but nothing seemed out of place. “Dex?” she shouted.
He lumbered up the stairs. “What’s up?” He entered Helen’s room and said, “I’m working in the living room. Would you rather I—”
“Did you stop by here last night?” Bailey asked as Ryan poked his head around the corner.
“No.” He slowly shook his head, looking a little confused. “I didn’t get into town until about 8:00 this morning. Why?”
“Bailey, maybe you just left the light on when you were here,” Vince said.
Dex scrunched his eyebrows together. “What light? What are you talking about?”
“Vince said he thought I was here last night because a couple of lights were on,” Bailey said. “But there were no lights on when I got here.”
Ryan stepped farther into the room. “Did you see someone here last night, Dad?”
“No, I assumed Bailey was here. It didn’t occur to me it could have been anyone else.”
“Bailey, does it look like anything’s missing?” Ryan asked.
She looked around, walking toward the window and then to the closet before tugging the closet door open. She shook her head, then turned, her eyes landing on her mother’s jewelry box. She walked over and opened it. Nothing looked out of place.
“No…” She glanced over at the trunk before approaching it and lifting the lid. The perfectly neat piles of photo albums and scrapbooks were no longer perfectly neat. They were tossed sideways, the cover ripped off of the oldest.
Ryan peered over her shoulder. “Whoa.”
“Someone’s been in here,” Bailey said. “Who’d break into the house to dig through an old trunk and not steal anything?”
“That makes no sense,” Dex said.
Vince looked into the trunk, too. “Maybe they were looking for expensive family heirlooms.”
“Then why didn’t they take the jewelry?” Ryan asked.
Ryan walked to the window and checked the lock. He tried the window, but it was secure. “We need to figure out how they got into the house.”
“Bailey, this is ridiculous. Nobody would break into a house just to dig through an old trunk. You must’ve left it like this,” Dex said, gesturing toward the trunk.
“She didn’t,” Ryan growled. “Pay attention, Lumpy.”
“I’m going to knock you on your—”
“Stop it,” Vince said. “Ryan, if you’re not going to be helpful, keep your mouth shut.”
“Dad, you said lights. What other lights were on in the house?”
Vince shrugged. “Just this room and the garage light.”
Bailey turned and rushed down the stairs, hurried through the living room and into the kitchen, where she reached for the key, but it was gone. Bailey and Ryan both stared at the empty hook next to the back door, which usually held the key to the side garage door.
“The garage key’s gone,” Bailey muttered as she turned toward Ryan. “I know I put it back yesterday when we left.”
Lucas looked
