more time passes, I want you to save my cell number in your contacts. If an emergency arises, you can call me any hour of the day or night.â
âThank you,â she answered. She retrieved her phone and entered the number he gave her. âNow, will you tell me why youâre having me watched?â
His hands went to his hips. âDid you know that LifeSpan fired your husband a month ago?â
âNo,â she whispered then sank down on the nearest chair. âThat would have been after we separated. He never told me.â She buried her face in her hands. âWhat happened?â
âLifeSpan has been losing money. One of the other accountants under your husband started checking back and discovered payments made to a company he could find no record for. They were payments your husband authorized. A full investigation has been started. Theyâre still tracing back to see how long it had been going on. So far theyâve found over nine-million dollars missing since the beginning of his employment with them.â
Natalie gasped. âRod did that?â She simply couldnât believe it.
âYes, but the only portion of that money to show up in his personal records was four-hundred thousand.â
Her head lifted. âHe always wanted to keep our bank accounts separate. Itâs all making sense now. Four-hundred thousand?â
âYour husband withdrew it from his checking account the day before he was killed, and Iâm guessing that whoever trashed your house wanted to get their hands on it.â
She shook her head. âWeâve never had that kind of money, not even with our combined salaries.â Her body trembled. âIâve been living with a monster.â
âItâs evident heâs been a disturbed man most of his life. Iâll learn more when I speak to his grandmother. Though her husband died recently, I understand sheâs still alive and was able to give the police a few facts about Park. I need to question her.â
Natalieâs incredulous gaze met his. âThat means Amy has a great-grandmother! I canât fathom it. They have to have been in pain for years wondering what had happened to their grandson after he escaped.â
âIâm sure thatâs true. One day soon weâll get all the answers. Will you be available to talk some more tomorrow? Since itâll be Sunday, morning or afternoon will be fine for me.â
He was coming by again? Her pulse picked up speed for no reason. âDo you want to come over at eleven or so? Amy will be ready to go down for her nap around then.â
âEleven it is.â He walked through to the living room and looked out the front window. âThe surveillance team is parked out front in a carpet-cleaning truck. Theyâll keep an eye on you around the clock to make certain youâre safe. Iâll see myself out the back door.â
She watched his tall, rock-hard physique slip out through the kitchen and disappear from view once he reached the neighborâs yard. Natalie clung to the open door. Heâd convinced her that she and Amy could be in danger, but as shocking as all the revelations had been, heâd had a calming effect and she felt confident she wasnât alone in this horror story.
* * *
K IT PHONED THE surveillance team from his truck to give them instructions. Once he let them know he was leaving the premises, he drove to the freeway and headed for Marble Falls. Heâd have to drive fast to be on time for his mother.
Needing to talk, he used voice commands to dial Cy, a fellow Ranger who was working on another case. He was gratified when he heard his friendâs voice over the speakers.
âHey, Kit. I saw you in TJâs office earlier. Whatâs going on?â
âIâve been given a case the captain doesnât want anyone else to know about yet, but Iâd like your advice.â
âYou donât need