Under the Moon's Shadow Read Online Free PDF Page A

into the tub, the glass bottles shattered, and the shower gels, lotions, and shampoos had been upended and emptied out on top of the broken glass. The shower curtain itself had been ripped from the rod, which now hung drunkenly from its moorings. The combined scents were overpowering in the small room, and as she turned to leave, she stumbled. Ethan caught her, steadying her, and for a moment she allowed herself to be held.
    When she heard Jason heading toward them, she moved back and went into the bedroom. All the dresser drawers had been emptied onto the floor, the linens pulled off the mattress and strewn around the room. Lamps were knocked over, and all her clothes had been pulled out of the closet, piled in the middle of the room with the rest of her belongings. As the men came into the room, she turned to face them. The bedroom was an unholy mess, a strike that felt very personal.
    “What now?”
    “Bert’s on his way over to take pictures and fingerprints,” Jason told her. “Hopefully he’ll find something we can use.”
    Ethan was frowning. “Does anything look like it’s missing?”
    “Not as far as I can see. TV’s still here, stereo, jewelry, my laptop. I haven’t noticed anything so far that should be here, but isn’t.” She glanced up in time to see them exchange a grim look. Her mouth tightened. “That’s not a good sign, is it?”
    Jason’s phone beeped, and he answered. “That’s Bert,” he said, heading for the door. “I’ll go let him in.”
    As he left, Ethan stepped closer to her. “You okay?” She nodded and they studied each other without speaking in the quiet. His gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered there for a long moment. “You should probably stay somewhere else tonight.”
    She agreed, exhausted at just the thought of the cleanup that would be required to get the apartment livable again. “Are you offering your couch?” As a stunned look spread over his face, she gave a wan smile. She reached out and touched his arm lightly. “You made that too easy, Ethan.” He gave her a mock scowl, but his lips twitched. She raised her eyebrows.
    “Wow, that’s twice in one night you’ve almost smiled. Better be careful, or you’ll lose your tough guy reputation, and then the bad guys won’t be afraid of you anymore.”
    Taking a step closer to her, he reached a hand up to touch her face just as they heard Jason’s voice in the hall outside. He let his hand drop and stepped away from her. Beth cursed roundly under her breath. Frustrated, she walked around him and greeted Bert.
    The crime scene tech whistled and shook his head. “Damn, Beth, this sucks. Sorry.”
    She acknowledged his comment and looked at Jason. “I’m probably going to head out to the farm and spend the night. When can I get back in here to get some clothes?”
    Jason looked at Ethan, then shrugged. “You can grab some things tonight if you want. Are you okay to drive, or do you need me to take you?”
    “I’m okay. I didn’t have that much to drink at the reception.” She walked into the bedroom and pointed at the pile of clothing. “Can I just take what I need from here?”
    “As long as you don’t disturb anything that might be evidence,” Ethan told her from the door.
    Stooping down, she grabbed a t-shirt and pair of jeans that were near the top of the pile, then walked over to the closet for a pair of running shoes.  She clutched the clothing to her chest and headed back to the living room.
    “I’m going over to Raven’s to change while you guys process this.”  She waved her hand at the living room where Bert was dusting for fingerprints. “Holler if you need me.”
    In the hall, as she waited for Raven to let her in, she tried to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach that screamed this break-in was more than just a routine burglary, but she wasn’t successful. The attack just felt too personal.
     
    ~ * * * ~
     
    Back inside the apartment, Ethan and Jason were quiet as they