Page 66 of Desperate Acts
They left the office together, Lia crossing the hallway to open the door to the stairs while Kaden headed out of the building. His jaw tightened as he easily caught sight of the busted window on the SUV. Making a slow circle around the vehicle, he assured himself that there wasn’t any other damage before peering into the back compartment to see a brick on the floorboard.
Straightening, Kaden felt a stab of frustration. It seemed like such a petty crime. Like slashing his tires. But he sensed there was more to it than mere vandalism. He turned, glancing back at the door where Lia had leaned out. Next to the building, he could see a brick that matched the one that had busted the window.
A shiver raced through his body. This had been a deliberate trap. He was sure of it.
With a grim determination, Kaden walked down the alley, his gaze sweeping from side to side. He found what he was looking for a few minutes later. A stack of bricks were tossed in a haphazard pile behind the dumpster.
Standing next to the bricks, Kaden realized this would be the perfect spot to hide after busting the window. It would give the assailant a perfect view of Lia as she stepped out of the door while remaining in the shadows. And it was a short enough distance to make it easy to hit her with the brick.
So, the question was whether they’d intended to scare her or actually do physical damage? Perhaps even kill her?
Gritting his teeth, Kaden continued to search the alley, looking for anything that might give a clue to the attacker. He could see footprints and tire tracks, but the frozen snow meant there was no way to tell if they were fresh or not. And even if they were, it wasn’t much help to Kaden. He was an amateur sleuth, not a professional. He needed a clue that came complete with a name and a phone number.
He headed back inside, locking the door behind him before climbing the stairs. Lia was in the kitchen, pouring hot water into a cup. The scent of tea filled the air, and Kaden suppressed a smile. He was going to suggest a shot of whiskey, but whatever calmed her nerves.
Turning at his entrance, she leaned against the counter and took a sip of the steaming liquid.
“Anything?” she asked.
He crossed the wooden floor, halting next to the table. “There were bricks piled around the dumpster. That’s what broke your window and hit you on the head. I’m guessing they threw the first brick to lure you out to the alley so they could attack you there.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Who knows there aren’t any security cameras out there?”
“Everyone.” She shrugged when he sent her a frown of disbelief. “My mother went to the city council to complain about the feral cats getting into the dumpster a few years ago. The council refused to do anything to help because she didn’t have video proof of the damage or what had caused it. It was a public hearing, so anyone could have heard her admit she didn’t have surveillance back there.”
Kaden sighed. That was . . . unhelpful. “That means anyone in Pike might have been hiding behind the dumpster.”
She grimaced. “Why would they throw a brick at me?”
“I’m guessing it was a warning.”
“For me? Or you?”
“Both of us, probably.”
“I find it hard to imagine the mayor hiding in the alley in the freezing cold to lob bricks at me.”
Kaden had to agree. Tate Erickson reminded him of the power-hungry wannabes in Hollywood. They were willing to sell their souls to achieve their goals, but they didn’t have the balls for a fair fight. They would cheat, lie, and manipulate to get what they wanted.
“That doesn’t mean he’s not responsible,” Kaden said. “He’s not a man who gets his hands dirty. He hires someone else to do it.”
Her lips parted, but before she could respond, her eyes widened as if she’d just thought of something. “Oh.”
“What is it?”
“I just remembered. After I slammed shut the door, I heard someone gunning an engine. It was loud. Like a jet taking off.”
Kaden tucked her words in the back of his mind. One good thing about Pike being such a small town was that anything distinctive would stand out.
“That should be easy enough to track down.” He studied her, attempting to keep his expression casual. “But not today. Do you feel up to packing an overnight bag?”
She blinked in surprise. “I’m fine. But why do I need an overnight bag?”
“We’re going to Madison.”
Lia was shaking her head before he finished speaking. “I can’t leave the store.”
“Okay.” He was wise enough not to push. Lia was a control freak. Like him. She had to feel like she was making the decision, not being forced into it. “I have a meeting set up with Vanna’s foster mom early tomorrow morning. I thought you might want to be there.”
She narrowed her eyes, easily sensing she’d been outmaneuvered. “You know I do.” She hesitated, then, turning, she set aside her teacup to grab her phone from the counter. “I’ll let Della know the store will be closed for a day or two. I don’t want her or Wayne here alone.”