“Did you reach your father’s friend?”
“I left Uncle Jack a message and said it was urgent. He’ll call your cell as soon as he gets it.”
“Thanks. Now that that’s in motion, let’s check my machine.” Rafe hit the play button on the answering machine on the kitchen counter. “Sara, it’s Coop. You left this number with me in case of emergency. It’s an emergency. Call me ASAP.”
Beep.
Another message immediately began to play. “It’s Captain Hodges. Call me back,” he growled.
Sara groaned. Rafe agreed. The way today was going, neither message could be good news.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
USING RAFE’S CELL, Sara dialed the number and reached the older man immediately. “What’s wrong, Captain?”
“Your apartment was hit.”
A shiver rippled through her. “Was anything taken?” she asked. She covered the phone with her hand and mouthed the word burglary to Rafe.
“Nothing taken. Just a note lipsticked on a mirror that said stay away.”
She frowned at the warning. “Not very original.”
“No evidence it’s Morley, but who else would bother? Sounds like he’s more concerned with keeping you too afraid to testify than he is with hurting you, but you still need to be careful,” the older man said, his voice gravelly from too many cigarettes.
“I will,” she promised him. “Listen, Captain, Rafe and I have run into a…situation here. Can you do me a favor and run a history on two drug dealers who go by the name Biff and Todd?” She gave him a brief description of the situation and their attempt to get in touch with the DEA, and followed up with a sketch of Biff and Todd, knowing that they could have altered their appearance and/or their names.
The captain let out a long groan. “What part of keep a low profile don’t you understand, Rios?” She could imagine him running his hand over his bald head in frustration.
“I don’t find trouble, Captain. It’s been finding me.” She glanced at Rafe and grinned.
“Keep telling yourself that,” he muttered. “I’ll let you know what I find out. In the meantime, be careful and keep in touch.” After giving the order, he disconnected the line.
Sara hung up and met Rafe’s gaze. “He’s pissed.”
“I’m sure he is. Do they know who broke into your place?”
She shrugged. “Not who specifically, but they left me a message on my bathroom mirror, and it sounds like it was just another threat to scare me from testifying.”
“So either Morley’s guy from the dance has left Hidden Falls or he’s got more than one boy doing his bidding.” Rafe strode over to the keypad on the wall by the front door and input the new alarm code. “Since we’re in for the night, might as well keep it set.”
She nodded.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’m certainly not going to let threats and warnings stop me from doing my job. Besides, I’ll have protection going to and from the trial. It’s just a matter of getting through these next few weeks. And I have your uncle’s problems to keep my mind occupied.”
Rafe groaned. “You just had to remind me.”
Sara strode over and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Pirro’s lucky to have you,” she said, staring into his sexy eyes.
He returned her gaze. “And I’m lucky to have you.” He pressed a light kiss on her lips and stepped back.
“I need to check in with Coop and see what was so urgent.” She used Rafe’s cell to make the next phone call. “No answer at home.” She left Coop a message and then dialed his cell. “And no luck there, either.” She left another message on his voice mail.
“At this point there’s nothing more we can do on any front but wait for everyone to get in touch with us.”
Sara frowned. “I know you’re right, but I hate waiting. And I hate being idle when there are two live situations going on.”
Rafe sidled up beside her. “Then it’s a good thing I know exactly how to keep you busy passing time,” he said in a voice designed for seduction.
One she couldn’t resist.
THE RINGING OF THE doorbell woke Sara out of a sound sleep. She jumped out of bed. A cool chill immediately reminded her she was stark naked. Rafe was nowhere to be found, and she hoped he was answering the door.
By the time she pulled on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt and ran out of the room, she found Rafe and Coop sitting and talking in the den.
“What are you doing here?” Sara asked, shocked to realize he’d come all this way. “Who died?” she immediately asked.
“Ever the pessimist,” Rafe said.
Coop shook his head and laughed. “I see that hasn’t changed.”
“Then why are you here? I’m glad to see you, but nobody takes a five-hour ride just to say hello.” Her heart still beat hard in her chest from being woken from a deep sleep, and now, seeing Coop…
“Everything’s fine,” he assured her.
“Lexie?” she asked of his fiancée.
“Great. I swear. With the Bachelor Blogger publishing your whereabouts, I wanted to check on you.”
“And?” She pushed him, knowing there had to be more.
“I wanted to talk to you both.”
Rafe nodded. “Let’s go into the kitchen and sit down. I know Sara and I could use some coffee. What about you?” he asked Coop. “Besides coffee there’s soda, orange juice, water and maybe some iced tea.”
“Coffee sounds good. The drive drained me.”
They shifted to the kitchen, a room with light wood and new appliances. Sara had enjoyed puttering around in here the other day. Now the sun shone through the windows, casting a cheery glow around the room.
Rafe must have been up when the doorbell rang, because the coffee was already freshly brewed and smelled delicious. Sara insisted on pouring everyone coffee and getting the milk.
When they were all settled around the table, she couldn’t stand the suspense any longer. “Okay, what’s going on?” she asked Coop.
He exhaled a long breath. “Okay. I assume you know your apartment was broken into?”
Sara nodded. “The captain says it was related to the upcoming trial.”
“Do you know how the Bachelor Blog found out you were here?” he asked, switching subjects.
“My sister-in-law.” Rafe explained about Angel’s B and B and her reasons for calling the blog.