AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dillon rang the bell. Sean peered into the garage. There was one car inside, but the garage could fit three.
There was no answer. Cautiously, they walked the perimeter of the house. The windows were covered by storm windows and the blinds were all drawn. Sean heard no movement inside. He put a small microphone in his ear and positioned a small amplifier close to the door.
Dillon motioned toward the device. Sean took out the earpiece and whispered, “It detects and amplifies sound and movement. Not foolproof, but it’s worked for me before.” He put the earpiece back in and listened for a good minute.
“I don’t think anyone’s home,” Sean said, taking out his lock pick.
“We’re not breaking in.”
“Go back to the car then.”
“Dammit, Sean!”
Sean popped the lock, then faced Dillon. “We’re in and out. I won’t take anything. You stand guard.”
“Sean—”
“All we need is information.”
Sean went inside and closed the door before Dillon could argue.
The house was extremely tidy, but there was a slight greasy smell. Sean checked the garbage in the kitchen. Someone had cooked a meal last night. No rotting food.
He searched the place quickly and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Then he went to Mallory’s den.
A computer. That was all Sean needed. He’d promised Dillon he wouldn’t take anything, but he hadn’t said he wouldn’t make a copy. He didn’t even try to boot up the computer, but took out a pocket computer and carefully removed the covering on the hard drive. He then hooked up two wires to the motherboard and copied all the data on the computer, making a perfect replication. He replaced everything and was about to leave when he saw two framed photographs on a small table next to a reading chair. His heart nearly stopped.
The larger photo had been taken on a beach: a young, beautiful brunette with a toddler in her arms. They were smiling. Mallory’s family.
But the second photo definitely had more interest for Sean. A younger Lucy, maybe nineteen. Just as beautiful as today, but her eyes were sad. The shot had been taken from afar with a zoom lens.
The fucking bastard.
Sean left and said to Dillon, “He has a picture of Lucy.”
“Anything else?”
“No. But I have a copy of his computer.”
“What did you do?”
“I didn’t disturb anything. Just made a copy.”
“Kate’s going to kill me.”
“We won’t tell her. Unless, of course, we have to.”
Sean looked back at the house as they drove off. Something was amiss—he had a strong sensation that Mallory was watching. Not from the house…Sean looked around the perimeter. There were plenty of trees and shrubs he could be hiding in.
He had an idea.
Dillon sat patiently in the passenger seat. How could he be so calm? The minutes ticked by and Sean wondered if he’d been wrong and Mallory hadn’t been watching the house while he searched it.
No. Sean never doubted his instincts. When they hummed, he listened. And from the minute he stepped foot outside Mallory’s house, his instincts had been beating the drums like John Bonham. Mallory had been watching. He was waiting for them to leave. For how long? Until he was sure they were gone. There were only two ways out of this neighborhood—on foot and by car. One entrance into the neighborhood by car. Could he have come on foot? In the ice and snow? Possible, but unlikely. And Sean didn’t see Mallory as the type to be without transportation.
Of course, he could have a car stashed somewhere else. Or—
“You don’t participate in many stakeouts, do you?” Dillon asked.
