Tempt Me

“Daddy!”

Austin turned and Bailey ran into his open arms. He picked her up and held her tight against him. “Do we have an understanding?” he asked Principal Shay, a middle-aged man with a good reputation among teachers and parents.

“Of course. And we have your instructions in writing. Don’t worry.”

Austin nodded. He glanced at Mia. “I’m getting a restraining order,” he muttered. “Are we ready to go?”

She nodded. “I’ll meet you and Bailey at home.”

“I want to ride with Mia.” Bailey wriggled to get down from her father’s arms.

“Honey, no. I’m sure your dad wants to talk to you.”

“It’s fine,” Austin said, an unreadable glint in his eye. But she didn’t get the sense he was unhappy about his daughter’s proclamation.

Mia made sure Bailey was buckled into her car seat and they headed home. The adrenaline of her day was beginning to wear off and she was exhausted. She hoped Bailey would be in a let’s-just-chill-and-watch-a-movie mood. All Mia wanted to do was relax.

But when they arrived at the house, the burglar alarm was going off and the police were parked out front. Obviously their day wasn’t over yet.

Chapter Seven

Austin stood in the kitchen, talking to the police detective who’d arrived along with the uniformed officers when the alarm company hadn’t reached anyone at the house. According to the detective, someone had entered through the back door off the kitchen. They’d already done a sweep and the house was clear and safe. Whoever had broken in was gone. They’d shattered the window on the kitchen back door and unlocked it from the inside. The police had had a team come in and check the knob for prints. Everyone agreed the perp had probably worn gloves.

Obviously the alarm had scared them off but had it been before they’d taken anything? He’d done a quick walk through the house. No electronics, televisions, computers, or anything worth money appeared to have been stolen.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and glanced at Bailey and Mia from the window over the kitchen sink. Mia had taken her to the swing set to keep her away from the adult talk and chaos inside.

Austin had filled the police in on the custody issue he was having with his ex-wife, although breaking and entering didn’t strike him as her MO. She had nothing to gain and everything to lose by taking such an extreme step or persuading someone to help her.

Austin had a call in to his parents and they were on their way to pick up Bailey. He wanted her out of here for the night—or longer. He didn’t know what was going on but he didn’t like it and he didn’t want his daughter at risk.

“You’re sure I can let my daughter inside?” he asked the officer who was writing up a report.

“Yes. We checked closets, the basement, and every room in the house. We just have a man going through room by room to see if we missed anything.”

Austin opened the window, avoiding the broken glass on the door. “Mia!” he called and waved to her to bring Bailey inside. “Come in through the garage!”

She flashed him a thumbs-up gesture. A few seconds later, they joined him in the kitchen. “Can you take Bailey upstairs to pack? She’s going to have a sleepover at her grandparents’.” He ruffled his daughter’s hair.

Mia nodded in understanding.

“Really??” Bailey asked, obviously surprised.

“They miss you. Let’s call it a special occasion,” he said to her, forcing an easy smile he didn’t feel.

“Okay, Daddy.” She unhooked her backpack from her shoulders, where she’d slung it to come inside, and placed it on the kitchen table.

Austin caught sight of an unfamiliar manila envelope on the counter. “What’s this?”

“Oh my God.” The color drained from Mia’s face. “With all the excitement of what happened at school and then the break-in, I completely forgot! Shit.” She winced, glancing at Bailey. “I was subpoenaed to testify at a retrial for my old boss.”

“I thought he was in jail?” The hair on the back of Austin’s neck began to prickle uncomfortably.

“Apparently he got off on a technicality and it took the DA a while to find me since I moved out of state.”

“Mia, do you think he has anything to do with the guy who approached you at the supermarket? Or this?” He gestured to the still-broken glass by the back door.

“I… The supermarket definitely. Threats are something he’d do. A break-in?” She shook her head. “He’s done nothing like that in my past experience.”

“Detective?” A uniformed officer walked out from the hallway where Mia’s room was. “I found this on the bed in the extra room down here.” He held up a white paper with typing on it.