Read Online Her Mother's Killer by Melissa Schroeder - Free Book Online

edge of the porch and took a deep breath. As he calmed himself, he noticed an envelope sitting on the edge of the railing. He scooped it up and turned to go to the door when he realized Thea was watching him through the screen of the front door.
    “What are you doing?”
    For the first time in years, he felt his face flush with embarrassment.   Great.  He cleared his throat.
    “Just stopping by.”
    “Yes, I noticed that about five minutes ago. So I expected you to knock on the door. Not pace my porch like a nutjob.”
    He shot her what he hoped was a nasty look but she laughed.
    “Did you bring me a note?”
    He shook his head and handed it to her. “I found it on the railing.”
    She paused, everything in her seemed to freeze for a moment and then she nodded.
    He cocked his head to the side and studied her. “Something wrong?”
    She drew in a deep breath, looked away. A gust of wind lifted the ends of her hair and he noticed she was wearing an old gray sweatshirt and worn jeans.
    “Why don’t you come in and we can talk about it.”
    He nodded and followed her into the house. As yesterday, the changes he saw in just a couple of days amazed him. The furniture was the same, but there was already so much of Thea here. Pictures on the wall, extra pillows on the couch, along with a throw or two. It felt more like a home than any of its previous occupants had made it feel.
    Once they reached the kitchen, she set the envelope down on the island. Her expression told him nothing. “I have a feeling you aren’t going to like this.”
    He had a feeling too, but he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to fight with her.
    “I think I know what’s in the letter.”
    Glancing at the envelope, then back up to her, he asked, “Why don’t you tell me about it?”
    She sighed. “Do you want some coffee?”
    He nodded, even though he didn’t really want any. But she seemed to need something to calm her nerves. “Black.”
    She poured two cups, doctored hers the way he’d seen her do it at Gwen’s, and then brought them to the counter. After taking a sip, she said, “It isn’t the first one I’ve gotten.”
    He paused in taking his own sip of coffee. “And?”
    She set down her mug then scrubbed her hands over her face. While watching her, he noticed things he failed to see before. Dark circles marred the delicate skin beneath her eyes. He sensed she was tired, but he had thought it might be from getting the house set to rights. But at this moment, with her eyes closed and her face so pale, she looked fragile, in a way he’d never seen her before.
    “Thea.”
    She opened her eyes and sighed. “This is only the second one I’ve gotten since I got back, but if it is what I am sure it is, I was getting them in Atlanta.”
    Keeping his gaze on her, he picked up the envelope and ripped it open. He quickly read the three-lined note. By the time he finished, anger boiled in his belly, rising up, almost choking him. He carefully set it down on the counter realizing he’d contaminated evidence.
    “Explain.”
    It was not a question and the quick anger he saw in her gaze told him that she understood.
    “About two years ago, I started getting letters.” She shrugged. “I didn’t think much of it at first because Jason didn’t make a big deal out of it.”
    Jackass . “And you never went to the police?”
    She threw her hands up in the air. “I was married to a police officer, Duncan. If he thought it was nothing, why would I worry?”
    “Okay, so he ignored it, which tells me he sucks as a cop.” Her lips quirked at that. “How often did they come?”
    “Not that often and sometimes they would show up at the restaurant. They were spaced so far apart, it didn’t hit me at first that I had more than one. It was when they started showing up every week that I realized how long it had been going on.”
    Fury boiled in his belly. The only thing keeping him from going after her ex was the fact he was in