Be With Me(24)

Where the hel could he have gone? There was a pond down the hil from the house, and beyond was a wooded area, but the man couldn’t have run that fast.

The deputy appeared around the side of the house, and Regina motioned to her left.

“He had to have gone this way,” she said.

“Get back inside. You’re not armed.”

Regina clenched her jaw in frustration but knew he was right. She’d be a distraction if he had to worry about covering not only himself but her. And there was Birdie to consider, stil sitting in the closet, probably terrified.

As she reentered the house, she saw Jeremy’s patrol car tear up the front drive, and he and another officer got out and headed toward the side of the house where the deputy had gone.

Regina mounted the stairs and hurried to the bedroom. She threw the bat onto the bed and opened the closet door.

“Birdie, it’s okay. You can come out now.”

“Thank goodness,” Birdie said, her voice trembling as she stood.

Regina reached out to steady her and took her arm to help her around the boxes.

“What’s going on, Regina?”

She shook her head. “I’m not sure. The intruder escaped out the back, and Jeremy and the others are in pursuit. We’l wait here until we know something.”

She eased Birdie over to the bed and then sat down beside her.

Birdie laid her hand on Regina’s arm. “Are you okay? How are your ribs?”

Regina touched her chest experimental y and grimaced. “I’l feel it later.”

“We should cal the boys,” Birdie said. “They’l want to get back as soon as they can.” Regina shook her head. “There’s no point. There’s nothing they can do. They’d just worry.” Freak out, hover some more. It was the last thing she needed right now.

The two women sat in silence, their hands joined as they waited for Jeremy and the others to return.

Final y she heard Jeremy cal from the bottom of the stairs.

“We’re coming up, Regina.”

Regina stood and walked to the door. Jeremy appeared a moment later, Carl behind him.

“Did you get him?” Regina asked, even though she could tel by their expressions that they hadn’t.

Jeremy shook his head. She stood back and let them into the bedroom. Jeremy walked over to where Birdie sat.

“Are you okay, Mrs. Michaels?”

She smiled. “Yes, thank you for asking. I’m more concerned about Regina. She went after him with a basebal bat.”

Jeremy and Carl both pinned her with a questioning stare.

“I didn’t have my weapon,” she muttered.

“Are you okay? Do we need to take you back to the hospital?” Jeremy asked.

“Did you engage the intruder?” Carl asked.

She shook her head. “No, I didn’t actual y see him.

I went downstairs after we heard a noise. I saw the back door was open. I worried about Birdie so I came back upstairs to cal it in. While we waited, I heard him on the stairs and then right outside the bedroom door. He must have heard the sheriff’s deputy drive up, because he ran down the stairs. I gave chase. I heard him go out the back. The deputy came in, and I directed him around back. When I exited the house, I didn’t see any sign of him.”

“We found footprints outside. No way to know if they were his.” Carl paused. “But they were big. We’l take a mold, but it looks a hel of a lot like the footprints at our last crime scene.”

Regina froze. “Are you saying it’s the same guy?” Carl shook his head. “No, but the coincidences are a little staggering. I’l get more guys out here to comb the area for any evidence. He had to have driven in at some point. Maybe we’l get lucky and find tire tracks. I’l have the house dusted for prints.” Regina looked over at Birdie. “Can you drive me home?”

Birdie frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Regina. The boys won’t like it. You’re supposed to be staying here so you aren’t alone.”

“I don’t plan to stay at my house,” she said calmly.

“But I want my backup weapon. Chief stil has my service gun. I don’t want to be without protection while I’m waiting to get it back.”

“Probably a good idea,” Jeremy said. “Where are the guys anyway?”

“Houston,” Regina said shortly. “They had to tie up some things with their job. They’l be back later today.”

“We’l try to be out of the way by then,” Carl said.

“Jeremy and I wil stay out here and process the scene. I want the sheriff’s deputy to fol ow you and Mrs. Michaels to your place and then escort you back here. There’s no reason to take unnecessary risks.”

Regina nodded. “Do you mind, Birdie?”

“Of course not, dear. We can leave whenever you’re ready.”

Chapter 10

Hutch turned into the driveway and accelerated up the dirt road leading to the house. The trip to Houston had annoyed him. He hadn’t wanted to spend the day away from Reggie. Not when she was just out of the hospital.

When he topped the hil and saw four police cars parked outside the house and Birdie’s car gone, his stomach knotted. Maybe it was nothing. Probably just Reggie’s coworkers out to check on her.