brisk feeling of power through the room. The sheriff raised his eyebrows at him then toward Paula.
“The guy sent her another envelope. We need to take a look but she’s scared,” he whispered to him as Ava tried to get Paula to release the envelope and sit down. She shook her head.
“I can’t. You all can’t see this,” she told them.
“Okay, I want to clear out the room. Everyone out,” Detective Parrone directed, and the women reluctantly walked out of the room. It was just Paula, Tyler, Matt, the sheriff, and the detective.
Tyler moved closer to her and held her gaze. She was really shaken up.
“Baby, you need to let them see the envelope. There could be fingerprints on it,” Matt told her calmly and with patience.
She shook her head.
“Hand over the envelope now, Paula,” Tyler demanded. She stared at him, shocked that he would use his dominant tone at a time like this. He needed to calm her and get the damn envelope away from her so he could help her.
“It’s embarrassing and scary.” More tears rolled down her cheeks.
He felt horrible and he nearly faltered, but the sheriff needed the envelope. They needed to catch the asshole responsible.
“Whatever is in it, we’ll get through it together. Now don’t make me ask you again.”
He walked closer and reached his hand out slowly. Instead of handing it over, she threw herself into his arms and cried. He picked her up and consoled her as Matt took the envelope from her hand.
She clung to him tightly, and he rubbed her back and her hair as she sobbed against his shoulder. He sat down in a chair as she straddled his waist and kept her face hidden.
“It’s gonna be all right, baby. I’ve got you now. Matt and I are here,” he whispered, and then Matt knelt down beside the chair and caressed her hair and her shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay. You’re safe,” Matt whispered. Then both men looked at the sheriff.
He and the detective turned their backs from them and looked at the contents of the folder. A few seconds later, the sheriff turned around with a scowl on his face.
Matt locked gazes with Tyler, and Tyler mouthed the words, “Go find out.”
Matt caressed Paula’s hair then stood up and walked over toward the sheriff. The detective was speaking into his cell phone. “Yes, I need a forensics unit and technical crew at that address pronto. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He closed up his cell phone.
“I’ll meet you there,” he told the sheriff, and the sheriff nodded his head as he handed the envelope over to Detective Parrone.
“What’s going on, BJ? What was in the envelope?” Matt asked.
Tyler could hear them from where he sat holding Paula.
“Take care of her. I can send a patrol unit to your place to keep watch for tonight.”
“What’s going on?”
“There were pictures of her in her bedroom. A threatening note. Can I count on you two to take care of her?” BJ asked.
“Of course. Like we said, she’s our woman and we protect what’s ours.”
The sheriff nodded his head. “I’ll call you in a bit. I’m headed to their house.”
“What about surveillance cameras here? Did they pick up on the person who left these?” Matt asked.
BJ shook his head then leaned closer.
“Something was placed over the one down this hallway. Carl and Richie were sending someone down to check it when the camera started working again. This guy, whoever he is, isn’t stupid.”
“Shit. Please keep us posted,” Matt stated, and the sheriff nodded then glanced at Paula one more time, shaking his head and looking angry.
“Take care of her,” he warned again before exiting the room.
Tyler looked at Matt and could see the fear and concern on his brother’s face.
“You go get the car. Bring it around back and let Susanna know we’re taking Paula to our place,” Tyler stated and Matt immediately walked out of the room.
“Baby, we’re taking you home.”
She pulled back, shaking her head as she pulled up
“The guy sent her another envelope. We need to take a look but she’s scared,” he whispered to him as Ava tried to get Paula to release the envelope and sit down. She shook her head.
“I can’t. You all can’t see this,” she told them.
“Okay, I want to clear out the room. Everyone out,” Detective Parrone directed, and the women reluctantly walked out of the room. It was just Paula, Tyler, Matt, the sheriff, and the detective.
Tyler moved closer to her and held her gaze. She was really shaken up.
“Baby, you need to let them see the envelope. There could be fingerprints on it,” Matt told her calmly and with patience.
She shook her head.
“Hand over the envelope now, Paula,” Tyler demanded. She stared at him, shocked that he would use his dominant tone at a time like this. He needed to calm her and get the damn envelope away from her so he could help her.
“It’s embarrassing and scary.” More tears rolled down her cheeks.
He felt horrible and he nearly faltered, but the sheriff needed the envelope. They needed to catch the asshole responsible.
“Whatever is in it, we’ll get through it together. Now don’t make me ask you again.”
He walked closer and reached his hand out slowly. Instead of handing it over, she threw herself into his arms and cried. He picked her up and consoled her as Matt took the envelope from her hand.
She clung to him tightly, and he rubbed her back and her hair as she sobbed against his shoulder. He sat down in a chair as she straddled his waist and kept her face hidden.
“It’s gonna be all right, baby. I’ve got you now. Matt and I are here,” he whispered, and then Matt knelt down beside the chair and caressed her hair and her shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay. You’re safe,” Matt whispered. Then both men looked at the sheriff.
He and the detective turned their backs from them and looked at the contents of the folder. A few seconds later, the sheriff turned around with a scowl on his face.
Matt locked gazes with Tyler, and Tyler mouthed the words, “Go find out.”
Matt caressed Paula’s hair then stood up and walked over toward the sheriff. The detective was speaking into his cell phone. “Yes, I need a forensics unit and technical crew at that address pronto. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He closed up his cell phone.
“I’ll meet you there,” he told the sheriff, and the sheriff nodded his head as he handed the envelope over to Detective Parrone.
“What’s going on, BJ? What was in the envelope?” Matt asked.
Tyler could hear them from where he sat holding Paula.
“Take care of her. I can send a patrol unit to your place to keep watch for tonight.”
“What’s going on?”
“There were pictures of her in her bedroom. A threatening note. Can I count on you two to take care of her?” BJ asked.
“Of course. Like we said, she’s our woman and we protect what’s ours.”
The sheriff nodded his head. “I’ll call you in a bit. I’m headed to their house.”
“What about surveillance cameras here? Did they pick up on the person who left these?” Matt asked.
BJ shook his head then leaned closer.
“Something was placed over the one down this hallway. Carl and Richie were sending someone down to check it when the camera started working again. This guy, whoever he is, isn’t stupid.”
“Shit. Please keep us posted,” Matt stated, and the sheriff nodded then glanced at Paula one more time, shaking his head and looking angry.
“Take care of her,” he warned again before exiting the room.
Tyler looked at Matt and could see the fear and concern on his brother’s face.
“You go get the car. Bring it around back and let Susanna know we’re taking Paula to our place,” Tyler stated and Matt immediately walked out of the room.
“Baby, we’re taking you home.”
She pulled back, shaking her head as she pulled up
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