Trail of Lies by Margaret Daley Page A

path. Somehow he had to break the pattern.
    When he parked behind Gisella’s car in front of Melora’s large house forty-five minutes later, darkness blanketed the landscape as though it were trying to cut them off from the rest of the world. Melora’s place was in an area with few houses surrounding her. Each home in Lone Star Estates had several acres, which gave the impression of isolation.
    Gisella opened the door for him.
    â€œAny problems?” He entered the house, the scent of baking bread and roasted chicken peppering the air. His stomach rumbled its hunger.
    Gisella chuckled. “Welcome to my world. I’ve smelled that for a couple of hours. And there weren’t any problems other than my allergy to cats rearing its ugly head. It’s been quiet except for Kaitlyn who let it spill that Patches had been missing for several days last week, then suddenly returned. The little girl thought they had lost him for good, but she’d been saying her prayers and God brought him back to her.”
    â€œPatches was missing? Melora didn’t say anything about that.” What else was she keeping from him?
    â€œIt’s probably nothing, but you wanted to know if I learned anything out of the ordinary. Cats do tend to be independent and go off, but I didn’t get the impression that Kaitlyn’s had ever been gone overnight.”
    He removed his cowboy hat and tossed it on the table in the foyer. “Thanks. I’ll check with Melora about it. She ran this morning for a reason.”
    â€œKaitlyn is very attached to Patches. If something happened to the cat, that would certainly make a statement.”
    â€œAnd I intend to find out why someone is terrorizing Melora. What does she know about the flash drive?”
    â€œShe doesn’t think she knows anything.”
    â€œMaybe she does but doesn’t realize it. I’m taking her tomorrow to see the man in a coma at the hospital. She may have seen him meeting with her husband here at the house.”
    â€œThat would be a break if we can find out more about him. See ya.”
    After Gisella left, Daniel was drawn toward the kitchen by the sounds coming from there. Leaving his bag in the foyer, he covered the distance to the room quickly, his appetite whetted by the aromas wafting to him.
    Kaitlyn leaped to her feet when she saw him come into the kitchen. “You’re here. We can eat now.”
    â€œYou waited for me?” Daniel asked, realizing he and Melora had never talked about him eating dinner tonight with them. He’d even considered grabbing something on the way here, but for some reason he didn’t stop, almost as if the aromas drew him across miles of San Antonio.
    â€œWe haven’t been waiting long. I asked Gisella to stay if she wanted, but she had something she had to do tonight. If you’ve eaten, that’s okay.”
    â€œAre you kidding? I haven’t, and this smells wonderful.”
    Kaitlyn took his hand. “First, we’ve got to wash up. Mommy won’t let me eat until I do. I’ll show you where.” Tugging on him, she led him toward the mudroom. “Mommy put a stepstool for me to use. One day I’ll be tall like you and not use one.”
    While the child chattered about how important it was to sing the “Happy Birthday” song two times while washingher hands, Daniel stood there still slightly in shock, the words to the tune filling the air. Remembering his own son’s childhood put Daniel on alert. He hadn’t been very successful with Clay, and he was male. Daniel didn’t know the first thing about a young girl.
    Kaitlyn hopped down from the stool. “Your turn. Remember Happy Birthday,” she held up two fingers, “two times.”
    â€œSure,” he murmured.
    When he didn’t start singing, Kaitlyn did. Halfway through the first time, he joined in, his voice strained. He said her name while she said Mr. Riley.
    At