Unbreakable Bond by Rita Herron Page B

CD?”
    â€œOne of the nurses who taught the prenatal classes gave each of the women a copy.”
    â€œWhat was the nurse’s name?”
    â€œCharlie,” Nina said. “Why?”
    â€œI’m just looking for a connection between the items and the person who broke in. For some significance.”
    Nina gave a small laugh. “Well, the psychiatrist said I played the CDs to soothe my grief, and the blanket to wrap my lost child in my love.”
    He slanted her an odd look. “I’m not sure I buy into that psychobabble.”
    â€œThank you,” she said softly. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me in years.”
    Her gaze locked with his, hope bubbling in her chest.
    Hope and desire so strong that it scared her to death.
    Â 
    F OR A MOMENT, DESIRE flickered in Nina’s eyes again, and Slade was tempted to pull her into his arms once more.
    But his body still burned with need from her earlier touch, and his willpower couldn’t tolerate the temptation. So he took a step back. “We should report this break-in to the sheriff.”
    â€œNo.” Panic tinged her voice. “I did that years ago, and look where it got me. Skepticism from everyone I talked to.”
    Slade hesitated. “All right. Let me retrieve the kit in my car and look for prints. I also want to figure out how the bastard got in here. And, Nina?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œLook around upstairs. Make sure nothing is missing.”
    She folded and unfolded her hands, her face strained. Looking at the baby items had to dredge up bad memories.
    Which was exactly what her tormentor intended.
    But she squared her shoulders and disappeared up the stairs. He strode out to his car and retrieved the crime kit GAI supplied. He’d take prints and if he found other evidence, he’d collect everything and send it all to the lab.
    He grabbed a flashlight, and examined the front door, windows and back door and discovered that one of the locks on the window in the laundry room was broken. The intruder could easily have crawled in through the window.
    Running the flashlight across the ground, he searched for footprints, but the rain had washed away any that might have been made earlier, and he didn’t find any stray hairs or clothing fibers. Damn.
    Next, he dusted the breaker box for prints, and found an index fingerprint. But it looked too small to be a man’s. Probably Nina’s. Still, he lifted it for comparison. He dusted the window in the laundry room from the outside, then inside, but again found nothing.
    This guy was obviously smart enough to cover his tracks. After all, he’d done the same thing to Nina years ago.
    It could be a woman, he reminded himself.
    Or a hired crony.
    Wiping perspiration from his forehead, he strode up the steps to the second floor and found Nina staring at a tiny pair of pink booties and a dress. God…
    â€œAre you all right?”
    â€œI’m fine,” she said in a soft whisper. “I don’t see anything missing.”
    A bittersweet look filled her eyes as she placed the dress back inside a plastic storage bin, and closed it. He dusted the closet door for prints, then the bin. Only one set, which he assumed belonged to Nina.
    â€œDid you find anything outside?” she asked.
    â€œThe lock on the window in your laundry room is broken. The intruder must have climbed through it.”
    Nina nodded. “I didn’t realize. I’ll go fix it now.”
    He caught her arm as she stood and stopped her before she could go down the steps. “No, you look exhausted. Go lie down. I’ll fix the window and stay on the couch tonight.”
    Nina rubbed her forehead. “You don’t have to do that, Slade.”
    â€œYes, I do,” he said. “This guy might come back.”
    A shudder coursed through her, and he hated himself for scaring her.
    â€œThank you,” she said softly.
    â€œStop thanking