“Someone else planted the other four—which makes my theory that I was watching you more credible. Maybe I was trying to figure out who had bugged your house.”
Panic had her mind fuzzing. “Who the hell is after you?” She hadn’t seen the man in two years. Who would go to the trouble to bug her house on the off chance he showed up after so much time? Or was she in some sort of trouble? Nobody would be after her, though. She was an accountant, for goodness’ sake. “Well, at least we know how those men knew where to throw the grenade.” She bit her lip, squirming on the chair. “Were there any bugs in the bathroom?”
Shane barked out a laugh. “No. None in the bathroom.” He stretched his neck. “While I think these guys were after me, we need to make sure they weren’t after you. Is there anyone who would want to hurt you?”
“Besides you?” she whispered.
His eyes darkened. “I’m an asshole, I know. But I’d rip off my own arm before hurting you.”
He just didn’t get it. She shook her head. “Nobody wants to hurt me.”
“Everything’s okay at work?”
“Yes.” She leaned back, picking at a string on her skirt. “I do have some accounts that aren’t adding up, but they were a drug addict’s files, and he’s in rehab right now.”
Shane leaned forward. “What kind of accounts? Anything people would want to hide?”
“No.” She pursed her lips in thought. “Nothing illegal or dangerous. If anything, they’d all have a good claim against the firm for money. Most people just want money.” She’d figure out where Billy screwed up, and maybe when he returned from rehab, she could help him get back on his feet.
Shane nodded. “Who’s the addict?”
“Bill Johnson—he’s been an accountant for about twenty years. Seemed like a decent guy.”
“So you didn’t know him well?”
Josie rolled her eyes. “No, I only know him professionally. I didn’t even know he had a drug problem until he was admitted to the hospital, and I was assigned his files.”
Shane nodded slowly. “We should check him out just in case. For now, I spoke to the man who survived the raid on your house. Someone named Denny hired him, but he didn’t know why. They were supposed to kill us.”
Dread slammed into her stomach. Kill? She narrowed her gaze. “The police let you talk to the guy in the hospital?”
“Not exactly.”
Fear. It thrummed through her head until her ears rang. “Did you kill him?”
“Nope.” Shane looked her right in the eye.
Was he lying? She had no clue.
Her mind flashed back to her wedding day, and how he’d looked her right in the eye as he’d said his vows. The moment had been the happiest in her entire life. How could she be in love with a man she couldn’t read? He was an accomplished liar… and yet she wanted to trust him. But she didn’t, and the desire to do so ticked her off. Her head began to ache. She glanced at her watch. “Well, thanks for the update.” “I said I wouldn’t force you to leave with me today, but I’d like you to come with me voluntarily. Somewhere safe until I can figure out what’s going on here. Until I can remember.”
“No.” Curiosity had her tilting her head. Had he spoken the truth? Would he try to force her? Did she want him to?
He sighed. “Right now you’re fairly safe at Marsh’s. I can keep watch periodically, but I need to do some research.” He stood and prowled toward the door. “Do me a favor, will you? Call Detective Malloy for an update and see if he’s found out anything about me. About my past.”
“I’ll call him after lunch.”
“Now… please, Josie,”
She rolled her eyes and punched in the number.
“Malloy.”
She wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt. “Detective. It’s Josie Dean calling for an update.”
“Ah, yes. Well, Mrs. Dean, I can tell you that the military is quite hushed about your husband. Sealed files. Four years of service. But one interesting thing…”
She raised her gaze to Shane’s. “What’s that, Detective?”
“His unit worked within the United States. When you said he was out of the country, well, he wasn’t.”
She frowned. “Of course he was. While we were married, he left the country all the time.”
“Not according to my buddy, the one person who’d tell me anything. Apparently your husband worked exclusively within our borders. They won’t even tell me what it was that he was doing. He lied to you.”
“I see.” The news shouldn’t surprise her. Nor should it hurt. Yet her stomach ached. “Any ideas where he is?” She glared at the quiet man by the door. One word from her and Malloy would know exactly where the lying bastard stood.
“No. My guess is that he’s taken off.” A rustling of papers echoed across the line.
Josie sighed. “You don’t believe that.”