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  “No. I’m not sure this has anything to do with Bento Villa. A judge can sway a verdict in some cases, but there are other ways to change the outcome of a trial that are more effective. How are the people testifying against Villa doing?”

  “Okay. The US Marshals are protecting the main person in an undisclosed place. In Villa’s case, there’s a lot of forensic evidence, as well as a video taken by a bystander.” The police chief leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. “Could this have anything to do with her husband’s murder?”

  “Maybe, especially with returning the wedding ring. But why now, after two years have passed? I’ve been working on the case off and on since I came here, and not much new information has turned up.”

  “The crime didn’t happen in my jurisdiction. I’m glad you’re working it. Samuel was a good man.”

  “And the family should have closure.” He of all people realized that, since there was no resolution to what had happened to his brother. Sean pushed to his feet. “Thanks again for the officer sitting outside the judge’s house. I need to get to the courthouse before it shuts down for the weekend.”

  “Leave the information about the white car with my sergeant. He can run down the information you need and call you.”

  “Thanks.” Sean left the police chief’s office and stopped to give Sergeant Vic Daniels what he would need to run down the vehicle. Then Sean decided to walk to the courthouse across the street.

  The day was perfect, with temperatures in the low seventies and a light breeze from the Gulf with smells he relished—fresh with a hint of brine. He circled the building before going inside, assessing its security before he went to the employee parking lot behind the courthouse. There were a handful of vehicles in that lot. He noted where Aubrey’s car was yesterday and the locations of all the security cams. She obviously hadn’t parked with the thought of making sure her car was in full view of the surveillance cameras. On Monday, that would need to change. As well, he would have a chat with the person who monitored the video feed. As he studied the best places where a deputy sheriff could be stationed near the rear exit, the sense of being watched rippled down his spine. He whirled and scanned the back of the building.

  Someone had been at a window on the second floor looking outside but jumped back when he turned. It happened so fast, he couldn’t even identify the person as a male or female. Aubrey’s office was on that floor. He hurried into the courthouse and raced up the nearby stairs.

  When he arrived in front of the entrance to Judge Madison’s office, the door was ajar. Sean removed his gun and kicked the door wide-open, scanning the room as he moved forward. He turned slightly to the left and swept his gaze over a sitting area and a bookcase with every shelf filled, then onto the large desk with two chairs in front of it.

  As he twisted toward the right, a large figure clad in black lunged for him. The assailant raised his arm. In a split second, a hard object crashed into Sean’s skull.

  * * *

  Aubrey slid the cookie sheet into the preheated oven, then straightened, her glance bouncing from the flour all over the counter to the vanilla spilled next to the sugar. Then she swung her attention to Sammy and Camy. The ingredients that went into making the cookies covered them from head to toe.

  “Camy, you need to take off your shoes. You have an egg all over one of them. When did that happen?” Probably when she’d gone to answer her cell phone. She shouldn’t have turned her back to answer it, though she’d hoped it was Sean with good news about the car. And it had been him, but with no updates concerning the white vehicle.

  Her daughter glanced down and giggled. “Oops. Sorry. I wanted to crack one since Sammy did.”

  Her son puffed out his chest. “Mine didn’t end up on the floor.” He shook his head, sending more flour flying. “Who called earlier?”

  “Texas Ranger McNair. As soon as Grandma gets back from church, I’m going down to the courthouse. A police officer is coming to pick me up.” What had happened at the courthouse that Sean needed her there?

  Sammy’s eyes widened. “Can we go and use the siren?”

  “No. This is business.”

  Camy’s face scrunched up. “Business?”

  The sound of the garage door going up indicated her mother was home. Aubrey hurried to clean up the mess while she said, “Go change and bring me your dirty clothes and, Camy, your tennis shoe with egg on it.”

  As she swiped a wet dishcloth over the floor where the egg had fallen, Aubrey realized this extra-messy kitchen was her fault in part because she hadn’t kept her attention on her children as she usually did when they cooked together. She’d known better, but she’d promised to do something fun with them. She hadn’t counted on Sean distracting her from afar. Then he called and said a police officer would be over to pick her up, and her full attention on her children vanished. He didn’t say anything else, but the urgency in his voice indicated he hadn’t told her everything. Something was wrong.

  Her mother’s chuckles coming from the entrance to the utility room pulled her focus from scooping up the last of the eggshells scattered everywhere. “Did a hurricane hit this kitchen while I was gone?”

  “Yep. Hurricane Camy merged with Hurricane Sammy.”

  “I met Officer Adams as he pulled up to the house. He’s here to pick you up. You might want to change your clothes while I finish taking care of this mess.” Her mother’s nose twitched. “What’s burning?”

  “Oh!” Aubrey shot to a standing position, grabbed the mitts and hurriedly took out of the oven the sheet full of slightly burned sugar cookies. “You know me and cooking.”

  “Go. I’ll take care of this. Where are the kids?”

  “Changing,” Aubrey said as she headed out of the kitchen.

  As the bell rang, her son barreled down the stairs, beating her to the front door and pulling it open. She knew Officer Cal Adams, her escort to the courthouse. After asking the police officer to wait while she changed, Aubrey hastened to her bedroom and quickly threw on a pair of clean jeans and a T-shirt from the University of Texas. She made it back to the foyer within five minutes.

  “Sammy, go in the kitchen and help your grandmother. Where’s Camy? She wasn’t in her room.”

  Sammy frowned and pointed toward the kitchen, then trudged down the hall.

  Officer Adams grinned for a second before his expression became somber. “I think he’s a bit disappointed I wouldn’t let him go with us and turn on the siren. Tell Sammy we will another time. Texas Ranger McNair wanted you at the courthouse as soon as possible.”

  She walked beside Cal. “What’s going on?”

  “Someone was in your office.”

  “Who?”

  “Don’t know, but the person hit Texas Ranger McNair over the head.”

  “You should have told me right away. Was it bad? Did Sean get it looked at?”

  Cal shook his head. “He isn’t leaving your office, but he did clean it up. He says he’s all right.”

  “Is he?”

  “I predict he’ll have a goose-egg knot on the side of his head, but I think he’ll be okay. He didn’t pass out totally.”

  “Totally?” Her heart began to race as she thought of one question after another: Who was in her office? Why? What were they after? But above all, was Sean really all right?

  “Yeah, he was a little dizzy.”

  Her mother came into the entry hall. “What are your plans?”

  “I’m going to my office for a while.” Aubrey glanced past her mama to make sure Sammy and Camy weren’t behind her listening. “Someone broke into it. I’m meeting Sean there.”

  “Does the break-in have to do with the trial?”

  “Possibly.”

  “Please be careful, honey. I’ll lock the door behind you and set the alarm. Then I need to get back to the kitchen. Sammy is holding the dus
tpan while Camy is sweeping the floor, which means she’s rearranging where the flour is on the tile.”

  On the drive to the courthouse, Aubrey went over the events of the past twenty-four hours. When she arrived home yesterday, she’d been tired and concerned about the Villa trial. Now it was more than concern that pestered her. Was Samuel’s murder tied to what was happening now? His wedding ring must mean it was—which raised the stakes of this trial even more.

  Cal escorted her to her office on the second floor. A deputy sheriff who worked at the courthouse stood outside the door. When she entered, both of them stayed in the corridor while she looked at Sean sitting in a chair in front of her desk.

  He glanced over his shoulder and attempted a smile that fell short. “Thanks for coming.”

  She walked to the other chair beside him and took a seat. “I heard you were hit, and from what I see it must be hurting. Can I get you a bag of ice or something else?”

  “I took a couple of aspirin. Really, I’m fine. I’ve had worse. I’m just mad I couldn’t catch him.”

  “You ran after him?”

  “I tried, but by the time I stood and got my bearings, he was gone. I decided to stay. I didn’t want to leave your office unprotected.”

  She surveyed the area. “It doesn’t look like he took anything obvious. I’ll need to go through my desk and files to make sure, though.”

  “If something was taken, it might help us determine what’s going on here. I’ll check the video feed later to see if I can tell how he got inside and possibly who he is, but that’s a long shot. The brief glimpse I got was of a man with a ski mask on.”

  “I’ll start with my desk. The computer is here, but I’ll check to see if he got on it. I’ll ask maintenance to change my lock immediately.”

  “I already have. One that will be harder to pick. The lock you have is an old one, and I think that’s how he got in here. Who has a key to your office right now?”

  “An assistant I share with Judge Rodriquez and Maintenance. You think it was one of them?”

  “No, there were fresh scratch marks on the lock. But until I find out what’s going on, you should have the only key. I did look at your file cabinets, and I didn’t see any evidence he picked those locks, but you should still check everything in them. He risked breaking into your office for some reason. What was it?”

  Aubrey made her way around to the other side of her desk and sat in her black stuffed chair. Sean started to rise, and she quickly said, “You stay there. I can do this. If I need you, I’ll let you know.” She opened the top left drawer and went through the personal items she kept in it. “After I’ve gone through my office, I’ll drive your car and take you to the ER to make sure you’re okay.”

  He opened his mouth to reply, but she held up her palm. “No arguments on that. If something is wrong and you didn’t get help, it would be my fault.” She shut the top drawer and reached for the bottom one.

  Their gazes clashed. A war of emotions played across his face while Aubrey pulled the second compartment out.

  A rattling sound sent shivers down her body as she stared at the coiled rattlesnake, poised to strike.

  FOUR

  The sound of a rattlesnake shaking his tail reverberated through the office. Sean shoved to his feet while drawing his gun. Eyes wide, Aubrey leaped to her feet, thrusting her chair back at the same time the snake launched itself at her. Sean raised his weapon and shot the reptile. It fell to the floor as he rushed around the desk to Aubrey. The sudden movements sent the room tilting. He clutched the ledge of the desk and steadied himself.

  The office door slammed open, and both guards aimed their guns into the room. Sean pivoted toward them. “I need a first-aid kit and something to take a dead rattlesnake to the hospital. I’m calling 911.”

  One deputy sheriff turned and left while the other stood inside the entrance. “Where was it?”

  “In a desk drawer. This office will need to be thoroughly searched in case there’s something else dangerous in here.” Aubrey held her arm against her chest, the color washing from her face. Blood oozed from the bite wound on her forearm.

  As he peered at the snake to make sure it was dead, Sean clasped her shoulders, guiding her back and sitting her down in her chair. “Hold your arm still and let it bleed.” After calling 911 and requesting an ambulance, he said, “I want you to limit your movements. Help is on the way. I need to find a bag or container to take the snake to the hospital. That way they’ll know exactly what bit you.”

  Aubrey stared at the rattlesnake. “First a rat and now a snake. Was this the purpose of the break-in?”

  “Probably, but the crime might have been done for other reasons, too. Stay seated.” Sean removed his tie and made a sling for Aubrey. “This will help keep your arm still.” When he obtained a first-aid kit, he would place a sterile bandage over the wound. “I need to take off your rings on your left hand in case it swells.”

  She started to lift her arm toward him, but he stopped her. “The less movement you make, the less the venom will circulate through your body. I’ll do it and keep them safe for you.” Gently he removed her wedding and engagement rings and stuffed them in his pants pocket.

  She looked up at him, sweat beading on her face. “Thanks.”

  “Let me know if your vision blurs or you become dizzy.”

  Aubrey attempted a smile, but it didn’t last a second. “That’s what I should be saying to you.”

  “The paramedics will be here soon.”

  “If I’m going to the hospital, you need to go, too.”

  “You don’t need to worry about me.”

  “Sorry, I am.”

  The deputy sheriff who left to get the first-aid kit and paper bag hurried into the office and gave them to Sean. “I’m going downstairs to wait for the ambulance.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  As he left, Sean found a clean bandage and placed it over her wound, then he took the sack and placed the dead snake in it.

  “After we’re looked at, we need to come back here and see if the intruder took anything, especially concerning Villa’s trial.”

  Sean plopped the bag onto the desk. “We?”

  “I’m the only one who can tell you if something is missing or added. You can’t do it without me.”

  “You’ll have to stay in the hospital,” he said as a bead of sweat rolled down her face.

  “Maybe not. I hope I don’t.”

  “My best friend was bit by a rattlesnake once. He was in the hospital for a few days.”

  “But my family needs—”

  The door opening stopped her words. She glanced at the paramedics rolling a gurney into the office.

  Sean leaned down and whispered into her ear, “I’ll take care of your family. Don’t worry about them. Focus on your recovery.”

  “Promise me you’ll get your head wound checked out.”

  Her look of appeal made it impossible to say no. As the paramedics moved the desk to give them more room, Sean smiled and cupped her shoulder. “I will.”

  While the EMTs readied her to be transported to the hospital, Sean called the police officer on duty at her house, Officer Carter. After explaining what had happened, he said, “I want you to bring them to the hospital when she’s admitted.”

  “The kids, too?”

  Sean turned his back to Aubrey. “Leave that up to Camilla Roberts. If the kids stay at the house, have the other officer stay and guard them. Let your police chief know, and have another officer at the house with her children. There’s no doubt Judge Madison is being targeted. Someone wants to harm her.”

  * * *

  Aubrey lay in her hospital bed, staring at the window with its blinds closed. The pain medication and muscle relaxer were starting to work. She prayed that the antivenin would, too, and quickly. She switched her attention
to her left arm, which had a red streak moving up it. The nurse was marking how much it was spreading every hour.

  She wished she knew more about rattlesnake bites. She wished she knew how Sean was doing. All she wanted to do was leave the hospital. She hated being here. The last couple days had made her think about Samuel and his murder. He’d left for work one morning, and she never saw him again.

  Her eyelids grew heavy. She needed to stay awake. What if someone came in here and completed the job the rattlesnake had been planted in her office to do? But she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. As she began to drift off, the sound of her door opening jerked Aubrey away from sleep.

  She looked toward the entrance and didn’t recognize the person entering. Instantly she fumbled for the call button. The man was dressed in blue scrubs with a name tag, but he hadn’t been in her room before. After what had happened the last twenty-four hours, she couldn’t shake her suspicions.

  “I’m your nurse this evening. I wanted to check in with you.” He stopped next to her bed and peered at her left arm. “It looks like the red line is slowing down.”

  She didn’t know what to say. Her heartbeat doubled its rate. Where was Sean?

  “How are you feeling? Is the pain medication helping?” He moved even closer.

  Words stuck in her throat. She kept replaying the rattlesnake attack while pressing the call button.

  The door opened. The nurse swiveled his attention toward the entrance. “Judge Madison, I’m Deputy Sheriff Simpson. I’ve been assigned to guard you. I’ll be right outside your door if you need me.” He started to leave.

  She’d seen him at the courthouse. He was a familiar face. “Wait!”

  The deputy sheriff paused and glanced at her.

  “I have a couple of questions.”

  Simpson approached her.

  Aubrey stiffened and slanted a look at the nurse. “I’m fine. Thanks,” she said in a dismissing voice.