Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger / Once Upon A Christmas Eve: Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger

“Do you still have a key?”

“Yes,” she said, digging through her purse. “I haven’t been able to take it off my key ring.” She glanced across the dark truck cab. “How pathetic is that?”

“Not pathetic at all. It was your home, where you raised your kids. More than likely the bank changed the locks.”

“Probably. After Mike’s suicide there was an investigation for a few days.”

The night sky didn’t allow him to see her face, but he could hear the pain in her voice. “Did he die at the house?”

“Yes,” she said in a soft voice. “The garage. He died of asphyxiation from carbon monoxide.”

Coop knew all this. “God, Lilly I’m sorry.”

Lilly nodded, trying to keep it together. “Not many people want to live in a house where someone has died.”

“Then you shouldn’t go back there, either.”

“Yes, I should. I need to end this once and for all. If Mike did something illegal, I need to know. I have to protect my kids. If he didn’t and we find these papers, Stephanie will be out of my life for good.”

When Coop reached across the truck console and took her hand, it gave Lilly the strength she needed. It was wonderful to get comfort and reassurance, but she felt something else was happening between them. It had been since the kiss. If she was truthful, it had been since the moments he met this man.

“At least you’ll know,” he said.

They were silent as they reached town. Lilly gave him directions to the house. Since it was after ten the neighborhood was quiet. They didn’t take a chance of being noticed and parked in the alley down the street.

With the aid of a penlight, Lilly led him through the gate and the backyard toward the one-story, ranch-style home.

Silently she took out her key and attempted to work the lock. It didn’t fit any longer.

“Darn. I guess it was too much to ask to make this simple.” She glanced around. “There’s only one other way to get inside.”

“How’s that?”

“The window in the garage doesn’t lock. And if they hadn’t changed the door to the house, it can be easily shimmied.”

She started to go and Coop stopped her. “I can’t let you go there. I’ll go through the window.”

She nodded.

He took off, found the window and with a couple of whacks on the frame, it gave way. After raising it, he climbed inside and across the empty double car garage to the door leading to the house. It wasn’t locked. He went inside, and quickly searched for a security alarm. There was none. He then unlocked the back door for Lilly.

Lilly didn’t want to look around. She didn’t want to remember her time here. The months she and Mike had spent remodeling the kitchen. How the kids had sat at the bar eating breakfast, doing their homework. All the wonderful times in this house. Then it was gone.

She made her feet keep moving down the hall to the den. Mike’s office. She opened the door to find it empty, too, but it didn’t stop the flash of memories. The big old schoolteacher’s desk she’d found and sanded and stained for this area.

No! She wouldn’t give in to the memories. That life was over. With the aid of the light, she took Noah to the wall with built-in bookcases that now were empty.

“Where is the safe?”

She handed him the light. “Hold up the light.” She reached for the middle shelf and unlatched a hook, then swung it out to reveal a safe built into the wall.

“This would be hard to find.” Coop felt hopeful. But were they going to hit the jackpot this time? “Do you know the combination?”

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