“No, why?”
His expression darkened as he handed it to the detective. “Do you see what I see?”
Detective Rossi did his own study of the key. “Wax.”
Cooper nodded.
She was confused. “What does that mean?”
“He pressed this key into wax so he can have a copy made.” He took the key back from the detective and showed her the tiny bit of wax on the edge. “We need to change your locks, which I planned to do anyway for better ones.”
She felt so violated. What she wanted to do was scream, then cry. Instead, determined not to let the fear and anger consume her, she took a deep breath. “Can we get them changed today?”
“I’ll do it,” Cooper said. “We just need to go buy what I need.”
“Wish I’d noticed that before all three of us handled it,” Rossi said. “If his fingerprints were on it, they’re smeared now.” He put the key back on the hook. “Guess I won’t need this after all. Make sure to give me a spare to the new locks. My CSI team needs to get back in here. Until you get back from the store, I’ll have a patrol officer park in your driveway.”
“I appreciate that.” Even with the locks changed, she didn’t know if she could ever live here again. The thing that bothered her the most was the sight of her panties and bras scattered around in her bedroom. Had he taken any? She shuddered at the thought of her underwear in his hands.
“Let’s take a walk around the backyard,” Cooper said. “Then we can go buy some locks.”
Rossi followed them outside, and the two of them trailed behind Cooper as he made a sweep of her yard. At their first meeting, the two men had been like dogs marking their territory. Growly and suspicious. Now, it appeared that they respected each other, and that the detective accepted Cooper’s experience and skills.
“He stood here and watched the house,” Cooper said, stopping behind a large azalea bush.
That was it. She was having all the plants taken out so there was nothing to hide behind. The area he was showing them had been mulched, and it was obvious that someone had shuffled their feet while standing on the wood chips.
Detective Rossi stepped next to Cooper and eyed the ground. “I’ll have my people look at this, see if they can get a shoe size.”
From there, Cooper circled the perimeter of the yard but didn’t find any other evidence of the man’s presence. He took her hand. “Let’s go buy some new locks.”
“I can’t go back to my house,” Kendall said. “Not today.” She’d have to return to clean up the mess after the police said she could go back in, but she couldn’t face it now.
Cooper glanced at her before returning his gaze to the road. “I won’t leave you alone. Not even in a hotel.”
She’d noticed that he’d kept an eye on his rearview mirror. “Do you think he’s following us?”
“No, we’re not being followed right now. I understand you not wanting to be there, but I need to know you’re safe.”
“I’ll visit my father while you change the locks. You can drop me off there.”
“He’s home now?”
“Probably. He got home from his cruise yesterday. I’ll call him.” After talking to him and confirming he was home, she said, “He’s there. I need to tell him what’s going on anyway. You can meet him when you come back to get me. Turn left at the next light.”
He grinned. “Meet the parent, huh?”
“And I should probably warn you. He’s never liked any boy I’ve brought home.” That wasn’t true, but it was fun to tease him, and she could use some fun right now.
“So, the bar is high.” He made a funny face. “Will I have to have you home by midnight when we go on a date?”
“My curfew was eleven. If I wasn’t home by then, he’d come looking for me.”
“For real?”
“Yep. Because of my kidnapping, my parents were overly protective. Mom more than Dad, actually. Take a right at the stop sign. It’s the white house with the blue shutters in the middle of the cul-de-sac.”
“Didn’t you tell me that you lived in a gated community?”