Seconds to Live (Scarlet Falls) by Melinda Leigh Read Free Book Online

him.
    Stella gave him a few seconds to compose himself. “Does she have any close family or friends?”
    He shook his head. “No. Since her accident, she doesn’t go out much. She’s an only child and her parents are dead.”
    “Do you know what your wife’s plans were for today?”
    “She was scheduled to see her physical therapist this morning and then get a massage at one o’clock. I expected her to be home when I got here.”
    “Do you know if she made it to either appointment?” Stella took a small notebook from her jacket pocket.
    Adam jumped to his feet, his hand patting his pocket and pulling out a cell phone. “No. I was so upset when I saw the broken glass and the blood in the bathroom, I wasn’t thinking. Let me call them now.”
    “We’ll call.” Stella made a note of the phone numbers as he read them to her. “Did she mention anything unusual this week? Was she upset or did she display any odd behavior?”
    “No.” His chin snapped up. “You’re not going to write her off as not worth your time, are you? Or make me wait forty-eight hours before you start looking for her?”
    “No, Mr. Miller. We want to start looking for your wife right away,” Stella assured him. The forty-eight hour rule only applied to TV shows. The sooner they started looking for Dena, the better. “Which golf course did you say you played this morning?”
    Adam shot her a sharp glance.
    “Routine.” Stella smiled. “The more information you give us, the better.”
    “I’ll give you anything you want if it’ll help you find her,” Adam said.
    “Financial records would be helpful as well,” Brody added from where he’d been leaning on the wall.
    Adam’s head whipped around. “Why would you need those?”
    Brody didn’t miss a beat. “Credit card statements are very helpful in tracking a person’s movements.”
    “Oh.” But Adam’s eyes narrowed in distrust.
    Stella scanned the countertops. “Have you seen your wife’s purse?”
    He shook his head, confusion knotting his brows. “No. It’s usually on the dresser.”
    Stella would look again, but she didn’t remember seeing it in the bedroom. “What about her calendar and contact information?”
    “In her cell phone.” Adam gave Stella the passcode and the phone. “Take anything else you need.”
    “A current picture of your wife would be helpful,” Brody added.
    “Of course.” Adam crossed the room to a unit of shelves and selected a framed photo.
    Stella pictured the broken glass and the blood in the bedroom. The absence of Dena’s purse was odd. “Is it possible she cut herself and called a friend to take her to the ER?”
    “No.” Adam lifted his chin. “She would have called me. There’s no one in her life closer to her.” With a stifled sob, he closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips to his forehead.
    Brody called for additional support, and two more patrol officers arrived to help knock on doors and question neighbors. Hours later, they had little information. None of the neighbors had seen any unusual activity. A search of the grounds and neighborhood turned up nothing. No one by the name of Dena Miller had been admitted to the local hospital, and the morgue didn’t have any unclaimed bodies meeting her description. Dena didn’t use social media, and she had no chronic health conditions other than her neck injury.
    Standing on the covered front porch, Stella stared out at the rain. Thunder boomed across the quiet neighborhood. On the porch, purple petunias rioted in hanging pots, and a pair of wicker rocking chairs invited guests to have a glass of iced tea. Small but cheerful, it was the sort of house young married couples purchased as a starter home. While it wasn’t a ritzy area, the neighborhood was mature and solid. People took care of their homes. Kids played in the street. Homeowners mowed their lawns on Saturday mornings.
    Brody came out of the house, pulling the door closed behind him. “I’m catching a ride