Deception (Carrington Hill Investigations Book 1) by Kate Allenton Page B

brother.”
    Trip placed a hand on Lexi’s arm to stop her from following Ethan. He waited until Ethan was out of the room. “Were you on the phone with Sara and Garrett?”
    She patted his chest as she walked by. “Yes , hubby, I’m taking my bodyguards with me to go check out Catherine’s place.”
    “Lexi…be careful.”
    She turned at the doorway. “Don’t worry, Trip. I’ll make sure nothing happens to Ethan.”
    His brows dipped. “I meant you. ”
    His worry gave her pause , but she shook it off. “Hold down the fort while I’m gone.” She smiled sweetly. “We’ll be back in time for the party. I can’t wait to meet the rest of the in-laws.”
    She tapped the doorframe and found Ethan waiting in the hall for her. He led her to the garage and into the car. “How did you know about the back entrance?”
    She grinned, keeping her talk with Marco to herself. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
    He pulled out of the garage and turned in the direction she knew he would. “You’re just as smart as Catherine told me you were. I’m not sure my brother has realized that yet.”
    She chuckled as she glanced out the window. “Let’s keep that between us. The more people who think I’m just a dumb bimbo, the less they’ll suspect what I’m up to.”
    He pulled down the long drive at back of the property and punched in numbers at the gates before they swung open. Sara and Garrett were waiting in a black SUV. “Friends of yours?”
    She nodded. “Yep, they’re my newly assigned bodyguards that my husband insisted I have.”
    He gave her a sad smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he turned out on the road. “Good to know that at least you’ll be safe. I wish I would have thought about doing that for Catherine.”
    She turned in her seat. “Ethan, you have to know this wasn’t your fault. I’m going to do whatever it takes to find her and bring her back to you.” She mumbled as she turned back to glance out the window, “I already have.”
    She didn’t want to burden him any more than he was. He was about to see firsthand what she was giving up to work this case. “After Catherine’s, I need to make two stops.”
    He nodded.
    The rest of the ride was in silence, both of them lost in their thoughts, as he drove to where Catherine had been living for the last couple of months. She ducked under the crime scene tape, and Ethan followed her, along with Sara and Garrett. She took her time going through the rooms, only stopping once when she realized just how personal this case was to her. She dug through the dresser and pulled out a photo. It wasn’t common practice to bring personal items while undercover, but Catherine had told them, she would never leave home without it. She described the need of taking it as it giving her an inner peace knowing that she had something to look forward to. The picture was one of Catherine, Sara, and herself at the beach house from last year. She smiled remembering when the picture had been taken. Sara squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll find her.”
    Lexi nodded and s et the picture back down. There wasn’t anything here that they didn’t already have. Her computer had already been taken by forensics, along with anything and everything else they thought they might need. The white powder from their efforts to collect prints hadn’t been cleaned up. Lexi and Sara moved to the closet as Garrett and Ethan checked out the rest of the house. If Catherine had left them any clues, they both knew where she would have hidden them. They’d joked about it on more than one occasion.
    Sara started pulling the shoe boxe s from the top shelves as Lexi grabbed the ones at the bottom of the closet.
    Garrett and Ethan were already standing in the room when they emerged with the boxes. Garrett asked, “I don’t think this is the appropriate time to be admiring her shoes.”
    Sara rolled her eyes. “Help us get the boxes.”
    Ethan and Garrett pulled out the rest of the