He knew she sometimes sat beside the window reading about planets and stars.
For an instant, he imagined what might have happened if she'd been there.
Then he remembered seeing her leave for the astronomy workshop.
Relief flooded through him.
But it didn't erase his anger.
"Deborah, you need to stop."
She shoved his forearm.
"You don't tell me what to do!"
Marcus stepped backward.
He looked toward the front of the house.
Then toward Deborah.
"You don't understand whose home this is."
She laughed.
"Oh, please. I've watched you working here for months!"
He stared.
Then the front door opened.
Daniel Mercer stepped outside wearing his federal jacket.
Thomas Reed followed.
Daniel looked toward the broken window.
Then toward Marcus.
Then Deborah.
For several seconds, his expression was unreadable.
Finally, he asked, "Who threw that block?"
Marcus pointed toward the damaged bedroom.
"She did. I heard the crash and came over."
Deborah opened her mouth.
But Daniel was already moving toward the window.
He looked inside.
Saw the concrete block.
The broken glass.
And Emily's desk.
For one moment, the professional composure he'd developed over nearly two decades disappeared.
His daughter could have been standing there.
She could have been working on her astronomy project.
She could have been reading beside the window when the block came through.
Daniel turned toward Deborah.
His voice was low.
"That is my daughter's bedroom."
Deborah stared at him.
Then at the identification on his jacket.
And for the first time, she understood that the house she'd targeted wasn't Marcus Bennett's at all.
Deborah took two steps backward.
Her eyes moved between the two men.
She noticed their jackets, the visible identification, and the controlled seriousness of their expressions.
For several seconds, she appeared unable to speak.
Then she tried to recover.
"There's been a misunderstanding."
Daniel looked toward her.
"What misunderstanding?"
She swallowed.
"I thought this was Mr. Bennett's property."
Marcus stared at her.
For a moment, the admission seemed almost impossible to believe.
Daniel's expression hardened.
"And that would make it acceptable to throw a concrete block through a bedroom window?"
Deborah opened her mouth.
No words came.
Thomas glanced toward the side gate, then toward the damaged window.
He looked at Marcus.
"Did you witness the impact?"
Marcus shook his head.
"I heard the glass break. I saw her standing here when I turned around."
Thomas nodded.
"All right."
He didn't pretend Marcus had seen something he hadn't.
Then Daniel stepped away from the broken glass and reached for his phone.
He called local law enforcement.
He identified himself as the homeowner, explained that a window had been deliberately damaged, and requested officers and appropriate assistance.