Trail of Evidence

And then Brooked ditched him. She’d simply canceled their last date and had avoided him until he gave up trying to get in touch with her. And he’d never figured out why. Maybe it was time to get some answers. Even if they were ones he didn’t want to hear.

A car door slammed.

He tensed and went to the window to push aside the curtain so he could see out. As always, his heart did that funny little beat when he saw her. A petite woman in her early thirties with short black hair. She still looked the same. Slightly older, but not much. And definitely still beautiful.

Brooke. She was here. Her golden retriever, Mercy, leaped to the ground and shook herself, her brown eyes on Brooke, waiting for instructions. Jonas had followed her career and watched her climb the ranks in law enforcement. He was proud of her.

He opened the front door. Brooke looked up and caught his gaze and Jonas blinked. He hadn’t forgotten how blue her eyes were. On the contrary, he remembered every detail about her. But those eyes always rendered him speechless when first making contact. For a moment they just stood and stared. Then she smiled and walked toward him. “Hi, Jonas. Good to see you again.”

Jonas took a step and, in a bold move, wrapped her in a hug. Her scent surrounded him, old feelings rushed back. And she didn’t push him away. He took a deep breath. “It’s really good to see you, too, Brooke. Come on in.”

Brooke swept past him and he heard her give the dog a low command. Mercy sat. Jonas stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

She looked around. “So what happened?”

Jonas pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s a bit of a story. Would you like to go into the den and have a seat?”

“I’d rather not. Did the intruder leave anything behind? Touch anything that his scent would be on?”

So. It was going to be all business then. All right. He could take a hint. Jonas tightened his jaw then relaxed it. She was here to help, not socialize. The fact that she hadn’t pulled away from his embrace encouraged him. First things first. “I was in the recliner in the den when I heard a crash. It came from my son’s room. The intruder had pulled out one of the drawers from Felix’s nightstand. It was on the floor when I went in.”

“Then let’s start there.”

“Of course.” Jonas led her into Felix’s bedroom, once again giving thanks that his son hadn’t been home at the time of the break-in.

She focused in on the drawer on the floor. “I guess I don’t have to ask which drawer.”

“No. Guess not. I just left it alone. Once I decided to call you, I didn’t want to cover up any smells.” He paused. “I also hit the guy with Felix’s trophy so his scent may be on there, too.”

She shot him an admiring glace. “Good job. Okay, we’ll see what we can do.”

Jonas stepped back and let them go to work. He watched, marveling at the team, how well they worked together. “You’re very good at what you do, aren’t you?”

She turned. “We’re one of the best.” She said it in all sincerity, without a hint of boasting or pride. Just stated a fact. He liked that about her.

“You didn’t ask for my address.”

She blinked, then cleared her throat. “Excuse me?”

“You didn’t have to ask for my address. You already knew it.”

“I looked it up in the police database.”

“Of course.” Now he felt embarrassed. “For a moment there, it gave me hope.”

“Hope?”

“Hope that you’d thought about me. Hope that...I don’t know, that maybe we could be friends again.”

“We never stopped being friends.”

He shook his head. “Of course we did. Friends do stuff together, hang out, enjoy each other’s company. We went from friends to acquaintances that shared a nod of acknowledgement whenever we ran into each other. That’s not friendship.”

Brooke bit her lip and turned away. “This isn’t what I came over here for. Let me just do my job.”

Disappointment flooded him. He’d pushed too hard, too fast. He was coming across desperate and it wasn’t that; he just had questions. Questions that would have to wait. “No problem.”

Once she finished going through the house, she let Mercy out the door the intruder had exited. Mercy trotted down the street, nose alternating between the ground and the air. She stopped several houses down and sat.

Brooke called to her and Mercy hurried to her side. “She’s lost the scent. Most likely the guy had a car waiting right where Mercy sat down. He climbed in and off they went.”

He nodded. He’d expected as much. He handed her the phone. “The battery is at two percent. It won’t last much longer. There may be a charger in his room. I didn’t think to look.”

She studied it. “It’s fine. Chargers are easy to come by.” She looked up. “Did you find a wallet belonging to Rosa?”

“No. Just the phone.”

“I hate to ask this, but...” She looked uncomfortable.

“What?”

“Well, Rosa’s wallet was missing, too. Do you think Felix could have hurt Rosa to get her phone and wallet?”

Jonas stepped back, her words hurting more than if she’d slapped him. “What? No. Of course not.” He raked a hand through his hair, hating the flash of doubt that raced through him. He lifted his chin. “No. He’s a thirteen-year-old boy, he’s not perfect. And I mean he’s been getting in some trouble lately, but that’s just because he’s never gotten over his mother’s leaving, never truly accepted the fact that she would do that. He’d never hurt—kill—someone over a stupid phone.” Anger flared.

She held up a hand. “Just had to ask. And I didn’t necessarily mean that he killed her on purpose. It could have been an accident and he was too scared to tell anyone what happened.”

“No, no way. Absolutely not.” She nodded, her eyes on his. The anger fizzled as fast as it had flamed. “I understand why you might ask that, but no. It’s not possible. If something like that had happened, Felix would have come to me.” Wouldn’t he?

“Then how did the phone wind up under his mattress two months after its owner was found murdered?”

The question hit him hard. He swallowed. “I don’t know, but I know we have to find out.”

“We need to talk to Felix.”

She held the phone up. “We need to turn this in, too.” She headed to the bedroom door when Jonas heard a loud roar and felt the house rock beneath his feet.

* * *

Mercy barked. Brooke fell to her knees. She thought she heard Jonas calling to her just before something struck her shoulder, her leg, her cheek. Pain lanced through her. “Get out! We have to get out.”

Jonas’s hand wrapped her upper arm. She realized he’d fallen, too; he’d just recovered faster than she. Smoke seared her lungs, but nothing felt hot.

“Are you all right?” Jonas coughed as he pulled her toward the door.

“Fine. Mercy, heel!” The dog slunk on her belly to Brooke’s side. She pulled her shirt up over her nose and mouth. Jonas did the same. She grabbed one of Felix’s shirts from his bed and wrapped it around the animal’s mouth and nose, leaving it loose enough for her to breathe while filtering the smoke.

“Smoke is rolling in fast,” he said.

“Do you see any flames?”

“No. Let me lead you, I know the layout.” He coughed and together they made their way down the stairs, ready to turn and flee back up at the first sign of fire. Finally, they hit the bottom of the steps. Jonas led her toward the door. Mercy hugged her side and she kept one hand on the head of her faithful friend.

Jonas opened the door and she yanked him back in to slam it. Her shoulder throbbed with the movement.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Do you have a back door?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s use that.”

She could barely see his puzzled expression, but gave silent thanks that he didn’t argue with her, just kept his firm grip on her good arm and led her toward the back of the house and into a sunroom. Her leg throbbed, but nothing was broken and she moved through the house with minimal pain.

Smoke still filled the air, but she could breathe much better here. He opened the door and they stepped out into the night. Fresh air hit her and she sucked in a deep breath even as her mind spun. She pulled her arm free, then slid her hand down to wrap her fingers around his. “Come on,” she croaked.

They raced away from the house, her leg protesting the movement, but nothing bad enough to stop her from getting to safety. Sirens already sounded and Brooke suspected one of the neighbors had heard the blast and called 911. Jonas had a nice fenced-in yard that backed up to his neighbor’s. They moved to the edge of the property.

Brooke turned to see smoke billowing from the den window, but no flames. “I’m going to see if I can spot anyone trying to get away from the house.” She took off with Mercy at her heels. Jonas’s protest registered, but she needed to see. Rounding the corner of the house, she stopped and looked up and down the street. Neighbors stood on their porches and some in the street as they watched the commotion. The first fire truck screamed to a stop at the curb. Brooke’s gaze bounced from person to person. Curiosity and concern graced the faces of the onlookers. No one seemed particularly satisfied.

Jonas stepped up beside her. “See anything?”

“No. Do you see anyone who shouldn’t be here? Anyone you don’t recognize?”

“I’m...um...probably not the best person to ask.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a lousy neighbor.” He gave an embarrassed shrug. “I work and I spend time with Felix—when he lets me anyway. I hate yard maintenance so I hire someone to do it.”

“Which means you’re not working in the yard and talking with people out for an evening or weekend walk.”

“Exactly.”

She nodded and approached the fire captain. “We were in that house. We’re fine. There’s no one else inside.”

The man turned, his concerned gaze landing on the two of them. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

One of the firemen stepped out the front door and motioned to one of his buddies. “Captain?”

“Yeah.”

Jonas and Brooke moved closer. Mercy stayed by her side. Brooke wanted to hear what was said.

“It was a Molotov cocktail. When it was tossed through the window, it landed in the fireplace.” The man shook his head. “Never seen anything like it. There’s a lot of smoke, but not any fire damage to speak of. Looks like it wasn’t meant to burn, just cause a lot of smoke.”

Jonas breathed out. Brooke laid a hand on his forearm. He looked at her. “You’re right,” he said. “They came back.”

Brooke pulled the cell phone Jonas had found from her pocket. “I think it’s time to ask Felix where he got this phone and who knows he has it.” She switched to her business phone. “And we’re going to get someone to watch your house tonight. I don’t think we were smoked out by accident. Whoever threw that in there knew what they were doing. It’s possible they plan to come back and search the place.”

“So then I’m not sleeping here.”

“Not with the smoke and the danger. You’re going someplace safe.”

THREE

Brooke sat in the SUV next to Nicholas Cole, a fellow Capitol K-9 member, and kept her eyes on Jonas’s house. It looked empty and deserted. Just the way they wanted it to look. If someone planned to return to the scene of the crime, she and Nicholas would be waiting. “What time is it?”

“Five minutes later than the last time you asked,” he said.

“You sound like my grandfather.”

“You sound like a five-year-old. It’s 4:45 a.m. An hour of the night that should have me in bed dreaming of a vacation on the beach, not conducting a stakeout.”

She snorted and swung her gaze back to the area around the house, looking for movement, a flash of light. Anything. And got nothing.

She could hear the dogs breathing behind her. They were suited up, their protective vests on and ready to go. And so was Brooke. She itched for a break, a chance to go after someone who could give them a break in this case.

Instead of going after Felix to question him about the phone, they’d simply sent an officer to watch the house where he was staying. Felix was safe for now and if the person who wanted the phone came back and they caught him, Felix would never have to know how fortunate it was he chose to spend the night away from home. Talking to the boy could wait until morning. Catching the person who wanted the phone was priority. The sun would be up in a couple of hours, but Brooke just had a feeling something was going to happen.

Her heart, protected by the Kevlar vest she’d donned earlier, thumped a heavy rhythm. Anticipation swept through her. It was about time something good happened.

General Margaret Meyer apparently thought so, too. The Capitol K-9 Unit existed because of her. Her current position as the White House Special In-House Security Chief gave her a lot of power and leeway. Gavin reported straight to her and she expected top-notch results from her team. Which they gave her. When Gavin had presented her with the need for some manpower due to a possible break in the case, she’d been more than happy to spare Nicholas from his current duties at the White House to help Brooke track down the lead.

“So who is this guy?” Nicholas asked. He sipped on a drink they’d picked up from the local gas station.

“What guy?” Brooke knew exactly who he meant, but she needed to buy some time to figure out just how much she wanted to reveal about Jonas. Then again, it wasn’t like there was that much to say. Nicholas simply lifted a brow and she shrugged. “We met about eight years ago. He was doing an internship and I was a rookie K-9 cop.”

“And you hit it off?”

“We did.”

“Was it serious?”

She hesitated. It had been serious. Too serious. “We were friends. We had a lot in common and spent some time together, but—” she shrugged “—it just didn’t work out.”

“It just didn’t work out, huh? Let me guess. He wanted more and you ran away.” She sucked in a deep breath and shot him a sharp look. Nicholas shrugged. “Sorry if I struck a nerve, it’s just what you do to every guy who shows interest in you.”

“I do not.”

“Do too.”

Brooke snapped her lips shut. She would not get into some juvenile argument with him. Because they both knew he was right.

Her phone rang. She lifted it to the ear that didn’t have the earpiece she’d use to communicate with Nicholas should they get separated. “Hello?”

“Hi,” Jonas said.

“Hi.” Did she hear footsteps? “Are you pacing the floor?”

A short, humorless laugh filtered through the line. “Yes.”

“Well, you can stop. Nothing’s happening—” A shadow to her left caught her attention. She nudged Nicholas who nodded. He was already watching him, tracking him with his eyes. The dark SUV blended into the nighttime surroundings. If they opened the doors, the interior lights would stay off. Even her cell phone was on the dimmest setting. There was no way the guy now approaching the back of Jonas’s house would know they were watching him. “Gotta go. Someone showed up. I’ll call you in a bit.” She hung up on his protest and opened the passenger door. Nicholas was already approaching the house, his weapon drawn, his dog, Max, at his side.

Brooke pulled her own gun, let Mercy out of the back and went in the opposite direction of Nicholas. She rounded the corner of the house just behind Mercy. The dog barked and made a beeline for the figure at the back door.

“Police! Freeze!” Brooke called.

Nicholas started to close the gap. “Don’t move!” The man turned, raised his hands. Instead of deciding he was caught, he spun and darted for the back fence that separated Jonas’s house from the neighbor behind him. The dark-clad figure scaled the fence and dropped to the other side. Nicholas went after him. Brooke called to Mercy and together, she and the dog went another route.

Back around the side of the house, Brooke was just in time to see the would-be intruder bolt down the street. Nicholas let Max go with the command to stop the fleeing fugitive, so Brooke kept Mercy beside her. Max cut loose with a low woof and loped off in pursuit, his strides long and even. Brooke lost sight of him as she and Nicholas raced to catch up. The guy was fast.

Brooke figured Max was faster.

Until she and Nicholas almost slammed into the tall chain-link fence when they turned the next corner.

* * *

She’d hung up on him. Jonas glared at the phone as though the blame lay with the device. He growled and stomped out of his temporary bedroom at the veterinary office.

Brooke had hung up on him because someone was near his house and probably trying to break in. Their surveillance plan worked, but would she be in danger now? He paced to the door. Two officers sat in the parking lot. He knew another one was parked at the back. And one was at the Fuller household where Felix was spending the night.

Not that he expected that someone would be able to figure out where Felix was if they were looking for him, but he had to admit knowing an officer was watching out for his son made him feel better. He and Brooke had discussed picking Felix up and bringing him back to the office for the night, but they decided not to. Brooke argued that he was probably safer where he was at this point. It wasn’t the Fuller house that had been bombed or the Fuller house that had been broken into. They’d come looking for the phone, not Felix.

He appreciated the fact that no one was taking any chances with his safety, but now Brooke might be in danger.

But that was her job. She was probably in dangerous situations all the time. That was what she did, right?

Yes, but it didn’t make it any easier for him to deal with. Not when she was in danger because his son had taken a phone that didn’t belong to him and the wrong people had tracked him down.

He had to know she was all right. He walked to the front desk and grabbed his keys. His car was in the first parking spot. He paused for a second. What if he went to find her and just got in the way?

But he wouldn’t. He’d drive past his house and see if anything was happening, make sure everything was under control. Jonas headed out the door and walked over to the police officer who was exiting his vehicle.

“Sir? You need to go back inside.”

“I’m going to run an errand.” He switched directions and headed for his car, his worry pushing him and spurring him to move faster. “I’ll be back shortly.”

“I don’t advise you leaving on your own.”

“I wouldn’t if it wasn’t an emergency.”

“Let me call it in and see if they want someone to tail you then.”

“I don’t have time to wait, but I’m going to my house for a few minutes. You can send someone there.” He slid into the driver’s seat, cranked the car and backed from the parking spot. As he pulled to a stop at the edge of the lot, he glanced in his rearview mirror to see the officer speaking into his radio and heading for his car.

He was probably going to follow him anyway, but Jonas didn’t care. He wasn’t going to sit around and wait for someone to figure out what to do with him.

Brooke was at his house and might be headed into danger. He couldn’t just sit around twiddling his thumbs waiting to hear that she was okay.

* * *

Brooke hauled herself over the fence of the old textile office building. Backup was on the way, but there was no time to wait. The man they were chasing would be gone. And he was a link to the case. A case she very much wanted to solve. She’d beat Nicholas to the fence so he’d just have to stay with the dogs unless he could find another way in.

Her feet pounded against the crumbling asphalt parking lot. The building had been up for sale for years and each year it seemed to erode even more than the last. She caught sight of movement around the side of the building and took off after it, whispering her location to Nicholas.

She rounded the corner with caution, weapon held in front of her. Nothing. Except an open door.

Had he gone in or simply opened the door to head around the building? She pressed her finger against the earpiece. “Are you inside the fence?”

“Just now. Had to cut my way through. You get him?”

“Not yet.” She kept her voice low, her back to the side of the building.

A screech came from inside the building. Guess that answered that question. “He’s inside. I think he pushed open one of the steel doors at the back. I’m going after him.”

“Backup will be right behind you. Max and I are on the way.”

Brooke gave him her location and slipped through the door into the dark. She stopped just inside to the right, making sure she didn’t make herself a target in the open doorway. She let her eyes adjust, but she still had trouble seeing anything. Too dark. Easy for someone to sneak up behind her. She needed a light, but didn’t dare take the flashlight from her belt.

The good thing was if it was dark for her, it was dark for him. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out shapes so it wasn’t pitch-black. She had to be careful to stay in the shadows. Again, if she could see a little, so could he.

She moved softly, her steps cautious, her ears tuned to the area around her. Her neck and back tingled. She expected a bullet to slam into her at any moment. The vest she wore would offer some protection for her torso, but nothing for her head. She hadn’t seen a weapon on the man running from Jonas’s house, but until she saw otherwise, she’d treat him as armed. And dangerous.

“Where are you?” she whispered.

“Max, Mercy and I are coming inside.”

She heard a scrape to her left and spun, her weapon ready, hands steady in spite of the adrenaline pumping through her.

A light flashed then disappeared. Footsteps on stairs. The sound still coming from her left. Brooke moved toward the noise, still cautious, but determined to stop him. Shadows danced around her, light from the half moon filtering through the dirty windows. And the blue lights now flashing, offered even more light. “Up the stairs,” she whispered. “To the left of the door about twenty feet.” She placed her foot on the first step, then started up.

“Got it. Backup’s outside.”

“Saw the lights.”

A loud scrape from the top of the stairs made her pause. The windows along the second floor offered very little light. She could make out shapes, but nothing moving. She took another step, which put her about halfway up the staircase.

A large shadow appeared at the top of the stairs. An object teetered on the edge of the highest step. She blinked, her brain trying to discern the image.

Then the thing wobbled once again. A head appeared around the edge. A grunt reached her ears.

Brooke finally registered what was happening and turned to flee as a loud rumble came from behind her and whatever was at the top of the step slid toward her. She gasped as her foot turned on the last step and she fell to the floor. She rolled and looked up to see a large upside-down desk a split second away from crushing her.

FOUR

Jonas’s drive past his house resulted in nothing. But the police cruiser that zipped past him as he turned back on the main highway caught his attention and he followed it to the old textile office building. Police tape ran the length of the fence. The K-9s and their handlers were out and the air crackled with law enforcement energy.

He couldn’t get to the fence due to all of the emergency vehicles so he parked and stood on the hood of the vehicle. He scanned the faces, looking for the one that he most wanted to see. Not there. One of the officers to his right on the other side of the fence pointed to the building and said something into his phone.

Was Brooke inside the building? Or was she just lost in the crowded chaos?

Gawkers from the nearby neighborhoods had come to the line to see what was going on and officers held them back. Jonas could go no farther either. He would have to wait. His fingers curled into fists. He forced them to relax. Don’t get anxious until you have something to be anxious about. The order didn’t work. He scanned the fence line and looked for a way in.