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Instead, she whipped out a canister of pepper spray.
Matt put out one hand in surrender and pointed around the corner with his other hand.
Her green eyes widened.
He motioned for her to stay low, and then went around the back of his truck to confront the men.
But there was only one guy. Not good. Where was the other perp?
“Get away from the building!” Matt shouted. He had to play his part, although his navy blue custodian’s uniform should make it clear who he was.
“My wife is in there!” the guy, midforties, wearing a knit ski cap, shouted.
Yeah, his wife.
“Have to wait for the all clear from the fire department!” Matt shouted.
The man nodded and turned away. Good, an easy fix.
Then Knit Cap Guy snapped around and took a swing at Matt. He dodged the blow and slugged the man in the stomach. He doubled over, coughing. With fisted hands, Matt readied himself for another assault.
The wail of sirens grew louder. The perp jumped to his feet and took off. Matt the FBI agent would chase after him; Matt the janitor would not.
He went back to the other side of the truck to help Jenna.
But she was gone.
He scanned the playground, the surrounding woods, the nearby parking lot. Knit Cap Guy’s partner couldn’t have gotten to her in the thirty seconds that Matt had been engaged in a fistfight.
Matt needed to find her, protect her.
He climbed into his truck to get his weapon and slammed the door.
A squeak echoed from the back seat.
He froze as he reached for the glove box and spun around. The little boy was sucking on a pacifier, eyes wide and curious, clutching a white stuffed animal.
“Are they gone?” Jenna said from the seat directly behind Matt.
He glanced in the rearview mirror. It seemed like her eyes had grown a brighter shade of green since he’d seen her earlier this evening.
“I think so,” he said. “The little boy, is he Mrs. McFadden’s?”
“Yes. I promised to protect him.”
She studied Matt as if trying to make out his character, figure out whether he was good or bad. A little of both, he mused.
She needed good right now, very good, and committed. Which wasn’t Matt. He wished it could be different. There was something about Jenna North that always made him smile. It was her way with staff members—with everyone, come to think of it. She was gentle and kind, yet persuasive enough to get the job done. The Broadlake Foundation thrived in part because of her fund-raising efforts that supported the operating budget.
He hoped she knew nothing about the cartel’s money-laundering scheme, that she was only an innocent bystander.
“My friend, Mrs. McFadden, she...” Jenna’s voice trailed off.
He waited.
“She’s dead.”
Yes, Matt knew because he’d seen it happen.
And now, because she’d also witnessed the homicide, Miss North’s life was in danger, as was the child’s. Anger simmered in his chest. This couldn’t be his problem, not today. He’d get Miss North and the child to safety and get back to his assignment.
Acting like the innocent bystander she assumed he was, Matt said, “We should report this.”
“To whom? The police? They’re involved.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Chief Billings killed Chloe.”
Great, not only had she been asked to protect the child, but she knew of the chief’s involvement. This put her life at an even higher risk.
“Matthew, may I ask a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Can you keep this between us, that you helped me, that I have Eli?”
“Only if you’ll do me a favor in return.”
“What?”
He had no choice but to protect her. She was in too deep. “Stay here until I deal with the fire department. Once they’re gone, I’ll come back and give you a ride to wherever you want to go. Okay?”
“Thank you, but my car isn’t far.”
“They’ll probably be watching your car, right?”
She nibbled her lower lip for a second, an adorable gesture. He snapped his attention out the front window of his truck to the parking lot in the distance.
“I guess you’re right,” she said. “But...you should know that helping me could get you into trouble.”
“I’m okay with that.” Matt offered her the truck keys. “If I’m not back in twenty, take off.”
He flung open the door and headed for the front of the building. He half expected to encounter the two perps, maybe even the chief, but they were nowhere in sight.
The glass windows on one of the community center doors had been shattered, which must be how the men had gained access to the building.
Motioning to the fire response crew, Matt led them inside. They spread out, looking for smoke. A fireman turned off the alarm and nodded at Matt. “Are you the night custodian?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Please wait outside until we clear the building.”
Matt did as he was ordered and called the police. He had to. It would look suspicious if he didn’t alert the authorities to the break-in. As he was making the call, a squad car and the chief’s car pulled into the lot.
A patrolman Matt recognized as Kyle Armstrong exited his squad car. Chief Billings and Kyle approached Matt.
You’re only the janitor, he reminded himself.
“I was just calling you guys,” Matt said.
“Hey, Matt,” Kyle greeted him.
“You two know each other?” Billings asked.
“We attend the same church,” Kyle said by way of explanation.
Church was no doubt a foreign concept to a guy like Billings. A dirty cop. A killer.
“This is Matt Weller, the night custodian,” Kyle introduced.
Billings extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Matt. Have any idea who pulled the alarm?”
“No, sir. Apparently some guy broke in.” He pointed toward the broken window.
“Some guy? Not mischievous teens?” Billings asked.
Matt opted for sticking to the truth as much as possible. “No, it was a man, sir.” He looked directly at Billings, whose eye twitched ever so slightly.
“Can you describe him?” Kyle asked, pulling out a small notebook.
“About five-ten, a hundred and eighty pounds.” He directed the rest of his answer to Kyle. “He wore a black leather jacket and knit cap. I’m thinking he was pushing forty?”
“Wow, how close did you get to this guy?” Kyle asked.
“Pretty close. He took a swing at me.”
“Are you injured?” Billings said with mock concern.
“No, sir. I grew up the youngest of five boys so I’m pretty good at defending myself.”
“The knit cap perp was inside the building?” Kyle pushed.
“Actually we got into it outside, back by the playground.”
Kyle looked up in question.
“I went out to my truck to get something, and that’s when I encountered the man,” Matt said. “The alarm had gone off—not sure what that was about. He claimed his wife was in the building.”
“His wife?” Kyle said. “But the center was closed.”
“That is correct,” Matt said. “I thought I convinced him to leave, but then he went all Rocky on me.”
The fire crew exited the building. “It’s clear,” the shift captain said.
“Thanks.” Billings turned to Matt. “I’d like you to walk me through what happened tonight. Step by step.”
Of course he did. He wanted to figure out if Matt was telling the truth or creating a story to protect himself, Jenna and the little boy.
“Sure, this way.” He led Kyle and the chief into the community center. By the end of this story, they’d be at Matt’s truck. He hoped they wouldn’t decide to search it, but why would they? Matt wasn’t a suspect. If Jenna stayed down and the little boy didn’t cry, Billings wouldn’t find her.
She’d be hiding right under his nose.
“I was in the back office on break, listening to the hockey game,” Matt said.
They got to his office and the cops poked their heads inside.
“Closed circuit?” Kyle asked, eyeing the monitor.
“Yep. For security.” Matt curled his fingers into his palm to keep calm. “It gives me a view of the main hallway.”
“You didn’t see the suspect break in?”
“No, he probably accessed the building while I was at my truck.” He feigned panic and looked at Kyle. “Man, I hope I don’t lose my job over this—I mean for not preventing the break-in.”
“If he was determined to get in, nothing would have stopped him,” Billings said.
Matt nodded. Was that subtext? A subtle warning?
“Continue,” Chief Billings said.
“So about ten thirty I went out to the truck.” He led them to the back door and swung it open. The three men ambled outside. “It wasn’t parked this close originally, but kids were finishing up basketball when I arrived at six. I figured as long as I was out here I’d repark closer to the building.”
“Besides the basketball league, who else was here tonight, Mr. Weller?” the chief asked.
“A yoga class, line dancing for seniors and the knitting club. They were all gone by nine.”
“Anyone else, perhaps employees working late?” Billings pushed.
Matt wondered if he’d seen Jenna North’s little blue car parked in the overflow lot. He had to play this just right, be as truthful as possible.
“I might have seen Jenna North earlier. She works for a foundation that leases space here.”
“I’ll look into it,” Kyle said.
Chief Billings eyed Matt speculatively, and he broke eye contact in his effort to act submissive and nonthreatening.
Innocent.
