Heather Woodhaven - Credible Threat

Uh-oh. Kurt dropped his arm and strode to the door leading to the garage. He refused to let his mind wander on how much he enjoyed having her in his arms. “Your blood sugar might be low, too. We can order some food in if you don’t have anything to eat here. I’m going to grab my equipment while you make yourself that tea.”

He reached his truck and blew out a breath. Talking a lot wasn’t his style, yet he’d practically ranted. There was something that drew him to Rebecca. A completely unfair set of feelings, as the judge had practically ordered him to keep his distance. Sure, Judge Linn wasn’t his boss, but Kurt also didn’t want to make an unnecessary enemy on the court. One recommendation from the judge could go a long way in securing a promotion.

He left his two other weapons stored in the vehicle but grabbed his on-the-go duffel, which contained some of his gear and clothes. Ninety percent of assignments involved tracking down fugitives. He needed his head to get in the game in the same manner, tracking down an unnamed threat.

The protection part of the assignment wouldn’t even be an issue as long as she stayed inside the house, so maybe he had a chance to get Rebecca out of his mind. They could go through threats then keep to opposite ends of the seven-bedroom house.

He stepped inside as his phone chimed with a text from Delaney.

Gathering case files. Have you checked the Templeton case already? Most recent threat on news.

Rebecca watched him expectantly from the kitchen counter. “Is it about the case?”

“Yes.” He passed both the kitchen and the desk and rested his duffel on the coffee table in front of the leather couch. “We have a place to start at least.”

The tablet’s case allowed him to set the screen upright. It didn’t take long to pull up the newscasts about Templeton. The man had been convicted of drug trafficking across state lines. He’d attracted national attention when he’d threatened the judge on court camera, claiming he was going to find Judge Linn’s family when he got out. As far as Kurt knew, the man was still in jail. But like every other case they would look at, there would be a possibility that the prisoner could’ve ordered the job.

Rebecca sat on the couch cushion beside him and held her tea mug in both hands. The smell of chamomile and honey took the edge off the tension in his shoulders.

He tapped on the link Delaney had messaged him. The video captured Templeton interrupting the judge, yelling over the judge’s questions and finally, issuing the threat.

Rebecca shivered. “Grandpa stayed so calm despite that man goading him, threatening him...us.”

He hated this part of the job. She’d just been put under a lot of strain and here he was asking her to listen to more threats against her family. “Your grandfather wouldn’t want you worrying about him. The judge is known for having nerves of steel.”

She blew on the top of her mug. “I’ve never seen that side of him.”

“To you, he’s always been your grandpa.”

“His name is Templeton?” She leaned back into the cushions. “His voice and eyes don’t match the man who attacked me.”

“No, I didn’t expect him to. He’s still in jail, but maybe it triggered a memory. Did your attacker mention any names? Give any hints about why they came after you?”

She shook her head. “No. Nothing.”

Kurt’s phone vibrated again.

Judge wants you to look at McCollum case.

He wasn’t familiar with that threat. He typed in the name and the judge’s name, and frowned. The incident in question happened forty years ago. In some ways, that made it more likely since the perpetrator may have been released from prison by now.

While Kurt couldn’t locate any video, he found an archived news article that showed McCollum’s photograph.

Rebecca leaned distractingly close, enough that he could smell the tea on her breath. Kurt cleared his throat and placed the screen back on the coffee table for her to see while keeping his distance.

Her face paled. “I recognize that man.”

She set her cup down and turned away from the photo. Her finger shook as it pointed at the tablet. “I’ve had to look at that picture at least once a year for my entire life. My dad wanted me to always be on the lookout for him. That man is the reason my dad had to use mirrors to check underneath his car for bombs every day in high school and his entire time at college.”

Kurt couldn’t imagine having to live that way as a teenager.

Rebecca continued, “He’s the reason why Dad moved us so far away from here, why he hardly ever came to visit Grandpa with us and why he made me promise I would never be in or get involved with anyone in law enforcement. That man doesn’t need to come after us again. He’s already ruined our lives.”

“His rap sheet indicates he’s a dangerous man. I’ll get an alert out on him right away.” He picked up his phone and tried to ignore the jolt he felt when she’d said she could never get involved with anyone in law enforcement. It wasn’t his business, and it didn’t matter. So why wouldn’t his stomach unclench?

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