Laura Scott - True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas

Why? And who exactly was in danger? Pete assumed Logan was talking about Faith, but she knew that her ex-husband had a fiancée, Claire. The woman he’d cheated on her with. The woman he’d chosen over her and their daughter.

Old news. She’d gotten over him and had grown stronger in her faith as a result.

She knew it was more likely Claire who was in danger. Maybe Claire had dragged Logan into something sketchy. Regardless, Logan was gone, leaving her little girl without a father. Faith knew she wouldn’t be able to rest until his killer was brought to justice. And she’d do anything to protect Jane from harm.

“Officer Johnson?” Zimmerman’s voice pulled her from her reverie. He’d finished with Pete and Kim, now it was her turn. “Are you willing to talk to me?”

It occurred to her that she could easily be a suspect. The aggrieved and divorced wife, seeking revenge. The only good news was that she’d been on duty when she heard the call over the radio about a stabbing victim named Logan Johnson. They’d found his wallet with his driver’s license but no cash. She’d come to the parkway directly from the NYC K-9 Command Unit headquarters.

“Of course. I have nothing to hide.” Faith glanced over to where Pete and his female counterpart stood waiting in the hallway. She tried to flash a reassuring smile.

The interview with Zimmerman was brief. Yes, she and Logan had been divorced for over a year. Yes, they shared custody of their four-year-old daughter, Jane. No, she didn’t stab him. She’d been at work when she’d received the call about her ex-husband’s injury. Yes, she’d come to the scene of the crime and had helped perform CPR.

It was her alibi that got her off the hook.

“I’d like my K-9 unit to help with the investigation,” she said when the detective finished.

“That’s not necessary,” Detective Zimmerman said. “This is my jurisdiction. I’ll handle it from here.”

The dismissive tone of his voice put her teeth on edge. She reined in her temper, glanced down at her K-9 partner and came up with a better plan. “Fine. But I hope you’ll give me updates on your progress.”

“Of course,” he said blithely.

She didn’t believe him, but she wasn’t going to sit back while this guy handled the case, either. When she was out of earshot from the detective, she called Noah Jameson, Chief of the K-9 Command Unit.

“Chief Jameson’s office.”

“This is Faith Johnson, I need to speak with Noah about a case I’d like some help with.”

“Just a moment please.” There was a pause, then Noah’s deep voice could be heard. “Faith? What’s going on?”

She swallowed nervously. She was the newest member of the K-9 unit and knew she might be stepping out of bounds with her request. “My ex-husband, Logan Johnson, was stabbed today and died from his wounds. The NYPD detective assigned to the case is Zimmerman, and he’s refused to include me in his investigation. I’m wondering if there’s a way to get cooperation between him and our K-9 unit so we can work the case together.”

“As this is your ex-husband, you can’t be assigned to the case,” Chief Jameson pointed out.

“Maybe Brianne could take it?” She quickly named her closest friend in the unit.

There was a slight pause, before the chief responded. “Okay, I’ll check her caseload.”

She sighed with relief. “Thank you, sir.” She ended the call, then quickly returned to the ambulance bay. She was surprised to find that Pete and Kim hadn’t left, apparently waiting for her. Pete smiled. “Hey, need a ride back to your car?”

“That would be great.” Faith appreciated that they’d waited. It would have been a long walk back through the snow to get her vehicle. Something she should have considered before jumping into the back of the ambulance with Ricci. But her focus had been on doing everything possible to save Logan’s life.

“I’ll drive,” Kim offered. “We’ll drop you before heading back. Our shift is almost over anyway.”

Faith walked behind Pete to the ambulance. He opened the doors for her. Ricci gracefully jumped inside first and she followed. When Pete joined them, the quarters seemed more cramped than they had on the way over.

“Friend, Ricci.” Faith put her hand on Pete’s arm. “Friend.”

Ricci sniffed at Pete for several long moments. Ricci was trained in search and rescue, and she trusted her partner’s instincts more than her own.

“He’s beautiful,” Pete said. “Mikey wants a dog in the worst way, but I’m not sure I can handle being a single father to a four-year-old and a puppy at the same time.”

She smiled ruefully. “I hear you. Ricci is well trained, and I still have trouble balancing his needs with Jane’s.”

Pete gazed into her eyes for a long moment until the ambulance took a turn, knocking them off balance. Faith told herself to get a grip and turned her attention to the crime scene they were approaching. Brianne would understand her desire to get a jump on the search for evidence.

She did a mental inventory of what she had in her K-9 SUV. Anything belonging to Logan?

No, but Jane’s spare backpack was in there. The one that they handed off between visits. Faith hadn’t touched it since she’d picked up Jane from Logan’s place the previous weekend.

It might work as a scent source for Ricci.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that it took a moment to realize the ambulance had stopped near her SUV. Pete opened the back doors, then jumped down and offered her a hand.

She placed her gloved hand in his, feeling silly since she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Ricci followed.

“Thanks.” Faith cleared her throat. “Guess I’ll see you around the day care.”

“Yeah.” Pete didn’t immediately leave, though. Instead he walked her to the SUV.

She opened the back passenger door, pulled out Jane’s pink backpack and held it out for Ricci. “Find, Ricci.”

“What are you doing?” Pete looked perplexed yet interested. “You’re not going to disturb the crime scene, are you?”

“No, of course not.” The uniforms who’d been called to investigate the report of an injured man on the parkway had placed crime tape around the area. “But I can search beyond it.”

“I guess.” Pete’s expression was doubtful.

“I don’t have to pick up Jane from day care until five, which gives me some time to investigate.”

Pete nodded. He didn’t seem anxious to get back to the ambulance, even when Kim gave the horn an impatient tap.

“Thanks for the ride.” Faith tucked the backpack inside her SUV, then turned to Ricci, who was sniffing around the vehicle. He alerted right near the spot where the crime scene was, then veered along the side of the road, heading east.

Excitement surged and she praised her partner for a job well done. This must be the way Logan had come before he’d been stabbed. Had the assailant been with him, or had he gone alone? And why had her ex-husband been out here anyway? There was no abandoned vehicle nearby, forcing her to assume someone had driven Logan here, then stabbed him, before taking off.

She pulled the flashlight off her utility belt and crouched down to examine the area, searching for blood.

Nothing. Which meant Logan must have walked this way prior to being stabbed.

Ricci moved forward. She abruptly stood to follow just as the sharp echo of gunfire rang out.

“Ricci!” Faith dived toward her K-9 partner, anxious to prevent him from being injured, all too conscious of the fact that her dark uniform would be glaringly obvious against the backdrop of white snow.

“Stop the ambulance!” Pete didn’t wait for Kim to respond but opened the back of the rig and jumped out. Since the vehicle had still been moving, he tripped, fell, but tucked and rolled, somersaulting to his feet. “Faith! Are you okay?”