Lynette Eason - Explosive Force

“ If it’s true? Really?” She sighed. “I’ll be fine, Nick. Good night.”

A scuff of a foot just ahead and around the side of her house stopped her.

Nick turned toward the noise. “What was that?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Probably nothing.” Maybe. Without thinking, she slipped her hand into his.

He squeezed her fingers, then released them. “Stay behind me.”

Not quite ready to argue with him, she followed his order as he and Annie led the way. They walked down the sidewalk in front of Heidi’s home and were almost to the end of the small property when she saw the shadow skirting around the side of her house. “Hey! Can I help you?” she called.

The shadow took off.

Nick and Annie followed. The fleeing person wove in and out, between the houses, down alleys. Heidi fell back slightly as she realized there was no way she could keep up with Nick’s long stride.

She didn’t realize he’d stopped until she was almost next to him. Nick had the guy close to being boxed in a corner with no escape. There were buildings on either side of him and an open parking lot too far away from him to flee. He must have realized it the same time she did.

Because he spun and lifted his arm.

“He’s got a gun!”

The words were barely out of her mouth before something heavy slammed into her, and she hit the pavement.

TWO

Nick rolled off Heidi and leaped to his feet. He placed himself in front of her as he faced the armed man, disgusted that he’d had no time to pull his own gun—and it was too late to do so now with their attacker’s finger on the trigger. “Drop the weapon,” Nick ordered.

“Not a chance.” The low voice trembled, but Nick couldn’t tell if it was from fear or sheer determination not to be caught. The low ball cap and hoodie kept the man’s features well hidden. “I’m getting out of here. And if you set that dog on me, she’ll take the first bullet. Understand?” He slid sideways, toward the street.

“What are you doing here?” Heidi asked. “Did you blow up the training center?”

But the man wasn’t interested in answering, just escaping past Nick. And as long as the man held a gun on him and Heidi, Nick wasn’t moving. Also, with the threat against Annie, it was clear the man knew how dogs and their handlers worked. Nick wouldn’t knowingly send Annie after him only to have the guy keep good on his threat to shoot her.

Two more steps brought the man to the edge of Heidi’s house. He darted past Nick and Annie, his feet pounding on the sidewalk as he headed toward the parking lot. Nick pulled Heidi to her feet. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I think that’s the same guy I saw run from the training center. I couldn’t see his face thanks to the hat and hoodie, but it looks like the same one my guy was wearing.”

“Stay here. I’m going after him.” He left Heidi as he turned and took up the chase once more. He followed on the man’s heels. They would soon be at the fence on the other side of the lot and the guy would have nowhere to go.

But he was also armed.

Nick reported his whereabouts into the radio on his shoulder, requesting backup as he pounded the asphalt in pursuit. Heidi stayed behind him, yelling details to the Military Police dispatch.

Was this guy the bomber? Had he been hanging around to watch the chaos his explosion had caused? To gloat? Or was this someone else altogether?

Determined to catch him, Nick pushed himself harder. Annie stayed right with him, lunging at the end of the leash.

The guy disappeared around the building that backed up to the fence.

Nick followed, rounded the building...

And the guy was gone.

Nick skidded to a stop, slightly winded, but he would have gone a little farther if he could have seen who he was chasing. A piece of cloth on a bush caught his attention. He noted it, his eyes darting, looking for any sign someone might have a gun trained on him, while chills danced up his spine.

Footsteps sounded behind him. He whirled, weapon ready. Only to come face-to-face with Heidi. She flinched and he lowered his gun. “Sorry.” Nick spun back to the area where he’d lost the suspect. Annie whined and shifted. “What is it, girl?”

Annie looked up at him, her soft, sad eyes asking permission. He glanced at Heidi. “Keep your eyes and ears open, will you? Let me know if anything catches your attention.”

She nodded.

Nick slipped his weapon back into the holster and pulled a pair of gloves from the bag on his shoulder. He snapped them on, then reached for the piece of cloth and studied it. Had this been snagged recently? Or had it been there awhile? It didn’t look like it had weathered much. He held it out to the dog. “Annie, seek.” She sniffed, lowered her nose to the ground, then lifted it to check the air.

“She can track, too?” Heidi asked.

“Sure. It’s the same concept, and she’s a smart dog. You can hardly train a bloodhound to sit, but tracking is so natural for them, the only training needed is for the handler.” A slight exaggeration, but not much. He followed the dog cautiously while he spoke, scanning the area. His radio alerted him to backup closing in behind them and on both sides. The base had been shut down and security was tight. There was no way anyone would be able to get off or on the base for now.

But if whoever had been loitering around Heidi’s house lived on the base, Annie would find him.

Annie padded her way to the fence at the far side of the parking lot and sat, looking back over her shoulder at him.

Nick squatted next to the animal and eyed the heavy-duty chain-link fence. “It’s been cut.” He sighed in disgust at the large opening. “This was his way out. He came prepared. He knew exactly where he was going.”

“But where was he hiding? You checked my house.”

“I’m guessing he jumped the fence into your backyard when he heard me coming. Once Annie and I left, he simply hauled himself back over.”

“My backyard? Nice.” She grimaced. “But why would he wait so long to leave the base after setting off the explosion?” she asked. “He should have been long gone by now. Why would he be so stupid as to hang around and take a chance on being caught?”

He glanced at her and shook his head. He had his theories on that, but would keep them to himself for the moment.

“You said he knew his way around the base,” she said. “That he was familiar with it. I would agree with that. So, why go this way? Why not simply run back to his home?”

“I said he was familiar with it. Doesn’t mean he lives on it.”

“True.”

“Plus think about it...”

“What?” she asked.

“The dogs.”

She raised a brow. “Of course. The base is full of them. He figured a dog like Annie could track him. If he left through the fence and had a car waiting...”

“Exactly. There might be some security footage, but since he kept his face covered, that won’t help much.”

“He took his mask off right before he turned and spotted me,” Heidi said. “But even with the hoodie covering part of his features, I’d still be able to pick him out of a lineup. The guy you just chased? I don’t know.” She sighed. “Think your forensic people could find some prints or something?”

“On what?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. The fence maybe?”

“He had on gloves, I think.” He tucked the piece of cloth into an evidence bag. “They’ll try, but I’m not holding my breath.” He stood.

His frown deepened and he remembered whom he was talking to. “This better not show up on the front page tomorrow.”

Heidi stiffened and her lips turned down. “It’s a story, Nick.”

“And we don’t have the facts yet so don’t go printing that we chased the bomber. We don’t know who we chased.”