Valerie Hansen - Bound By Duty

“Why not? You sure visited him plenty.”

“That’s different. Boyd’s all the family I have left since Dad died. I suppose I should have stayed away, but I kept hoping he was worth redeeming.”

“By you?” She heard him huff.

“No. By God and Jesus,” Zoe said, and this time there was new gentleness in her speech.

“Some people aren’t worth it,” Colson countered drily.

“I disagree. Everybody should have the chance to reform, no matter what they’ve done.” Her heart clenched. Too bad it was too late to help Freddy’s daddy.

That all-encompassing statement apparently convinced the cop to turn away and once again use his radio. “Give me Captain Blackwood,” he said. After a short pause he followed with, “Linc Colson here, sir. I’m at warehouse W-16 behind the BX. Sullivan insists she saw a crime committed and is requesting a tech team. Do you want me to stay here until you give me further orders or shall I relinquish the scene?”

Zoe couldn’t hear the reply because the sergeant was wearing an earpiece, but judging by his grim look, he wasn’t happy with the captain’s decision. She waited expectantly for him to end the call and explain.

“They’re coming,” he grumbled. “You win. This time.”

“I’m not trying to win anything,” she insisted. “I just don’t want a criminal to get away with murder.”

“Right.”

Zoe could have brought up the sacrifice of personal happiness she’d made when she’d turned in her former husband, John, for possible espionage, a transgression, which may have been responsible for his untimely death, but since those records were sealed, she figured it would be best to keep that part of her past to herself. Her rotten brother was plenty for now. Between relatives she couldn’t help knowing and choosing the wrong man to marry, her record of discernment was pitiful.

She decided to try changing the subject. “So, Linc is what the L on your name tag stands for? Is that short for Lincoln?”

“Not anymore. It’s just Linc now.”

“Why?”

“Because I got tired of being called Abe. Nicknames are bad enough in the air force. They were lots worse when I was a kid.”

She had to smile at him. “Gotcha. Boyd liked to call me Baby Sister, and the kids in the neighborhood and at school picked it up. Thankfully, it didn’t follow me into the air force, even if my brother did.”

“You got off easy when he washed out.” He gestured to some cardboard cartons piled near the open bay doors. “We might as well sit down.”

“Your dog is tired, right?”

One corner of his mouth twitched for a moment as if a smile was trying to get out before he regained control and answered, “Right. My partner is.”

“Sorry.” Zoe led the way to the stack and tested it to make sure the carton was strong enough to support her before sitting. “I had forgotten you guys considered your K-9s partners.”

Linc took a seat with Star between them. “We’re classified as teammates. She’s an MWD, Military Working Dog, and I’m her handler.”

Zoe gazed down. “She’s beautiful.”

“And intelligent and trained to be lethal if necessary,” Linc cautioned.

“I don’t doubt that for a second.” Meeting Star’s upturned face with a tender look of her own, Zoe dangled the tips of her fingers over the edge of the box. The dog noticed but didn’t seem upset, so she took a chance and wiggled them.

Star had apparently realized she wasn’t a danger, because she sniffed Zoe’s fingers, then gave them a quick lick.

Zoe giggled. Linc did not. “It’s a good thing for you that Star has been socialized more than some of our other dogs or she’d never put up with that. What are you trying to do, recruit her over to the dark side?”

That opinion deserved a hearty laugh. “Not at all. Actually, I’m very impressed with Star. She’s a lot smarter than you Security Forces people are. She’s already decided I’m one of the good guys around here.”

“Then it’s a good thing she’s not the one in charge.”

* * *

Linc was not pleased by Zoe’s conclusion, but he had to give her credit for having a kind enough heart to make an emotional connection with the dog, despite the fact that such interactions were usually unsuccessful. Nevertheless, that didn’t prove her innocence. She’d already admitted having a soft spot where Boyd was concerned. She could have helped him sneak on and off the base at the very least, although Linc couldn’t imagine why she would, particularly since she seemed worried about the safety of her little boy.

Truth to tell, Zoe may not have had anything to do with an actual crime or with Boyd’s latest victims, other than the fact that they were all connected to Canyon. Two dog trainers, a basic training instructor and a base cook had all died during the previous month and warning notes had been delivered to other potential targets. The trainers and one other, Chief Master Sergeant Clinton Lockwood, were found with red roses the way past victims had been. Boyd could have done all that himself and probably had, particularly if he was actually inside the base’s perimeter fence as they suspected.

Which brought Linc’s musings back to Zoe Sullivan. She might have helped her half brother gain access if she thought she was doing the right thing and could handle him. There was certainly a stronger possibility for her to have given assistance than there was for any of Boyd’s former cronies who were still serving at CAFB to do so. They might have supported his illegal activities when he was still enlisted, but those who had stayed on after his discharge and had advanced in rank now had promising careers to consider.

Linc’s pondering was interrupted by the arrival of Captain Justin Blackwood, accompanied by a lone evidence technician and base photographer, Staff Sergeant Felicity James. Linc snapped to attention, as did Zoe. Blackwood returned the salute. “As you were.”

“I didn’t mean for you to bother about this personally, Captain,” Linc told the captain.

“I wanted to see the scene for myself.” Blackwood was eyeing Zoe as if he expected her to say or do something odd. “Show me what you found.”

“It’s more what we didn’t find.” Linc stepped forward with Star, angling so he could also keep an eye on Zoe. “Sergeant Sullivan said the shooting happened here. She insists there must be evidence.”

When he pointed at the base of the door, she spoke up. “I was in the back of the building, sir. I couldn’t tell exactly how close to the opening the two people were standing, but I could judge left and right. I put the shooting victim a foot left of center with the shooter to the right of that. Any blood spray patterns should be near the bottom edge of the door.”

The Captain looked to the tech, who was opening a forensics test kit. “Okay. Colson will run the door up a few feet so you can check the cement apron, too, and Sergeant James can snap a few pictures for the record.”

Complying, Linc wished he had thought of that. Normally, he would have, but he had been so sure the Sullivan woman had fabricated her story he’d been lax. That wasn’t good, nor was it fair if she was telling the truth.

Which she isn’t , he assured himself. He wasn’t sure exactly what her motives were. He didn’t have to know. All he was supposed to do was follow her in case her murderous brother tried to make contact.

That was a task he relished. Capturing an escaped serial killer was worth working overtime and putting up with a clever woman’s tricks. In a way, it was too bad that Sergeant Sullivan was using her superior intelligence and quick mind to thwart the law. Given different circumstances, he would have admired her.