Elizabeth Goddard - Thread Of Revenge

Inside the vehicle, he called his SAC at the regional headquarters in Seattle as he maneuvered over to the hospital doors where Sadie and her aunt would soon exit.

“Jim, glad I caught you.”

“You’re just the man I was about to call.”

“Oh?”

“Both CGIS special agent Thompkins and the sheriff’s department investigated Karon Casings’s death. You likely already know that nothing led them to conclude her death had been foul play or that the Coast Guard had any jurisdiction, even if it had been. I’m reopening the investigation into Karon’s death.” Jim hesitated, then said, “Gage, I need fresh eyes on this. With what you’ve told me about Sadie Strand, if you dig into who put her on that boat to die, you might find a link to Karon’s death and to your drug runners. You and Thompkins can work it from different angles.”

“I agree, sir. It has to be related.” Gage thought he heard something more in Jim’s words—some emotion he couldn’t quite pin down. Suspicion? “What if Karon and Sean had been on a boat? Maybe they ran into trouble out there. Sean was held against his will then shot and killed later so they washed up on shore at separate times.” How did all of this play into Sadie’s abduction and attempted murder?

“It’s your job to figure it out. And Gage...”

“Yes, sir?”

“We need to wrap this up quickly. I don’t want another Coastie washing up onto the beach.” Anger infused Jim’s tone, but Gage knew it wasn’t directed at him.

He ended the call, pleased on the one hand that he could stay close to Sadie, keep an eye out, as he investigated. But there was a downside to that—he’d have to stay close to Sadie.

When he pulled around the circular hospital drive for pickup and drop-off, Sadie was just being wheeled out the door, her aunt Debby plodding faithfully behind her. He hopped out and went around to open the door for her.

“What are you doing, Gage?” Debby asked. “I can take her home.”

He assisted Sadie up into his SUV, soaking in her smile.

“But we’re not going home, are we, Special Agent Sessions?” Her blue eyes shimmered with expectation.

And her smile engaged his heart a little too much so he looked back at her aunt. “Debby, if it’s all right with you, Sadie and I have somewhere to go. But I’ll take you over to your car so you don’t have to walk.”

“Nonsense. I can walk. I need the exercise. And for pity’s sake, the girl just got out of the hospital.” Her aunt appeared nonplussed, but her eyes twinkled as though she was glad something was going on between them. And Gage wished he hadn’t noticed that. Because he wasn’t taking Sadie out for a date. Nothing was going on between them.

“He’s taking me over to Karon’s vacation house, Aunt Debby.” Sadie leaned out the door and kissed her aunt on the forehead. “Don’t worry. I’ll be home for dinner.”

She was right about their destination, but what on earth had given her the idea he was taking her to Karon’s vacation house? Did she really know him that well? Or was it just the next logical step in the investigation?

Her aunt shook her head and walked off, mumbling to herself, though she had a teasing tone. “Kids these days.”

Gage climbed into the driver’s side. After she settled into the passenger seat, Sadie tilted her head toward him.

“I didn’t tell you I was assigned the investigation yet,” he said. “It’s awfully presumptuous for you to think I was, and then to include yourself in it, which isn’t how I normally work.” Still, he couldn’t help but grin at her. “So how did you know?”

“What, that we’re going back to the last place Karon had been? The last place I was before the boat?”

He nodded and shifted the SUV into gear. He’d follow Debby to her car and see that she got in and drove off. Then he’d call Crowley to let him know in case the man wanted to meet them there. He hoped they had already put crime scene tape up again since Sadie had been abducted from that location. Gage would officially be investigating Karon’s murder. And yes, he’d refer to it as a homicide now even if Crowley objected.

Sadie glanced his way, and he felt the tug of her gaze. He idled in the parking lot while Aunt Debby climbed into her midsize sedan.

“Because I can show you what the other guys missed and you know that,” Sadie said. “And I figure that you’re a hero, Gage, and there’s a killer still out there. That’s a ticking time bomb waiting to go off and I’m at the center of that explosion once he learns I survived. Now what are you going to do about it?”

FOUR

A ticking time bomb. Man, she had a way with words—a way to put the situation into a whole new perspective as if it were only a matter of time before the killer got his hands on her again and would finish the job. Gage already believed she was in danger. Her words had a profound effect on him, causing fear to cinch his throat.

“What am I going to do about it? Glad you asked. I have every intention of finding the person responsible.” And of protecting you, while I’m at it, Sadie Strand.

“So you’re the one who is going to investigate?” Her tone held a measure of hope.

That shouldn’t make him happy, but it did.

Sadie’s aunt safely in her car, Gage steered his vehicle out of the hospital parking lot. “Yes. I talked to my SAC. I’ve been assigned to investigate. Though Karon’s death was initially ruled an accident, there’s been another incident in addition to your attempted murder.” He’d alluded to it earlier but hadn’t told Sadie about Sean yet.

“And what’s that?”

“Listen, Sadie, let’s make one thing clear. I’m taking you to where you were abducted so that it will possibly trigger your memory. Whatever you tell me will help me to find Karon’s killer and your abductor all in one, but other than that, you’re not investigating with me. Understand?”

“Oh, really? You need me, special agent man. I know things that can help you, like you just said. For instance, I brought up the wiped computer hard drive and we’re going to check on that now and see if we can find anything else.”

“We won’t touch the computer if it’s there. I’ll have to call in a computer tech if we want anything found to be used in a criminal case. The fact that you already touched it could ruin that for us, but we’ll take this one step at a time. For my part, I’m only interested in what we can find as it ties to Karon’s duties as a Coast Guard reservist or to the maritime drug smuggling ring I’m investigating.”

“I don’t understand. Aren’t you trying to find who killed her?”

Yes and no. How did he explain?

“I’m investigating her murder as it pertains to the ring. Finding whoever left you out there could lead me to those involved. Was Karon murdered by the drug runners? Those who are involved in the ring? Or was she involved with them somehow?”

“What? No way!”

“Those were just sample questions. Was she associated with anyone possibly connected to the drug runners and maritime smuggling ring?” Yes, with Sean, depending on how he tied into it. Thompkins was looking into that.

“I don’t know of anyone.”

“What else can I learn about her murder that will lead me to the smugglers who will either be arrested for her murder or for drug running, or both? That’s why I will work with the sheriff’s department and other law enforcement entities as necessary. My goal is to determine if charges can be brought under the laws the Coast Guard enforces.”

Sadie appeared to slump as if disappointed. He touched her arm. “You should know something. If my SAC hadn’t assigned me, I would have pushed for it.” Now, why did he think she had needed to know that?