by Laura Scott
“I guess I hadn’t thought of that,” Eva acknowledged, her slim shoulders slumping in defeat. Then she brightened. “Maybe we’ll be able to catch the vehicle make, model and license plate number from the video.”
Again he was impressed with her cop-like instincts. Most of the women he’d dated—of which there had been many, although no one serious—didn’t have a clue about what law enforcement really entailed. He looked up at the security cameras posted on the outside corners of the training center building. “Maybe, but it will depend on the camera range and the quality of the lens. It would be a huge break if we could get something from the tapes. How soon can I check it out?”
Eva shrugged, then winced, putting a hand on her injured shoulder. “As soon as Wade gets in.”
“Your boss?”
She nodded, her straight long blond hair shimmering in the sunlight. “Wade Yost is the director in charge of the guide dog training center. He reports to the owner.”
“Have you seen anyone lurking around over the past few days?” Finn asked. “The fact that this guy broke in through the back door, makes me think he cased the center before deciding to grab Cocoa.”
“No, I haven’t noticed anyone. Although maybe the security video will give us that information, too.”
“How far back do they go?”
She pursed her lips. “I’m not sure. Maybe a week or two? I know they run on loops.”
Two weeks wasn’t very long, but he’d take what he could get. “Do you think you’d recognize the guy if you saw him again?”
“I’m not sure.” Eva looked away, gazing off into the distance. “Maybe.”
Her tone lacked conviction, but he wasn’t deterred. “Tell you what. How about you work with a sketch artist to give us an idea of what this guy might look like? Witnesses are always surprised at how much they remember.”
“I don’t know,” she hedged. “I don’t think it will help. I honestly didn’t get a good look at his face.” Her lack of enthusiasm toward working with the sketch artist bothered him. Where was the woman who had insisted on coming with him to find Cocoa?
“Give it a try,” he persisted. “It can’t hurt.”
There was a long pause before she gave a curt nod. “Okay. But please don’t pin all your hopes on the sketch. The keys I used to scratch him with will likely help more than the brief glimpse I got of him.”
“DNA takes time, and if this guy isn’t already in the system, having it won’t help until we get a suspect to use as a potential match. The sketch is a better place to start.”
“Okay.”
He held the door of the training center open for her, wondering once again why Cocoa had been targeted. The pup was only ten weeks old—what was the point of stealing him? Especially since there were other, more valuable dogs in the kennel?
Did someone have a grudge against the training center? Had the pup been taken as a way to ruin their reputation? He made a mental note to ask Wade Yost for a list of employees who had been fired in the past year.
Finn waited fifteen minutes before Wade showed up. The director was roughly five feet eight inches tall with a husky build. He had dirty-blond hair and nondescript features.
“Eva? What happened? How did you let Cocoa get away?” Yost demanded.
“I tried my best to prevent it,” Eva said. “I’m sorry.”
“The man attacked her,” Finn said, speaking up on her behalf. He shot the director of the training facility a narrow glare. “She’s fortunate she wasn’t seriously injured or killed.”
“Yes, of course,” Yost said, backpedaling. “Eva, I’m so sorry you were hurt. Do you want to take the rest of the day off?”
Finn glanced at her and she rubbed a hand over her shoulder.
“Maybe. But first Officer Gallagher wants to see the security video.”
“Yes, I do,” Finn said. “And you don’t seem to have a security system, correct?”
“With all the dogs in here, didn’t think I’d need one.” Wade Yost led the way to his office and the computer screens he had sitting on a table in the corner. The director went over and pulled up the video feed, going back a few hours. There was no sound from the video, and a heavy silence fell among them as they watched.
Finn rested his hand on Abernathy’s silky head. He saw Eva entering the guide dog training facility through the front door. The cameras were only on the outside of the building, not on the inside. They waited, watching various cars driving by on the street, as the timer clicked through. Nine minutes later, the door abruptly swung open and a man dressed in black rushed out. The guy instantly turned left, the same way Abernathy had tracked him, then disappeared from view. The man’s face was averted, a ball cap pulled low on his forehead as if he’d known exactly where the camera was located.
“Do you have another camera?” Finn asked. “Something pointing down the street?”
“Afraid not,” Yost said. “The other camera points to the parking lot in the back of the building.”
“That might show him breaking in,” Eva pointed out.
Yost went to work pulling up that security feed. As Finn watched, he could see a tall man wearing black from head to toe, along with the baseball hat pulled over his brow, coming out from behind a dumpster. He again kept his head down as he made his way to the back door. Using the tire iron, he opened it up and disappeared inside. Once again, the angle of the camera made it impossible to see his face beneath the rim of the cap.
Finn blew out a frustrated breath. “I want copies of the video going as far back as you have it.”
“Should be about a week’s worth,” Yost said. “Maybe eight days at the max.”
Great, that was just great. The video they had wasn’t helpful, and Eva hadn’t got a good look at the guy. He’d still have Eva work with a sketch artist, but at this point they had very few clues.
Finn turned toward Eva’s boss. “Tell me, do you have a list of employees who were let go in the past twelve months?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” Yost looked uncomfortable as he glanced at Eva, then back at Finn. “I’ll, um, get that for you.”
Yost rummaged around in his desk drawer, then pulled out a sheet of paper. He glanced again at Eva before handing it over. “You’ll, uh, keep that confidential, won’t you?” he asked.
“Of course.” Finn didn’t understand why the guy was so uncomfortable until he scanned the list, his gaze stumbling across a familiar name.
Malina Kendall-Stallings.
Eva’s older sister.
TWO
Eva could feel Finn’s intense gaze boring into her and desperately wished she could see him more clearly. Unfortunately, he was standing with his back to the large window overlooking the street, and the light coming in behind him cast a shadow over his face.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, finally breaking the strained silence.
“No, of course not.” Carefully, Finn folded the paper her boss had given him and tucked it into his pocket. “Wade, do you mind if I take Eva down to the station with me? I’d like her to work with a sketch artist. We need all the help we can get identifying this assailant in order to get Cocoa back.”
“That’s fine,” Wade agreed. “Eva, why don’t you take the rest of the day off? You were planning to leave early anyway, right?”
“Yes, I was.” Normally working with the animals relaxed her, but since her brother-in-law, Pete Stallings, had just left town to attend a conference, she needed to pick up her three-year-old nephew, Mikey, from his preschool program. Spending extra time with him would be nice. The poor little boy was struggling after his mother’s death just three weeks ago.
She picked up her purse from the counter, wishing there was a way to get out of going with Finn. She really didn’t want to work with the police sketch artist, knowing that what little she’d been able to see of th
e man wasn’t enough to recreate a good likeness. Yet she wasn’t about to reveal her degenerative eyesight issues to Finn Gallagher, either. She knew only too well that men treated her differently once they discovered the truth. Sure, her ex-fiancé, Rafe Del Rosa, had denied breaking off their relationship because of her diagnosis, but she knew the truth.
Rafe was an artist and the ability to see was very important to him. The fact that one day she wouldn’t be able to see or appreciate his work had bothered him. Considering they’d met at one of his art exhibits, she could somewhat understand.
Despite what she’d heard on the rare times her parents had taken them to church, love did not conquer all.
Losing Rafe, her sister, Malina, and all too soon her vision had been three life-changing events too many. She’d turned away from the church, unable to believe that all of this adversity was part of God’s plan.
There was no plan. Wasn’t she living proof of that?
“Eva? Are you ready to go? Joey, our sketch artist, will meet us there.”
She realized Finn and his yellow Lab, Abernathy, were hovering near the main entrance, waiting for her. She shook off her depressing thoughts and moved toward him.
She wasn’t blind yet. She cleared her throat. “How far away is the K-9 headquarters?”
“In Jackson Heights. Don’t worry, I can drive you home afterward.” Finn held the door open, and in the bright sunlight she was able to see him more clearly. Earlier, she’d been too worried about Cocoa to notice, but now she could see just how broad Finn’s shoulders were and how handsome he was. His dark brown hair was longer than most cops she knew generally wore it, a lock falling over his forehead and his green eyes were incredible. There was a tiny part of her that wanted to take the time to memorize his features so she could picture him in her mind’s eye forever, but she gave herself a mental shake.
A relationship was out of the question. In a few years she’d be deemed legally blind. Her diagnosis was such that her field of vision would narrow over the next few years, until she could only see through a small circle. She’d already accepted the fact that she’d spend the rest of her life alone. At least she had her nephew, Mikey, to help care for. And the dogs she trained were also important to her.
She didn’t need anyone else.
“Where do you live?” Finn asked.
“Not far. I don’t need a ride home, but maybe you could bring me back here to the training center. I live a short subway ride away.”
“We’ll see,” Finn said, his tone noncommittal. She sensed he wasn’t the type to take no for an answer, but she didn’t need his help.
Remaining independent was very important to her. No way was she going to start leaning on a man now. The more she took the same route to and from work, the better she’d be able to navigate once her eyesight vanished for good. Granted, she’d have a guide dog of her own by then, but still it was important to establish a routine so she could continue to work. Who better to train guide dogs than a blind woman?
Finn opened the back of the police SUV so Abernathy could get into the back. Then he came around and opened the passenger-side door for her.
“Thanks,” she said, sliding inside.
“Not a problem.” Finn closed the door behind her, and instantly she became aware of the musky scent of his aftershave, which seemed to permeate the interior of the vehicle.
“You mentioned your sister passed away three weeks ago. What happened?”
The change of subject was odd, but she sensed he was making small talk. “Malina was hit by a car and killed on impact. It’s been a difficult time for all of us—her husband, Pete, and their little boy, Mikey.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Finn paused, then asked, “Did your sister have a job?”
“She worked with me at the training center for a while as the receptionist slash part-time bookkeeper, but then decided it was too hard to juggle her responsibilities there while caring for her son.” Eva didn’t add that Malina suffered from the same disorder she did, retinitis pigmentosa. Her sister was three years her senior and in the months before her death, Malina’s eyesight had begun to rapidly deteriorate.
“I see. And how old is Mikey?”
“Three and a half.” She glanced over at Finn, sensing there was more to these questions than mere curiosity. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason.” Finn grinned and, ironically, the softening of his features made him all the more appealing. “Sorry I was playing twenty questions. As a cop, it’s my nature to be nosy.”
“Occupational hazard, huh?”
“Yep.” Finn expertly navigated the busy Queens traffic as he drove to the K-9 headquarters. Eva paid attention to the streets they passed to familiarize herself with the area.
“I really appreciate you taking the time to do this, Eva.”
She did her best to smile, hoping it didn’t look too forced. “I want to find the man who took Cocoa as much as anyone.”
“How’s the cheek?”
“I’ll live.” Truth was, her face was tender and sore to the touch, but not bad enough that she needed medical care.
Finn drove until he found a parking spot in the tiny lot adjacent to the building. She climbed out of the white SUV while he released Abernathy from the back. With Abernathy between them, she followed him through the double glass doors that led into the main lobby area. Finn punched in the code that allowed them access so they could go inside.
A woman in uniform sat behind a large U-shaped desk wearing a headset. She appeared calm despite the never-ending ringing of the phone.
Finn waved at the officer, who handed a visitor badge to him while still talking on the phone. He clipped it to Eva’s collar, then led the way inside. The interior of the police station smelled like old coffee, animal hair and the faint odor of gun oil. There were cubicles separating the desks, but she could still hear cops talking at the same time, some on the phone, some to each other. The din made it difficult to hear specific conversations, and the entire place seemed to be one of perpetual chaos.
“Is Joey Calderone around?” Finn asked the officer closest to him. “He’s supposed to meet us here.”
“I’m here.” A man about her age came over. He also had a visitor badge clipped to his collar. “What’s going on?”
“Joey, this is Eva Kendall, and she saw the man who dognapped one of Stella’s puppies.”
Joey, a man who was as short as he was wide, looked horrified. “That’s awful. Why would anyone steal a puppy?”
“No clue, but I intend to ask when I find him.” Finn’s jovial tone held an underlying note of steel. “Have a seat, Eva. Joey is a master at getting sketches done from witnesses just like you. This shouldn’t take too long.”
Eva sat down in the uncomfortable plastic chair, thinking that Joey hadn’t ever had to work with someone with such limited vision as hers. Still, she was determined to give this her best shot.
The questions started out easy, the shape of his face, his build. Eva relaxed as the drawing materialized in front of her. But when it came down to identifying details like the shape of his eyes, his nose and his mouth, helplessness washed over her.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t remember.” She sensed Joey’s frustration, but he kept his tone light and easy.
“It’s okay. Just close your eyes for a moment, see if anything comes back to you.”
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to remember the brief flashes she’d got of the attacker’s face. After several long moments, she opened her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “But other than a unibrow over his eyes and the five-o’clock shadow, I can’t tell you anything more specific.”
“That’s okay. It’s better to have something than nothing,” Joey assured her. He put a few finishing touches on the drawing, but even she could tell the face lacked depth.
It could hav
e been anyone. Even Joey.
“How does it look?” Finn and Abernathy crossed over to see the portrait. She imagined Finn was disappointed, but he didn’t say anything. “Thanks, Joey.” He took the drawing and handed it to another officer. “Calvin, I need you to spread this sketch around to the rest of the precincts, so all cops can keep an eye out for him. He’s the one who stole one of Stella’s puppies.”
Calvin looked surprised at the directive, but then nodded. “Yeah, sure. I can do that.”
Eva knew when she was being patronized and couldn’t prevent a flash of anger. She jumped up from the plastic chair, grabbed her purse off the back and threw it over her shoulder. “I told you this wouldn’t work. I told you I didn’t get a good look at him. It wasn’t well lit inside the building and everything happened so fast.”
“It’s okay,” Finn began, but she’d had enough.
She turned quickly and made her way through the various desks of the precinct toward the door.
It wasn’t until she was outside and walking away from the police station that she realized she was more upset with herself than with Finn Gallagher. She should have tried harder to get a good look at the guy. She knew the limitations of her vision but hadn’t attempted to compensate for it.
Instead of trying to stop the big hulk of a man with nothing more than her keys, she should have studied his features, memorizing them for future reference.
Her shoulders slumped with defeat. It would be her fault if Cocoa was lost forever.
* * *
Finn was flabbergasted by Eva’s abrupt departure. What had he said to set her off like that? He couldn’t imagine. He knew civilians didn’t have the same observation skills that were drilled into new recruits during their training at the academy. Having her come work with the sketch artist had been a long shot, but he’d felt it was worth it.
He hadn’t expected her to become so angry and upset.
“Wow, you must be losing your touch,” Joey said dryly. “What happened to the infamous Gallagher charm?”