Scene of the Crime

by Sharon Dunn

  “I’m glad I can be here with you. I have to work a long shift tomorrow,” Jackson said. “I can see if one of the other K-9 officers has the day off.” As a colleague, Darcy and her safety were important to the entire team.

  “I’m hoping the lab will be open.” She pulled her phone out. Harlan had left her a happy face emoticon. “Looks we’re cleared to go back to work.” A look of concern clouded Jackson’s features. “I should be safe in the lab. I won’t stay late or work alone.”

  “We can arrange for a police escort for you to and from work. At the very least, we’ll have a patrol car go past your place and an officer go through the lab. Make sure there is no one suspicious hanging around.”

  A knot formed at the back of Darcy’s neck. This was her reality; she had to accept it. It occurred to her that the officer she most wanted to escort her was sitting at the table with her. “Thanks for doing that. Maybe it will work out with the hours of your shift that you could escort me at least one way.”

  “I hope it works out that way, too. Smokey and I start at seven and get off at five.”

  The glow of affection she saw in Jackson’s eyes made her heart flutter. “I can go early to the lab. We can just leave from here in the morning.”

  They finished their meal and cleaned up.

  “I’m going to have to walk Brooke,” Jackson said. “I’ll leave Smokey here for protection and walk him separate.”

  “I know the drill. I’ll lock the door behind you and not open it until I hear your knock.”

  “I’ll knock five times. Three fast and two slow.” He cupped his hand on her shoulder as he faced her. “That way you’ll know it’s me.” He winked at her, which seemed to be his signature move and a way of telling her not to worry. “I’ll press the entry code, but the knock will confirm that it’s me. This woman is clever. We shouldn’t assume she wouldn’t be able to figure out the entry code or know how to bypass it.”

  Jackson called Brooke and hooked the leash on her. Darcy followed them out to the entryway. Once the door closed behind Jackson, she locked it electronically.

  She stepped away from the door and returned to the room with the puppies. Her stomach clenched as she collapsed into the rocking chair. She knew the fear would not go away until Jackson returned.

  EIGHT

  Jackson walked Brooke around the neighborhood. The person he’d seen in the hoodie leaning against the pole was no longer around. He circled the entire block, looking for anyone suspicious. There was a car parked at the curb with a woman sitting behind the wheel looking at her phone. She was wearing a hat, so he couldn’t see her hair color. Nothing alarming about someone parked looking at their phone, but he couldn’t take any chances. He made a mental note to come back this way to see if she was still around.

  He and Brooke headed toward a pocket park. Though he was anxious to get back to Darcy, time with Brooke was always pleasant. She had potential as a K-9. It had taken some doing for the K-9 team to rescue her and the puppies, and the entire team was rallying for Brooke to become part of the unit. Her pups, too, upon time and assessment.

  Brooke sniffed around some plants.

  A man sitting on a bench, who was probably homeless, judging from his appearance, lifted his head and smiled when he saw Brooke.

  “Hey, Rory. How you been girl?”

  Brooke wagged her tail and pulled on the leash to get closer to the man, who reached out to pet her.

  Jackson froze, feeling a tightening around his middle. “You know this dog?”

  The man rubbed Brooke’s head. “Sure, I seen this dog before. A while back, a tall guy with reddish hair kept trying to lure her out from where she was hiding. The dog got scared and ran away. He called her name over and over—Rory.” The man leaned closer to the dog’s head. “Good to see you again, girl.”

  A month ago, a man named Joel Carey had come into headquarters claiming that Brooke was named Rory and that the dog and pups were his. The man had seemed cagey and the team had brushed his claim off, gathering that he only wanted to sell Brooke and her pups. Brooke’s rescue had been in the news. If Joel had been looking for Brooke, why hadn’t there been posters put up? He hadn’t come back, either, to demand the return of his dog, but maybe he was waiting for the unit to get back to him about the claim.

  But now, seeing that Brooke was responsive to the name the man had used, caused Jackson to wonder if Joel, as unlikable as he was, had been telling the truth. Jackson walked back to the training center with a heavy heart. He didn’t like the idea of having to give Brooke and her pups up.

  The woman who had been sitting in her car looking at her phone was no longer around. A good sign, he supposed. He was still trying to process what the news that Brooke was Rory meant. He’d grown attached to the dog. He’d have to tell Gavin when he got on shift tomorrow. He turned the corner and knocked on the door of the training center.

  He was glad to see Darcy’s bright expression when she opened the door. He explained to her why he was upset.

  “That would be a blow to the whole team if they had to turn Brooke and her brood over to that man,” she said. “Especially Maverick. It sounds like this guy Joel is kind of a jerk.”

  They sat together and talked for a while longer before Jackson took Smokey out for his last walk of the night. The rest of the night was uneventful with each of them taking shifts to check on Maverick and to sleep. Gina had set up a cot in a back room since she was living full-time at the training center for the time being.

  They arose early in the morning and cleaned up. Once Gina arrived, Jackson drove Darcy across Brooklyn to the lab. A lightness had come into her demeanor that he hadn’t seen since the first attack at the lab. “I’m so glad to be getting back to work. I’m really far behind, and I have to do some prep for Reuben Bray’s trial.”

  He pulled into the parking lot adjacent to the lab and pressed the brakes. “I’m sure it does feel good to get back to doing what you love.” Already, Jackson felt a tight knot form in his stomach. He didn’t want to leave her. “I’ll wait until you are inside before I pull out of the lot.”

  She unclicked her seat belt and then looked at him. “Thank you, Jackson, for everything. I know it wasn’t the best of circumstances, but last night, taking care of Maverick and everything... I enjoyed our time together.”

  “Me, too.” He felt his cheeks heating up like he was some junior high kid and a girl had just told him she liked him. “I’ll see you when I get off shift. If I get caught up with some investigation, just call headquarters. One of the K-9 team will be able to give you a ride home if I can’t.”

  “Got it.” She pushed open the door and hopped out of the SUV.

  Warmth spread through his chest as he watched her cross the parking lot. Smokey made a yipping sound from the back seat. “I know she’s all right, isn’t she? She’s a good friend.”

  Smokey whined.

  Darcy swiped her card on sensor to open the door. She waved at Jackson before disappearing inside.

  “Okay, maybe I think sometimes I would like for her to be more than a friend.”

  With Darcy still on his mind, Jackson shifted into Reverse. He wasn’t even out of the parking lot when the first call came in for a cadaver dog.

  He and Smokey stayed busy throughout the day. The second he had some downtime, he drove past the lab and Darcy’s apartment building, checking for anything suspicious.

  It wasn’t until late in the afternoon that he was able to get back to headquarters. He entered the reception area, sending a smile to Penelope McGregor as he walked past the front desk. He was never able to pass Penny—or her brother, Detective Bradley McGregor—without thinking of the two cases the unit was working on. How hard it must be for the siblings to know their parents’ killer had finally been identified but had eluded law enforcement, who were searching for him. He thought of Penny as a young child, her p
arents murdered while she was left unharmed—just like little Lucy Emery in the copycat murder several months ago. He knew there would be justice for both families. The team was getting closer to that every day.

  As he stepped toward the offices, Noelle Orton, a rookie K-9 officer who used be a trainer, emerged looking distressed and holding an evidence bag filled with dog food. Her K-9 partner, Liberty, a yellow Lab with the distinctive black mark on her ear, walked beside her.

  “Something wrong?” he asked, Smokey standing at attention beside him. He sure hoped not. For months now, an elusive drug smuggler they only knew as “Gunther” had put a bounty on Liberty’s head because the K-9 was too good at her job and had foiled shipments in Atlantic Terminal. Attempts had made on Liberty’s life, and Noelle kept her partner as safe as possible.

  “I’m pretty sure someone tried to poison Liberty’s food. Not sure how they got into the police vehicle. I keep some in there for when the shift gets long. Of course, she’s smart enough not to eat it. She must have picked up on a scent on the food that wasn’t mine or the poison has a distinct smell.” Noelle lifted the bag. “I need to take this over to the lab to be tested.”

  “I can do that for you,” Jackson said.

  “This wouldn’t have anything to do with a cute blond forensic scientist, would it? I hear the two of you have been spending lots of time together.”

  “We’re just friends and, I’m sure you’ve heard, she needs some protection.”

  “I know. I feel awful about that. I was just teasing you.” She smiled and handed him the bag.

  Jackson looked at the bag of dog food. “This has to be connected to the bounty on Liberty’s head from the gunrunner.” Jackson had heard in the morning briefing that a raid had been set up on the gun smuggler’s “office” in Coney Island today, but he hadn’t heard the outcome. Gavin had previously made contact with an informant who’d given up Gunther’s real name—Ivan Holland—and the location he was using on Coney Island.

  “Anytime someone goes after Liberty, we have to assume Ivan is behind it. I’m sure the raid got him riled. Police showed up in riot gear. Ivan is still operating one step ahead of us—the place was empty.” Noelle cast her gaze to the ground. “Unfortunately, the informant was swinging from the rafters.”

  It took a second for Jackson to process the gravity of what had taken place. A man trying to do the right thing had died. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Jackson petted Liberty’s head. “We’ll catch him. We don’t want anything happening to our girl, Liberty.”

  “Thanks, Jackson,” Noelle said.

  “Well, I’m headed over to the lab.”

  Jackson and Smokey left headquarters. As he drove the K-9 vehicle toward the forensics lab, he called Darcy, explaining that he had dog food sample she needed to test.

  Darcy’s voice came across the line sweet and clear. “A dog food sample, huh?”

  “Yeah, someone may have tried to poison one of the K-9s,” Jackson said. “Depending on traffic, I’m about twenty or so minutes from the lab.”

  “You don’t have to text me when you get here. They installed an extra security measure. There is an outside camera and we have a monitor we can watch in the lab, so I’ll see you pull into the parking lot and I’ll come out and grab the bag from you. I love technology. I don’t know why we didn’t do it sooner.”

  Darcy sounded upbeat. She probably was feeling a lot better now that she was back at work.

  “Got it. See you soon.”

  Traffic wasn’t too congested and within twenty minutes, he pulled into the lot. He got out of his SUV and reached across the seat to grab the evidence bag. He stared through the windshield. Darcy stood with the door partially open, waiting for him.

  An ultrasonic sound pummeled past his ear. It took only a nanosecond for him to register that it was likely a rifle shot aimed at Darcy. He crawled back into the vehicle and stayed low, noting that Darcy had shut the door and disappeared. He lifted his head up to peer though the back window. The shot had probably come from a tall building across the street. He stared back at the door of the lab. Had Darcy closed it in time, or had she been hit and was laying just inside?

  The next shot pinged off his police vehicle. So, he was the target now. He was sure the shooter saw him as an obstacle in being able to get to Darcy. Not only was Jackson concerned that Darcy might have been hit, he was worried that a bullet would find Smokey, who was confined in his crate.

  After calling for backup, Jackson slipped out of his vehicle. He crouched, using the door as a shield. Maybe he could get to the shooter before she got away—assuming it was the woman who had been after Darcy, which was his best guess.

  He studied the windows of the building across the street, not seeing any movement. The shooter may have taken the shots and run, realizing that she would be caught if she stayed around.

  His phone rang. It was Darcy.

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, got back inside in time and ran back to the lab. The bullet is probably stuck the door. I think I might be able to extract it later. I saw on the monitor that she’s taking shots at you now.”

  Jackson glanced across the street. No one entered or exited the building but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a back way out. “I’m just in the way. I’m sure she doesn’t like that I can protect you. She’s trying to get at you and figures part of that is taking me out of the equation.”

  “You’re a sitting duck out there. I don’t want you to be hurt.”

  “Darcy, I have a job to do. Backup is on the way,” he said. “You stay inside where it’s safe. I’m going to see if we can catch her and end this thing.” He hung up before she could protest. Smokey would be less of an easy target if he wasn’t secured in the crate. Jackson knew he didn’t have time to wait for backup if he was going to get this woman. He and Smokey had to act now.

  * * *

  Darcy watched on the monitor as Jackson unloaded Smokey and then drew his weapon. He couched low, using the cars as cover as he moved toward the street and the building opposite. Her lungs felt like an elephant was sitting on them. “Why doesn’t he wait for the other cops?”

  “He probably figures he doesn’t have that kind of time.” Harlan stood beside her, staring at the monitor, as well. “He’ll be all right, Darcy. He’s a good cop with a great partner.”

  Her gaze shot upward as she heard the pounding of footsteps above her. There were occupied offices up there, but the noise was always at a minimum. Could the shooter have snuck out the back of the building and made her way across the street?

  The last time she was attacked in the lab, the perp had crawled through the ductwork to get to this floor. “Maybe we should lock the door to the lab too not just the outside door.” She hurried across the floor and pressed in the code that would lock the door. When she checked the monitor, Jackson had made it across the street, but had made an about-face with Smokey and was headed back toward the lab. He’d seen something on this side of the street.

  Harlan closed his laptop.

  More footsteps echoed above them. Then the world fell silent.

  A moment later, the door to the lab rattled. Someone was trying to get in.

  Whoever was shaking the door stopped. Several more tense seconds passed. Darcy stood paralyzed as a rifle shot blasted a hole through the door. Followed immediately by another. Darcy jumped back. The shooter was going to blast her way in.

  Both Darcy and Harlan dropped to the floor and crawled toward the far side of the lab, seeking cover behind a desk. There was only one way in and out of the lab. Darcy braced for another rifle shot, but then heard retreating footsteps. Something had scared the shooter off. The hallway where the shooter had been had a window that looked out onto the parking lot. Maybe she’d seen Jackson headed back this way.

  “There, in the parking lot.” Harlan peered a
round the desk and pointed at the monitor.

  Darcy ran over to it just in time to see a person, probably a woman, running. She had a rifle slung over her shoulder. She was on-screen for just a second. A moment later, Darcy saw Jackson and Smokey in hot pursuit.

  Two patrol cars pulled into the lot and uniformed officers got out. She could not see Jackson or the woman anymore.

  The two officers ran off-screen in the same direction Jackson had gone.

  Darcy heard gunshots. She closed her eyes and said a prayer for their safety.

  She stared at the screen, which only showed the parking lot and the unoccupied police cars. The sound of her breathing seemed to intensify as she waited.

  “Hope they’re okay,” Harlan said. He patted her shoulder, but she picked up on the fear in his voice.

  The moment seemed to last forever before the two officers ran back on-screen. She let out a heavy sigh. “They’re okay.” The officers returned to their patrol cars and sped out of the lot.

  Jackson and Smokey finally came on-screen, running toward the building. “Jackson is coming to the lab. I’ll go let him in.”

  After unlocking the door to the lab, she ran down the hallway and held open the main door. Jackson and Smokey stood outside and she resisted the urge to fall into his arms. She was so relieved neither he nor Smokey had been hurt. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “Suspect got away. She had a car with a driver waiting. Patrol cars are going to try to catch her.” Jackson glanced around nervously. “I don’t think it’s good for me to stand outside like this—now that she’s decided to come after me. A drive-by is still a possibility.”

  She stepped to one side. “Oh, sorry.”

  Jackson and Smokey came inside, allowing the door to lock behind him. “And it wasn’t good for you to be out in the open like that, either.” He reached up, brushing his hand over her cheek with a feather-light touch. “You should not have stood in the doorway like that.”