Payback (The Canine Handler Book 1)

by Hillegas, Maria

  There was a trooper stationed outside of the ICU. Now that Sarah was considered a prime suspect in the killings, the agencies involved were keeping a close eye on any activity that surrounded her. The bureau wanted to question Sarah as soon as her coma was reversed. So far she had only been circumstantially linked to the stabbing of her foster mother and the burning of the house—between the blood on her clothes and knife. There were no eye witnesses.

  She had also been circumstantially linked to her foster father and foster brother through several items found in the garage of her home. But again, there were no eye witnesses and the agencies were still trying to link DNA evidence which they had been unsuccessful in so far.

  The state would assign a public defender to her. Likely someone just out of law school or a long time loser who wouldn’t give their best to represent her, crossed Dave’s mind. She was going to need someone far more experienced, a lawyer who had something to prove to get a lighter sentence for her. Maybe a new hotshot needing to make a name for themselves. Dave wasn’t sure she would stand up as mentally stable either. He had been sure it wasn’t Sarah standing there in the crowd. He had been sure it wasn’t Sarah whom he shot protecting Bella. Maybe she would be found incompetent to stand trial. Dave knew he would be on trial as well when he would be called as a witness in the case.

  Dave had challenged the trooper who was sitting outside of the ICU ward. Sarah was not supposed to be allowed any visitors. The trooper obliged by allowing Dave and Kellee to enter the room, thinking it didn’t really matter because she was in a coma. “Probably not going to make it anyway,” he grumbled.

  She was still listed in critical condition. And if she did survive, no one could predict if she would suffer damage to her brain.

  Dave knew that Kellee had a busy schedule and wouldn’t be able to stay very long. Once she found out Sarah was still critical, but stable—and would most likely remain that way for a few days—Kellee headed home to take care of her dogs and Sarah’s.

  Kellee’s hands would be full trying to care for several energetic German Shepherds. Other team members would help Kellee over the next several weeks—possibly months. They would make sure Sam and Gunner received everything they needed from daily care to continued search and rescue training. It would help the dogs deal with their handler being missing from their lives.

  Dave remained behind. Sarah was a mystery but he was fascinated by her. He felt compelled to stay by her side and take care of her. To stand up and fight on her behalf. He didn’t understand it himself, but he felt like she was worth a fight. He felt there was much more to Sarah. She deserved a chance to explain everything that had transpired over the last several days. Maybe he was in love with her. Love? He questioned himself.

  He wouldn’t have anything else to do anyway. He knew the protocol. The agency would most likely put him on paid leave until the shooting investigation was complete. That’s how it normally worked when an officer was involved in a shooting.

  The FBI had completely taken over the complicated case. Bella would be in the hands of another trooper. He made the decision to stay beside Sarah as long as he was allowed. He wanted to be there when she woke up and to be there to see where her future would go. Maybe where their future would go. He was optimistic.

  ***

  Dave headed home sometime in the early morning hours after Sarah’s initial surgeries and the first round of questioning from his superior who had found him in the hospital lobby. He still needed to take care of Bella who had been in her dog box the whole time sitting in the hospital parking lot.

  Pulling into his driveway, he slid the SUV into park and sat there resting his tired head in his hands. He felt as if a vice was squeezing his heart and his head simultaneously. The officer who had taken his statement while at the hospital informed him that he was automatically suspended and another trooper would be by this morning for Bella. Dave had handed over his service weapon. In just a few hours I’ll be losing her. Bella remained quiet in her box. No one had asked Bella what she wanted to do, Dave thought. But it’s only temporary, he kept telling himself.

  Dave stepped out of the vehicle, swung around to the back, lifted the back window and dropped the tailgate. “Hey there, girl.” Bella’s long tail started to thump against the side of her crate. He opened the dog box allowing Bella to jump out onto the driveway.

  “Come on, sweetie,” Dave called to her as he headed across the yard to the front door. Bella followed, stopping briefly to relieve herself and then followed him into the house. “Well Bella, not sure how to tell you this, but Carl will be here shortly to pick you up.” Dave continued with his one-sided conversation. ”It’s only for a little while.”

  He found a duffle bag and began to pack up a few of Bella’s items. Bella didn’t seem that concerned. She made her rounds through the house, quenched her thirst and lay down stretching out by the sliding glass door that led to the back yard. The floor was cool and refreshing for the dog.

  Once finished packing up her toys, dog bed, blankets and food, Dave sat down on the floor beside his dog and leaned up against the wall. “This is all temporary, this situation is only temporary,” Dave stated out loud more for himself than for the dog. Bella never moved her head but looked up at him with her deep, soulful brown eyes and slapped her tail against the floor. She seemed to understand his pain, but she also seemed to be tolerant of the challenges faced in life, accepting whatever came their way.

  Dave came to terms with what needed to be done. He sat peacefully there on the floor as he waited for his co-worker to arrive.

  Chapter 40

  Dave

  The following week found Dave slumped over in a chair beside Sarah’s hospital bed. He was tired and had fallen into a light sleep, resting his head on the edge of her mattress. The stark empty atmosphere was beginning to weigh on him. He had kept up a personal vigil sitting next to Sarah for several days. He spoke to her, letting her know she wasn’t alone and there were people who were concerned about her. He told her he deeply cared for her and would be there for her under any condition.

  He had convinced himself the person he saw the day of the fire hadn’t been Sarah—not the Sarah he and everyone else knew and cared about. Dave decided he would stand by her no matter what direction her path lay. Unsure of her future, possibly his as well, Dave knew that he more than just cared for Sarah. It was deeper than that. I think I love her. Could he really be in love with her? He knew he needed to be close to her, wanted to be at her side when she awoke from the coma.

  He had thought long and hard about Sarah and her situation. About what she had possibly done, but he knew that wasn’t her. He knew deep down it was someone else who carried out the horrendous acts she would eventually be put on trial for.

  But he was hopeful as well. He had thought about her past. Between her background—what she had endured in the foster home over many years and overcome—she might just have a case.

  Kellee stopped in almost every day to check on Sarah. They went over any new changes in her condition. Dave felt like Kellee was coming in to check on him as well. She brought him snacks and gave him daily updates on how Sam and Gunner were doing. She had her hands full now that they were staying with her and Meika. It made for a full house… and a house full of dog hair.

  Over the past week, Sarah had shown improvement. The medical team had upgraded her to serious from critical after the third day. By day five, her condition was still serious, but stable. Her remaining kidney was functioning at a normal rate. The doctors took her off the thiopental pump. Now it was a waiting game to see if and when Sarah would emerge from her deep slumber.

  The MRI’s computerized results showed she had suffered a wicked concussion when she fell to the concrete sidewalk. She had several bleeds on her brain but they were healing. The EEG showed her brain activity to be functioning and normal.

  But it would take time as she emerged from her coma to know for sure how much, if any, permanent damage she may have s
uffered mentally or physically. It would still be a wait-and-see game.

  “Sarah, we’re here for you. I know you’re in there. You just need to wake up now.” Dave stayed by her side speaking to her, giving her encouragement. Time would tell whether the new Sarah would be anything like the old Sarah. But hopefully not the Sarah I saw the day of the fire.

  Chapter 41

  Dave

  Locally, news of the murders and the shooting spread like wildfire through the small community. Dave switched through the local stations. It was non-stop coverage. The national stations had picked it up as well. Nancy Grace, a popular crime show host and analyst had even picked up parts of the coverage. The story was dragged out for everything it was worth—and then some.

  Southcentral Pennsylvania’s residents weren’t used to being in the spotlight, especially for a serial killing. Normally, York County’s small townships and boroughs were quiet, laid back. Its residents kept to themselves. Everyone stuck to their groups or small cliques. They felt safe, secure in their tight-knit neighborhood and surrounding communities. That band of closeness tightened further as they tried to weather the adverse attention. Friends and neighbors, family members checked on each other more often.

  Agents from the FBI had descended upon the townships that encompassed Codorus State Park and Sarah’s home. Their territory included the lake, the forest within the state park, Sarah’s home and work place, as well as the foster care parents’ burned out home. Once the agents combed over all three crime scenes, they split into teams. One covered Sarah’s house, another began collecting information about the foster care home, while a third gathered autopsy reports, records and background information on the murdered subjects and scenes.

  Dave had been brought back to help work the case. He had been found within his active duty rights and cleared of any wrong doing regarding the protection of his canine partner. Lieutenant Langenberg brought him back in on administrative duty though, instead of active field duty. He still wasn’t allowed to carry a gun. It was mandatory since the shooting was tied to other murder investigations.

  She wanted his help on the case. Dave was all for it. It would keep him in the loop, privy to any information gathered on the cases. It could also jeopardize my job, he thought. Working a case where Sarah was the main suspect—once his relationship to her became known—would no doubt compromise his position. He decided not to let on just how close he was to Sarah. The lieutenant knew they spoke but thought it was purely professional.

  Dave sat at his desk at headquarters. He had pulled the most up-to-date reports he could find in the system. Information on the murder victims had been processed in the labs and posted. Evidence from the crime scenes was limited, but technicians were able to find clues that helped tell the story of the subjects’ demise. Each murder appeared to be targeted and well planned.

  A major break was discovered by the head ranger. When Ranger Owen learned the drowned subject had head and torso injuries prior to entering the water, he took it upon himself to check out the kayak rack which stood along the opposite shoreline of Lake Marburg. Under close scrutiny of the secured equipment, he found a paddle that wasn’t locked in place.

  It looked like someone had pried it out from behind the cables but whenever the perpetrator replaced it in the rack, it was returned to its slot without trying to get it back underneath the cable. He alerted the FBI. Under closer scrutiny by the lab, they found DNA from the drowned victim along the wide end of the paddle. They were also able to pull partial palm prints from its handle. The paddle fit the injury patterns on the drowned victim’s head and torso.

  Other, more pressing information was found when they tested the victim’s DNA. Information that would shed light on an older murder mystery. A cold case that had caused years of torment since it had gone unsolved.

  Dave had been made aware of the details by the lieutenant. She informed him he would be needed that afternoon for a board meeting—and to be prepared. When their discoveries were revealed to him, he could only pretend to understand how his acquaintances would react. Although the information would bring closure, it was sure to open up old sufferings as well.

  * * *

  Bill and Kellee Durham were called to Pennsylvania State Police Headquarters in Harrisburg for a special meeting. They were to meet at the top floor where several conference rooms were situated. Neither was sure what was going, but both believed it had something to do with the “Codorus Killings,” as the media had dubbed them.

  “Hi, Dave. Didn’t expect to see you today,” Kellee stated as she and Bill were buzzed through the secure north entrance. Dave was standing just inside the corridor. Lt. Langenberg had instructed him to wait and accompany them to the meeting. Dave knew Kellee expected him to still be on administrative leave. She probably thought he would be at the hospital with Sarah.

  “Do you have any idea what this is all about?” Bill questioned Kellee as they made their way into the elevator on the first floor. Bill looked at Dave, eyeing him for an answer as well. Overly polite to one another, the air between the two was stiff, awkward as Kellee and Bill tried to make small talk. Dave watched them exchange words almost as a courtesy to each other while the elevator rose.

  “Not completely,” Kellee responded, “but I’m sure it has something to do with the three murders. After all, I’m tied to finding the first two bodies, and also to Sarah. Between circumstantial evidence from the start and now DNA, Sarah is tied to each murder.” Kellee turned and watched the numbers light up as they climbed each floor. “Not exactly sure why you were called, other than you’re the state’s attorney and you did view the subject found in the forest.” In just over a whisper as the elevator doors opened, Kellee commented, “And you’re tied to me. Dave?”

  “The lieutenant has some information to disclose to both of you.” Dave put their questions off. They would have answers soon enough.

  As the trio reached their destination and the elevator doors slid open, Lieutenant Langenberg was there, standing on the landing waiting for them.

  “Good morning, Kellee. Nice to see you again, Bill.” The lieutenant shook both of their hands.

  “Ditto, always good to see you as well,” Kellee replied.

  “Nice to see you, lieutenant,” Bill bowed his head and smiled.

  “The agency has some news to share with both of you. We chose to do this privately before we made the matter public. It will only be a short time before it’s somehow leaked and I’d prefer to brief you before we give a press conference,” the lieutenant explained.

  Kellee and Bill looked at each other in mild alarm. Bill raised his shoulders in puzzled response. Each must have realized the other had no idea why they had been called to headquarters. Dave watched as the pair looked at each other for some recognition of why they had been called there, to this meeting. He wished he could’ve somehow let Kellee know since they had developed a closer bond, but the lieutenant had made it clear to him not to disclose any information prior to the meeting

  “Follow me,” the lieutenant instructed and turned on her heel. She headed down the hall past walls lined with images of Pennsylvania State Troopers who had fallen in the line of duty. The overhead fluorescent lighting cast unflattering shadows on the plaques and figures. It gave an ominous feeling to the faces of the dead staring from within their decorated and framed commemorations.

  “Jesus Christ!” the lieutenant mumbled as they passed a darkened window looking out onto the east side of the parking lot.

  Dave angled himself to catch a glimpse out the window. That entrance was straight off the main highway which ran by headquarters, and two local media stations’ trucks were pulling into the lot. The lieutenant cursed as cameramen jumped out as soon as the vans pulled to a stop.

  “Somewhere between here,” the lieutenant pointed to the floor of headquarters, “and there,” she turned her finger to the media outside, “we have a leak. Something we’ll have to look into ASAP. This has happened too many time
s over the last several weeks for it to be a coincidence.”

  “When was the information supposed to be made public?” Dave asked softly so only she could hear.

  “Not until after this meeting. I wanted to make sure the Durhams had it first,” she nodded to Dave and Kellee. “Someone must have already leaked the information out there. This is unbelievable.” She shook her head in disgust.

  “In here,” the lieutenant pointed. Stopping in front of two large doors, she pulled one of them open and secured it with her foot. She motioned Kellee and Bill toward the large conference table where several people were already seated.

  “Good morning, Mr. Durham, Mrs. Durham.” An attendee that knew Bill from the lab greeted them. There were a few others present from his past as well that he had worked with on court cases. Dave knew most everyone seated, he also knew that Kellee most likely wasn’t familiar with anyone there.

  Dave and the lieutenant followed them in. “Go ahead and have a seat. We only have a few minutes to go over this information and then we have to prep for the press conference. Word has gotten out.”

  Once Kellee and Bill took their seats, they went around the table and proper introductions were made. The lieutenant pulled out a ragged file from her briefcase.

  Bill’s eyes lit up, his jaw clenched down tightly. Apparently he recognizes his daughter’s case number, Dave thought as he continued to watch Bill’s body language for a reaction to the file in front of him. Why shouldn’t he? I’m sure it will forever be burned into his memory.

  “Why do you have that?” Bill asked. “What does this have to do with our daughter?”