“Do you think all of this is really necessary?” she asked.
He peered at her to see if fear had usurped her calm, but he couldn’t make out her eyes in the dim light. “I’m pretty sure the killer didn’t make us in my cruiser, but even if he didn’t, he could assume that we’d move you out of here that way.”
“Or he could think you’d do it another way and watch all traffic out of the hospital.”
“That’s why we have two trucks leaving at the same time,” he replied. “He only has a fifty-fifty chance of tailing the right one. When we stop for deliveries, we’ll know if he’s followed us.
His radio squawked. “That’s it, Chief. We’re closing the doors now. See you on the other side.”
Russ acknowledged the call. Once they were moving, he retrieved his flashlight from his duty belt, turned it on and strapped it facing up in a cord on the wall. The light reflected off the ceiling, bouncing softly down on Sydney. Eyes closed, she’d laid her hands palm-up on her knees, as if settling into a meditative trance.
While her eyes were closed, he had no qualms about openly studying her. Her facial muscles were relaxed. Her lips moved silently. She seemed to be praying, and he was beginning to see she lived her faith in a much more intense way than he did.
He hadn’t been raised in a Christian household, but when his life fell apart, his brothers, who’d found Christ through their own turmoil, helped him see the need for God. In fact, faith had brought him back from the brink of self-destruction. He owed God big-time for that.
But then what happened? The divorce. Losing custody of Zack. He’d let his faith slide away with it. Not consciously. He’d just stopped making it a priority. Hadn’t really even noticed the loss until now. Maybe he should take a hint from Sydney and ask for a little guidance here. He certainly wasn’t handling things too well alone.
“First stop.” His officer’s voice startled him.
Now wasn’t the time for prayer or small talk with Sydney. As the truck slowed, Russ turned off the light, then clamped a hand on his gun and listened. The back door opened, boxes shifted, then the door closed again.
He let out the breath he’d been holding and waited in the darkness. He could hear Sydney moving around. He wondered what she was thinking. Her foot settled against his calf. He expected her to jerk it away, but she must not have realized it was touching him. He liked the connection. Liked knowing she was safe next to him.
The truck started moving again. He flipped on the light. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, but when they did he found Sydney peering at him.
“You said back at the hospital that the hardest part of this job is seeing bad things happen to good people.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m not sure I agree,” she said.
“Then what?
“I think it’s when the people who do bad things get away with it.” She crossed her arms. “I mean, when bad things happen to us, we can use it to grow and become better people. But when these creeps get away with something, it encourages them to do it again.”
“But is it fair for a good person to have to go through the agony and pain?”
“Fair? No.” She paused, seemed to ponder her next words. “But take what’s going on now. Once all of this’s over, I can use what I’ve learned on the job to help someone else.”
“That’s a pretty noble goal, but is it realistic? In my experience, we spend more time focusing on the perpetrators than on helping others.”
“We do, but if we touch one person, isn’t everything else worth it?”
“I’ll have to think about that.”
“What’s to think about?” She sat forward. “I’m a perfect example, with what Vicki did for Nikki and me.”
He found her dream to help others admirable but wondered how long it would be before she gave up on that plan. He’d seen other officers go the extra mile like this, but they’d often burned out or were taken advantage of, so they gave up their quest.
The truck slowed for their next stop. He studied her face, which was beaming with hope for a better tomorrow. Maybe she’d be an exception, like the officer who’d helped her. But in order for her to succeed, he had to protect her from a killer who’d proven his prowess.
ELEVEN
Sydney could tell Russ thought her desire to help others was naive. Not surprising. At the academy, others had scoffed at what they’d called her unrealistic viewpoint, but she knew for a fact that she could combine her faith and her career to achieve a positive influence in others’ lives.
She’d always thought the influence would be on someone in the community, but maybe God had put her in this situation to help Russ with whatever anguish he seemed to be facing. His family hadn’t been church-going folks, but she’d seen his brothers at church, so maybe Russ had become a Christian, too. When the door closed again, she’d broach the subject.
But how did she start? Maybe she could tell him how her faith had helped her in the past. She hadn’t been a good example for him, though. Actions spoke louder than words. She’d let these events toss her around like a tiny boat in a storm. He might not believe anything she told him. She’d have to tread lightly.
At the click of the door, the light evaporated. She could hear Russ fumbling for his flashlight in the dark. This was the perfect opportunity to speak without worrying about any nonverbal cues he threw her way.
“I wanted to thank you for being so understanding during this mess.” She took a deep breath and rushed on before he could try to change the subject. “Seems to me the only way you could empathize so well is if you’ve been involved in a similar situation.”
“Yeah.” His tone was flat, devoid of all emotions.
“So someone died and you thought you should’ve been able to save them?”
“Yeah.”
She heard him tapping his light against his palm. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“Sometimes talking helps.”
“Talked to the shrink the department insisted I see. Didn’t stop the nightmares or regret. So I’m done talking.” The finality in his tone made her want to stop but the darkness gave her courage to continue.
“I don’t know if you believe in God, but He also listens.”
“Tried that, too.”
She’d offer an open-ended question so he wouldn’t shut her down again. “And?”
“He was there to bring me through the worst of it, but now I’m on my own.” His tone was thick with despair. “You mind turning on your Maglite. Mine’s dead.”
She reached for her flashlight and took this as his way of saying he’d closed the conversation. But as far as she was concerned, it wasn’t over. Maybe for now, but not forever. The ache in his voice ensured that she’d continue trying to get him to open up and share what was eating away at him.
For now, she settled back and rode in silence as the truck made a few more stops before the final one at the school. In a dimly-lit garage the size of a large barn, Russ exited the truck and she followed. Nikki was seated at a card table on the far side of the room, playing cards with her bodyguard.
She looked up, spotted Sydney and raced across the large space. “What’s going on? No one around here will tell me anything.”
Sydney moved her sister into a secluded section of the room. Careful to keep her voice calm, she described the trashing of their duplex.
“Are you kidding me? Someone busted into our place?” Nikki’s eyes welled. “Did they take my computer? Or iPod? Please tell me they didn’t take that.”
“It wasn’t a burglary. I got another text message. This guy is still looking for that same item.”
Nikki suddenly burst into tears. Sydney pulled her into her arms, holding her tight and reveling in the closeness. Since they’d been arguing for the past few months, she’d missed this contact with her sister. Who knew, maybe this would be a start to a better relationship between them.
Nikki pulled back. “You�
��ll go with me to that place, right?”
The anguish in Nikki’s eyes reminded Sydney of her sister’s first day of kindergarten. In that situation, Sydney had had to let her sister grow up, but tonight she could afford to baby her a bit. “Of course I’ll be there.” She patted Nikki’s shoulder. “Before we go we need to make a list of the things we want an officer to get from the house.”
“How do I know what to bring if I don’t know where we’re going?”
“Pretend you’re packing to spend the week at Emily’s house.”
Nikki’s brow furrowed. “What about Emily’s party tonight? Can I still go?”
Sydney couldn’t believe she was asking. “Only if this guy is caught by then.”
“This’s so, like, not fair.” Nikki crossed her arms. “You’re the meanest person ever.”
Sydney didn’t have a comeback, so she sighed. “Make the list, okay?”
“Fine.”
So much for their reconciliation.
As Nikki jotted down the essential items she’d need for the next few days, Sydney did the same, occasionally glancing at Russ. He stood near an unmarked sedan, his back to her, talking with two of his men. Unease still fluttered in her stomach, but his confident stance never wavered. It spoke to his internal strength and leadership skills with his men.
She knew her training and limited experience should give her some confidence in keeping herself and Nikki alive, but as the officers prepared to escort them out into the open, where the killer could lie in wait, doubt settled in.
She should be trusting God as she’d done on the way over here. After all, He was all-powerful. He could cocoon them in a blanket of safety, but fearful thoughts that even with Russ’s help this man would track them down and kill them won out.
Eyes alert for trouble, Russ piloted his cruiser toward Valley View. After loading the bags brought back by one of his officers, putting a bulletproof vest on Nikki and settling the pair on the floor in the backseat, he’d departed the garage in a caravan of police vehicles.
Now, near the outskirts of town, starting with the car in the rear, one by one his men peeled off and sealed off roads. Not that any cars had challenged them.
“This is so lame. Can we sit up yet?” Nikki complained.
He heard Sydney groan her frustration. He stifled a similar response to Nikki’s continued surly tone. At thirty-three he didn’t often feel old, but spending time with Nikki proved it had been a long time since his high-school days.
He wondered if Sydney remembered when she’d been Nikki’s age and had confidently gazed up into his eyes, declaring she’d love him forever. He was sure her memories were far different from his.
What he remembered most was the way she’d furrowed her brow, the silver ring curling through her eyebrow wiggling, when he’d told her he wasn’t interested. Well, and if he was being totally honest, how her legs had looked so incredibly long below denim shorts as she’d stomped away from him.
His cell phone rang, startling him.
“Stupid,” he muttered under his breath for letting memories distract him from the job at hand.
He retrieved the phone and glanced at caller ID to see if he wanted to take the call now or wait until Valley View. When he spotted Garber’s name, he clicked Talk. “What’s up?”
“Thought you’d want to know. We’ve run down the cell phone. The registration was bogus, as expected.”
“Any other news?” Russ asked.
“Yeah,” Garber answered. “I had that talk with Eustis about Dixon’s computer. He denies having it. Said someone must’ve planted it at his house to frame him.”
Russ snorted. “He’s been watching too many cop shows on TV.”
Garber laughed. “Hopefully the computer will tell us something.”
“We should have a chance to look at it tonight. Keep me posted on any new developments.” Russ clicked off and relayed the news to Sydney, who offered no response.
Wondering what she was thinking, he made the turn onto the Pinetree Resort’s driveway. His brother Ryan and Ryan’s wife, Mia, owned the property that sat next to Valley View. Very few people were aware of the lake road leading from Pinetree to Valley View. If someone had managed to tail them, they’d think he was going to Pinetree.
Normally he’d worry about putting Mia and Ryan in danger, but they were expecting their first child in two months and had taken one last vacation before the baby was born. They weren’t due home until tomorrow morning.
The car rumbled over deep ruts on Pinetree’s unpaved driveway, bringing them to the lake road.
He called over his shoulder, “Okay. You can sit up now.”
He heard the pair moving around, Nikki whining a few times. In the mirror, he saw Sydney’s head pop up first, followed by her sister’s.
“What’re we doing at Pinetree?” Sydney asked.
He explained his reasoning.
“Good thinking,” she said.
He hated to admit it, but her sincere compliment slid over him like a warm blanket. This crazy reaction to her had to stop for so many reasons. Why he couldn’t keep a rein on it baffled him. Especially since he knew she’d run screaming in the other direction when she found out about his past.
He turned into Valley View’s driveway and then swung the car as near to the grand lodge as possible and parked.
“Stay here until I come for you.” He made sure his tone brooked no argument and climbed from the car.
He let his gaze sweep over the log lodge sitting in a cleared section of pine trees. Though he couldn’t see through the closed plantation shutters on the large windows, he knew his always dependable brother waited for them.
Not taking time to let memories of his childhood home distract him, he took the steps to the wraparound porch two at a time, opened the door and called for Reid. He didn’t take his eyes off the car, but heard footsteps coming down the large staircase from the second floor.
“We all set?” Russ asked.
“We’re clear,” his brother answered.
“I’ll bring them in.” Russ returned to the car and opened the door. “Head straight inside.”
Both women, slightly bulkier from the vests they wore, got out without arguing and hurried to the door. The quiet, minus the stirring of the massive pines surrounding them, raised Russ’s alarms. More disturbing was Sydney’s easy cooperation. Something was going on in that stubborn head. He dreaded what she might be planning.
By the time Russ returned to the porch, Reid had stationed himself on the far end of it. Good. This area was the most vulnerable for attack.
Reid’s serious expression and alert eyes comforted Russ. It was good to have two people with the agenda of keeping these women safe. And, Russ hated to admit it, but two people who knew what it was like to kill someone in the line of duty. He was seriously beginning to think it might come to that before this situation ended.
He jerked his head at the door and Reid left his post to enter the lodge. Once inside with the door closed, Russ turned to his brother.
“You remember Sydney Tucker.” He gestured in Sydney’s direction.
Reid’s sober expression softened. “Good to see you again, Sydney.” He held out his hand and grinned in a way that Russ knew always melted women’s hearts.
Sydney returned the smile and shook Reid’s hand.
Russ sucked in a breath. He hadn’t seen her face light up like that in years. The softness showed vulnerability that he hoped the killer wouldn’t exploit.
“Are we gonna stand here all day.” Nikki scowled.
Sydney’s smile disappeared. Reid patted her shoulder as if telling her it was okay that Nikki had been rude. Since Nikki had helped Jessie last year, Reid thought Nikki could do no wrong.
“Good to see you again, kiddo.” He wrapped an affectionate arm around her shoulder.
Nikki looked up at him. “Where’s Jessie?”
“At home.”
“Can she come over?”
Reid glanced at Russ then back at Nikki, his face apologetic. “Sorry. It’s not a good idea for Jess to come over here right now.”
Nikki glowered at Sydney. “I get it. I’d be a bad influence on her.”
“What?” Reid asked.
She slipped out from under Reid’s arm. “It’s okay…I understand. I’ve been messing up.”
“It’s nothing like that, Nikki. Jess is only nine. Even if we tell her to keep this a secret, she might let it slip.”
“Right.” Nikki’s sullen tone said she didn’t believe him.
Russ stepped closer to her and connected gazes. “I’ve been straight with you, right?”
She nodded.
“Reid’s telling you the truth. This doesn’t have anything to do with you.” He tipped his head. “Okay?”
She studied him. He held his breath as he waited for her agreement. For a reason he didn’t want to identify, he wanted Sydney to see he’d connected with Nikki and that she trusted him.
“Okay,” she whispered reluctantly.
“Good.” He felt unbelievably happy over her agreement, but he had a job to do, so he stifled the feeling and nodded at the sofa sitting far away from a window. “You two have a seat. We’ll get your bags.”
“You don’t need to carry my stuff. I can get it.” Sydney jutted her jaw out, looking more like Nikki at this moment than she’d ever realized.
He didn’t want to scare Nikki or he’d tell Sydney how dumb it was to put herself back in the killer’s line of sight. “You’ve had a rough day. I’ll get the bags.”
“But I can—”
“I’ll get them.” Russ accompanied his statement with the stare he’d developed to get suspects to cooperate. She backed up and he hated the way her eyes reflected hurt.
He turned to Reid. “Let’s go.”
Russ could’ve gotten the bags himself, but he hoped for a chance to talk to Reid about Sydney’s request for a separate safe house for Nikki.
Outside, he made sure the door latched behind Reid and followed his brother down the stairs.
Reid locked eyes with him. “You didn’t tell me something was going on between you two.”
Behind the Badge Page 11