“Actually, no. I thought of it when I saw the geraniums for sale in the store’s nursery department. I did intend to ask about the charger, though. You’re the one who was complaining that my phone was dead, and since it’s different than yours I’ll need to have my own charger.”
“All right.” Muttering under his breath, he slid into the SUV and slammed the door while Harold and Nicki got into the other car.
“Is he usually this grumpy?” she asked as she started the engine and backed out.
“Nope. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. He’s usually pretty mellow, especially since he’s been back in the States.”
“He told me he and Titan worked together in the military,” Nicki said. “I got the idea it was pretty rough on both of them.”
“Yeah. It was.” Harold heaved a deep sigh. “And there was the other, too.”
“Other?”
“Uh-oh. Shouldn’t have said that.”
“Maybe not. But since you have, you may as well go on with the story. I’ll find out eventually, anyway, and it might help me keep from making Jackson any madder.”
“That’s debatable.” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “There was a girl. She’d promised to wait for him, and I guess she sort of did, until she found out he was planning to become a cop when he got out of the service. Then she hit the road and married a banker. Said she wanted a safe, normal life.” He snorted wryly. “Whatever that is.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Yes, and no. She wasn’t right for him in the first place. Too prissy and self-centered. Worst of all, she didn’t like having animals in the house. Not even Titan.”
Nicki chuckled. “That bad, huh? Well, Jackson’s life certainly hasn’t been dull, particularly recently. What do you know about all these killings?”
“Like your cousin’s, you mean?”
“My estranged cousin. The newspaper says Arianna’s death is tied to at least two or three others, maybe more. The problem is, Jackson thinks I know something secret, and I don’t have a clue what he’s talking about.”
“Then just bide your time,” Harold advised. “My nephew can be stubborn, but he’s fair. He’ll see the truth eventually.”
“I wish I knew what the truth was. It’s really hard to stay out of trouble when you have no earthly idea who the bad guys are or what they’re after.”
“We’ll keep you safe,” he promised.
Nicki glanced in her mirror and saw the K-9 vehicle following. She believed both men were sincere. She also knew that they were nearly as blind to the dangers as she was.
Someone was lurking out there in the beautiful Texas countryside, ready to jeopardize her happiness, and perhaps end her life the way they had ended others. The person or persons didn’t have a face she could identify or a plausible reason why they wanted to harm her. They simply did. And as far as Nicki was concerned, she was as helpless as a newborn kitten—blind and floundering, looking for comfort and security that were being withheld.
At that moment, just as she was telling herself she had never felt more alone or abandoned, she realized she was far from it. There was a fatherly figure seated beside her. A knight in shining armor was driving behind. And a sweet dog that was just about the smartest canine she had ever met was also along for the ride.
That was her personal army. The individuals the Lord must have sent. How could she question their sincerity or their skills when they were undoubtedly the answers to her most fervent prayers?
EIGHT
Jackson saw Nicki pull into the driveway to the apartment building and stop halfway. He parked behind her.
“I’ll be right back. Stay,” he told Titan.
As expected, the dog lay down on the seat and acted as if he understood. For all Jackson knew, he did. There were times when his furry partner seemed to almost read his mind.
“I wonder what he thinks of my overblown interest in this woman?” Jackson muttered to himself. The unspoken answer brought a smile and a shake of his head. It was a good thing Titan couldn’t express his opinion or he’d probably tell his master he was acting like a fool.
“What if they’ve changed the locks?” Nicki asked, leaving Harold to wait in the car with the groceries, and falling into step beside Jackson.
“Then we’ll get the manager to open up for us. I doubt they’ve done anything yet, though. We made arrangements to pick up your bedroom suite for storage so there has to be access.”
“Are the crime scene people finally through?” she asked.
“Yes. The lab was happy with their samples.”
“So, what was the bomb made of?”
He arched an eyebrow at her and cocked his head. “Why do you ask?”
“Curiosity. Is it some big secret?”
“We prefer to keep most details of active cases confidential. I will say I was surprised, though. The explosive wasn’t very powerful.”
Nicki huffed. “Oh? Tell that to my TV. As a matter of fact, tell it to my landlord.”
“You don’t need to worry about this place anymore,” Jackson said as he led the way up the stairs and tried the door, surprised to find it unlocked.
He held out an arm to block her way. “Hold on. Let me check it out first.”
“Do we need to get Titan?”
“I doubt it. You don’t live here anymore, so there should be no reason for it to be booby-trapped.”
“Oh, that’s a comforting thought. Thanks for mentioning it. I feel so much better now.”
He could tell from her wry tone that she was being facetious, but nevertheless took his time. Finally, convinced that the apartment was safe, he motioned for her to enter.
“Where do you think you left the phone charger?” he asked.
“In a kitchen drawer or cupboard, most likely. I usually plug it in over the counter.” Nicki pointed to the remains of the sliding glass door that led to her tiny porch and fire escape. “The geraniums I want are out there. Do you mind getting them for me? I don’t want to spend any more time here than I absolutely have to.”
“Sure. No problem.”
As Jackson picked his way cautiously through the shattered glass and rubble, his footsteps crunched as if he were walking on gravel. The drape that had once covered the door was frayed and smoke-tinged, and fluttered in the slight breeze.
He pushed the fabric aside and stepped out, shading his eyes against the glare from the setting sun. Below him lay the back fence of the apartment grounds and beyond that the Lost Woods, a largely undeveloped area of Sagebrush with a wild history of its own. Between legends from the past and current crime statistics, plenty had occurred in those woods over the years.
Jackson was bending to pick up the two small flowerpots Nicki wanted when something in the distance caught his eye. He froze, crouching behind the wooden railing, and blinked to see if he was imagining things. He wasn’t.
A tall figure, clad in black, was walking slowly along a path. His body moved like that of a male, and he not only wore a hat that shaded his face, it looked as if he might also be wearing a ski mask.
That anomaly was what originally caught Jackson’s attention. Unless the guy was up to no good, there would be little reason to hide his features. Besides, although April weather could be nippy once the sun set, this particular day had been balmy.
From inside the apartment, he heard Nicki announce, “Found it!” and then heard her footsteps approaching.
Remaining crouched, Jackson held up his hand, palm out. His “Shush” was little more than a loud hiss.
To his relief, she froze where she stood, and waited. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Down there,” Jackson whispered. “In the woods.”
She tiptoed closer and cautiously peeked around the edge of the opening. “What? All I see is a dog.”
“A dog?” He scrambled to where she was standing and straightened so he’d have the same vantage point. She was right! Not only was the figure working a dog on a lo
ng lead, the animal resembled a German shepherd. Could it be Rio?
He flipped open his cell and pushed speed dial for the station rather than use his radio, and take the chance of the transmission being overheard. If that really was Rio, and the man with him was part of the crime syndicate they’d been after, they might have more men as well as sophisticated eavesdropping equipment positioned nearby.
“This is Worth, K-9 unit 463,” he said, turning away and cupping his hands around the phone. “I’m at the apartment on Lost Woods Road, second floor rear, where we had the bombing. I can see a masked individual in the woods behind this building and there’s a shepherd with him. It might be Rio. I can’t be sure from so far away.”
Turning, he peered out once again. “Yes, I can still see them. They’re moving slowly, headed southeast. Looks like they’re alone, but the trees have leafed out so I can only catch a glimpse when they pass through a clearing.”
He paused to wait for orders, and his gaze met Nicki’s. She was good and scared, yet safe enough as long as she stayed away from the window, and didn’t try to follow him if he was sent to apprehend the suspect.
“What are you going to do?” she whispered.
Jackson pressed the phone to his ear and nodded, listening, before he said, “Copy. We’ll stand by.”
“We?”
It was more a squeak than a word. If the situation hadn’t been so serious, Jackson might have laughed. “I meant Harold and I,” he explained. “They want me to observe and wait for backup. There’s a chance that isn’t Rio but in case it is, we want to be able to track him—and the man—to see what they’re up to.”
“Won’t he get away?”
“Not from the dogs on my team,” Jackson assured her. “Austin Black’s bloodhound, Justice, is one of the best trackers in the state. And with the help of our narcotics and protection dogs, plus Titan, we can cover all the bases. We’ll get him...I hope.”
“You had me convinced until you added that at the end.” Nicki made a face. “I had no idea police work entailed so much waiting.”
“It doesn’t always.” He forced a smile for her benefit. “Patience is a virtue, you know.”
“Yeah, well...”
The wry look she was giving him brought sincerity to his grin. “I know. It’s one of the hardest things for me, too. I want results ASAP. I suppose most folks do.”
“What do we do now?”
“I wait here and watch. You go down and tell Harold what’s going on, then stay with him until the patrol units get here.”
Jackson could tell she wasn’t eager to follow his orders, probably because she didn’t want to be alone long enough to return to her car. Unfortunately, the only other option was to keep her with him and if he did that, Harold might panic and cause a ruckus when he saw the black-and-whites arriving.
“If you’re too scared, I guess you can wait up here,” he finally said.
“I’m not scared. Not one bit. I just don’t want to miss any of the excitement.” She shivered. “I don’t like it up here, though. Too many bad memories.”
Jackson assumed she was referring to the bombing, although he supposed it was also possible that she was upset because she had shared that apartment with her no-good ex-boyfriend. The notion of Nicki in another man’s embrace tied Jackson’s gut in a knot the size of Amarillo.
“Just go, then,” he said brusquely, handing her the small potted plants. “I’ll hold down the fort. Harold needs to be briefed, and since he hates to carry a cell phone, somebody will have to deliver the message in person. Are you up for it?”
“Sure. I’m good.” Clutching the pots, she started for the door, then hesitated. “You’re sure it’s safe for me to leave?”
“If I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t send you,” he said. “I’m only seconds away on one end of your errand, and Harold is the same on the other end. We’re both armed. Believe me, it’s not a big risk.”
“Okay, okay. You don’t have to sound so impatient. I’m going.” She juggled her plants to display the small phone charger before shoving it into a pocket. “I got everything I came for.”
As soon as Nicki passed from sight, Jackson was sorry he’d sent her down alone. Yes, he believed it was safe. And, yes, he knew he and Harold would be plenty of protection. Yet there remained a niggling sense of worry that he could not shake.
In the woods below, the man and dog were passing beneath a canopy of trees, and out of his line of sight. If they continued in the direction they’d been headed, it might be several more minutes before he could actually see them again. That was long enough for him to run to the door and watch Nicki make her way downstairs.
Taking one last look at the area he’d been observing so closely, Jackson sprinted across the small living room, hit the hallway at a run and caught a quick glimpse of Nicki’s back.
“Make it okay?” he called after her.
She paused and turned to wave at him. “Fine. I can see Harold.”
Jackson flushed, embarrassed. Of course she was okay. It was silly to think that anyone would bother her when she was accompanied by two strong men. Armed men. His well-marked vehicle was parked right behind her car, and anybody who had been in Sagebrush for very long knew that Harold, being a retired deputy, was prepared for just about anything, too.
Nicki was with his uncle now, Jackson reassured himself, so she was perfectly safe. He knew that with every ounce of his being. Yet his heart was still racing and his breathing more ragged than it should have been.
He quickly returned to his vantage point above the Lost Woods. Vegetation was thick and lush this time of year due to the spring rains. Even later, when the grass dried and most of the wildflowers were gone, the trees would retain their leaves. Texas cottonwoods and other indigenous varieties of foliage were tough. As tough as the folks who had tamed this country a century or more ago.
A woman like Nicki would have fit right in with those brave settlers, Jackson mused. She was resilient. Courageous. Willing to do whatever she had to in order to survive.
His breath caught. Was she so determined to succeed on her own that she’d withhold evidence of a crime? Many people in her position might. Despite his instincts about her true virtue was it possible that Nicki was playing him for a fool?
In his heart lay a firm no. His fertile mind, however, continued to doubt. Soon, everyone should know the truth. The trouble was, he was already so biased in her favor he wondered if he was going to be able to accept anything except complete innocence.
Turning his attention back to the woods, he forced himself to concentrate on the job at hand. Nobody would be safe until they put an end to the current crime wave. It was possible that the key to solving at least some of the puzzles, perhaps all of them, was right now lurking beneath those trees.
“Where are you?” Jackson whispered into the wind. “Where did you go? Come on, come on. Step into another clearing so I can see you again.”
What could that man be searching for? he wondered. And if that truly was Rio, why go to the trouble of stealing him when there had to be other elite, multipurpose canines available.
For an instant, it occurred to Jackson that the theft of that particular police dog might have been a direct attack on Captain McNeal. He dismissed the notion of a vendetta as being too far-fetched. There had to be other possibilities.
They had already tied the deaths of some middle-management criminals like Frist, Garry and even Munson to a powerful criminal organization. The conundrum was why someone involved with them felt it was necessary to kill his or her own men—or why Arianna Munson had apparently murdered Andrew Garry, leading to her own death at the hands of FBI agent Trevor Lewis.
“So, Arianna, what did you mean when you tried to warn your cousin with your last breath?”
Jackson suppressed a shudder. Clueless or not, Nicki was still in trouble. Deep trouble. He pictured her standing in a dry desert streambed while a sudden storm dropped tons of rain in the distant mountains
, and a wall of water began to rush toward her. That was the kind of desperate situation she was trapped in. And he had no idea how to rescue her before a destructive wave of wickedness swept her away like a flash flood.
* * *
Nicki climbed into the car with Harold and locked the doors.
“What’s up? You look a fright. Where’s Jackson?”
“Upstairs. He spotted somebody in the Lost Woods and called for backup. I’m supposed to tell you to stay here and wait.”
She could tell from the way the older man had tensed and begun to fidget that he was not pleased to have to stand by when something exciting was unfolding. Truth to tell, Nicki wanted to go back to be with Jackson, too.
“We could leave Titan to guard the car and go back,” she suggested. “Together, I mean.”
Harold’s bushy eyebrows knit. “You ready for that?”
“Sure. Why not?” The way his eyes swept over her as if making an assessment gave her pause, but she insisted, “I’m not scared. Honest.”
“It’s not a matter of courage,” he explained. “It’s a matter of duty. Jackson and I are committed to taking care of you, and if that means sitting here and twiddling my thumbs while we wait for more backup, then that’s what I’ll do.”
Nicki’s decision was made in an instant. Giving in to impulse she jumped out and leaned down to speak through the open door. “Have it your way. I’m going back upstairs, so if you really want to watch me, you’d better get a move on.”
Behind her she could hear the older man muttering under his breath. He was coming all right—huffing and puffing and talking to himself with such intensity, she had to smile. Like his nephew, Harold Worth was the kind of man she could count on in any circumstance, no matter what. That was not only comforting, it buoyed her overall spirits a great deal.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she waited for him to catch up before pointing. “It’s down there. End of the hall. Jackson is at the back window looking down into the Lost Woods.”
“Lead on,” Harold said with a scowl.
Nicki gave him a sweet smile. “You wanted to come up here and you know it, you old faker. I just gave you a good reason to do it.”
Explosive Secrets (Texas K-9 Unit) Page 8