by Jill S. Behe
“We’re cool.”
“Soon as we’re clear of the storm, I’ll call when I’m free and on the way.”
“Roger that.”
“Stay safe, my friend.”
“Doing my best. Same to you.”
Chapter 19
Three hours later, Levi and a couple of forensics techs showed up. They all (to include Decker, Teal, and Bella) searched the woods to the east of the house. A collapsed tent, a flashlight—still shining, a pair of binoculars, a few spent shell casings, and a mass of muddy shoe prints.
No body.
No weapon.
Bella sniffing the ground, continuously growled.
“It’s interesting.” Levi bounced the metal in his gloved palm. “I’ve got three casings, but you said there was only one shot.”
Decker, also wearing gloves, snagged one of the casings from Levi. “Could possibly have been more. The thunder was just warming up. We only know about the one when Teal was on the porch. The slug’s in the siding, right above the one rocker.” He bounced the lightweight metal. “I’ve seen these before, somewhere.” It tugged at his brain. “So familiar, but….”
“Wonder where the other two ended up.”
“Could be he was practicing.”
Teal moved closer. “Maybe we should check the outside of the house more thoroughly.”
Levi nodded. “Maybe we should.” He turned to his team, “All right guys, let’s move to the house.”
“Roger that, boss.”
“You know it’ll take a few days to process the prints we found, but identifying the slug and casings shouldn’t take long.” He held out his hand for the one Decker had, slipped them all into a small plastic pouch, and handed it to a tech on his way by. “Seems almost a waste of time to make sure the slug in the siding came out of these casings, seeing as they’re both in proximity of each other. No sense in leaving a loophole for later, though.”
Once Levi and his team were gone, it was going on 4 PM. The storm had blown to the west, and the sun was just hitting the top of the mountain on its way down the other side.
Decker leaned his backside against the kitchen counter. “This isn’t the scenario I had in mind when I invited you up here. I hope it doesn’t deter you from wanting to come back.”
Teal, arms folded, leaned against the frame of the kitchen door. “Am I getting ready to leave?”
“No. Well, I hope not. But I need to ask, once again, do you want me to take you home? You are more than welcome to stay the night, but no pressure. I do have two bedrooms.”
Her head tilted. “Thank you for the out. And, yes, technically, you do have two bedrooms. And,” she paused, raised her eyes to the ceiling. “You’re using both.”
Intuition? “It was easier to deal with.” He nodded. “But, just last night I was considering moving back into the main bedroom. It wouldn’t take long—”
She eased away from the wall and walked to him. “How about, once you get moved back, you ask me again?”
Decker studied her face. “Count on it.”
“It isn’t that I don’t want to stay. I almost wish I didn’t have to go back. But there’s a part of me that’s anxious to be around my things. And, well, to make sure the storm didn’t damage anything.”
He reached out, drew her in. “This didn’t scare you off?”
“No.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “Not at all.”
He breathed a mental sigh. “Excellent. I very much want to see you again.” He gave a laugh. “What an understatement.”
Her hand caressed his arm. “The feeling is mutual.”
“I like hearing that. Being attached to this case may hinder our time together. There’s, obviously no set schedule.”
“Not to sound desperate, but I’ll be waiting. Whenever you’re free, call. I’m pretty good at spur-of-the-moment.”
He grinned. “My kind of girl.”
Her fingers played with his hair.
He felt like humming. “How soon do you need to leave?”
“A loaded question. There’s no urgency, but sometime before midnight would be good.”
“All right. One thing, case related. There are some pictures I’d like you to look at. Not gory ones, I promise.”
“I’ve seen gory before. Sure. What am I looking for?”
“Recognition.”
“All right.”
“After dinner?”
She nodded. Bella barked.
“Ah, as cozy as I feel with you leaned up against me like this, Bella needs to go out. Since the storm has passed, and the sun is only out for about another thirty minutes, or so, we could take a short walk. If you’re up for it. How are your feet?”
“Sufficiently recovered.”
“Great. Let’s go.”
Chapter 20
Dishes done, kitchen straightened, Decker sat at the table across from Teal.
She was running her hand lightly over the surface of the wood. “I really like this table. And the chairs are so unique. I feel…snug. Where did you find them?”
Decker cleared his throat, a look of pride and self-consciousness. “We didn’t find them. I made them. And just for your information, I had Liz sit in a prototype of that seat until she said it was comfortable enough.”
“Oh my god, Decker! They’re great. I’m so impressed.” She smiled. “Fits my tush pretty good too.”
Grinning, he shrugged. “I just do what I feel. I take what comes into my head when I look at a piece of wood, and try to create it as accurately as I can.”
Teal shook her head. “I can’t comprehend that. Your imagination is incredible. I’m repeating words. I’ll have to get out my Thesaurus and find a few new ones soon.” She smoothed her hand over the table top again, and laughed. “Unbelievable. I’m serious. This is remarkable. If we weren’t involved, I’d ask you to make me one.”
“Thank you. I am truly flattered. I guess when it’s something I’ve always had an affinity for, it doesn’t seem like that big a deal to me. And, not to add to your adulation, but, the rockers, swing, and little side table on the front porch are my work, as are the ones out back.”
She sat back in her chair, too awestruck to speak for several seconds. “You’re way too modest, my friend. Someone ought to do some marketing of your work. I think you could make a living at it.”
“I am, sort of. I told you I take some things into the consignment shop in town.”
“That’s not enough exposure. You need a website. Take pictures of these things. They’d sell faster than you could post pictures.”
“Nah. I’d be overrun. Couldn’t keep up with the orders.”
“Hmm. Yes, I can see that. The amount of labor alone— Okay.” She scooted upright. “Anyway…. Sorry, I got sidetracked. What did you want to show me?”
He opened the file folder. Removing two 8x10 prints, he slid them over. “Do you recognize this woman?”
Teal studied the blonde in the photos. No, they weren’t gory, but there was no question the woman was dead.
Teal gave them a tap. “I do, yes.” Sitting back, she closed her eyes. “But, from where?”
Decker waited.
“It was just last week, I think. Or—wait.” Her forehead creased. “The week before you brought your books back.” She looked over. “She came into the library. Said a gentleman on the sidewalk had told her to ask for me, and that I’d be able to help her find a couple good intermediate hiking trails. She and her friends were up from Colorado Springs, a kind of girls’ weekend thing.”
Her memory spurred one of his to life. He snapped his fingers. “Of course! I told Levi she looked vaguely familiar. Now I remember. I’m the one who sent her in to you.”
“Oh Decker.” She reached across for his hand. “Someone has been watching you for a long time.”
“This is all about me? Good god, Teal. These women are dead because of me?” He shoved back his chair, and paced the kitchen. Anger and disbelief warred. “What did I d
o? Who did I do it to?”
Teal got up and went to him, held him, rested her head on his chest.
His arms went around her.
“It’s not your fault, Decker.”
“Ah. The standard, pat, comfort statement.”
She tried to pull away, but he held tight. “Teal, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to belittle you, or your concern. In my brain, I know it to be true, but it’s not what I’m feeling.”
“You’re feeling that they were targets because of you.”
“Exactly. And now he’s after you.”
“That may be, but it’s still not your fault. None of it. Whatever is in the killer’s head is the motivation. It’s the killer’s fault.”
“Huh. You’d do well as an agent, Miss Hannigan. Your interrogation techniques are on the mark–sympathetic ear, asking the right questions to tick off the subject.”
He felt her laughter. “Decker.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m a librarian. Get used to it.”
Now he laughed. “My favorite beautiful brainy librarian.”
She leaned away. “And I repeat: You need to talk to Levi. Between the two of you, it shouldn’t take long to formulate a theory.”
“About what?”
She narrowed her eyes, and tried to break free. Didn’t happen. “Do I have to spell everything out for you?”
He frowned. “Am I being dense?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Maybe you’re just too close.” She gave his chest a light punch. “You’re supposed to be this brilliant secret agent. I don’t see too many investigative skills in use.”
He let go, and went back to the table.
Teal chewed on her bottom lip. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“No. No, that’s not it. I’m not sure where you got— Never mind. The truth is— Hell.” He scratched at his hair. “Sit, would you, please?”
She did.
“When I told you I was an agent, I should have been more specific about what I actually did. There are skills I was taught while in the Marines that paved the way for Bracken Security Consultants wanting to hire me. I had more training during my employment with them. Reading crime scenes was high on the list, evaluating dead bodies for cause of death, just to name a few. They were not unhappy with my investigative skills—”
“That’s—”
“Not done.”
She squinted. “I know. But, you don’t have to explain. If what you did is classified, or whatever, there’s no need. I overstepped.”
The look he pinned on her wasn’t one she wanted to see more than once.
She cringed.
He walked to the back door, and stood staring out the window for a full minute.
Teal was almost afraid to breathe. Though she knew beyond a doubt he wasn’t going to hurt her, she realized something she’d said disturbed him.
“I need you to know.” He turned, came back to the table, and sat. “First, though, please don’t ever feel you need to pull back. I will never hurt you, verbally, physically, or emotionally (Though I’ve been told we’re lunkheads in that department, and therefore hurtful things—hopefully unintentional—are inevitable.) Please. Don’t be afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid. I was upset that I’d caused you— It’s my fault you’re hedging. It makes me mad. I need to keep my mouth shut sometimes.” She reached for his hands. “I don’t know you well enough, yet, to know if something is too out-of-bounds.”
He squeezed her hands. “Now you know. Nothing is out-of-bounds. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“As I started to say before, there are things you need to know about me if we’re going to have, be in, continue towards, a lasting relationship.”
“Um. Okay.” She was amazed, delighted, and humbled by this man.
“Question: Do you want to be in/start/work towards a lasting relationship with me? Or is it too soon to ask that?”
Her mouth twitched. “Yes, I do. And no, it isn’t.”
“Ah. Great. Question:” He stopped. Pursed his lips. “I had another question. Just can’t remember what I was going to ask.”
“Decker. Tell me only what you’re comfortable telling me.”
“Comfort doesn’t have a lot to do with it. Most of what I did is classified. Liz didn’t know all of it. Levi knows more, but not all.”
“I’m not sure what to say to that. I don’t want to get you in trouble for telling me secrets.”
The gaze he had locked on her face was as deadly serious as she’d ever seen.
Decker still debated. He needed her to know so she wouldn’t get spooked later on by anything he did, or that happened around him. “I started out as an MP, military police, but got pulled out for sniper training. That was the training that interested Bracken Security enough to seduce me away from a career with the Marines. And, I was very good at my job, in both…companies. Basically, an assassin. Sanctioned. Justified. But still, I made enemies. As I said, there are other skills needed to be a good agent, but my expertise was as a shooter.”
She held his stare. “I guess that explains your gun collection.”
His eyebrows rose. “That’s it?”
“What else would you like me to say? I’m not shocked. I’m not put off. I’m not going to run scared.”
He opened his mouth, but changed his mind. Then, “That means you accept what I am?”
Her nose wrinkled. “Isn’t that what I said?”
“More or less.”
“You’re still a sniper?”
“Technically I’m still an agent. I’m not officially retired. They could call me back at any given moment. The fact that they haven’t for the past several years is irrelevant. But, I haven’t exactly been keeping up with the practice needed to be an accurate marksman, though in essence, yes. I am still a sniper.”
“Isn’t it like riding a bike? If you have a natural ability for hitting what you aim at, it’d be a pretty sure bet you wouldn’t have lost your touch. Right?”
“Huh. You’re just full of surprises.”
“You have no idea. Why were you so upset when I called you a secret agent?”
“You hit a sore spot. Pulled me up by the shorts. I was known for sniping, yes, but they’d call me in to investigate, too. You were right, I haven’t been using my spy skills to my best ability.”
“You did mention some other skills.”
He nodded. “I’ve been so focused on the women, and why they died, and how they connect…felt like I was spinning my wheels, making a big muddy hole. You shot that arrow straight in, but you weren’t the one I was angry with. I need to look at all this from a different perspective. Like an investigator. To step outside myself, and look at all the angles, not just head on.”
She smiled. “Yup. You do.”
“Is it okay to bounce things off you?”
Her head tilted, the smile widened. “Is that a metaphor?”
“A what? Huh.” He grinned. “Could be, but no. Not in this instance, at least. I need someone I can hash things out with.”
“I’m okay with that. But, you should tag your partner, too.”
“My—? Oh, Levi. Yes, I do. He’s good for being a rubber wall too.”
Her head tilted. “Maybe the three of us should get together?”
“If we do, it’s all going to come out.”
“All of what?”
He grunted. “All the woo-woo stuff.”
She laughed. “I have no problem with that.”
“Neither one of us would put you on the spot.”
“Decker, if I didn’t already know that, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”
“Excellent.”
“I’d like to make a suggestion.”
“Go for it.”
“I think you should make a list of the victims. Write out how and, or, when you had contact, or were in their sphere of influence. It might help find a motive, maybe open up another avenue to focus on.”
H
e nodded. “Makes sense. And, once I do that, I’ll tag Levi for a powwow.”
“Good.”
“We should go have pie.”
She laughed. “One track mind.”
“Oh hell yeah.”
Chapter 21
At three minutes to midnight, Decker and Bella walked Teal to her door. “Okay, Cinderella, you’re still intact.”
“Ha ha.”
“I’d like to check out the house, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. I was going to ask if you would. After all that’s happened, I don’t want to take any chances.” Teal unlocked the front door, then stepped aside as Decker drew his sidearm. “The alarm is still set.”
“Good. Go ahead and turn it off, then I’ll do a quick walk-through.” He handed over the dog’s leash. “Bella, stay. Protect.”
She woofed, and sat.
Teal closed and locked the door and deactivated the alarm, and Decker began his walk-through.
A few minutes later, he returned, re-holstering his firearm. “All clear.”
“Thanks. I feel better now, not as antsy. I know it’s late, but can you stay a few minutes?”
Decker released Bella’s leash. “Only a few?”
Teal’s head tilted.
“Your couch looks comfy. We could stay the night. Bella’s a good chaperone.”
Teal laughed. “She is. Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t have offered, otherwise.” He watched her face. “Are you afraid to be here alone? Truth be known, I don’t want this day to end.”
“Neither do I.” She shrugged. “And no, I’m not really afraid to be here alone. I don’t feel threatened or anything, but I don’t feel as comfortable as I used to. Are you upset that I didn’t want to stay at your place?”
He took her in his arms. “No. I’m not upset. I can understand you wanting to check on things, or whatever rationalizations you ran through your head.”
“You’re making this too easy.”
“I’m glad you think so. This whole thing is giving me fits. Not us. The situation that’s happening all around us, the murders, the storm, the…close calls.”