She remained quiet for another moment, the images still strong in her mind. “I remember the headlights filling my car as they were right behind me. Then my car was darker and I realized they had moved to the side. I thought maybe they were going to pass me.”
Shuddering, she clutched his arms tighter. “The other car hit me…they hit me. Oh, God, they wanted to kill me.”
“Shhhh,” Blaise comforted, gently rocking her back and forth, his arms continuing to envelope her in his embrace.
“I woke up as I was crashing down the mountainside. It was dark. I had no idea where I was going to land. And then…the car slammed into something…that’s all I remember.”
“Babe, that’s good. That’s so good. And as your memory comes back, just know that I’m here for you.”
She leaned back from his naked chest, grabbing the edge of the sheet and wiping her nose and eyes. As her thoughts settled with the knowledge she was safe in his steady arms she viewed the muscular chest in front of her. Shaking her head, she thought, I must truly be crazy to be focusing on his gorgeous body when someone tried to kill me.
“Babe?” he asked. “You okay? Your face is flushed.”
Blushing harder, she choked out, “Yeah, yeah. Just trying to make sense of…everything.”
Sitting up, she said, “I guess it’s a good thing I’m going to the counselor today, isn’t it?”
“I think the timing’s perfect,” Blaise agreed. “Are you going to be able to go back to sleep?”
“Um…sure. Gypsy’ll keep me safe.”
He hesitated as he started to rise from the bed, then turned back to see her vulnerable face peering up at him. “I could stay…if you wanted.” Her smile illuminated the room even more than the light from the hall.
“I’d like that.”
Sliding back underneath the covers, straightening them around their bodies, he gathered her in his arms once more. Spooning her back to his front, he pulled her body in tightly, offering his warmth as well as his protection. Kissing the top of her head, he said once again, “Sleep tight,” then added, “I’ve got you now.”
With that, she fell into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter 13
Pulling up to the K-9 dog training facility, near the Marine base north of Richland, Blaise and Chad stepped out of their vehicle. The grounds contained several buildings and a large grassy field to the side. Stepping inside, they moved to the front desk. Pulling out their identification, Blaise said, “We’re here to see Douglas Wilkins, concerning a former trainee. He should be expecting us.”
Just then, an older, fit man with a military haircut, greying at the temples walked from the back. “Gentlemen, I’m Douglas Wilkins. Welcome to our facility. Come on back.”
Receiving visitor badges from the receptionist, they followed him to a small, uncluttered office. As Douglas walked around the desk, he motioned for them to take the seats in front.
“You said in your phone call you’re investigating the disappearance of a recent graduate of our program.”
“Yes, sir,” Blaise began. “Ms. Grace Kennedy has been missing for a couple of weeks.”
At this, Douglas’ eyebrows shot upward in surprise. “Grace?” Shock evident on his face, he added, “Missing? No one’s seen her? What about her dog? Any sign of her either?”
“No, they’re both missing. It was reported by a friend and we’re trying to retrace her last known steps.”
“I haven’t seen Grace or Gypsy since the graduation we had here about six weeks ago. I remember them well. Good reflexes, good instincts.”
“Ms. Kennedy or the dog?” Chad quipped.
“Both, both,” Douglas enthused. “Both the dog and the handler need to work together as one. Those two were special.”
“We’ve read about your facility. Can you give us some insight into your school and her career aspirations after she graduated?”
“We have some people who come here to train the dogs for other handlers to then take possession of. Some employers have their own dogs and kennels. Others come with their own dogs that have been trained since pups. That was Grace. She came to us with Gypsy and her career goals were heading toward TSA. Some of our trainees go DEA, ATF or police. She and Gypsy trained and excelled with the drug sniffing and she had already interviewed with the TSA. In fact, if memory serves, I think she had already begun the training portion of her career with TSA in Richland.”
“What can you tell us about her friends or fellow trainees? Anything about her time here?”
Rubbing his hand over his face, he appeared to ponder the questions. “Well, can’t say that I recall much about her and the other trainees. She got along well with everyone. Nice. Polite. But focused…I’ll say that about her. She was really all about the job.”
Douglas glanced outside the window overlooking the grassy field, now filled with dogs and their handlers. “Hate like hell, she’s missing.” Coming out of his musings, he said, “I do remember she used to talk more to Carter Boren and Jocelyn Montez. Now that I think about it, those three hung out more than I saw her with anyone else. Carter was also going to TSA and Jocelyn, I think wanted a job with the local sheriff’s office. I know Carter probably felt some competition with Grace.”
“Competition?” Chad prodded.
“The Richland International Airport needed another TSA handler and she and Carter were both up for the same job. Now, quite frankly, I think they both would have landed jobs there because the TSA is always adding new positions. But when they left here, she had the position.”
“We’ll need Carter and Jocelyn’s contact information. If you need, we can have the FBI make the formal request, although we are investigating with their authority.”
“I understand. The FBI contacted me yesterday to say that I was to cooperate so I’ve got no problem.” He began typing into his computer and pulled up the records on previous students of the program. His printer began to whir, spitting out the information. He leaned over, grabbed it and handed it to Blaise.
“Gentlemen, I wish you success in your search. She was a real nice girl. Smart. Self-reliant. Easy to get along with and had a fucking great relationship with her dog. I hate that something may have happened to her. Any chance you can let me know what you find?”
“We’ll keep you apprised of our investigation to the extent that we are able,” Blaise answered noncommittally. Standing, he and Chad made their way back to the receptionist desk, turning in their badges.
Walking back to his jeep, Blaise was unaware that eyes followed the pair before making a phone call.
*
Miriam and Bethany sat in the waiting room as Grace met inside with the counselor. “I wish we could be with her,” Bethany said.
“I know,” Miriam agreed. “Somehow, it actually seems harder sitting out here, doesn’t it? But I know Dr. Saren will be good for her.”
Bethany nodded her agreement, her blue eyes seeking the dark gaze of her friend. “It’s hard to believe it was a year ago that I was stalked by a serial killer and met Jack.”
The two women, so different in appearance with Bethany’s tanned body and blonde hair, blue eyed, girl-next-door look in contrast with Miriam’s dark hair, dark eyes, and slightly exotic visage. But having both been rescued by Saints, they formed a bond along with the other women in their group.
Glancing at the clock slowly ticking off the minutes, they sighed, returning to their conversations about pregnancies and babies. Bethany was just showing while Miriam was almost due.
Inside the room, Grace spoke eagerly to the trauma counselor. “I want to remember. I want to know what happened to me. Who I was. Where I was. Where I was going. Who was after me. But I’m so frustrated that it’s all just black. Well, until last night’s nightmare brought some of it back.”
“That isn’t uncommon,” Dr. Saren said. “Often with temporary amnesia caused by trauma, the person will slowly regain their memory. It may be like turning the pages of a book, where it is
revealed a bit at a time. Because you had a head injury as well as what appears to be an emotional trauma, your body and mind are having to heal.”
“But I will remember, right? It will come back to me?”
“Everyone is different but, hopefully, yes, you will regain all of your memory. Some people only forget the traumatic event but, in your case, you lost all of yourself—”
“Yes! That’s just how it feels,” she exclaimed. “I lost all of myself.”
“Except Gypsy, right?”
Nodding, Grace agreed. “But I didn’t remember her either. If it hadn’t been for the nametag on her neck and the fact that she wouldn’t leave me, I wouldn’t know she was mine.”
“Memory loss is generally due to the brain simply deciding that it is too painful or frightening to remember something. The brain monitors your memories, so to speak.”
“What about hypnosis? Can that work?”
“Well, there are some reliable counselors trained in hypnosis that I can suggest if you want to try them. But, it’s not like they would snap you into and out of a trance and you would suddenly remember everything.”
Huffing in frustration, Grace leaned back in her seat.
“I understand your frustration, Grace,” Dr. Saren said. “I would suggest you and I meet a few more times, talk over what you are remembering and then decide if you want to pursue hypnosis.”
Agreeing, the two continued the rest of the session, discussing the nightmare and what Grace now remembered.
“When I think about progress,” Grace admitted, “I now know that Gypsy was my dog. And we must have been somewhere possibly dangerous or stumbled onto something dangerous. We were followed and I was trying to protect us both when the accident occurred.”
“That’s so much more than you knew beforehand,” Dr. Saren pointed out. “So while that seems small, not only did the event replay in your mind, but the emotions as well. That tells us your brain is beginning to accept that you can handle what happened. I believe that bits and pieces will come back.”
Finishing the session, Grace walked back to the waiting room, suddenly exhausted. Bethany and Miriam rushed to her, forming a group hug.
“That’s not easy,” Grace admitted, to the nods from the other two women.
“That’s why I think a trip to Angel’s Cupcake Heaven is necessary,” pronounced Bethany, quickly supported by Miriam.
Grinning, Grace agreed. “Lead the way, ladies.”
Soon the three were ensconced in ACH at a back table, enjoying the fruits of Angel’s labors, with her joining them. Dani, Faith, and Sabrina walked into the shop at the same time.
Grace looked up then jerked her gaze to Bethany and Miriam. “You called them, didn’t you?”
“Guilty,” Bethany admitted. “I know you’re used to doing things on your own, but girl…you’ve got all of us now.”
Plopping down, Dani agreed. “Anyway, with half of us pregnant, we don’t need much of an excuse for a cupcake!”
Laughing, Grace smiled at the women sitting around the table. Sharing cupcakes. Sharing her difficult day. Sharing her life.
*
Entering the Richmond International Airport, Blaise and Chad were met by Monty. Greeting them, Monty explained before they had a chance to ask. “Got us access to talk to the head of TSA security here, as well as her trainer.”
Nodding his appreciation, Blaise led the way toward the TSA office. Bernard Tanner met them at the door. After introductions, they followed him down a long hall, lined with pictures of TSA personnel and their dogs.
The realization slammed into Blaise that Grace could have—should have—been on the wall as well.
Jolted out of his musings, they were escorted to a large, but spartan, conference room.
“Gentlemen,” Bernard said. “Got a call from my superior, who’d been directed by the FBI, to assist you, but I wasn’t told why.”
“We are investigating the disappearance of a woman who was part of the TSA drug handler training program. She had graduated from the Virginia K-9 facility and it is our understanding she was being offered a job with the TSA here at RIA.”
His brow crinkled in thought as he said, “Kennedy. Ms. Kennedy?”
Nodding, Blaise agreed. “Grace Kennedy and her dog, Gypsy.”
“Yes, I remember her well. Very promising. We were happy to hire her. We had finished the initial processing—she had already been cleared having started that process while still in school. She was assigned to one of our trainers to work until she became a full-fledged employee.”
His dissertation stopped, and Blaise prodded him for more. “But what happened?”
A look of confusion crossed his face, and Bernard asked, “Happened? I’m not sure I follow you.”
Holding onto his exasperation, Blaise continued. “She’s been missing. For a month. What did you do when she didn’t show up?”
“Do?” Bernard’s face turned red. “We didn’t do anything. If she wanted the job, she should have continued to come. Do you know how much money was already spent on her background investigation? Training? When she stopped coming, her direct trainer came to me and I told him we’d move to the next person on our hiring list. We don’t have time to coddle someone who gets scared of coming to work or doesn’t have the work ethic we require.”
Chad shared a quick glance with Monty, knowing Blaise was about to explode, and he stepped in quickly.
“So a potentially excellent new employee, one you sought out, suddenly doesn’t show up and no one tried to find out why? Or go to the trouble of reporting her missing to the police?”
“I didn’t know she was missing! I just thought she changed her mind. It can happen. Sometimes people think this job is glamorous. But it can be tedious. Stressful. Maybe she just didn’t think she wanted to come here anymore,” Bernard blustered, trying to defend his position.
The silence hung between the four men, three hanging onto their tempers and one trying to maintain his credibility.
Bernard finally broke the silence first, saying, “I never thought anything untoward happened to her. She was a really nice young woman and very professional. I admit I was surprised when she left us, but it has happened before. I gotta ask, though…why didn’t someone in her family contact the police?”
“If you’d bothered to check,” Blaise bit out, “she was an only child of deceased parents. New in the area.”
A long sigh released from Bernard. “Goddamn.” Rubbing his hand over his military cut, dark hair, he shook his head. Looking up, he asked, “So no one knows where she is? Or her dog?”
“That’s why we’re investigating,” Monty stated the obvious. “We need to speak to her trainer.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll take you to him.”
“By the way,” Blaise said, as they rose from their chairs, “Can you tell us who got the job that she vacated?”
“Why, yes. Another excellent candidate from the same school. Carter Boren.”
Chapter 14
Stepping into another hall leading into the depths of the baggage area of the RIA, the three men followed Bernard to a large room where luggage was passing through on conveyor belts. Several TSA uniformed men and their dogs were around, all looking up as the impressive group came into the area.
“Preston, need you for a few minutes,” Bernard called out to a tall, lanky man who appeared to be overseeing the others.
He walked over, a friendly smiled on his face. Bernard introduced the Saints, adding, “They’re here to gather information on Grace Kennedy. Seems she’s gone missing.”
“Missing?” Preston appeared confused and then surprised. “Missing! Is that why she didn’t come back to work?”
Bernard rubbed his chin, blushing slightly. “Yeah, it seems we were premature in thinking she just didn’t want the job.”
A muscle in Blaise’s jaw ticked once more in anger, taking all of his self-control not to blast both men.
“They’d like to talk to you for a
few minutes,” Bernard continued. As he began to turn away, he hesitated, his eyes on the floor. Finally lifting them, he spoke, regret filling his voice, “I wish you all the luck in the world, gentlemen. I’d hate to think anything happened to her.”
Preston lifted his hand, ushering the group away from the noise of the baggage search area. Closing a door behind them, he said, “Sorry, we’re stuck in a hall, but I don’t have an office down here.”
“No problem,” Blaise assured him. “What can you tell us about Grace?”
“She was a good handler. Came highly recommended by the K-9 training facility. Bernard and I went there and interviewed her and a couple of others. She was our first choice.”
“How long had she been here before she went missing?” Monty inquired, his notebook out, sending the information given straight back to Luke for verification.
“Only about three weeks. She was doing fine. She was a great trainee and so was Gypsy. Those two were perfectly in sync. Most of our handlers are, but gotta say, there was something special about the bond between those two.”
Unable to professionally detach himself from the answers, Blaise thought back to seeing Grace and Gypsy in the park. Their movements as one. She had no family. Few friends. Making her way in life alone. Except for her dog. Startling, he realized Chad had asked another question and his mind worked to catch up.
“I know that sounds hard as hell but, honestly, we have some TSA handlers that can’t handle the job. Granted, they usually come tell us but, well, when she didn’t return to work, we just figured she wasn’t interested.” Sticking his hands in his pockets, his hound-dog eyes looked up. “What have you found? Do you think she’s off hurt somewhere? Is her car missing?”
“Why would you say that?” Blaise asked, his voice strident. Chad, barely nudging Blaise, reminded him to maintain his composure. Sucking in a deep breath, Blaise continued, “After all, anything could have happened to her. Perhaps, as you say, she just left for another job.”
Licking his lips, Preston swallowed hard. “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know what happened. I was just thinking that if she’s missing, that sounds like you all think something happened to her.”
Remember Love: Saints Protection & Investigations Page 11