Military K-9 Unit Christmas: Christmas Escape ; Yuletide Target

by Valerie Hansen

  Then he switched gears to finish his report on the events of the morning. Less than ten minutes after he’d filed his report on Misty Walsh’s hit-and-run, Master Sergeant Hanover called his cell phone.

  “What’s the connection between Senior Airman Walsh and Senior Airman Burke?” Hanover demanded.

  “Misty asked Jacey if they could meet off base for coffee. She had something to tell her about Lieutenant Colonel Turks.”

  There was a long moment of silence. “You think she was assaulted, as well?” Hanover finally asked.

  “We won’t know for sure until she wakes up to tell us,” Sean pointed out. It was interesting that his boss seemed very concerned about the assault. Maybe going through the issue with his former girlfriend had made him see how wrong he’d been to do such a thing. “But that’s the working theory, yes.”

  “Hmm.” Sean waited as his boss mulled over the information. “Do you believe her?”

  “Jacey? Yes, I do.”

  Another long pause. “It’s not easy going up against a lieutenant colonel without some hard evidence.”

  “No, sir. Yet it appears someone is trying to prevent us from doing just that.”

  “Be careful,” Hanover said. “Oh, and be aware that Senior Airman Ullman isn’t happy I transferred the case to you. I trust you to do a good job with it.”

  “Understood, sir.” Maybe if Ullman had taken Jacey’s concerns seriously, the airman would still have the case. Too bad for him.

  Ullman had had at least one instance of attempted assault of a woman. Were there more that hadn’t been reported? Sean felt as if he were walking through a maze blindfolded. The whole thing was beyond frustrating. Lieutenant Colonel Turks was halfway across the globe in Kabul, Afghanistan, while attempts were being made on military personnel here, at Canyon.

  Sean needed a break in the case, and soon. Before anyone else was hurt, or worse.

  He left the office Westley James had allowed him to use and crossed over to wait for Jacey. She and Greta joined him a few minutes later.

  “You want me to pick up a pizza for dinner?” he asked.

  “Sure.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Any news on Misty?”

  “Not yet. We’ll call the hospital for an update when we get home.”

  She nodded, her expression troubled. “Even if she wakes up, there’s no guarantee she’ll remember anything about the driver of the truck that hit her.”

  “I know, but we still need to know what she wanted to discuss with you in the first place.” It still bothered him that Misty had asked for Jacey to come alone.

  Why exclude a cop?

  Sean had more questions than answers.

  Jacey gave Greta food and water, then called the hospital while he set the table. He set the pizza on the table, pleased that Jacey had requested the works, exactly the way he liked it.

  Stop it, he told himself harshly. Focus on the case, not on the woman.

  “Still not awake,” Jacey said dejectedly as she dropped into the chair across from him. “But they think it’s mostly because of her surgery. They had to place a rod and pins to align the bones in her left arm.”

  As horrible as it was, he knew it could have been much worse. He held out his hand, palm upward. “Let’s pray for her.”

  She looked surprised by his suggestion but placed her hand in his and bowed her head. “Heavenly Father, we ask that You please heal Misty’s injuries and help her wake up so we can seek justice against the person who did this to her. We also ask that You bless this food we are about to eat, and that You continue to guide us on Your chosen path, amen.”

  “Amen,” he echoed.

  She didn’t remove her hand from his for a long moment. “I’m glad you suggested praying for Misty,” she said, finally letting him go. “That was nice.”

  “Yeah.” Truthfully, he’d surprised himself by making the request. Since reuniting with Jacey, he’d realized the importance of renewing his faith. “Maybe I should think about attending church services again, too. For more than just getting into the holiday spirit.”

  “That would be great.” Jacey’s smile was brighter than the lights on Christmas tree in the corner of the living room. “Have you ever spoken to Bill Ullman about the reports I made to him when the strange incidents started?”

  He lifted a brow. “No, why?”

  She shrugged and took another bite of her pizza. “I don’t know, just curious.”

  “I figured there was nothing to gain by talking to him, since you mentioned he didn’t take your concerns seriously. Although my boss did mention that he’s not happy that I’ve been given the case.” He didn’t tell her what he’d found so far in the guy’s file. One incident didn’t make a murderer.

  “That’s interesting. Why would he care?” She lifted her head and stared out the window for a moment. Then her gaze narrowed and she abruptly leaped to her feet. “Sean! I think there’s a fire over at the base-housing apartment complex.”

  “What?” He went over to see what she meant. Dusk was falling, but it was easy to see the dark cloud of smoke hovering over the building, obliterating the Christmas lights dangling from the light poles.

  A coincidence? Not likely. Anyone looking at his personnel file or Jacey’s would see that they both lived there.

  Was this yet another attempt against them?

  To silence one or both of them, for good?

  EIGHT

  “We need to head over there, see if they need help.” Jacey bent over to fasten Greta’s vest in place.

  “We’re not trained firefighters,” Sean protested. “If this is an attempt to get to us, then we need to stay here where it’s safe.”

  “You don’t know that the fire is connected to us. Our military brothers and sisters need our help.” Jacey secured a leash to Greta’s vest. “I’m going to help them. They might need Greta’s trained nose. You can stay here if you want.”

  “No way. You’re not going alone.” Sean’s tone was clipped with anger. It occurred to her that this was the first time she’d seen him truly angry. “We’ll take the jeep and if there is any evidence this is linked to us, we’re out of there.”

  Parking would be a nightmare, but she decided to let it go.

  The area around the apartment building was engulfed in chaos. For a moment, she wondered if Sean was right about this being a trap, but then she shook off the sliver of fear.

  They needed to make sure everyone had gotten out of the building safely.

  Greta sniffed at people as they passed by, and Jacey wondered if the perpetrator who’d started the fire used something that Greta could identify. The K-9 wouldn’t pick up on scents like gasoline or fire-starter fluid, but if there was gunpowder or something similar, it was worth a shot.

  This is what Greta trained for.

  The firefighters were already on scene and not allowing any pedestrians to cross the perimeter. The scent of smoke was thick and heavy as the firefighters put out the blaze.

  “Only the south building seems to be impacted,” Sean murmured.

  She nodded. “I noticed. They’re soaking the north building with water to stop the fire from spreading, but it appears that they have it under control.”

  “I wonder where the fire originated?” Sean asked, staring at the third floor where it appeared the majority of the work was being done by the firefighters on scene.

  Jacey shivered as the magnitude of the event washed over her. “My apartment is on the third floor.”

  Sean put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. “Exactly.”

  The thought that this fire was set on purpose, maybe even in her unit, made Jacey feel sick. The person behind all of this obviously didn’t care how many innocent people were hurt along the way.

  Why had the perp set her apartment on fire while she wasn’t
there? To scare her?

  Or was this all one big coincidence?

  The fire chief turned to address the crowd of onlookers. “Has anyone seen Senior Airman Burke?”

  Jacey swallowed hard and lifted her hand. “Here, sir.”

  He gestured for her to step forward, and she was relieved that Sean stayed close at her side. They both saluted the senior officer. Greta was on full alert, her nose sniffing constantly.

  “Senior Airman Burke, your apartment has been deemed the source of the fire.” The fire chief’s gaze was stern. “Are you a smoker? Or did you leave candles burning?”

  “No, sir.” Jacey tightened her grip on Greta’s leash. “I have never smoked. I don’t have a real Christmas tree or wreath and do not burn candles. I’m aware of what is and isn’t allowed on the premises, sir.”

  “Hmm.” His stern expression softened. “Well, I’m glad you weren’t home when this happened. Thankfully, the sprinklers worked well and the fire was put out quickly. Most of the damage was centered on your apartment and those adjacent and beneath it. And most of that is from water, not the fire itself.”

  Jacey sent up a quick prayer of thanks that no one was injured as a result of the fire. But it still bothered her that her apartment was used as the source of the blaze. “I’m glad to hear that, sir.”

  “Has the fire been deemed arson?” Sean spoke up for the first time. “I’m Staff Sergeant Morris, and I’m investigating several previous attempts to harm Senior Airman Burke. Hearing the source of the fire was her apartment gives me a reason to believe this event is connected to the others.”

  “Not yet. Who is your superior officer?”

  “I report directly to Master Sergeant Doug Hanover, sir, but ultimately my CO is Captain Justin Blackwood.”

  “Fine.” The fire chief nodded. “I’ll let Captain Blackwood know when our investigation is complete. At this point, all I can tell you is that it appears that the fire originated on the sofa.”

  Jacey opened her mouth to protest, but Sean nudged her and shook his head. This was the part of the military she didn’t enjoy, when brass would only communicate among lines of authority.

  It was her apartment that had been torched. Sean was the key cop investigating her case. The bureaucracy was beyond annoying.

  “Dismissed,” the fire chief said, turning away from them. Jacey had to grit her teeth together to prevent herself from saying something she’d regret. The last thing she needed was another negative note in her file.

  The one currently sitting in there was bad enough.

  “Come on.” Sean tugged at her elbow. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Where are these airmen who can’t return to their apartments going to sleep tonight?” Jacey asked as she allowed Sean to lead a weaving path through the crowd.

  “I’m sure they’ll be ordered to double up—they won’t be stranded in the cold.” Sean brushed aside her concern. “We need to get back to the house. I don’t like being out in the open like this.”

  “No one would be crazy enough to make an attempt on us with all these people around.” Even as she said the words, she realized that wasn’t entirely true.

  Misty had been struck by a truck in the bright light of day on a busy street with pedestrians milling about.

  The person behind this was growing bolder. Jacey would be a fool to underestimate him or her.

  Him. Deep down, she knew the person responsible was a man. Who else would care about her allegation against Lieutenant Colonel Turks? Even if a woman didn’t quite believe her, it was unlikely that a female airman or officer would go to such lengths to silence her.

  Not just her, but Misty, too.

  The perp had to be a man. Someone with a lot to lose if the truth about the lieutenant colonel came to light.

  But who?

  The strong stench of cigarette smoke made her wrinkle her nose seconds before someone shoved past her. The person making their way through the crowd was wearing a uniform, complete with a cap, and had the collar turned up around the face.

  “Wait! Sean! This way!” She jutted around another person, trying to follow the guy weaving through the crowd. There were so many people, all dressed similarly and wearing hats because of the cold December temperatures.

  “What happened?” Sean asked, joining her. “Did you see someone?”

  “I did, but he’s gone now.” She sighed and glanced around. “I’m sure it was the guy we’re looking for.”

  “A guy?” Sean asked. “You saw his face?”

  “Not exactly.” She glanced around, battling a wave of dejection. So close. The perp had been so close! “But can you honestly come up with a reason why a woman would do this?”

  “No, but that doesn’t mean a woman isn’t involved.” Sean anchored his arm around her waist, providing a sense of safety and protectiveness. “It’s not smart to rule anyone out, Jacey.”

  She didn’t answer, but the image of Misty Walsh’s pale, bloodstained face wouldn’t go away.

  Then she remembered the scent of cigarette smoke. “It’s the same guy who shoved me from behind that first night. I know it. He reeked of the same stale cigarette smoke. As if he’d smoked an entire pack within the past few hours.”

  “Yeah, okay, but that doesn’t exactly narrow down our pool of suspects,” Sean pointed out. “Almost half the personnel on base smoke.”

  He was right. She knew he was right.

  But so was she. They were looking for a man who smoked and who didn’t particularly like women. Or maybe liked them too much.

  “Wait a minute.” She stopped and looked at Sean. “Does Lieutenant Colonel Turks have family? Like a son?”

  Sean shook his head. “That was the first thing I checked. He has a civilian ex-wife, and that’s it. No other family listed on file.”

  “Does his ex-wife have kids?”

  “No.” She should have realized he’d check that, too, considering his experience with his own stepfather.

  “Great.” Her shoulders slumped with defeat. They were right back where they’d started two days ago.

  No suspects, no way to narrow the list of airmen and officers living on base.

  They were fresh out of clues.

  * * *

  Sean hustled Jacey through the crowd, looking over his shoulder at different time intervals to make sure they weren’t followed.

  He understood Jacey’s frustration; in fact, he shared it. Just as they reached the playground located two blocks down from the apartment complex, a pretty blonde stepped in front of them. “I’m Heidi Jenks—I’d like to interview Senior Airman Burke about the fire that originated in her apartment.”

  “No comment,” Sean said, holding up his hand so Jacey wouldn’t respond.

  “I was talking to Jacey Burke, not you,” Heidi responded tartly. “I’m sure she can speak for herself.”

  Jacey didn’t respond right away, as if weighing her options.

  “Don’t,” Sean said in an undertone. “The last thing you need is to have your name splattered all over the base newspaper.”

  “Again, I think she can speak for herself,” Heidi countered. “Jacey?”

  “How did you know her first name?” Sean challenged, knowing there was no way to win the gender war.

  Heidi looked taken aback. “I heard the fire chief mention her name.”

  “No, he only referred to her as Senior Airman Burke.” Sean didn’t like this one bit. “Not her first name. Which according to her file is listed as Jacelyn. So how do you know her nickname?”

  “Okay, okay.” Heidi lifted a hand in surrender. “If you must know, I learned about Jacey’s allegation against the lieutenant colonel and thought it would be a good idea to do a story on it.” She turned toward Jacey. “What do you think? Don’t you want other women to be aware of what happened?”


  “My allegation was deemed not credible,” Jacey said in a low tone. “Why would you want to do a story on something that hasn’t been validated?”

  “Because I think it’s important that all sides of the story are told and women need to be encouraged to stand their ground and fight back against this kind of thing,” Heidi responded. “Do you really want the lieutenant colonel to have the last word?”

  “Why does it matter, if no one believes me?” Jacey asked.

  “Whoa, Jacey. You need to take some time to think about the ramifications of giving an interview.” Sean didn’t necessarily think that Heidi Jenks was up to something nefarious, but at the same time, he didn’t want Jacey jumping into something she may regret later. The lieutenant colonel already had someone on base attacking her; why stir things up?

  Heidi was focused on Jacey. “I don’t want to rush you into anything, but I am interested in hearing your side of what happened. You’re not the only woman on base who’s had to deal with this. Here’s my card. Give me a call when you feel like talking.”

  “Thanks.” Jacey took the reporter’s card and offered a wan smile.

  “I look forward to hearing from you,” Heidi said as she turned away.

  “Wait!” Jacey took a few steps toward the reporter and Sean curled his fingers into fists to prevent himself from reaching for her.

  “Change your mind already?” Heidi asked with a grin.

  “No, but I do have a question for you. Do you know Misty Walsh?”

  Sean didn’t think he imagined the flash of recognition in the reporter’s eyes.

  “Why does it matter?” Heidi asked.

  “Because she was seriously injured by a hit-and-run,” Sean said.

  Heidi’s eyes widened with horror. “No! What happened?”

  He was a little surprised she didn’t know, but then remembered that the hit-and-run had taken place off base. None of this was Heidi Jenks’s fault. He was letting his personal feelings toward Jacey run amok, viewing Heidi as an adversary rather than an ally.

  “Someone driving a black truck ran a red light and hit her on the left side,” Jacey answered. “She has a head injury, a broken arm requiring surgery and a broken leg, among other minor wounds. Now it’s your turn to answer my question. Did you talk to Misty? Did she tell you about having an issue with the lieutenant colonel?”