by Laura Scott
“That’s great. And I’m really happy to hear about Beacon coming home, too. You’ve certainly waited long enough for this day.”
“You have that right.” Isaac still had trouble believing it for himself. “Park close to the door, okay? And call me after your shift so I can come meet you.”
She nodded, and obliged him by pulling into the first available space close to the building. He slid out of the passenger seat as she emerged with her purse over her shoulder and her stethoscope slung around her neck. He escorted her to the door.
“Have a great day.” He gave her a quick hug, releasing her before he could act on his temptation to kiss her. “See you later.”
“Bye.”
He stood on the sidewalk, watching as she hurried inside. When the door closed behind her, he led Tango toward the Winged Java.
After purchasing a coffee and blueberry muffin, he headed back outside to one of the tables along the sidewalk.
The clinic didn’t open for over two hours yet, so when he finished his muffin, he settled in for a long wait.
A familiar female figure approached on the sidewalk, dressed casually in her battle-ready uniform. He recognized Greta, her Belgian Malinois, walking at her side.
“Jacey?” He quickly stood. “Hey, do you have a minute?”
“Oh, hi, Isaac.” Her smile was strained. “Um, sure, I guess.”
“I won’t keep you long,” he promised. Now that she was here, he tried to formulate the best approach. “Do you want coffee or tea?”
“No, thanks.” She sat stiffly in the seat across from him, glancing warily over her shoulder. He frowned, wondering what she’d been through in Afghanistan.
“Listen, Jacey, I just wanted a chance to apologize to you.” Isaac swallowed hard and forced himself to meet her startled gaze. “I know it’s my fault your brother is gone and I feel terrible for letting you down.”
“You were under attack by enemy fire,” she said. “I don’t hold you responsible for Jake’s death. We signed up to serve our country and that’s exactly what you and Jake were doing.”
He stared in shock. “I—I thought you hated me.”
For the first time, her smile brightened her entire face. “I don’t hate you, Isaac. Never have.” She tipped her head to the side. “Are we okay now?”
“I—Um, yeah, sure.” He was flabbergasted at her response. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Are you picking up Beacon today?”
He nodded and finished off his coffee. “Yes, but the clinic doesn’t open for a while yet.” He grinned. “Somehow, I don’t think Kyle will be surprised to find me waiting at the doorway.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Probably not.” Her smile faded and she glanced again over her shoulder. “Well, I’d better get going. I have some work to do with Greta here.”
Isaac’s instincts were spinning. “Hey, Jacey, is something wrong? Someone giving you trouble?”
“What?” A flash of guilt shadowed her blue eyes. “Oh, no. I’m fine, truly. Just adapting to life back on US soil, that’s all.”
He knew what it was like to go from one world where you feared for your life on a daily basis to one where most of the people around you weren’t dangerous at all.
Well, except for Boyd Sullivan.
“Jacey, I know Jake would want me to take over the role of big brother to look after you,” he said. “Call me if you need something, okay?”
“I will.” She bobbed her head in agreement, but he wasn’t convinced. “See you later.”
The two hours slipped by slowly. Thankfully Kyle Roark arrived ahead of schedule and readily took Isaac back to see Beacon.
The dog lifted his head and let out a sharp bark from his kennel. Then his tail began to wag and his entire body shimmied with excitement.
“He’ll be fine, Isaac.” Kyle opened the kennel and handed Isaac the leash. He clipped the tether to Beacon’s collar and then knelt down to greet the dog the way he’d been wanting to since they’d parted.
“Good boy,” he said, chuckling as the dog tried to climb into his lap and lick his face. He rubbed Beacon’s coat and buried his face against the dog’s neck. “Welcome home, buddy. Welcome home.”
Kyle watched the reunion with satisfaction. “It’s obvious you two belong together.”
“I agree.” Isaac finally rose to his feet. “Come on, Beacon. Let’s get you home.”
Beacon didn’t seem to mind Tango, which was a little surprising, since Beacon wasn’t what anyone would call a warm and fuzzy animal. He was a warrior.
A warrior that had saved his life.
The morning went by fast, so he didn’t make it over to Vanessa’s to check on Aiden until after lunch.
“You really want me to watch Tango for a while?” Aiden seemed unsure when Isaac told him his plan. “He’s your therapy dog, isn’t he?”
“He was, but I have Beacon now. We’re a team, and I’m worried that Tango will feel left out.”
He spent some of the afternoon getting reacquainted with Beacon, though their connection was so strong, he didn’t need the extra time. So he decided to head back to Vanessa’s to see how Aiden was doing with Tango.
In no time it was nineteen thirty, the time Vanessa’s shift ended. She’d warned him that sometimes she had to work late, but he thought about heading over to meet her, even though she hadn’t called yet to say she was finished.
Before he could decide, his phone rang. He grinned when he recognized her number. “Hey, Vanessa.”
“Isaac? Someone smashed my driver’s-side window and left a red rose on my seat.”
TWELVE
Vanessa rubbed her arms, feeling chilled to the bone as she stood beside the cop who’d escorted her to her vehicle. The Security Forces cop had introduced himself as Staff Sergeant Sean Morris and had been happy to provide an escort to her car.
She should have called Isaac, the way they’d initially planned. But she’d thought she’d be safe enough with a cop escort.
And now, she was glad she hadn’t been alone when she’d found the damage and the crushed red rose. The implied threat was all too real. Sean Morris had instantly called his boss, while she’d contacted Isaac.
Just hearing Isaac’s calm voice had reassured her.
“Captain Blackwood will be here any minute, Lieutenant,” Morris said, his blue eyes full of concern. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Of course,” she replied, wishing she could stop shivering. “Frankly, I’m glad it’s only my SUV that’s been damaged.”
Morris didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t say anything more as twin headlights cut through the darkness. She tensed, until she realized the driver was Justin. He got out of the car and then let his dog, Quinn, out before coming over.
“Captain,” Morris greeted the officer with a sharp salute.
“At ease, Sergeant.” Justin returned the salute, then his gaze sought hers. “You’re not hurt?”
“Sergeant Morris escorted me outside after work and we found this.” She gestured to the broken driver’s-side window. “Unfortunately, I worked a twelve-hour shift, so I have no idea when this happened.”
Justin surveyed the damage, looking grim. “It’s a threat all right. Seems to fit in with the way he initially picks his victims, sending a rose then following up with violence. But why is he repeating that pattern now?”
Vanessa battled a helpless wave of anger. “I don’t know. None of it makes any sense. He’s done so many things, from stealing uniforms, killing people, letting the dogs loose, firing into crowds and leaving threatening notes in all sorts of random places. But the biggest mystery is why he’s targeting me in the first place.”
“He obviously is carrying a grudge against you,” Justin said. “Are you sure you don’t know why?”
“No clue.” She sighed, then glanc
ed over as Isaac jogged over with Beacon at his side.
He surprised her by pulling her into his arms. “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked in a low, husky voice.
His clean, masculine scent was incredibly soothing. “Yes,” she whispered. Oddly enough, now that Isaac was here, she felt much better.
Safer. Which was crazy, since Sergeant Morris was armed and Isaac wasn’t.
Isaac held her for another long moment, before releasing his hold so he could examine the damage to her car. “This ridiculousness has gone on long enough,” he muttered.
“You don’t have to tell me.” Justin’s tone was laced with frustration. “I hate the way we always seem to be one step behind him.”
“We need to check the video cameras, sir,” Sergeant Morris said.
“We will, but they haven’t helped us so far,” Blackwood pointed out. “Sullivan apparently knows where the cameras are and is always wearing a mask or hoodie, keeping his face averted from view. He’s managed to avoid motion sensors and other security measures we have, as well.”
“Then this fits with Sullivan’s previous attempts.” Vanessa waved a hand at her broken window.
“Yes, it does,” Justin admitted. “Although again, I don’t see why he’s repeating the pattern, going from attempted murder back to a scare tactic like a brick through a window and a red rose.”
“Like the phone call,” Vanessa said.
“Phone call?” Blackwood echoed.
She inwardly winced when she realized she’d failed to mention it. “I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you. After the gunshot at Beacon’s landing, I received a phone call from an unknown number. All the voice said was, ‘Next time, you won’t get away.’”
Justin sighed. “You should have told me.”
“I know. But I couldn’t identify the voice, either. I can’t say whether it was Boyd’s voice or not.” She felt bad about the lapse. Isaac slipped his arm around her shoulders as if to reassure her.
“Sir? Is it possible Sullivan knew that Lieutenant Gomez has had a security detail escorting her anytime she’s outside the ICU and decided to leave the brick and rose as a warning instead?” Sergeant Morris asked.
Three pairs of eyes swiveled to stare at the staff sergeant in surprise. The guy was roughly her age with dark hair and kind eyes, and she found herself impressed by his insight.
“It’s possible,” Justin acknowledged. “At this point, I’m open to any and all reasonable theories. Which reminds me, what about the ex-boyfriend you mentioned the other day? Maybe this is his work?”
“It’s not Leo’s style,” she insisted.
Justin didn’t look convinced. “In the meantime, let’s get a tech out here to check for fingerprints or other evidence.”
Vanessa knew that the likelihood of finding fingerprints on the brick or the smashed rose was slim to none, but understood it was part of the process. “Is it okay if I go home?”
Justin glanced at Isaac, then nodded. “Sure. We’ll let you know when we’re finished processing your vehicle.”
“I’ll take them, Captain,” Sergeant Morris offered.
“That’s good,” Justin agreed. “When you’re finished, I’ll need your report.”
“Yes, sir.” Morris gestured toward his car, which was parked beneath one of the bright lights scattered across the lot. “This way.”
Isaac dropped his arm from her shoulders, but reached for her hand. She clutched it tightly as they followed Morris to his vehicle. Isaac opened the front passenger door for her and dropped to one knee, bringing Beacon close.
“Friend,” he said to Beacon, putting his hand on Vanessa’s knee. “Friend.”
Beacon sniffed her legs, then wagged his tail. She tentatively scratched his silky head, staying clear of his healing incision, glad that the animal accepted her touch.
“Good boy,” Isaac praised. He rose, closed Vanessa’s door then slid in behind her.
Morris started the car and drove toward the exit.
“I live off Webster, just past Viking,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She winced. “Please, just call me Vanessa.”
The cop flashed a smile. “Okay.”
“And I’m Isaac. No need to stand on formality at times like this.”
Morris nodded. “I’m sorry about your car.”
“Me, too.” She glanced over her shoulder at Isaac. “Does Aiden know?”
“Yes, I was with him when you called. I left Tango behind. Your brother agreed to keep him for a while.”
She was relieved to hear it, although she still didn’t like the idea of Aiden being at her place alone. The cop posted at the front door hadn’t prevented a break-in, or the additional attempts to harm her. Something had happened almost every day.
Fear threatened to close her throat, making it impossible to breathe. Every day.
Would it continue until he succeeded in killing her?
Ten minutes later, Sean pulled into her driveway. She pulled herself together, barely making it out of the jeep when the front door flew open and Aiden came rushing out.
“Nessa!” He greeted her with a hug. “I’ve been worried.”
She returned her brother’s hug, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes. Despite all the horrible things happening to her, there was one good thing to come out of all this. Aiden was acting like the kid brother he’d been before he was sent overseas.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, subtly wiping her eyes. “Easy enough to fix a broken window.”
“I know.” Aiden stepped back, revealing Tango at his side.
“Need anything else?” Sean asked.
“No, but thanks again.” She flashed him a smile as Isaac and Beacon came to stand beside her.
“I was glad to be there. Keep calling for escorts while you’re at work,” Sean cautioned. “Each and every time you leave the ICU.”
“I will.”
Sean offered a quick salute and climbed back into his car. The three of them walked inside, nodding at the cop at the door.
“Isaac, are you going to sleep on the sofa again?” Aiden asked.
She was touched by her brother’s protectiveness. He’d come a long way from that first night he’d met Isaac, glaring at him with suspicion.
“I will if Vanessa doesn’t mind.”
The pressure of being exposed to nonstop danger had her nodding quickly. “I’d like that.”
Isaac didn’t hesitate. “Done.”
“Good.” Aiden seemed satisfied with the added layer of protection. “I’ll keep the puppies and Tango in my room.” He glanced around the interior. “We are definitely outnumbered by the dogs.”
That made Vanessa smile. Right here, right now, she felt safe. “‘We’? I’ll have Eagle in my room, Beacon will stay out here with Isaac. You’re the only one outnumbered by the dogs.”
“I don’t mind.” Aiden picked up the box of puppies, his grin making him look young and carefree. He spoke to the puppies and to Tango as he disappeared into his room, shutting the door behind him.
Then she and Isaac were alone.
“He’s really coming along,” Isaac said, gazing thoughtfully at Aiden’s door.
“He is,” she agreed. “Fostering the puppies has done him a world of good.”
“I’m sure being here with you helped some, too.” Isaac took a step closer and her heart quickened with anticipation. She longed for his reassuring presence.
“You’ve given him an unofficial chance with Tango,” she pointed out, tipping her head back so she could meet his gaze. “And without Tango, we wouldn’t have found the pups. Let’s call it a group effort.”
“Yeah.” Isaac reached up and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I missed you today.”
Her heart melted at his frank admiss
ion. “I missed you, too.”
“And I hate that you’re constantly in danger.” He cupped her cheek, then bent down slowly, lightly brushing his lips against hers. The kiss was soft and fleeting, making her yearn for more.
“Good night, Vanessa,” he murmured, stepping away.
Disappointment stabbed deep. She couldn’t deny she was getting tired of Isaac’s mixed messages. One minute he was holding her and kissing her, the next he was pulling away.
As she returned to her room, she tried to let go of her fear and focus on the fact that they were attending church together in the morning.
Wasn’t helping Isaac rediscover his faith more important than her feelings for him?
Of course, it was.
But the knowledge didn’t help her sleep any better. Not until she closed her eyes and lifted her heart and hope to her Lord.
Please help me guide Isaac back to his faith and Your loving arms. If all we can have is friendship, help me to accept Your plan, Amen.
* * *
Why had he kissed her?
Isaac turned on the narrow sofa, wondering if he’d ever get a full night’s sleep again. Beacon was home where he belonged. He’d finally fulfilled his promise to Jake. He should be satisfied, but he wasn’t. Being close to Vanessa and keeping their relationship on strictly friendly terms was killing him.
He wasn’t sure he could keep it up. He’d almost clutched her close and kissed her long and deep, the way he’d wanted.
Tomorrow was Sunday, and he wished he could renege on his agreement to attend church services with Vanessa and Aiden.
But that was yet another promise he refused to break.
His eyelids fluttered closed and almost instantly he was back in the cockpit of the chopper, the sound of gunfire deafening.
Mayday! Mayday? We’re under fire!
Abruptly he awoke from the dream to see Beacon licking his face, his paws planted on his chest. His breath came in pants as his pulse thundered in his ears.
He’d hoped the nightmares wouldn’t return now that Beacon was home but he’d been wrong. Beacon had helped, but he was forced to admit that the nightmares might never stop.