Chief raised a brow. “Didn’t see how they’d be able to do anything more than I did.”
Cole couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The officer Cole once knew would be the first to bring in whatever resources he’d need for an investigation. This man sitting across from him more resembled a small-town cop set on protecting his territory.
With Alyssa’s life on the line, Cole couldn’t ignore the attitude. “Trained forensic specialists are always a good idea on a homicide.”
Chief sat forward, his boots hitting the floor with a thump. “I may have been friends with your father, Cole, but I won’t have you questioning my judgment like that.”
Cole had every reason to question his judgment, but he needed Chief’s cooperation if he was going to investigate this case. “I meant no disrespect, Chief. I let my frustrations with this case get the best of me and I apologize.” Cole paused and smiled at him. “Have you been able to pin down where the garbage truck picked up the suitcase?”
Chief pulled out a map from his desk and drew a circle with a red pen before sliding it over to Cole. “Best we can tell, the pickup occurred in this two-mile radius. It’s a commercial part of the route so we’re surmising the suitcase was dropped in one of the many Dumpsters in the area.”
“Great,” Cole said. “Okay if I take this map?”
“Knock yourself out.”
“Would you be willing to let us look at the suitcase before we go?”
“Don’t suppose that’d be a problem.” He pushed to his feet.
Cole gestured for Alyssa to precede him and they followed Chief down the hallway to a door labeled Evidence. Chief unlocked the door, jerked a suitcase off a lower shelf and dumped it on a long table.
“There you go,” he said, dragging the zipper open.
“You wouldn’t have a pair of gloves I could wear would you?” Cole asked casually, though he was fuming inside.
Chief had gotten sloppy. Letting two civilians near the evidence like this didn’t speak well to his investigative tactics. And letting them touch it—not to mention touching it himself—without gloves? That was just plain negligent.
Who else might he have let do the same thing? If Nolan had killed this guy, they’d need the suitcase to make the case and a defense attorney could have a field day with the sloppy investigation tactics.
Chief dug out a box of latex gloves from under a counter and let them fall on the table with a thud. His phone rang and he pulled it from his belt clip. “Excuse me a minute.” He moved to the far side of the room and turned his back to them as he held a low conversation.
Cole ignored him and focused on the suitcase. He snapped on gloves then searched every inch of the interior. Even after weeks of sitting in the open, the bag still reeked of death and rotting garbage. Though soiled, the inside of the bag was unworn. He pulled out paper stuffing from the pockets and showed it to Alyssa.
“Suitcase looks almost new, doesn’t it?” he said, keeping his voice as low as Chief’s.
“I thought the same thing when I saw that plastic thingy.” She pointed at the handle. “Looks like it was left from a price tag.”
“And you think that’s significant?”
She shrugged. “Maybe the owner was just sloppy, but if I got a new suitcase I’d cut off the tag before using it.”
“Good point. Maybe the killer bought the suitcase for the sole purpose of disposing of the body.” He tried to keep the excitement out of his voice, but there it was.
“And that’s significant why?”
“If we can figure out where this brand of suitcase is sold, maybe the store has security footage of the killer making the purchase.”
Alyssa moved closer. “So how do we do find out which stores sell it?”
Cole looked closer and found a zipper housing the roller mechanism. He unzipped it and found a white UPC tag inside. “You have anything to write with in your purse?”
She nodded.
“Write this down.” Cole lifted the tag so she could see it but didn’t say anything to let Chief know what he was up to. Cole was all for helping Chief solve his case, but if Saunders was the killer, Cole didn’t want Chief, who’d proved he’d gotten sloppy, inadvertently alerting Saunders so he could flee.
As Chief said goodbye, Cole noted the manufacturer of the suitcase then turned.
“Thanks for your help.” Cole stripped off the gloves and shook hands again with Chief. “I’ll let you know if we find anything to help with your case.”
“You do that, son,” Chief said, his face filled with amusement as if he couldn’t imagine Cole could help him.
Cole said his goodbyes and let his excitement over a lead propel him out of the building. As he opened the car door for Alyssa and she got settled, he dug his phone from his pocket and dialed his office.
“The Justice Agency,” his sister Kat answered with enthusiasm.
“Hey, Kit Kat. Got something I need you to track down.” He rattled off the suitcase details. “Think you can find out where it’s sold?”
“Do birds sing?” she replied cheerfully.
Cole smiled at her attitude. Ever since she’d been engaged to Mitch Elliot she’d been like a singing bird herself. “No matter what Ethan has you working on, this is top priority.”
“I’ll tell him you said that.”
“If he has a problem with it, make sure you tell him I said it’s too bad.” He laughed again and she chuckled along with him.
“You making any progress on this case? Other than falling for this Alyssa woman?”
“Where’d you get an idea like that?” he said, but as he headed to his side of car, the answer came to him. “No need to explain. Dani’s been spreading gossip again.”
“She doesn’t gossip. Just shares her opinion.” Kat paused for a long moment. “Which I might add, is usually right on target.”
As Cole climbed into the car, he glanced at Alyssa. He knew if he denied his interest in her, he’d be lying so he said his goodbyes.
Back on the highway, Alyssa turned her attention to the window again, and he was thankful for the quiet to think about Kat’s comment. It was time to admit he had a thing for Alyssa. It was also time to admit he’d been lonely lately. He’d avoided all that mattered in life. Friends, family, a woman to share his day with. If he ever wanted to let go of the loneliness he had to change. The question was, how did he begin?
* * *
Cole had been flexing the muscle in his jaw for the last thirty minutes of their drive and Alyssa wondered if he was mulling over something about the case. Maybe something Kat had said on the phone. Could it be about Frank Gibson? They hadn’t discussed him since last night when Cole told her he’d gone missing.
“Have you heard anything about Frank today?” she asked.
“Not yet.” He pulled to a stop at the red light near his rental house. “But I’m hoping he’s simply lying low and he’ll get in touch with Agent Carter soon.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“Then I’ll send Derrick to find him,” he answered.
She loved hearing the confidence in his voice. She believed nothing could best this man and he could solve any problem he faced.
She gave him an earnest smile. “As usual, it sounds like you have everything under control.”
“You really are a positive person, aren’t you?” The light changed and he eased the SUV into motion. “I mean, you’ve faced a lot of hurdles in your life and you still look on the bright side.”
“I try.”
“No, you do more than try.” He glanced at her. “You do it. I wish I could be half as successful at it as you are. What’s your secret?”
“No secret really. Just something I learned to do after Todd died.”
“Care to share it?”<
br />
“It’s simple really. One day when everything seemed to go wrong and I was at the end of my rope, I decided I had a choice. I could focus on what was wrong in my life and be miserable. Or I could focus on God and let Him solve my problems and be happy.”
“And are you? Happy, that is?”
She laughed. “Yeah, I guess I am. I’m not successful at it all the time. I fall back into my old ways often. Especially when something first hits me. But the thing is, when you focus on the problem, it keeps getting bigger and bigger in your mind. Then it seems overwhelming.”
He seemed to be absorbing what she was saying.
“Don’t misunderstand me,” she added. “The problem doesn’t disappear. You still have to deal with it and the effects on your life. And I don’t stop worrying completely once I commit a problem to God. But when I catch myself heading in the wrong direction, I recommit the problem and start over again.”
“How did you get so wise at your young age?”
“I’m not the wise one. A counselor I saw after Todd died shared a verse he uses in his own life. It’s Isaiah 26:3, which basically says we can have perfect peace if we trust in God and keep our minds on Him.”
He turned into the driveway of the house. “I wish I could do that,” he said and shifted into Park. “You have no idea how much I wish I could,” he added in almost a whisper.
The torment in his voice made her heart constrict. Despite warning bells saying touching him would be a huge mistake, she rested her hand on his arm. “We could pray about it. Together.”
He looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “I’m not much into prayer these days.” He patted her hand then opened his door and climbed out.
Sadness seeped into her heart. He was as troubled as Todd had been—maybe even more troubled. She bent her head and offered a prayer for him to find peace in the midst of his turmoil.
He opened her car door. “I’m hoping Kat will locate the purchase info for the suitcase, but we can’t pin all of our hopes on one lead. So I’m going to continue researching the other murders.”
“I can help with that,” she offered on their walk to house. “That is, if I can find where Riley left my computer this morning.”
“I saw him put it on the kitchen counter.” Cole unlocked the door and stood back.
She stepped inside the warm, inviting space that was starting to feel familiar and comfortable to her. As was Cole and his family. She thought about how he helped her ready the kids for school this morning. She loved having someone to help her wrangle the twins. To share her difficulties. What a support network this wonderful family would be.
She headed for the kitchen but stopped dead in her tracks and felt the blood draining from her face.
He’d been here. In the house while they were gone.
“Nolan was here.” She pointed with a trembling finger at the large bullet sitting upright on the countertop. “He did this.”
Cole took one look at the counter and jerked out his gun. “Stay here and don’t move. I need to make sure he’s not still in the house.”
Alyssa nodded but couldn’t take her eyes off the shiny copper-and-gold bullet standing on the granite. She didn’t know anything about bullets, but this one was several inches long so she guessed it came from a rifle or shotgun. Someone, probably Nolan, had neatly printed her first name in black marker on the side.
He’d left nothing else on the counter—just the casing—but a shiver started at Alyssa’s head and worked down her body. Nolan didn’t need to leave a note to get his message across. He had a bullet with her name on it and if she didn’t back off he would end her life.
TWELVE
Alyssa walked out of the family room and Cole forced himself to remain seated at the dining room table and not follow her. After he’d cleared the house, he’d grilled Derrick about why he hadn’t heard Saunders break into their home. Cole wanted to blame Derrick, but it wasn’t his fault. He was simply getting the rest he’d need to do his job tonight.
Cole’s phone rang, and he spotted Kat’s name on caller ID. “I could really use some good news, Kit Kat.”
“Then you’ll be glad I called. The suitcase is sold exclusively at SuperMart. And before you ask, I’ve already checked and there are two SuperMarts in Astoria.”
“Hold on while I get the map from Chief.” Cole pressed the speaker button and set down his phone then dug through his case folder. He folded the map to display the red ring Chief had circled. “Okay, go ahead, Kat.”
She gave him the first address.
He scanned the circle. “I don’t see the store in our target area.”
“Here’s the other address.”
He ran his finger over the map. “Bingo. It’s on the fringe. Now all I need to do is get SuperMart’s security team to talk to me.”
“Already done,” she said, pride ringing through her words.
“How?”
“Mitch has a cousin in management at SuperMart. He’s already talked to her. When you get to the store tell the head of security to call Patti Fisk, and she’ll approve whatever you need.”
“You’re the best, Kit Kat. The very best.”
“Don’t you know it.” He heard her laughing as he disconnected.
Excited about the lead, Cole went in search of Alyssa. He found her in the kids’ bedroom making one of the beds. The sight of her engaged in such a simple task warmed his heart. He was certain she had been and would be a great wife. One Todd Wells hadn’t deserved.
He stayed in the doorway watching, enjoying the way she’d found peace after her initial fear from the bullet. She’d done exactly what she’d said in the car. By the time Cole had come back from clearing the house, he’d found her head bowed, offering her problem to God. Cole was so impressed with her transformation that he’d stopped and prayed, too. He wasn’t sure he would get an answer, but he felt better after offering up his concerns.
She turned and caught his eyes on her, her cheeks coloring and a shy look stealing over her face. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Not long.” He shouldn’t keep watching her, but she radiated a vitality that drew him like a magnet and he was powerless to look away.
The blush consumed her face and she blew out a breath, her hair lifting with the force of air. “So did you have something you wanted or do you just like watching me make beds?”
“Both,” he answered without thinking.
A quick flash of interest lit her eyes before she veiled it. “What did you want?”
He took a breath himself and waited for the charged atmosphere to calm. “We have a lead.” He told her about SuperMart. “I’d like to head up there now to see the security tapes.”
“It’s nice to have good news for once.” Her phone rang and her concentration shifted to the phone. She stared at the screen, a frown forming. “Sorry. I have to take this. It’s my office.”
“I’ll wait for you in the other room.” He went to the family room to give her privacy. Pacing the length of the room, he wondered how to deal with the obvious attraction between them. Ignoring it wasn’t helping—and it didn’t make the feelings go away. And now...now what? Did he have the courage to move forward? To bury the past and consider a relationship?
He heard her footsteps coming down the hall and he warned himself not to get carried away. For now, he’d stay cautious and see how things went.
“That was the alarm company for one of my rental properties,” she said coming into the room. “The fire sensor issued a trouble warning. With renters arriving tomorrow, I need to reset the panel. Would it be okay if we stop on the way to Astoria? It’ll only take a few minutes.”
He opened his mouth to tell her he didn’t think it was a good idea, but she rushed on. “I really hate to ask but the rental income will ke
ep the owner out of foreclosure.”
“Can’t someone else in your office do this?”
“Yeah, but if Sam loses out on this rent and the bank takes over, I want to be able to look him in the eye and tell him I did everything I could to prevent it from happening.”
Of course she would. That was the kind of woman he was coming to know her to be. She was caring. Thoughtful. And irresistible when she spoke passionately, as she was doing now. Her eyes were wide and alert. Her face animated. Her posture determined.
“Please?” she asked and laid a hand on his sleeve.
He felt her touch all the way to his heart and it took everything he was made of not to sweep her into his arms like he had last night.
Don’t lose focus on the job, he told himself. Run through a threat assessment.
Could he let her do this? Would she be safe? A trouble alarm was usually a simple glitch in the system and a quick reset fixed the problem. He supposed Saunders could have tampered with the sensor, but he wasn’t likely to attack in broad daylight. Plus, he’d just left his little warning and Alyssa had done nothing to make him think she wasn’t backing off. So Cole doubted Saunders had anything to do with this issue.
“It should be okay,” Cole said and hoped he wasn’t making a mistake.
“Thank you, Cole.” She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck.
At first he didn’t respond, but she tightened the hug and he slid his arms around her waist, drawing her close. He would’ve pulled back and looked into her amazing eyes, but she suddenly let go and stood back.
Her face was flushed and her breathing rapid. “Sorry about that. I got carried away. I’ll call my office to confirm and change into something more professional for our meeting. Then we can go.”
Cole sat behind his computer and checked his emails until Alyssa came back into the room. She’d traded dark-wash jeans and a bright red top for black dress slacks and a tailored blue blouse. She’d pulled her hair into a bun and looked regal and cool. But there was nothing cool about this woman. She was warm, caring, compassionate. And beyond gorgeous. He was attracted to her beauty. What man wouldn’t be? But it was her heart and positive attitude that made him forget everything happening around him. Forget his problems and believe in hope. Believe he might have everything he wanted in life.
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