Killer Secrets

by Marilyn Pappano

  But surprisingly, rather than join them directly, Evan held back as they walked toward the house. Amber turned often to look at him, admiring the wide smile on his angular face that was leveled only on the two canines still with him, Lola and Bear.

  Maybe it was a good thing he was so wrapped up in communicating with the dogs...for now. Once they reached the house, only the humans would be speaking.

  “I’m really surprised,” Sonya whispered from beside her. “I’d figured we’d find the right choice thanks to one of your dad’s cop contacts.”

  All the others who’d come to try out for this job had either been sent by nearby police departments after Amber had contacted them, or were recommended as skilled trainers by the law-enforcement associations her father had joined because they had K-9 handler members.

  But none had worked out. And this guy, from what Amber had seen online, had appeared potentially perfect.

  She knew from his résumé and the references he’d provided that Evan Colluro was in his early thirties, a couple of years older than her. His credentials were impressive: seven years in the military, the last three working in a K-9 unit. He had earned several commendations and had left the military just over a year ago after an injury.

  “Hey, I know you’re not an internet fan,” Amber replied softly, smiling as she looked down at her mom. “But sometimes people even meet their true loves thanks to websites. It’s worth a shot at trying to find the right employee there.”

  Amber winced at her own words. She had badly misstated her thought. A shot? How stupid of her to use that term.

  But, of course, she thought about gunshots constantly since the morning two months earlier when her mother had called to tell her that her dad had been killed.

  She hazarded another glance at her mom, who was shorter than Amber and somewhat heavier. Her wavy auburn hair—which, unlike Amber’s, was not its natural color—blew in the breeze.

  Amber had worried about her mother, too, before she’d returned home, since her dad had been killed for no apparent reason on the ranch’s grounds. She still worried about her but had seen nothing threatening since she’d gotten back. And the local cops seemed to think the killer could have been a former student, since her dad wasn’t always as nice to the people he taught as he was to the dogs, or maybe it was a robbery gone wrong.

  “So how are you going to handle this offer?” Sonya asked, fortunately not latching onto how Amber had misspoken.

  “We’ve discussed some terms in emails,” she told her mother, focusing again on what she needed to. “He must be okay with that part, at least, since he’s here.” But however she phrased the actual offer, she wanted to make sure the guy liked it. They needed him to accept it.

  Of course, despite that impressive demonstration, no one could ever be as good at training as her father had been. No one could ever fill his shoes. He had worked alone, with no assistants, and had been wonderful at it. But Dad was gone. Dead.

  Murdered.

  By...who?

  The K-9 Ranch was still here. And thanks to her dad’s loner attitude, there was no one skilled enough to take over where he had so abruptly, and terribly, left off.

  Amber had no intention of closing the ranch and ceasing the dog training that had been so important to the whole family. Unfortunately, she’d never been taught the necessary skills. She could only hope that Evan Colluro was the right person to take over as their first new trainer, to make sure that the Chance K-9 Ranch survived. “We’ll see.”

  They reached the base of the porch and she turned to face the potential employee, who was only a few steps behind them. She tried to look him in the eye, but though he seemed at first to mirror her smile, he quickly lowered his gaze back down to the dogs.

  Interesting.

  Was this really going to be a wise decision?

  * * *

  Evan knew he should be more outgoing, talk about all his experience and what he could do here, rather than walking behind the two women as if he only wanted to be in contact with the dogs. Which, in some ways, he did.

  But he ought to make small talk, thank this gorgeous and sexy woman who’d communicated with him online and invited him here to possibly teach dogs and other trainers and, most important, to also train police K-9s and their handlers, and perhaps eventually service or therapy dogs, too. He’d have some learning to do himself to accomplish it all, but it was still his ideal situation.

  He at least thought his audition had gone well.

  Even so, was this a bad idea?

  He’d been wondering that before, particularly as he’d driven here from Los Angeles. That was where he’d hung out over the last months, to be near its veterans’ facilities, as well as police K-9 units and instructive handlers. He’d taken some classes himself, and eventually landed jobs teaching others how to train dogs.

  But he hadn’t felt comfortable there.

  Well, here he was. This sounded like the perfect long-term job for him—working with dogs and some human trainees, way off the usual grid of stress and having too many people around.

  And Bear was with him. Dear Bear. They’d saved each other’s lives in more ways than one...

  The two women reached the front porch of the main house on this vast piece of property. They stopped, turning to look at him.

  “Come on in,” Amber said. Before, when he first introduced himself, he had looked her straight in the face only long enough to see how pretty she was, with smooth skin and full lips, and wavy hair that was a pretty reddish color. He’d also noted how intense her deep brown eyes were as they regarded him. That was why he’d quickly looked away.

  He’d observed the rest of her then: Amber was curvaceous in her casual clothes.

  Her mother, Sonya, who resembled her, was an older, shorter version. Again without looking her straight in the face, Evan had observed her. He knew she had recently lost her husband, had suffered pain.

  He identified with that, though the circumstances were very different.

  Now Amber had invited him into their house so they could chat for a while. Discuss a possible job offer.

  And maybe interrogate him.

  Well, she would be his boss if all went well. He had to deal with it. Once, he would have considered how to lure someone as gorgeous as her off to bed. Now, he had to decide only if he could put up with her giving him orders.

  “Fine,” he said. “Is it okay if Bear joins us?”

  The amazing shepherd, at his side, heard his name and snuggled against Evan’s leg. Evan couldn’t help smiling down at the wonderful dog.

  “Sure. I’ll bring Lola in, too.”

  Evan stopped briefly behind the women as they walked up the tiled stairs to the wide porch at the front of the ranch house. It was a two-story home, its facade made of long slats that looked like redwood, with decorative lighter wood arching over the door and around the windows at either side and on the second floor, as well as framing the entrance. The sloping roof was covered with contrasting black shingles. In all, it was a nice place and fit the rural, sparsely populated surroundings Evan was seeking.

  Once they were inside, Amber led them into the moderate-sized kitchen, where Sonya started bustling around, brewing coffee. Amber gestured for him to sit at the round wooden table, and put a plate of cheese and crackers in front of him. She seemed like a nice person. An attractive woman...a very attractive woman. A welcoming woman. He started to relax, at least a little.

  “Okay if I leave Bear loose?” he asked. It was.

  Soon all three humans sat at the table with coffee in front of them. Bear lay down on the tile floor beside Evan, and Lola settled near Amber.

  Then the fun began... Not.

  Amber started with easy questions. How long had he liked dogs? How long had he worked with them? Where had he worked with them? He could answer those without much angst.r />
  But then she began asking about the military experiences he’d had while working in the K-9 unit in Afghanistan.

  It was all he could do to remain sitting there, answering, not looking at her...while the pain throbbed inside him.

  Even so, he remained honest. Yes, he’d enjoyed what he’d done...but, yes, he had been wounded overseas. Bear had been there for him. Had saved him, bringing help when he had been injured by an improvised explosive device. And then...

  Evan cringed. He saw again the IED’s explosion. Heard the concussive blast. Felt the pain. Watched Bear bring the other human member of his team who saved him...and saw Bear as he was shot by an unseen sniper.

  Never mind Evan’s own injury, his agony. He’d stood and found a way to lift his dog and get him into the armored vehicle his comrade had driven there.

  “Evan, are you all right?”

  He hadn’t noticed Amber rise and rush over to him. Now she stood at his side. Bear, too, was standing.

  He glanced toward the area around Bear’s hip where he had been shot, where his coat had grown back over the scar. Then Evan closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep, calming breath. For the first time, he looked up and stared deeply into Amber’s brilliant brown eyes and managed a smile.

  “I’m fine,” he said. “Just a touch of PTSD. But working with dogs? That’s what I do. Did you say you wanted to discuss a possible job offer?”

  “Yes,” she said, her voice cracking. “I do.”

  * * *

  Was this a mistake? This man she’d considered handsome and sexy and more, apparently had a messed-up mind.

  PTSD. She was aware of it, of course, without really knowing how it worked.

  It wouldn’t make a difference if this guy truly could train dogs and handlers the way he’d claimed.

  He’d certainly looked good at it. And hopefully, with his experience, he’d do much better than the others.

  “Okay, I’ll tell you what I’ve been thinking.” She knew her smile wavered a bit. But before she pulled her glance away she felt gratified that, for the first time, Evan Colluro had actually looked her straight in the face for more than a nanosecond.

  His PTSD might be why he hadn’t before, but his stare at her now, his wry grin, made him appear different: vulnerable, sad, damaged, yes, but also even sexier.

  He listened as Amber told him that the first classes he would teach would be to a core group of her father’s students from this area who’d been helping each other with their pet dogs to keep the skills they’d already learned here fresh. They would be at the ranch tomorrow afternoon, and Evan could start right away by working with them.

  “But we’ll want you to go into it deeper, teach them more—just general training skills, though, not K-9. You’ll work with our three shepherd pups for that, and we’ll hopefully place them with police departments when they’re ready. Plus, you can provide new and refresher classes to other police K-9 handlers soon. But tomorrow’s students? We’ll use them as our basis for bringing in even more students who have their own dogs. Some can become therapy dogs, and we may also acquire younger puppies to start training as service dogs. If classes increase the way we hope they will, we’ll hire additional trainers to assist you, and you’ll get some say in who we bring on. Does all that work for you?”

  “Definitely,” he responded. “We’ll need to figure out the scheduling, of course, and we’ll also need to talk about a hiring protocol once bringing in other trainers becomes more likely, but it’s a good way to start.”

  Their earlier correspondence had included what Evan’s base compensation would be if he was offered the job, and how it would be increased depending on expansion of their classes. Plus, he would get a home to live in here on the ranch, rent free. So, though they were talking terms, it was more about how he’d teach rather than his salary and benefits.

  To be fair, she had also mentioned why they were looking: her father’s death. Detailed news reports were online, so Evan was likely aware that the situation remained unsolved, although the cops didn’t think there was any residual danger. Amber hoped not, of course...but couldn’t be certain. And she’d be willing to discuss the difficult situation with Evan if he happened to bring it up sometime.

  “If all that is okay,” Amber finally told him, pushing some paperwork and a pen toward him from across the kitchen table, “I’ve had this agreement drawn up. I’d like us both to sign it.”

  “Sure.” But Evan took his time reading it, probably a smart thing to do. Soon, though, he picked up the pen off the wooden table and signed and dated two copies of the contract as indicated, then pushed them back to Amber. She was the one to sign them, not her mother. They had previously agreed that Amber would take charge of the ranch.

  “Great,” she said after placing her signature on both copies and passing one back to Evan. “Now, let’s go show you your new home.”

  Copyright © 2018 by Linda O. Johnston

  Keep reading for a special preview of

  FATAL CHAOS by Marie Force,

  available now from HQN Books.

  When a series of fatal drive-by shootings sets the city of Washington, D.C. on edge, Metro Police Lieutenant Samantha Holland must beat the clock to stop the ruthless killers. But with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano, facing a challenge that could impact both their lives, will the mounting pressure deepen or damage their bond?

  Fatal Chaos

  by Marie Force

  In the kitchen, Sam found Nick leaning against the counter, drinking a beer. His face lit up with pleasure at the sight of her.

  “This is a nice surprise,” he said, reaching for her. “I didn’t expect to see you until much later.”

  Sam snuggled into his embrace and brought him up-to-date on the latest with the case. “We’ve done all we could today. Now we wait for the lab and to see if the shooters will strike again.”

  “I heard about the warning to citizens. Pretty hard-core.”

  “Had to be done.”

  “You like the gangbanger for the shootings?”

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t add up. If he was intent on getting Tamara back, killing her brother would put a damper on the romance. Plus, there’s nothing to indicate he has above-average skills with a gun.”

  “True.” Nick’s hand made a soothing circle on her back.

  “What’ve you done with the boy child?”

  “I sent him to take a shower and get his backpack ready for tomorrow.”

  “How’d he take that directive?”

  “As you might imagine.”

  Sam laughed.

  “I used to love the first day of school,” Nick said.

  “You were one of the dorks who ruined the curve for the rest of us, weren’t you?”

  “Maybe.”

  “How many times did you make the honor roll?”

  “May I decline to answer out of fear of being mocked for the rest of my life?”

  She looked up at him. “How. Many. Times?”

  “All the times?” he said with a weak smile.

  “Oh my God! How did I not know this before I said, ‘I do’?”

  “You knew I got an academic scholarship to Harvard. How do you think that happened?”

  “I’ve honestly never thought about how, but now that I know, this may be grounds for an annulment.”

  “Nice try, babe,” he said with a laugh. “As if I’d ever let you go for any reason, and besides, I think you can only get an annulment before the marriage is consummated. Since we’ve consummated ours about six thousand times, I’d say you’re screwed in more ways than one.”

  Sam laughed. “You think you’re so smart.”

  “I know I’m smart, and now you know it too.” Looking down at her, he said, “By the way, that’s twice you’ve mentioned leaving me in one twenty-four-
hour period. Should I be worried?”

  “Not even kinda.” She closed her eyes, laid her head on his chest and let out a deep breath, relieved to be back in his arms after a hellish day. He always made her feel better, even when boasting about his impressive academic record. “If we ever have biological kids, do you think they’ll get my school brains or yours?”

  Only because she was pressed so tightly against him did she feel his entire body go rigid over the fraught subject of babies.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get the chance to find out.”

  “What if we have a kid who’s just like me? A classic underachiever in school. Wouldn’t that make you crazy?”

  “Not at all. I’d be so in love with any kid of ours that I’d be more afraid of spoiling him or her rotten than what kind of grades they get.”

  As usual, he said the perfect thing. “That’s good to know.”

  “Anything you want to tell me, babe?”

  * * *

  SAM’S INCLINATION WAS to keep it from him until she knew for sure, but wrapped up in his arms, she couldn’t do that to him. “I’ve been feeling weird lately. I asked Shelby to get me a test, and she said she’d leave it under the sink in our bathroom.”

  With his hands now on her shoulders, he held her back from him so he could see her face. “For real?”

  “I don’t know.” Her throat closed around a lump of emotion that made her crazy for being so emotional over this issue, even after all this time.

  “Let’s go take the test.”

  “Right now?”

  “This very minute.”

  “Nick... I have other stuff I need to talk to you about.”

  “We’ll get to that.” He took her hand and gave a gentle tug. “This first.”

  Don’t miss FATAL CHAOS by Marie Force,

  available now from HQN Books

  Copyright © 2018 by HTJB, Inc.

  ISBN-13: 9781488092947