As he’d expected, she romped and burrowed, making tunnels in the snow. But when he called her, she returned to the door in record time, shaking the white flakes off her coat. Once inside, she shot him a mournful look before circling around to lie in her bed near the fireplace. Even though there wasn’t a fire, this was her favorite spot. She’d been known to drag her bed back there when he moved it elsewhere.
After he finished his lunch, he ruffled his dozing dog’s fur, which earned him another look, and headed back to work. On the way there, he passed a fender bender. Two of his coworkers worked it, both appearing miserable in the cold wind. He waved and one of them raised his gloved hand and flipped Hunter the bird, making him laugh.
As soon as he walked through the door to the squad room, he knew something was up. The entire department buzzed, and the energy level felt high. He’d barely made it to his desk when Detective Carson Gage bustled over. “Did you hear? We found the Groom Killer’s murder weapon.”
“Wow. Good work.” Hunter stared. “Where?”
“Some vacant land owned by Devlin Harrington.” Carson grimaced. “A couple of the guys went to talk with him. He claims he has no idea how it got there.”
“Of course he doesn’t.” Hunter didn’t bother to hide the sarcasm. “Are we going for a warrant to search his home and office?”
The detective glanced toward the chief’s office. “Chief is working on it with the DA’s office, but apparently the DA wants more evidence.”
With difficulty, Hunter suppressed a groan. Then they’d have to go with his plan involving the baseball cards. He’d honestly been hoping there’d be an easier way.
Ten minutes later Chief Colton summoned Hunter to his office. “Close the door,” the chief ordered. Judging from the steely glint in his blue eyes, he was furious. “I just got off the phone with Judge Kugen. He declined to grant us the warrant. So we’re going with your idea. Pick two guys who you’d like on your team and we’ll get them in here and fill them in. I want to get the ball rolling on this.”
“Yes, sir.” Hunter headed back to his desk to mull over which two officers he wanted to work with. Though he hadn’t been on day shift long enough to know them well, he’d dealt with several of them over time. He should be able to make a smart choice and get this operation up and running.
* * *
Layla’s second day at the K9 training center went by just as quickly as the first. While she knew most people would find it odd to spend one’s vacation doing volunteer work, she could honestly say she enjoyed it more than a week lounging on the beach at one of her father’s luxurious beach resorts.
Not only did she love being around all the dogs, but it felt fulfilling to be a part of something that contributed to the greater good. These canines would go on to become police and bomb-sniffing dogs. Watching the handlers train the animals put an itch inside her to learn what they knew so she could do it herself.
Which would be a total career change. And she had no clue what such a job might pay.
Still, as the day went on, she couldn’t shake the idea. She asked a lot of questions, earned some approving and curious looks, and paid attention. As possibilities went, she realized the logistics seemed staggering. At thirty-one, she’d not only have to attend the police academy and pass, since all trainers were also police officers, but she’d have to attend classes on dog training. And even once she’d done all that, she had no guarantee that they’d even hire her.
Yet she hadn’t gotten this far in her life by being a quitter. Despite her father owning Colton Energy, Layla had worked damn hard to get where she was today. And she’d continued to work hard to stay there. Long hours combined with a dedicated work ethic kept her at the top. And now that she’d gotten where she’d always wanted to be, was she really willing to chuck it all for something completely different?
An early midlife crisis, perhaps? She grinned at the thought. Was such a thing even possible at thirty-one? More likely, she’d finally opened her eyes and realized all she had to show for her hard work was an empty life. No pets, no friends, no special someone. Spinning like a hamster on a wheel trying to please a narcissistic father. Oh, and she’d also allowed herself to get engaged to a man she barely knew, someone she could not imagine spending the rest of her life with.
In short, she was a mess.
Today, everyone at the training center was talking about Thanksgiving. Sharing recipes, bragging about the size of their turkey or how many people were coming over. To her surprise, they included her in their discussions, even though she had little to contribute. She knew better than to volunteer how she usually spent her holidays and didn’t feel comfortable mentioning that Hunter had invited her to spend Thanksgiving with him, so she simply listened and nodded a lot.
She even asked for a recipe when one of the trainers described a particularly mouthwatering apple-caramel cheesecake she made. Though Layla wasn’t much of a cook, since Hunter didn’t bake, maybe she could take care of dessert. The thought of making something for him filled her with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
When she asked who trained the dogs like Goose, who were able to detect hidden computer storage devices, the group’s reactions surprised her. Apparently, there were only a few dogs like Goose in the entire United States, and that type of specialized training only took place in a facility on the East Coast.
Hunter had gone there and learned the technique. Then he’d applied that technique and trained his dog himself.
“Does that mean he hasn’t trained any others?” Layla asked, looking around at the group. One by one, they all shook their heads.
“When he started with the Red Ridge PD, he wasn’t part of the K9 unit,” one of the men explained. “He bought that odd little basset from a breeder and trained her himself. With a dog like that, he could have gone to work anywhere. The FBI, the DEA and a half dozen police departments from around the country all wanted him. Yet he choose to stay here once he was offered a spot as a K9 officer.”
“Wow.” As she looked from one admiring face to another, Layla realized Hunter had done something difficult and made it look easy. “I take it Goose must be good at what she does?”
Several people laughed. “Let’s just say that little dog’s talents are in high demand. Hunter is constantly fielding requests to assist in various investigations, usually FBI.”
Impressed, Layla changed the subject before someone asked her why she seemed so interested in Hunter.
Walking outside into the fenced enclosure with one of the dogs, she saw the snow wasn’t falling as heavily, though when she looked past the chain link, all the cars in the parking lot were covered in white. The roads looked good, though, which meant they’d been recently plowed. South Dakota residents were used to winter weather. Most natives even relished it, at least at first. By March, almost everyone had cabin fever and wanted the snow gone.
Hunter Black fascinated her. Where another man might have bragged about his own accomplishments, he’d only lauded his dog. From what she’d seen, the dog trainers were all a highly supportive—though slightly competitive—bunch, and even they hadn’t failed to give credit where credit was due. They’d spoken of Hunter with such affectionate reverence, indicating he was not only well liked, but well respected.
She’d never met a man like him. She doubted there were many. Physical lure aside, his strength of character and dedication to his dog and his job doubled his attraction to her.
Tired of so much deep thinking, she took a deep breath, enjoying the bite of the frigid air. Exhaling, she decided to try to simply live in the moment. At least for the rest of the day.
Right before it was time to leave, Clarice Kutchison called her into her office. “How are you liking things so far?” she asked, motioning at Layla to take a seat.
Feeling comfortable, Layla smiled at the other woman. “I’m enjoying myself,” she said. “So much so, I’m
wondering what kind of training I’d need to make this a full-time occupation.”
Clarice’s eyes widened. “You do seem to have a natural affinity for dogs,” she mused. “Of course, you’d have to attend a training academy with a specialty in dogs. There are two nearby. Not everyone makes it through the rigorous K9 part, but if you pass, perhaps Danica, our lead trainer, would hire you part-time until something full-time comes up.”
“Part-time?” Layla swallowed. “Do you have any idea for how long?”
“That depends on the need and how well you do. As a rookie trainer, you’d be assigned to shadow various trainers here and study their techniques. Of course, we only use positive reinforcement, as well as NILF.”
“NILF?”
“Nothing in life is free. It’s a method of teaching dogs that they have to work for everything. We’ve had great success with it, especially with some of the behavior issues we see in animals coming here from a shelter.”
“Clearly, I need to do some reading up,” Layla said, smiling.
“And think very long and hard how serious you are about this,” Clarice continued. “This is the opposite of corporate management, the type of work you do now. You’ll never get rich working with dogs.”
“Getting rich has never been a dream of mine.” Aware her honest answer could still be misconstrued, Layla elaborated. “My family has money, and as far as I can tell, it’s never brought any of them happiness.”
Clarice laughed. “Said by someone who has no idea what it’s like to be truly poor. I’ve been there and never want to live like that again.” She shuddered. “Not knowing where your next meal is coming from, how you’ll manage to keep the electricity on...”
“I’m sorry,” Layla said. “I didn’t know.”
“Hey, it’s all in the past. No worries.” Reaching across the desk, she touched the back of Layla’s hand. “But it’s something to keep in mind, too. I mean no offense, but you’re a Colton. I know your sister, and she’s good people. She’s dedicated to what she does here.”
“It runs in the family.” Layla smiled. “I can assure you I’d be equally dedicated.”
“I’m sure you would. But you work for your dad. Carrying on the family business and all that. On top of that, your father is the mayor.” She took a deep breath. “He could make things pretty awful for us if he didn’t approve of you making a career change.”
Stunned, Layla could only stare. “My father doesn’t control my life. Anymore, anyway.”
Clarice’s arched eyebrow spoke volumes. Layla’s stomach churned.
Clarice opened her mouth to reply, but Layla held up a hand before she could speak. “He doesn’t seem to understand that I’m a grown woman and capable of making my own decisions.” With a massive effort, Layla managed to keep her voice steady. “I can assure you,” she continued, “while my father might sign my current paycheck, he doesn’t have the right to say what career choices I make or what I do with my life.” Taking a deep breath, she briefly debated whether to continue, but she hadn’t gotten to be a top-notch executive, regardless of what her father thought, by avoiding tackling difficult things. “I have to say, I’m disappointed. I find it appalling that you would let my father dictate who you could or could not employ.”
Instead of reacting defensively or with anger, Clarice laughed. “I’m glad to hear that.” Clarice flashed a brilliant smile. “To be honest, what Fenwick Colton does or doesn’t want has never been a factor in any of our hiring considerations. But I’ve heard you were a daddy’s girl and would do whatever he ordered. I’m glad to know I heard wrong.”
Though Layla could well imagine where the other woman had gotten such information, since all of her siblings had always been critical of her relationship with their father, she didn’t take offense. How could she? Because up until recently, even the prospect of her father’s disapproval would have had her scurrying to find a way to please him.
No longer. It felt weird to actually understand what her brother and sister had been telling her all along—that no child should have to earn a parent’s love.
Clarice stood. “It’s been great talking with you,” she said, her expression earnest. “You’re doing great and I’ve heard good things about you. You’re welcome to volunteer as long as you’d like. And if you decide you truly want to pursue a career training police dogs, you have my stamp of approval to work here once you’ve made it through the police academy.”
Pushing to her feet, Layla smiled at the other woman. She felt like she’d just aced a job interview. “Thank you so much. I really appreciate all your help and your insight.”
This made Clarice laugh. “Someone had to tell you, just in case you didn’t already know. It’s never good to have a super-controlling parent running around behind your back trying to undermine you.”
“True.” Layla stuck out her hand.
After they shook, Clarice walked with her to the door. “Remember, we’re closed Thursday and Friday for the holiday. You’re welcome to come in on the weekend, but it will be a skeleton staff until Monday.”
“Do I need to let you know?”
“No. I’ll expect you on Monday, but if you do decide to show up this weekend, just ask around and see how you can help.”
Layla thanked her and left. As she made her way back to the training arena, she reflected on what Clarice had said. A super-controlling parent running around behind your back trying to undermine you.
Exactly. Fenwick Colton had damn well better back off, or she might just decide to take an indefinite leave of absence. Right now, even the thought of returning to her once beloved job at Colton Energy made her feel queasy.
Chapter 12
After reviewing his choices, Hunter picked two other officers to join him on his operation. Tim Lakely, because he knew the other man well, and Brittney Tower. Brit had a reputation for being adaptable and levelheaded, which were always good qualities to have on any operation.
He asked them both to join him in one of the interrogation rooms, which they did, no questions asked. Taking seats, they listened intently as he explained everything.
“I like it,” Tim enthused. “Though I have to say, until the murder weapon was found on his property, I never once considered Devlin Harrington a suspect.”
“Seriously?” Brit eyed him. “Please don’t tell me you jumped on the Demi Colton bandwagon. That woman had nothing to do with any of this.”
She’d voiced the exact argument currently raging in their squad room. Men and women who worked side by side as partners had taken sides over this. Finding the Groom Killer had become more than catching a murderer and saving their town. Finding the Groom Killer would also restore unity to the Red Ridge Police Department.
However, right now, Hunter damn sure didn’t want to hear that same old argument again.
“Whether she did or she didn’t,” Hunter interjected, “we need to take a look at Devlin. Judge Kugen didn’t feel we have enough evidence for a warrant, so we’ve got to go at this another way.”
“Great thinking,” Brit said, clapping him on the back. “I still can’t believe anyone would pay that much money for a baseball card.”
“I admit to being shocked myself.” He grinned. The more he interacted with her, the more certain Hunter became that Brit had been a good choice for the team. And she and Tim had a chemistry that he hadn’t picked up on before now. This could be good or bad, depending. As long as no one let their attention get diverted from the task at hand.
“Now here’s what we’re going to do,” he continued. And then he outlined his plan to arrest Devlin. The other two suggested changes, they discussed every aspect and finally he felt ready to go.
With Tim and Brit listening in, Hunter called Devlin. “I have great news. It looks like you won the auction,” he said.
“Fantastic.” The confidence in Devlin’s voi
ce spoke to his absolute certainty that he’d win.
Hunter took a deep breath and continued. “I’ll need the payment in cash. How long do you need to raise the money?”
“Raise the money?” Devlin chuckled. “I’ve had it sitting here in a briefcase ever since you showed me those cards.”
The thought of leaving that kind of cash lying around boggled the mind. But Hunter kept his mouth shut. Instead he asked the other man where he’d like to meet.
“You can come here,” Devlin replied. “I mean, you’re positive no one knows you stole the cards, right?”
“Right.” Inwardly, Hunter winced. Since the entire conversation was being recorded, Devlin’s admission that he knew full well he’d be purchasing stolen property would be damning. Even if they couldn’t use the recording in court, they could present it as evidence to a judge in order to obtain a search warrant. Which was the entire point.
“When can you bring the cards by?” The eagerness in Devlin’s voice made him sound like a kid about to open Christmas presents.
“This afternoon.” Hunter wanted to swing by and pick up Goose. He needed her expert nose to make sure Devlin hadn’t moved his stash of data, even though he couldn’t yet legally extricate it. One thing was for sure, whatever data the other man was hiding, had to be big. Hunter had a feeling it would be Devlin’s downfall. In fact, he was betting this entire investigation on exactly that.
Call concluded, Tim and Brit high-fived. “Success,” Brit crowed.
“Yeah.” Hunter cleared his throat. “Let’s go over everything one more time. We can’t afford any mistakes.”
After reviewing the instructions with his new team and standing still while he was outfitted with a wire, Hunter left to get Goose. As soon as he asked her if she was ready to work, she immediately got even more excited. He took her out back, giving her a minute or two to calm down. Goose worked best cold, without a lot of prior preparation, so he didn’t mention working again. Not yet. He’d save that for when they arrived at Harrington Inc.
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