Guardian. Terri Reed

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СКАЧАТЬ sixty feet straight out from here.” She gestured to the rocks beneath her feet.

      “That’s helpful and gives us a place to start.” Leo stared, admiring the pretty lady. Her hair lifted slightly in the wind that had kicked up. Sunlight reflected in her piercing blue eyes. “You and the officers can head back to the station.” He didn’t want her here to see the body when they found the victim.

      Alicia shook her head. “I want to make sure she’s found. Someone has to stand up for her.”

      Respecting her decision, he saluted her then turned to Craig. “You heard the lady.”

      Craig slowly turned the boat toward the middle of the river. True stood on the bow, his head up, gaze alert. Leo tuned in to the dog’s nuances the farther away from shore they traveled. He documented the time and distance from land on the notepad he carried. They circled the area where Alicia had pointed. True showed no signs of alerting.

      “Head downstream,” Leo instructed Craig.

      Since the body hadn’t been weighted down, it most likely had been swept along by the river’s current. Craig zigzagged the boat from one shore to the other, moving farther and farther away from the spot. Leo wondered if maybe the suspect had come back and removed the woman’s body. Frustration curled in his stomach.

      Then True shifted. He licked his lips and shuffled his paws, clear signs he was picking up a scent. Leo’s pulse jumped. The dog’s tail went down as he craned his neck, dipping his nose toward the water. He pivoted, and then leaned over the starboard side. Keeping his snout at the surface of the water, True walked the length of the boat and stepped easily over the bench seat.

      Anticipation revving through him, Leo gestured for Craig to make a slow turn. True retraced his steps, barking an alert. He scratched and nipped at the water. Knowing the animal had scent glands in the roof of his mouth, Leo interpreted these actions as the sign this was the spot.

      “Good boy.” Leo grasped True’s life vest to keep the dog from jumping in.

      Leo nodded at Craig, who shut off the motor, then strapped on a buoyance compensator, his mask and oxygen tank. The man sat on the side of the boat and fell backward into the water. True barked and lunged for the water. Leo continued to hold him back.

      “No, boy,” Leo said, adjusting his grip on True. “We’re staying here.”

      Leo and True both watched the surface of the river. Leo pulled on latex gloves in anticipation of handling the body and prepared the large, waterproof plastic body bag. His gaze darted back to the shore, where Alicia stood sentinel on the rocks, flanked by the two officers.

      She held her head up and her shoulders back like a fierce warrior. She was tall and so very appealing. He admired her commitment to being a voice for the victim. Most people would want to bail the second they could. Not Alicia. He liked that about her.

      Bubbles rose as Craig broke through the surface. In his arms he held a red-haired woman. Anxiety curled through Leo. He gave True the command to lie down so he could help Craig bring the woman’s inert body onto the boat and into the body bag. Smoothing back a chunk of matted hair, Leo inhaled sharply then let out his breath in a swoosh.

      It wasn’t Esme. They still had their prime witness in the Dupree case. But there was enough of a resemblance that for a moment he’d thought the worst. And though Esme was still alive, sorrow welled within him because this woman wasn’t.

      Now he had the difficult task of identifying the victim and informing the family.

      He took his cell phone from his pocket and called Chief Jarrett, who promised to send the coroner to meet them at the marina. The coroner would take possession of the body and then call in a forensic pathologist to do an autopsy.

      Leo then called headquarters. The team’s general assistant immediately answered. “FBI Tactical K-9 Unit, Christy Burton speaking.”

      “It’s Leo. Is Max available?”

      “Good afternoon, Leo. He’s on another line talking to the US Marshals. Is this urgent or can he call you back?”

      There wasn’t much Max could do from headquarters, so not urgent. “Tell him to call me. I found what we were looking for.”

      “I’ll tell him.” Christy signed off and Leo tucked his phone back in his pocket.

      Before he could zip the bag closed, Craig murmured, “There’s something pinned to her clothes.”

      A baggie had indeed been pinned to the collar of her shirt. Leo had missed it at first because of her hair. And inside the baggie was a note, the words clearly visible through the plastic.

      It’s not sisterly to snitch, Esme.

       THREE

      Alicia stood on the outcropping of rocks, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst from her chest. This spot held so many fun and cherished memories, but now...

      Out on the river, Leo and the diver had pulled the victim from the water. Averting her gaze, Alicia sent up a prayer for the woman’s family. They would need God’s peace and comfort when they learned of their loved one’s demise. She hoped justice would be served. For both this woman’s sake, as well as for Alicia and Charlie’s safety. She couldn’t forget the man who’d done this, the one who’d shot at and chased after them and was still out there.

      The boat carrying Leo, the diver and True motored downstream. Alicia watched them for a moment. Thoughts raced through her head. A feeling of uncertainty flowed through her.

      Agent Gallagher glanced back and waved. She automatically raised her hand in response, signaling what, she wasn’t sure. See you later? A job well done?

      They’d found the victim and would be able to give the woman’s family closure. That had to be worth something in the grand scheme of things. It hurt Alicia’s heart that anyone should have to die at the hands of another.

      Her thoughts turned to her late husband, Jeff. Had he realized in those moments after being shot while on duty that he was leaving this world? Had he found himself regretting the less honorable things in his life? Of the sweet little boy they’d made together, Charlie? Had he thought of her?

      She closed her eyes and willed the hurt and pain to dissipate.

      “We should meet Agent Gallagher at the marina,” Officer Jenkins said in a gentle tone, forcing her to focus on the here and now.

      “Will you grab the tackle box?” Alicia picked up her and Charlie’s fishing poles. She had half expected them to be gone, taken by someone either hoping to add to their own collection, or who would turn them into the marina’s lost and found. Lots of people used the rocks to fish, but apparently not today.

      A part of her wished she and Charlie hadn’t been there. She couldn’t quiet the unease inside her, but if that had been the case, no one would have known about the woman. Sighing, she knew she would have to trust God that she was where she was supposed to be today. He’d seen her through so much. She couldn’t forget that now.

      Ever so slowly, she and the two officers made their way through the trees and underbrush. She stopped СКАЧАТЬ