Trail of Evidence. Lynette Eason

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      Jonas opened the door and she yanked him back in to slam it. Her shoulder throbbed with the movement.

      “What are you doing?” he asked.

      “Do you have a back door?”

      “Yes.”

      “Let’s use that.”

      She could barely see his puzzled expression, but gave silent thanks that he didn’t argue with her, just kept his firm grip on her good arm and led her toward the back of the house and into a sunroom. Her leg throbbed, but nothing was broken and she moved through the house with minimal pain.

      Smoke still filled the air, but she could breathe much better here. He opened the door and they stepped out into the night. Fresh air hit her and she sucked in a deep breath even as her mind spun. She pulled her arm free, then slid her hand down to wrap her fingers around his. “Come on,” she croaked.

      They raced away from the house, her leg protesting the movement, but nothing bad enough to stop her from getting to safety. Sirens already sounded and Brooke suspected one of the neighbors had heard the blast and called 911. Jonas had a nice fenced-in yard that backed up to his neighbor’s. They moved to the edge of the property.

      Brooke turned to see smoke billowing from the den window, but no flames. “I’m going to see if I can spot anyone trying to get away from the house.” She took off with Mercy at her heels. Jonas’s protest registered, but she needed to see. Rounding the corner of the house, she stopped and looked up and down the street. Neighbors stood on their porches and some in the street as they watched the commotion. The first fire truck screamed to a stop at the curb. Brooke’s gaze bounced from person to person. Curiosity and concern graced the faces of the onlookers. No one seemed particularly satisfied.

      Jonas stepped up beside her. “See anything?”

      “No. Do you see anyone who shouldn’t be here? Anyone you don’t recognize?”

      “I’m...um...probably not the best person to ask.”

      “Why?”

      “Because I’m a lousy neighbor.” He gave an embarrassed shrug. “I work and I spend time with Felix—when he lets me anyway. I hate yard maintenance so I hire someone to do it.”

      “Which means you’re not working in the yard and talking with people out for an evening or weekend walk.”

      “Exactly.”

      She nodded and approached the fire captain. “We were in that house. We’re fine. There’s no one else inside.”

      The man turned, his concerned gaze landing on the two of them. “Are you sure?”

      “Positive.”

      One of the firemen stepped out the front door and motioned to one of his buddies. “Captain?”

      “Yeah.”

      Jonas and Brooke moved closer. Mercy stayed by her side. Brooke wanted to hear what was said.

      “It was a Molotov cocktail. When it was tossed through the window, it landed in the fireplace.” The man shook his head. “Never seen anything like it. There’s a lot of smoke, but not any fire damage to speak of. Looks like it wasn’t meant to burn, just cause a lot of smoke.”

      Jonas breathed out. Brooke laid a hand on his forearm. He looked at her. “You’re right,” he said. “They came back.”

      Brooke pulled the cell phone Jonas had found from her pocket. “I think it’s time to ask Felix where he got this phone and who knows he has it.” She switched to her business phone. “And we’re going to get someone to watch your house tonight. I don’t think we were smoked out by accident. Whoever threw that in there knew what they were doing. It’s possible they plan to come back and search the place.”

      “So then I’m not sleeping here.”

      “Not with the smoke and the danger. You’re going someplace safe.”

THREE

      Brooke sat in the SUV next to Nicholas Cole, a fellow Capitol K-9 member, and kept her eyes on Jonas’s house. It looked empty and deserted. Just the way they wanted it to look. If someone planned to return to the scene of the crime, she and Nicholas would be waiting. “What time is it?”

      “Five minutes later than the last time you asked,” he said.

      “You sound like my grandfather.”

      “You sound like a five-year-old. It’s 4:45 a.m. An hour of the night that should have me in bed dreaming of a vacation on the beach, not conducting a stakeout.”

      She snorted and swung her gaze back to the area around the house, looking for movement, a flash of light. Anything. And got nothing.

      She could hear the dogs breathing behind her. They were suited up, their protective vests on and ready to go. And so was Brooke. She itched for a break, a chance to go after someone who could give them a break in this case.

      Instead of going after Felix to question him about the phone, they’d simply sent an officer to watch the house where he was staying. Felix was safe for now and if the person who wanted the phone came back and they caught him, Felix would never have to know how fortunate it was he chose to spend the night away from home. Talking to the boy could wait until morning. Catching the person who wanted the phone was priority. The sun would be up in a couple of hours, but Brooke just had a feeling something was going to happen.

      Her heart, protected by the Kevlar vest she’d donned earlier, thumped a heavy rhythm. Anticipation swept through her. It was about time something good happened.

      General Margaret Meyer apparently thought so, too. The Capitol K-9 Unit existed because of her. Her current position as the White House Special In-House Security Chief gave her a lot of power and leeway. Gavin reported straight to her and she expected top-notch results from her team. Which they gave her. When Gavin had presented her with the need for some manpower due to a possible break in the case, she’d been more than happy to spare Nicholas from his current duties at the White House to help Brooke track down the lead.

      “So who is this guy?” Nicholas asked. He sipped on a drink they’d picked up from the local gas station.

      “What guy?” Brooke knew exactly who he meant, but she needed to buy some time to figure out just how much she wanted to reveal about Jonas. Then again, it wasn’t like there was that much to say. Nicholas simply lifted a brow and she shrugged. “We met about eight years ago. He was doing an internship and I was a rookie K-9 cop.”

      “And you hit it off?”

      “We did.”

      “Was it serious?”

      She hesitated. It had been serious. Too serious. “We were friends. We had a lot in common and spent some time together, but—” she shrugged “—it just didn’t work out.”

      “It just didn’t work out, huh? Let me guess. He wanted more and you ran away.” She СКАЧАТЬ