didn’t seem impressed by her spirituality. “I would think, Sergeant, that you would put your son’s welfare first and stop resorting to cheap tricks. Believe me, we will not be distracted that easily.”
“What do you mean, tricks?”
“You know as well as I do that the red substance was not real blood.”
“What? It wasn’t?”
“No. It was not.”
“Then why did you take so long examining my apartment?”
“Obviously something occurred here. If you didn’t set up this fiasco to throw us off your brother’s trail, perhaps you would like to stop withholding information about the person or persons who have been harassing you.”
“Is that what you call it? I call it attacking me, especially this last time. That stuff sure felt real. How was I to know it was fake?”
He studied her as if she were a slide under a microscope before saying, “We’re running tests on it to see if it can be traced, not that that will help much.”
Zoe didn’t try to suppress a shiver. “There’s nothing more I can tell you, Captain. If I’m free to leave, I plan to drop my son at day care early, then begin conducting my regular classes. Any objections?”
“Not from me. When you’re not teaching, Master Sergeant James will make sure you’re covered until Sergeant Colson is able to resume his regular duties.”
“Will that depend on Star? I mean, does she have to be well before he can come back to watch me?”
“That will be up to Sergeant James. As long as Sergeant Colson isn’t involved in aggressive tracking or apprehension, I see no reason why he’d be sidelined until his K-9 is fit for duty.”
“Thank you.” Zoe truly meant it. The captain might not be smiling but at least he was speaking to her. She thought of teenage Portia and felt a twinge of empathy. It was hard for her, being of a lower rank, to speak openly with Blackwood. What must it be like to be his daughter and be forced to get used to his stern demeanor as part of daily life at home? Nightmares were made of notions like that. Although, given her own dad’s overly permissive attitude toward his only son when Boyd was a naughty child, she guessed she’d rather have a strict father like the captain.
“Too bad we don’t get to choose our parents,” she murmured as she headed for her room to dress for work. In a way, she could choose another parent for Freddy, couldn’t she? By finding a suitable male role model for her son while he was young and impressionable, she could help him mature into a far better man than her brother ever thought of being.
So who’s a good candidate? It didn’t take a heartbeat for her to picture Linc Colson. Except I’m never getting married again, she insisted. Never, never, never. Freddy can have mentors without her marrying them. Besides, limiting his exposure to one man was too exclusive. He needed to meet lots of strong, honest, sensible yet gentle men.
And there it was again. The image of Linc burning brightly in her thoughts and memories.
Logic intruded to dampen her mood like a summer thunderstorm in the dry Texas hills. Colson was only hanging around because he had orders to. Now that he’d been through trials with her, seen her looking her worst and had his dog injured to boot, she’d be the last woman he’d be able to look at romantically, even if she so desired.
Which I do not, Zoe insisted, hoping that stating the obvious would help her accept it. If she ever did decide to remarry, she knew she would choose a man a lot like Linc. Except with a more trusting nature, she added quickly. She might have a ton of baggage left over from childhood, but Colson wasn’t empty-handed either. They were both toting enough excess to fill the cargo hold of a C-130.
Little feet pattered. Freddy ran to her as soon as she entered his room. He tugged on her skirt. Zoe bent down. “What, honey?”
“I’m hungry.”
“I know you are, Freddy. What do you say we go out for breakfast today?”
“Why?”
“Um, because the house is a mess and there are lots of people here.”
“I saw. They made me stay in my room.” He brightened. “You can make pancakes for them, too!”
“No, thanks.” Zoe helped him put on socks and shoes, then lifted him into her arms. “We can stop and buy breakfast on the way to see Miss Maisy at day care, okay? You can order whatever you want.”
“Where’s Star?”
Zoe had been hoping he wouldn’t ask, but she wasn’t going to lie to him. “Star got a little boo-boo so she’s at the doctor’s.”
“Will he give her a shot?” The child’s fearful expression was so comical she almost laughed.
“I don’t know, honey, but if she does get a shot, I’m sure she’ll take it like a good airman.”
“Yeah. She’s real brave.”
Braver than I am sometimes, Zoe thought with chagrin. While she’d been standing there feeling sorry for herself and inadvertently distracting Sergeant Colson, that amazing K-9 was chasing down whoever had messed with her. If she were authorized, she’d award Star a medal.
Even though the blood wasn’t real.
* * *
At the Military Working Dog Training Center, in the veterinary hospital wing that was an integral part of the installation, Linc’s injured rottweiler lay stretched out on a steel table in an exam room. She was conscious and panting but not her usual energetic self.
Linc hovered in the background while Captain Kyle Roark, DVM and head of Canine Veterinary Services at CAFB, went over Star, wet black nose to stubby tail. One young female tech dressed in blue scrubs stood by, waiting for orders while another was preparing a gurney.
“I’ve given your dog a mild sedative and painkiller,” Roark said, turning a sympathetic gaze toward Linc. “Her overall condition is good, but her respirations are a little fast and shallow.” He was using a light but firm touch to examine Star’s body. “I don’t feel any broken bones, but I’m going to have Airman Fielding take her down to X-ray to make sure her ribs aren’t cracked. Why don’t you come with me and get a cup of coffee while we wait for the results of the films?”
“I thought they were digital these days.”
Roark chuckled. “They are. It’s an old habit to refer to plates and actual film.” He stripped off latex gloves and dropped them in a refuse bin before taking Linc by the arm and steering him out of the exam room.
“I should stay with Star,” Linc said. “She needs me.”
“What she needs is rest, which I will see she gets while she’s here. Don’t worry. My people know what they’re doing. Fielding may look young and afraid of her own shadow sometimes but she knows her job and does it well. You need to back off and settle down before your dog picks up your nervous vibes and gets upset herself.”
Although
