a long story.” In her peripheral vision she saw the man glance lovingly at the dog before he added, “Have you ever heard of PTSD?”
“Freaking out from stress? Sure.”
“Well, dogs can get it, too. Titan and I were traveling in a convoy when the vehicle directly ahead of us was blown up by an improvised explosive device. After that, he was never the same. He still works okay, but he’s just too jumpy for military service. That’s how I was able to keep him after my discharge.”
Suddenly, a lot of things made sense to her. “I get it. And you came here to Sagebrush because of that old explosion the lowlife on the phone was bragging about.”
“That’s part of the reason. My boss, Captain McNeal, lost his wife in that attack. When Titan and I applied for a job with the K-9 unit, he had a strong personal reason to convince the commissioners to hire us.”
“That is so sad.” She pointed toward her car as they drove closer. “There. See it? All four tires are flat.”
“You stay here with Titan, and I’ll go have a look. Since there’s no hurry getting you back on the road, I want to examine the scene carefully.”
“It could be just vandalism.”
She watched him hesitate long enough to report his location to dispatch, then open the door and put one foot outside before saying, “I don’t think this is any more random than the attacks at your apartment, Ms. Johnson. If you’re smart, you won’t get complacent.”
Nicki knew he was right. Like it or not, she had become the target of some shady characters who apparently had ties to Arianna.
The biggest question was how in the world could she hope to convince them—and the police—that she was innocent. Clueless. Not worth bothering with.
Except for this particular officer, she added silently. Given a choice, she would just as soon have him hanging around a little while longer, at least until the threats stopped.
It wasn’t sensible.
It wasn’t logical.
But it was true. She felt a lot safer when he and his big, black dog were close by.
Like right now.
* * *
As far as Jackson was concerned, the pretty cook had dodged a theoretical bullet once again. If she hadn’t been fired and, therefore, left work before nightfall, she could easily have become a crime statistic.
He swept the general area, checked inside her car and retrieved her personal belongings, then returned to Nicolette and Titan. They both seemed very glad to see him.
“Looks like somebody let the air out of the tires instead of slashing them, so you should be good to go as soon as we get them inflated.”
“But...why would someone do this?”
“You really don’t see the possibilities?”
“No.”
He turned sideways in the seat to partially face her. “Okay. Here’s what I think... I think somebody still believes your cousin told you something important, and they’re determined to get the secret from you.”
“By letting the air out of my tires? That’s crazy.”
“Not if it meant you’d be stranded at night, all alone, behind a building that provides plenty of cover from passing witnesses.”
He could see that his frankness was making an impression with her. Judging by the paleness of her cheeks, he wondered if he’d gone too far.
Instinct told him to reach out to her, to squeeze her hand, to offer comfort. Training and experience warned against getting too friendly. Before Jackson could decide which concept to employ, his dog settled the question for him.
Titan stretched his big head over the seat and gave the frightened young woman a kiss on the cheek. The slurp was audible.
If she’d looked the least bit upset, Jackson wouldn’t have laughed. However, when she squealed, “Eww,” and swiped at her damp cheek with her palm, he had to chuckle. “Sorry. I think he wants you to know you’re safe with us.”
“Safe, maybe. Wet, too. Is he always this slobbery when he wants to show affection?”
“As a matter of fact, no,” Jackson told her. “I guess he remembers you hugging him after the blast.”
“It’s a good thing I didn’t give him any treats, too, or he’d have drowned me!”
Pointing at the dog Jackson ordered, “Down. Stay.” And Titan plopped onto the backseat as if he’d had that pose in mind all along.
“He really is amazing,” Nicki said. “I’ve never seen such a well-trained animal. Do you get to take him home with you at night?”
“Yes. I have a little ranch east of here where he can run around and unwind.” He smiled. “Me, too.”
“That’s nice.” Nicki paused and sighed. “So, what shall I do about my car? I’ll need it if I’m going to go job hunting.”
“I’ll radio Arnie’s Garage for a service truck. If the driver can’t take care of your tires on the spot, I’ll have the car delivered to you later. In the meantime, suppose you let me buy you a cup of coffee and maybe a bite to eat?”
“Not here,” Nicki said quickly, eyeing The Truck Stop Diner. “Any place but here.”
“Fine.” He used his radio to order the roadside assistance, then started the SUV. “All set. How does the Sagebrush Diner sound?”
She smiled. “Wonderful.”
“Good.” And while we’re there, Jackson mused, we’ll relax and talk about a lot of things, including what your crooked cousin may have told you.
It didn’t matter how much he happened to like this woman or how smitten his dog was with her, there was no way he could believe she didn’t know more than she was willing to admit. Nobody her age could still be this naive, this innocent. Nobody.
This woman was hiding something. Something that was liable to get her killed if she didn’t confess soon.
FOUR
Nicki rolled down the SUV window and let the balmy April air caress her face as the K-9 cop drove her into town. Many businesses were located on or near Sagebrush Boulevard, as was the large, redbrick church where she had so recently become a Christian.
They pulled up to the familiar storefront diner. “While I’m here, I can ask if they need a cook,” Nicki said. “I need to find something that I can keep doing while I’m waiting for the baby.”
Jackson rolled down the windows partway to give Titan fresh, cool air before he circled to open her door. “Isn’t it going to be hard to be on your feet a lot?”
“I
