his profile, Sophie admired his strong jaw and muscled forearms. He was every bit a chief, in demeanor as well as appearance. The way he carried himself spoke more loudly than words, and his pristine blue uniform fit perfectly, unlike the way the previous chief’s shirt had strained to stay buttoned over his ample stomach.
Ryder apparently sensed her attention because he glanced to the side. “What?”
“Nothing.” Sophie was afraid she was blushing. “I was just thinking.”
“About the shooter?”
“Right. The shooter. Why assume it was Carrie? I mean, would she suddenly switch to a rifle when her previous weapon of choice was a handgun?”
“Why not?” Ryder said, continuing to cruise slowly down Main, “She shot my wife and Veronica, but she pushed rookie Mike Riverton down steep stairs and burned down rookie Brian Miller’s house with him in it. Carrie has no known MO when it comes to how she murders her victims.”
Shivering with those memories, Sophie said, “I just can’t see Carrie accurately aiming a rifle. She’s too scrawny to hold it steady.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. She did miss.”
“Well, somebody did. Too bad it wasn’t caught on surveillance cameras.”
Nodding as if pondering the attack, Ryder pulled into a deserted parking lot and stopped beneath a shade tree, letting the engine idle to keep the vehicle cool. “If not Carrie, then who?”
“How should I know?” She raised both hands, palms up, and shrugged. “I was too busy taking cover to make notes. All I know is there were three shots and they all seemed to be coming from the east side of the depot building. Whoever it was took a big chance of being spotted. Somebody must have seen something.”
“We’ll sort that out back at the station after I’ve read the reports. That’s one reason I deployed all the K-9s. We may as well make full use of them while they’re still temporarily assigned here.”
Sophie sighed. “I suppose so. I’ll be glad to get back to running new training classes but I will miss these rookies when they move on. They’ve kind of grown on me.”
“Me, too,” Ryder admitted. “It’s nice to have more officers. Particularly when their salaries are being paid by the richest woman in town.”
“Marian Foxcroft.” Sophie thought of the woman who’d arranged to have the newly graduated rookies stay on to solve the murders and mysterious deaths over the past five years. Someone had attacked Marian in her own home—and that person was very likely Carrie Dunleavy. Why, was a question no one had an answer to. “I hope she recovers from her head injury, for her sake and for poor Ellen’s.” Sophie knew that Ellen Foxcroft, one of the rookies, hadn’t been very close to her mother before the attack. Everyone was pulling for Marian. Sophie decided to change the subject. “It’s nice to be able to have all the rookies’ partners around for a little longer, too.”
“Right. The dogs, too.” He cast a quick glance over his shoulder. “Well, all except for one. What possessed you to send for—Phoenix, is it?”
“Yes. Phoenix. We have him on a trial basis, just in case he doesn’t work out, but I think you’re going to be surprised. Besides, he was a bargain.”
Ryder arched his brows. “I don’t doubt that.”
“Hey, don’t criticize him before you give him a chance. At one time, this dog was very good. He can be again.”
“What happened to him?”
Taking a deep, calming breath Sophie explained. “He lost his partner in the line of duty. They were ambushed in an alley. Even though he was wounded, too, Phoenix stood guard over his fallen partner until reinforcements arrived.”
“And after that he stayed scared?”
“Not exactly. Several other officers tried to work with him. When that failed, he was sent to rehab training in the southern part of the state, then reassigned, but he was too emotionally fragile to be of much use.”
“You think you can cure him?”
“I think I understand him. That’s a start.” She hesitated. “Been there, done that.”
Ryder was shaking his head. “So, you expect to convince a dog that the death of his handler was inevitable because that’s what you’ve been telling yourself about the loss of your own partner, back when you wore a badge?”
Wondering if she would be able to sound logical, Sophie paused to gather herself. Her mouth was dry, her palms damp. She knew full well that her narrow focus on the criminal she and her former partner, Wes Allen, had been pursuing was what had cost him his life. Acting as his backup, she’d failed to notice a hidden gunman—until it was too late. Wes had died on the spot and it was her fault. She’d left the force shortly thereafter.
Sophie suppressed another shiver. Here in Desert Valley she had colleagues who would probably understand. One of them was sitting next to her. Confiding the full extent of her lingering guilt and pain, however, was out of the question.
“That all happened long ago,” she said. “I’ve found my niche training dogs for law enforcement.”
“It’s still excess baggage. We all carry plenty.”
She could tell by the faraway look in his blue eyes that he was remembering his wife, the mother of his little girl. At least he still had Lily to give him solace. Sophie had nothing left but her work.
Pressing her lips together tightly she considered her personal life. Her best friends were dogs—and that was just the way she wanted it. People had hurt and disappointed her as far back as she could remember. Listening to her parents quarreling, she had often hidden in her room, hugging the family dog and trusting him to keep her safe. Law enforcement had seemed the perfect career choice at the outset but she had quickly realized she was not equipped to accept loss, particularly the death of her own partner. In turning to K-9 training she had, in a way, gone back to the solace she’d found as a frightened child. Not that she was about to admit it.
“I’ve recovered from my past,” Sophie finally said. “You will, too. Just give it time.”
Ryder was shaking his head. “No. I don’t ever want to forget.”
A sense of melancholy enfolded her. She had never come close to finding the kind of love and devotion this man held for his late wife, nor did she ever hope to. A lifelong commitment was the kind of thing dreams were made of and she knew better than to entertain such fancies.
She had her job, her dogs and a career many people coveted. Heartfelt prayer had led her to Desert Valley and circumstances were keeping her here. That was enough. It would have to be.
A sidelong glance at Ryder convinced her further. He needed her help and that of the dog she was preparing for him. Call it a job or a ministry or whatever, it was why she was where she was at this moment in time. She would not waste the opportunity.
While it was wrong to think of hugging away his pain, it was right to support his rise in rank. Merely the fact that he had been promoted to police chief while still technically a K-9 cop was a wonder. Keeping him active and qualified
