Patience grasped her .45 and aimed it at the office door. The thug continued to pound on it after firing once, and it was beginning to splinter around the handle. She stayed steady behind her desk, resting her arms atop it, ready to shoot. Mentally, she recalled all she’d learned at the firing range, and in various training scenarios the RRPD had put her through in the rare event she’d ever need to protect herself or the K9s. She’d never expected someone to break into the clinic to come after her, though. To steal the valuable K9 dogs, sure, or to score prescription painkillers for street sales—specific crimes the clinic was at risk for. But to have a murderer break in and come after her? Not expected.
Adrenaline surged as she prepared to shoot, but she maintained her steady focus on the door, visualizing the shape of the man she’d take down.
And then...nothing. Footsteps running away. Sharp barks, more footsteps.
“Patience, Nash Maddox is on scene with Greta.” Her phone, on speaker, barked into the quiet office.
“You mean at the lake.” Despite the silence she remained ready to shoot. Her mind heard Frank’s calm explanation, but her nerves weren’t ready to stand down.
“No, he’s come to ensure your safety and apprehend the assailant.” Sirens reached her ears. “Stay put as he clears the front reception area.”
“Okay.” She heard Nash’s deep voice echo through the halls, heard Greta’s bark as the K9 team secured the clinic.
“RRPD is on-site, Patience.” Frank’s relief was evident. “Nash and Greta chased off the suspect, turned over security to the other RRPD units and are headed to your office now.”
“Thanks, Frank.” She let out a shaky breath, but still couldn’t let go of her weapon. What if the man had circled around back?
A knock sounded on the damaged door, followed by a deep bark—Greta’s.
“Patience, are you there? It’s Nash.” Greta’s second bark let her know the huge Newfoundland wanted to declare she was there, too.
Slowly, Patience unfolded from behind the desk. “Nash is at the door, Frank.”
“Affirmative. You can let him in, Patience. Repeat, he’s chased off the intruder and our units are on-site.”
“Patience?” Nash’s voice reflected concern, even muffled by the door.
“I’m here.” She unlocked the door and opened it, and was immediately engulfed by Nash in a bear hug. His arms pressed her to him, his solid, hard body the most comfortable thing she’d ever felt. Patience melted against him and let herself receive his warmth.
“Thank God you’re okay.” He placed his free hand, the one not holding his Glock, on her shoulder, and his eyes blazed with intent as he looked at her. “Are you? Okay?”
“I am. It was...” In a totally uncharacteristic move, tears fell from her burning eyes and she fought to speak. “I’m sorry. This isn’t like me.”
“It’s just the shock. I’ve had to fight tears on ops before, too.” He wiped one cheek with his thumb, then the other. She relished the rough, calloused slide of his skin against hers. It grounded her, allowed her to stop gulping for air.
“Thanks, Nash. You’re right. It’s shock, I guess.”
“And some adrenaline.” He dropped his arm and looked her over. “Did you hit anything while you were diving under the desk?”
“No, really, I’m fine.” She rubbed both eyes with the heel of her hand, and realized that she, too, still gripped her weapon. “Except I didn’t know I was still holding this.” She engaged the safety and placed it on her desk. “I think I used everything I ever learned in our practice drills over the last twenty minutes.”
“You probably did. And you handled it perfectly, from what I can see.” As she looked into his eyes she saw his conviction, and it chased away the dark cloud of anxiety that the killer had left in his wake.
“Where is he now?” Quakes of relief started to move through her. She’d done it. Nash had helped. The killer was gone.
“Hopefully, in custody. He took off toward the mountains. The RRPD will get him.” Nash sounded certain, but she wasn’t so sure.
“A man who’s so cold-blooded as to...to dump a body in the lake like that?” She shook her head. “He’s not going to get caught. Not this easily. I’ll bet he has a getaway car stashed nearby.”
Nash put his hand on her shoulder again. “That’s not your problem anymore. You’re safe. The clinic is secure. Get some water or coffee.” He nodded at the teakettle behind her desk.
“Okay.” Her stomach heaved at the thought of ingesting anything, but tea might be good. Her stomach—had Nash noticed her midsection was thicker?
“Stay put until the other officers show up. They’re here now, I think. Greta and I have to run to the lake.”
His attention was focused on the case at hand, not her burgeoning baby bump. She had to tell him. But not now, in the middle of a crisis.
She tried to offer him a wobbly smile. “The man came up in his boat—it’s on the shore at the bottom of the clinic property. You could take that out to where I saw him dump the body.” Shivers raced up and down her spine. “Nash, be careful. He’s—he’s going to kill you if he can.”
“He’s not going to hurt anyone else, Patience. You’re safe now.” He repeated that, as if he understood just how shook up the entire circumstance made her. “I’ll be back for you.” He paused, and for a moment that hung between them like eternity she thought he was going to kiss her. His eyes glittered with promise, one not solely related to the dark happenings of tonight. Dare she read anything into his heated stare? But instead of placing his lips on hers, he offered a wink instead. “Be right back.”
Nash and Greta disappeared into the corridor, and as she watched through the broken windows, they raced out the door and across the training area toward the lake, their movements in perfect unison. Her instincts told her to go into the kennel and calm her patients, but Nash was right—she needed to wait until she knew the entire property was safe again, that the killer hadn’t come back.
“Dr. Colton!” Officer Maria Ruiz caught her attention, waving from the other end of the corridor. Relief swamped Patience. If Maria was here, then what Nash said was true. The building was secure. For now. She’d feel better when he was behind bars, when the mental image of him sneaking back to kill her didn’t seem an inevitable outcome to her hyped-up brain.
“Maria. Thanks for clearing the place.”
“It’s my job.” Maria looked at her, then peered out a window toward the lake. The K9 team was in the boat after the evidence team quickly dusted it for prints and searched for evidence. The launch made its way toward where Patience had seen the woman’s body being dropped. “That Officer Maddox and Greta in the launch?”
“Yes. They’re headed for the center of the lake, by the
