took a shaky breath. “That’s impossible!” She wanted to explain what had happened but couldn’t. She had seen the shooting with her own eyes. Had watched the victim fall and bleed. So where had the injured woman gone?
Her companion reached for his mic. “Colson here. False alarm at the warehouse.”
Watching his expression removed all doubt that he blamed her for the false alarm. Only it wasn’t her fault. It hadn’t been. She knew what she’d seen, how she’d felt when the assailant had turned and come toward her. Imagination or hallucination or whatever a person wanted to call it was not enough to scare her that much.
The K-9 handler raised a dark eyebrow. “Well?”
“Oh, no. You’re not going to blame me for this, Colson. I don’t know what really happened, but I am not making anything up. I heard a shot. I saw a victim fall and watched a red stain blossom on her back. There is no way this floor can be this clean and dry after that. Not this fast. There has to be a logical explanation.”
“I’m waiting for it,” he said.
Zoe took a deep breath and exhaled noisily. Slowly shaking her head, she glanced down at the imposing patrol K-9. “I’d rather try to explain it to your dog. She looks more likely to believe me.”
“Don’t let her temporary relaxation fool you. One word or signal from me and Star will be a formidable adversary.”
“I know. It’s just that sometimes I tend to relate to animals better than I do humans. And see her cute tan eyebrows? She’s not scowling at me the way you are.”
“Maybe that’s because you didn’t lie to her.”
“I didn’t lie to you either.” Zoe knew there was pathos in her tone, but she didn’t try to hide or excuse it. “There has to be a clue here. A drop of blood or something. Please. Bring in somebody who can test the area for it. At least give me the benefit of the doubt.”
“So you can waste our time and resources?”
Her voice became strident. “Me? You’re the ones who are wasting time by focusing on my life when you should be trying to track down my stupid half brother before he does something else too horrible for words. I haven’t seen him since before he escaped, and I only went because I felt sorry for him. I don’t want to see him on the outside of prison walls. I have my little boy to protect. Do you think I want Boyd anywhere near Freddy?”
“Why not? You sure visited him plenty.”
“That’s different. Boyd’s all the family I have left since Dad died. I suppose I should have stayed away, but I kept hoping he was worth redeeming.”
“By you?” She heard him huff.
“No. By God and Jesus,” Zoe said, and this time there was new gentleness in her speech.
“Some people aren’t worth it,” Colson countered drily.
“I disagree. Everybody should have the chance to reform, no matter what they’ve done.” Her heart clenched. Too bad it was too late to help Freddy’s daddy.
That all-encompassing statement apparently convinced the cop to turn away and once again use his radio. “Give me Captain Blackwood,” he said. After a short pause he followed with, “Linc Colson here, sir. I’m at warehouse W-16 behind the BX. Sullivan insists she saw a crime committed and is requesting a tech team. Do you want me to stay here until you give me further orders or shall I relinquish the scene?”
Zoe couldn’t hear the reply because the sergeant was wearing an earpiece, but judging by his grim look, he wasn’t happy with the captain’s decision. She waited expectantly for him to end the call and explain.
“They’re coming,” he grumbled. “You win. This time.”
“I’m not trying to win anything,” she insisted. “I just don’t want a criminal to get away with murder.”
“Right.”
Zoe could have brought up the sacrifice of personal happiness she’d made when she’d turned in her former husband, John, for possible espionage, a transgression, which may have been responsible for his untimely death, but since those records were sealed, she figured it would be best to keep that part of her past to herself. Her rotten brother was plenty for now. Between relatives she couldn’t help knowing and choosing the wrong man to marry, her record of discernment was pitiful.
She decided to try changing the subject. “So, Linc is what the L on your name tag stands for? Is that short for Lincoln?”
“Not anymore. It’s just Linc now.”
“Why?”
“Because I got tired of being called Abe. Nicknames are bad enough in the air force. They were lots worse when I was a kid.”
She had to smile at him. “Gotcha. Boyd liked to call me Baby Sister, and the kids in the neighborhood and at school picked it up. Thankfully, it didn’t follow me into the air force, even if my brother did.”
“You got off easy when he washed out.” He gestured to some cardboard cartons piled near the open bay doors. “We might as well sit down.”
“Your dog is tired, right?”
One corner of his mouth twitched for a moment as if a smile was trying to get out before he regained control and answered, “Right. My partner is.”
“Sorry.” Zoe led the way to the stack and tested it to make sure the carton was strong enough to support her before sitting. “I had forgotten you guys considered your K-9s partners.”
Linc took a seat with Star between them. “We’re classified as teammates. She’s an MWD, Military Working Dog, and I’m her handler.”
Zoe gazed down. “She’s beautiful.”
“And intelligent and trained to be lethal if necessary,” Linc cautioned.
“I don’t doubt that for a second.” Meeting Star’s upturned face with a tender look of her own, Zoe dangled the tips of her fingers over the edge of the box. The dog noticed but didn’t seem upset, so she took a chance and wiggled them.
Star had apparently realized she wasn’t a danger, because she sniffed Zoe’s fingers, then gave them a quick lick.
Zoe giggled. Linc did not. “It’s a good thing for you that Star has been socialized more than some of our other dogs or she’d never put up with that. What are you trying to do, recruit her over to the dark side?”
That opinion deserved a hearty laugh. “Not at all. Actually, I’m very impressed with Star. She’s a lot smarter than you Security Forces people are. She’s already decided I’m one of the good guys around here.”
“Then it’s a good thing she’s not the one in charge.”
* * *
Linc was not pleased by Zoe’s conclusion, but he had to give her credit for having a kind enough heart to make an emotional connection with the dog, despite the fact that such interactions were
