Protect And Serve

“Like what?” He braced a hand on the tree near her head, surrounding her in a warm cocoon.

Her brain became a muddled mess. “I have no idea.”

“What’s the story with Mrs. Foxcroft?”

Needing distance from him and the confusing effect he had on her, Gina sighed and pushed away from the tree. She really hated telling tales out of turn. But if doing so helped her to earn Shane’s trust, then so be it. She stepped back onto the road. “I don’t know all the details. Her husband left about five years ago. As far as I know they never divorced. Marian’s family dates back to the founding of the town, though I’m not sure where her wealth came from.”

“I find it interesting that Ellen became a police officer,” Shane said, falling back into step with her. “How did her mother take it?”

“I don’t know. Ellen doesn’t talk much about her mom.” Gina wrinkled her nose. “Marian Foxcroft is...” She struggled to come up with a polite term for the town’s feisty matriarch.

“Intimidating?” Shane supplied.

“Yes, exactly.”

A car horn beeped. Shane waved a hand. James Harrison, another of the rookies from the most recent graduating training session, pulled up alongside them in his truck. His bloodhound, Hawk, poked his droopy-faced head out of the open passenger window.

James leaned over. “Hey, I was headed to the station.” He turned his focus to Gina. “Your house is in shambles. But there was no sign of the intruder.”

“That’s good,” Shane replied.

Gina detested hearing her house had been violated. Obviously, Tim had doubled back just as she’d thought. He could have easily sneaked past them through the woods. And he’d taken out his rage on her home. The thought knocked the breath from her lungs.

If she hadn’t been quick enough to get out of the house, if he’d overtaken her at any point, she could very well be dead at this moment. Like Veronica.

Gina clenched her jaw tight to keep from throwing up.

“Is it true? Veronica’s dead?” James asked, openly stunned.

“Yes,” Shane replied.

James ran a hand through his hair. “That’s shocking. I mean, I just saw her this afternoon at the station.”

“You’ll need to give your statement to Ryder,” Shane said. “That’ll help with the time line leading up to her death.”

“Yeah, sure,” James said. “Should I head over there now?”

“Not yet,” Shane said. “The chief wants us to stick close to Gina.” He turned to her. “Which is your house?”

“The one on the corner.” She pointed to the end of the street, at the small yellow-and-white two-story cottage that had been her safe haven for two years. She’d had the house painted yellow because the color had been her mother’s favorite.

James nodded and turned his truck around before heading back to Gina’s and parking in the driveway. As Gina, Shane and Bella approached, James let Hawk out. Bella and Hawk greeted each other.

Shane filled James in on what had happened both here at Gina’s house and at the training center.

James whistled through his teeth as he climbed out of his truck. “Wow, this is a lot to process. Veronica had insisted she needed to come to the condo tonight to show me some pointers she thought would be helpful with Hawk.”

“That’s strange,” Gina said. James had done well with his and his bloodhound’s training. “What kind of refresher would you need?”

The tall blond and blue-eyed man shook his head. “I have no idea. I thought it was weird, too, but...” He shrugged.

Dismissing the mystery of what Veronica had been thinking, Gina stepped through the open front door of her little house. She stopped at the sight of her living room. Everything was smashed and broken.

A deep sense of violation and helplessness spread through her, choking off her air. The destruction was senseless.

“The upstairs is just as bad, if not worse,” James informed her, with sympathy tingeing his words. Hawk, James’s bloodhound, let out a long wail that echoed through the house. Stark fear grabbed Gina by the throat. Had Tim managed to sneak in after James’s walk-through?

But the dog turned toward the front door. Something outside the house had him on alert.

Was Tim out there?

Gina moved closer to Shane. He stepped slightly in front of her. The protective gesture melted some of the animosity she’d been feeling toward him.

A woman and a dog entered. Gina let out a relieved breath at the sight of rookie Ellen Foxcroft and her large golden retriever, Carly. After a quick nod of acknowledgment to James and Shane, Ellen turned to Gina. Her normally bright blue eyes were clouded with anxiety. “Are you hurt?”

“No. I’m fine,” Gina was quick to assure her. “I’m glad to see you, but why are you here?”

“Mom received a call that something was going on at the training center and then on the way here I heard dispatch say officers were responding to a break-in at your house. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Gina’s stomach twisted as she related the night’s events to the rookie.

Visibly shaken, Ellen touched Gina’s arm. “That’s terrible. And you think your brother killed Veronica?”

“I don’t know for sure, but who else could have done it?” She could feel Shane’s intense gaze on her. Was he studying her, assessing if she was telling the truth? “Anything’s possible with Tim. He never took responsibility for his actions, always blaming his mental illness even though he refused to take his meds.”

“That’s hard,” Ellen said. “I’ve heard that many times people who go off their medications act out in ways they wouldn’t if they were staying on their regimen.”

Gina appreciated the other woman’s understanding. “Right. But there comes a point when accountability rests with each of us. Tim was cognizant enough of his actions to know right from wrong. And he blames me for calling the police when he killed our father.”

Empathy softened Ellen’s features. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. It still hurts.”

“No matter what degree of loss we experience, it’s painful,” Ellen said. “But we have to remember that God will never leave us nor forsake us.”

Her words wound through Gina. She really wanted to cling to the hope, but sorrow and pain kept her from grabbing on with both hands. She righted a chair.

Ellen glanced at the chaos. “You can’t stay here. I’ll call my mom and see if she’ll mind if you stay with us.”

Though Gina was touched by the offer, the thought of going very far from the safety of the police station made her heart race. “I appreciate the offer, but I need to be close to the center.”

“You could bunk in the empty bedroom at the condo,” James said. “It’s only a few blocks from the police station. You’ll be safe there with us.”

Gina’s gaze flew to Shane to see what he thought of the idea. His mouth pressed into a firm line, but he didn’t comment.

Hmm. “Shane, would you be okay with that?” she asked.

“It’s a good idea that you stay with us,” Shane said. “The chief did assign your protection to me.”

Gina stared at him. If he thought it a good idea, then why did he look as if he’d just swallowed a lemon? Shaking her head over the perplexing man, she said, “I’ll go pack a bag.”

“Ellen, would you mind accompanying Gina upstairs?” Shane asked.

“Not at all.” Ellen and Carly escorted Gina to the second floor.

Seeing the damage to her beautiful bedroom brought Gina to tears. The curtains she’d sewn had been ripped off the rod and shredded. The porcelain doll that had once been her mother’s lay smashed on the floor.

James hadn’t been kidding when he’d said the upstairs was as trashed as the living room. In what hours ago had been her sanctuary, Tim had taken a knife and shredded everything, including the clothes hanging in the closet.

Deep sadness welled from within. She didn’t understand how Tim could be so out of control and mean. Whatever God’s purpose was, it was lost on her, which was why she couldn’t bring herself to attend church services. How could she worship a God who allowed such travesties?

It was hard enough socializing at the Desert Valley Community Church’s singles’ potluck and pretending to feel a closeness to God that was absent.

She wasn’t even sure why she went every month. Okay, that wasn’t true. She went because some part of her hoped to fall in love. Yet she turned down any offers of dates, too afraid to allow someone into her life. Nuts, right?

What was that saying by Albert Einstein? The definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

She snorted. Maybe she was more like her brother than she wanted to admit. Carly’s wet nose nudged her hand. Absently, she stroked the dog’s head.

It wasn’t as if the town of Desert Valley, located in the northwest part of Arizona, was big enough for her to meet someone new. After living in the small community for nearly two years, she knew most everyone on a first-name basis.

The revolving door on the K-9 training center didn’t lend itself to finding romance. The rookies arrived for their twelve-week session then left, taking assignments that took them all over the state of Arizona. Most of them held little interest for her.

She mentally scoffed. Who was she kidding?

Shane Weston had caught her attention. But he wasn’t staying. He’d made that clear from day one.

Maybe she was a glutton for torturing herself or maybe subconsciously she wasn’t really as interested in becoming half of a whole as she professed. Was she deluding herself? Wasn’t that a sign of mental illness? She’d have to do some research. Maybe check in with her old therapist.

“You okay?”

Ellen’s soft question brought Gina’s focus back to the closet. She wouldn’t find the answer to her life’s questions in her destroyed dresses and pantsuits.

“Yes.” She stuffed her thoughts away. Taking clothes that Tim had left untouched from the hamper, she quickly changed out of her soiled outfit, then handed it to Ellen, who put the clothes into the evidence bag.

Ellen’s gaze raked over the sliced and diced garments barely hanging on the hangers. “Whoa.”

Gina waved a dismissive hand. “This can all be replaced.”

“If you need to go shopping in Flagstaff, I’m always up for a trip to the city,” Ellen said with a sympathetic smile.

Carly left Gina to go stand beside her mistress.

Appreciating Ellen’s attempt at levity, Gina returned her smile. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Gina grabbed her suitcase from beneath the bed, gathered her toiletries and dumped them in the bottom of the suitcase. “Your mother must be very proud of you for having completed your training.”

Ellen made a noise halfway between a laugh and a scoff. “Mom’s never been behind me being a police officer.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I think you’ll make a great one.” Gina pulled the rest of the clothes from the laundry basket, figuring she’d wash everything at the condo. Her pulse skipped a beat as she thought of sharing a living space with Shane. She ruthlessly squelched her reaction.

And James, she reminded herself. She wouldn’t be alone with Shane. And she’d have her own suite. Thankfully.

“Thanks. But it’s the story of my life.” Ellen’s gaze took on a faraway look. “There’s a lot that Mom and I don’t see eye to eye on.”

Sensing something painful behind the other woman’s words, Gina put a hand on Ellen’s arm to offer what comfort she could. “But you have her and you two love each other.” Gina would give anything to have her mother back. Even for just a moment.

Ellen nodded, but doubts lingered in her blue eyes. “Yes. You’re right. But I’m looking forward to being assigned far from Desert Valley. You know that old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m hoping that will prove to be true.”

Gina hurt for the apparent rift between Ellen and Marian.

“Ladies?” Shane called from the bottom of the stairs. “Do you need some help?”

Gina rolled her eyes. “Impatient much?” she muttered.

Ellen smiled. “It’s a guy thing.”

“Or just a Shane thing,” Gina quipped as she zipped the suitcase. She’d noticed during training that he wanted things to progress at a swifter pace. She’d had to remind him training was a process that couldn’t be rushed. She supposed he was anxious to get back to the city. Apparently country life wasn’t to his liking.

Gina picked up her suitcase and followed Ellen and Carly down the stairs. She retrieved her cell phone from the charger sitting on the hall table. The one she hadn’t had time to grab before running for her life.

Once they were out of the house, Gina thanked Ellen for her help. She climbed into James’s truck along with Shane. The two dogs hopped into the canopied truck bed and lay down. James latched the tailgate in place but left the windows open for airflow.

Sandwiched between the two men, Gina could hardly believe her life had taken such a drastic turn in such a short amount of time. Her brother had attacked her, her boss had been murdered, and now she’d been displaced from her home and put under the protection of two handsome men. One who made her heart flutter despite how much she tried to quell her attraction.

Could her life get any more complicated?

A loud thunk echoed inside the cab of the truck, sending a jolt of fear through Gina. “What was that?”

FOUR

James brought the truck to an abrupt halt and jumped out, leaving the driver’s-side door open.

Shane’s heart hammered in his chest. He gripped Gina’s hand. His gaze raked over her. “Are you hurt?” He had to yell over the frantic barking of the two dogs in the truck bed.

Her hazel eyes were wide and her pretty face pale, but otherwise she appeared unharmed. “No. I don’t think so.”

Ellen’s vehicle pulled up behind them, her headlights shining through the window.

James jumped back in the cab of the truck. “An arrow,” he said as he hit the gas. The truck shot forward.

The two words sent a shiver down Shane’s spine.

James drove quickly to the police station, with Ellen close behind, and parked in front of the doors. Shane jumped out and hustled Gina inside. Bucks was manning the desk.

“Keep an eye on her,” Shane told the officer before running back outside just as James dropped the tailgate and both dogs jumped out. Bella ran to Shane’s side.

Shane moved closer to see what had struck the truck. Protruding from the front of the truck bed, just below the rear window, was indeed an arrow. But not the kind found in archery. This was steel, a long bolt with yellow fetching. The kind meant for killing.

The blood drained from Shane’s head. He gripped the edge of the truck bed. A couple of inches higher and the bolt would have gone through the window, right into Gina’s skull.

Or the projectile could have easily hit one of the dogs. But thankfully, both were uninjured.

Was this the work of Gina’s brother? Why would he change weapons from a gun to a crossbow? Hadn’t Gina said he’d had a knife, too? They had a well-armed fugitive in their town.

James hooked Hawk to his lead. The bloodhound lifted his nose to the air and howled. “We’re going hunting. The keys are in the ignition if you need to move the truck. Hawk and I will meet you at the condo.”

“Be careful,” Shane advised.

“Roger that.” James and Hawk took off, trailing a scent, and disappeared from view.

Ellen approached from where she’d parked her vehicle. “Did you see the shooter?” Shane asked.

“Shooter?” Her blues eyes darted to the arrow then back to him. “Is Gina okay?”

“Yes, she’s inside.” Shane moved back to the cab and ran a hand over the back of the seat. Applying a little pressure on the backrest, he could feel the sharp tip of the arrow where it had gone through the metal of the truck. So close. He breathed out a prayer of thanksgiving.

Another inch and the arrow absolutely would have skewered Gina in the back.

Clearly someone wanted her dead. It seemed her story about her brother was true.

Gina came out of the police station with Bucks hot on her heels. “Someone tell me what’s happening.”

Shane glared at Bucks.

He raised his hands. “Hey, I couldn’t stop her.”

Gina spotted the arrow sticking out of the back of the cab and gasped. The moon’s glow shone on her face, creating shadows in the contours of her cheekbones. “Do you think... Did Tim do this?”

He wouldn’t sugarcoat the truth. “Unless there’s someone with a vendetta against the trainers, which I doubt, I can’t think of anyone else who wants you dead. Can you?”

She wrapped her arms around her middle. “No. And I didn’t kill Veronica. Tim must have. Don’t you see that?”

“Come on, let’s get you back inside.” Shane placed his hand to the small of her back. He didn’t like her standing outside, making herself an easy target if her brother had followed them to the station. “I’m sorry I jumped to a hasty conclusion.”

Gina’s glance lanced across his face like a laser. “So you believe me now?”

Innocent until proven guilty. The evidence to suggest she was the culprit was circumstantial at best. It was more likely that her brother had killed Veronica. “Yes.”

Some of her tension visibly released.

Once they were all in the lobby of the station, Ellen logged in the evidence bag filled with Gina’s clothes and then said good-night before heading home. Keeping Gina close, Shane asked Bucks to dust the arrow for prints.

“Hey, I don’t work for you,” the older officer grumbled.

The chief stepped out of his office. “What’s the trouble?”

Bucks shot Shane a venomous look. “He’ll explain.” He marched off.

“On our way here from Gina’s house a bolt from a crossbow pierced the cab,” Shane explained. “I asked Officer Bucks if he’d dust the arrow for prints.”

Chief Jones’s jaw hardened. “Seems your brother is determined.”

“Yes, sir,” Gina murmured as she sank onto a bench.

Bella went to her and put her chin on Gina’s knees.

“Thank the Lord above none of you were hurt,” Earl said. He’d seemed to age in the past few hours. The lines around his mouth and eyes were deeper, adding to his haggard look. Undoubtedly, Veronica’s murder was hitting the man hard. “This has been a horrific night for our town. We’ve seen more crime in the past six hours than we’ve had in five years...since Melanie Hayes’s unsolved murder.”

Ryder Hayes’s wife, Melanie, had been gunned down on a wooded path near the couple’s house on the eve of the big annual Canyon County Police Dance and Fundraiser. Robbery was the suspected motive, since Melanie’s purse had gone missing.

Shane had also heard about two other mysterious deaths. Each on the night of the annual dance and fundraiser event, and each a year apart. But both fatalities had been deemed accidents.

The chief rubbed his chin. “Tonight makes retirement that much more enticing.”

Back home in Flagstaff, this night would have seemed tame to Shane’s dad and brothers. “Did the canvass around the training center yield anything useful in determining who killed Veronica?”

Earl held up a hand. “So far no one heard any shots fired or saw anyone come or go from the center.”

“Has anyone turned in the missing puppy?” Gina asked.

“Unfortunately, no,” the chief replied.

Gina’s arms wrapped around her middle as if holding herself together. The tender skin beneath her eyes appeared bruised from fatigue and her face was pale.

Empathy twisted in Shane’s gut, despite his need to stay emotionally detached. First being attacked in her house by her crazed brother, then stumbling upon Veronica’s dead body. It was obvious she loved the animals she worked with and they loved her, if Bella’s actions were any indication. No doubt the thought of the little German shepherd puppy running loose outside where wildlife could prey on it weighed heavily on Gina’s slim shoulders.

“Was Sophie able to determine if the other two puppies were chipped?” Gina asked.

“They were,” Earl replied. “Chipped and registered to Veronica with the training center’s address just as we’d expect.”

“Hopefully, someone will pick up the pup and take him to the vet,” Gina said. “If Veronica was able to get him chipped then the vet will find the chip and contact the center.”

“I’ll give the vet a heads-up,” the chief said.

Bucks returned a few moments later. “I got a partial. I’ll run it through IAFIS.”

Shane hoped the FBI’s national fingerprint database would provide a visual of Tim Perry. Or whoever had handled the arrow. Shane struggled to believe no one had known Gina had a brother to begin with, let alone one who was a criminal. Was the shooter the same person who’d killed Veronica? Or was there more than one villain running around Desert Valley? That seemed too much of a stretch.

“Let’s finish our discussion in my office,” Earl said, ushering Shane, Bella and Gina inside.

The chief had just settled into his chair behind his desk when there was a knock on the doorjamb. James and Hawk entered the office, looking grim.

Shane gave him a questioning look.

James shook his head. “Hawk tracked a scent but lost it on a street two blocks away from Gina’s house. The shooter must have jumped into a car and taken off.”

“Did you get a look at the archer?” Earl asked.

“No, never caught a glimpse of him,” James said.

Earl looked at Shane. “But you’re sure it was her brother?”

“Hard to say without confirmation,” Shane said. “But without any other suspects...”

The chief considered him a moment. “Okay.” He focused on Gina. “Where will you be staying? Obviously you can’t return to your home until we have your brother in custody.”

“Sir, Gina is going to move into the empty room at the rookies’ condo,” Shane stated. He met Gina’s gaze. She arched one delicate eyebrow. Okay, maybe he shouldn’t have answered for her.

Earl nodded approval. “Good.” He settled his gaze on Gina once again. “We’ll find your brother. Or whoever did this. No one can hide in Desert Valley for long.”

“Thank you, sir.” Her voice was tight. She turned her gaze on Shane. “I’d like to keep the puppies with me if possible.”

The anxiety in her hazel eyes tugged at him. If having the two pups close comforted her, then... “Of course. We’ll swing by the training center and pick them up.”

She gave him a grateful smile as she stifled a yawn.

“You all go and get some rest,” the chief said. “You won’t do anyone any good if you’re too exhausted to be of use.”

Shane escorted Gina from the station. They took James’s truck to the training center. Sophie had crated the puppies and had locked up the center for the night. Gina used her key card to enter the building.

They gathered the puppies and their crates, along with their beds, water and food bowls, and put them in the back of James’s truck. Gina held both pups on her lap during the ride to the condo.

James parked in the carport stall reserved for the rookies’ unit. He grabbed her bag from the back and led the way to the front door. Shane carried the pups’ accoutrements and brought up the rear with Gina and the puppies between them.

Once inside, Shane showed Gina to the room at the end of the short hall. He arranged the crates side by side along the far wall beneath the window facing the queen-size bed covered with a deep burgundy comforter.

Gina set the puppies down on their respective beds and left the crate doors open. They immediately went to sleep, obviously tuckered out from their run in the yard and the move to the condo.

“Shouldn’t you shut the crate doors?” Shane asked.

“I will when I’m ready to go to sleep, but for now I want them to feel safe inside their crates and safe to leave, as well. The crate needs to become their safe haven. Locking them in too soon can be traumatic.”

Her concern for the puppies was touching. Given she’d just lived through a very dramatic and dangerous situation, she was holding it together really well. Assuming she was telling him the truth, which seemed more likely with every passing moment. His admiration and respect for her increased. How had he questioned whether she could be guilty of hurting Veronica?