Good evening, Deputy Tucker. This isn’t over. I want what you took from this house. I will get it back even if someone else gets hurt in the process.

Sydney stared at the cell-phone screen.

What was the sender talking about? She didn’t take anything from this house. And how did he know she was here and would answer Dixon’s phone?

Had he followed them? Was he outside now…watching?

“What’s it say, Syd?” Russ crossed the space and dropped down next to her. He looked at the message and she heard him draw in a quick breath before jumping to his feet.

“Stay here,” he commanded, and raced to the door. Gun in hand, he eased onto the porch, pulling the door closed behind him.

Wait. The text said if someone got hurt in the process. He didn’t say if she got hurt. Did that mean he’d hurt people she cared about instead? Maybe even Russ?

She looked at the message again. But there it was right in front of her. His warning. This wasn’t over and may not end before someone else died at the hands of this madman.

SUSAN SLEEMAN

grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com and writing romantic suspense and mystery novels.

Much to her husband’s chagrin, Susan loves to look at everyday situations and turn them into murder and mayhem scenarios for future novels. If you’ve met Susan, she has probably figured out a plausible way to kill you and get away with it.

Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson. To learn more about Susan, please visit www.SusanSleeman.com.

Behind the Badge
Susan Sleeman

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And we know that in all things

God works for the good of those who love Him,

who have been called according to His purpose.

—Romans 8:28

Dedication

For my husband, Mark, who always believes in me

and is by my side through good times and bad.

I couldn’t do any of this without you.

Acknowledgments

Heartfelt thanks to:

My daughters, Erin and Emma,

for their tremendous support. Thank you, Emma, for

giving of your time to help brainstorm plot changes

and thank you, Erin, for the graphic-design expertise

that is at the heart of my promotional efforts.

My patient, sweet and talented editor, Tina James.

Thank you for continuing to have faith

in my stories. I am thrilled to be working with

and learning from you.

The very generous Ron Norris—

retired police officer with the LaVerne Police

Department—who gives of his time and knowledge

in both police procedures, as well as weapons

information. Ron, you are amazing! Any errors

in or liberties taken with the technical details

Ron so patiently explained to me are all my doing.

Sandra Robbins,

who always has a smile in her voice

and encouragement in her heart.

Thanks for being my supporter at all times.

God has blessed me with your friendship.

And most importantly, thank You, God,

for my faith and for giving me daily challenges

to grow closer to You.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EPILOGUE

LETTER TO READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ONE

Gunshots split the inky darkness.

Deputy Sydney Tucker hit the cold ground, a jagged rock slashing into her forehead on the way down. She reached for her service weapon. Came up empty-handed. She’d stopped after work to check on the construction of her town house and left her gun and cell phone in the car.

Dumb, Sydney. Really dumb. Now what’re you gonna do?

Inching her head above knee-high grass, she listened. The keening whistle of the wind died, leaving the air damp and heavy with tension. Silence reigned.

Had she overreacted? Could be nighttime target practice. Hunters did crazy things sometimes.

Footfalls pounded from below. It sounded like two people charging through the brush. Maybe a chase. Then she heard a loud crash and branches snapping.

“What’re you doin’, man?” A panicked male voice traveled through the night. “No! Don’t shoot! We can work this out.”

Three more gunshots rang out. A moan drifted up the hill.

Not target practice. Someone had been shot.

Sydney lurched to her feet, dizziness swirling through her. Blood dripped into her eyes. She wiped it away, blinked hard and steadied herself on a large rock while peering into the wall of darkness for the best escape route.

Heavy footfalls crunched up the gravel path.

“I know you’re here, Deputy Tucker,” a male voice, disguised with a high, nasal pitch, called out. “We need to talk about this. C’mon out.”

Yeah, right. Come out and die. Not hardly.

Praying, pleading for safety, she scrambled deeper into the scrub. Over rocks. Through grass tangling her feet. Her heart pounded in her head, drowning the prayers with fear.

“I’m losing patience, Deputy,” he called again in that strange voice. “You’re not like Dixon. He had it coming. You don’t.”

Dixon? Did he mean the man she’d arrested for providing alcohol to her teenage sister and for selling drugs? Was that what this was about?

Rocks skittered down the incline. The shooter was on the move again. No time to think. She had to go. Now!

Blindly she felt her way past shrubs, over uneven ground. Dried leaves crunched underfoot. Branches slapped her face and clawed at her arms, but she stifled her cries of pain.

“I hear you, Deputy.”

She wrenched around to determine his location. A protruding rock caught her foot, catapulting her forward. She somersaulted through the air. Her knee slammed into the packed earth and she crashed down the hill. Wrapping her arms around her head for protection, she tumbled and then came to a stop, breath knocked out of her, lying flat on her back in a thick stand of weeds.

“So you want to play it that way, do you, Deputy? Fine. Just remember, you can run, but you can’t hide. I will find you. This will be resolved, one way or another.” His disembodied laugh swirled into the night.

The darkness pressed closer. Blinding. Overwhelming. Terrifying.

She rose to her knees, but pain knifed into her knee, keeping her anchored to the ground.

Lord, please don’t let me die like this. Give me the strength to move. I need to live for Nikki. She’s only seventeen. She has no one.

Sydney uncurled and came to a standing position. Taking a few halting steps, she tested the pain. Nearly unbearable. But she had to do this for her sister.

Thinking of Nikki, she gritted her teeth and set off, moving slowly, taking care not to make a sound.

Out of the darkness, a hand shot out. Clamped over her mouth.

Screams tore from her throat, but died behind fingers pressed hard against her lips.

A muscled arm jerked her against a solid chest and dragged her deep into the brush.

God, please, no.

She twisted, arched her back, pushing against arms that held her like iron bands.

She dug her heels into the ground, but he was too strong. He kept going deeper into the brush before settling them both on the ground behind a large boulder.

“Relax, Sydney, it’s Russ Morgan,” her assailant whispered, his lips close to her ear.

Russ Morgan? What was Logan Lake’s police chief doing here?

“Sorry to grab you.” His tone said she was nothing more than a stranger instead of someone he’d known for years. “I didn’t want you to alert the shooter with a scream. I’m gonna remove my hand now. Nod if you understand me.”

She let all of her relief escape in a sharp jerk of her head. His fingers dropped away.

“Once the shooter rounded that curve, you would’ve been a goner,” he whispered while still holding her firmly. “Good thing a neighbor reported gunshots.”

Sydney started to shiver and inhaled deeply to steady her galloping pulse. Air rushed into her lungs. She was alive, but barely. No thanks to her own skills.

“You okay?” he asked, his breath stirring her hair.

“Yes.” She willed her body to stop shaking and eased out a hiss of disappointment at her job performance. “How long have you been here?”

“Long enough to hear the shooter claim he’s hit Dixon and is coming after you next,” he whispered again, but urgency lit his voice and rekindled her fear. “This have to do with your arrest of Carl Dixon the other day?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered back. “I just stopped to check on the construction of my town house on my way home from work.”

“Off duty, huh? Explains why you don’t have your weapon drawn.”

“I left my duty belt in my car.” She waited for his reaction to not carrying, but he simply gave a quick nod as footfalls grated against gravel.

“Shh, he’s about to pass us.” Russ leaned forward and drew his gun with his free hand, but didn’t release his hold on her.

Crunching steps came within a few feet of their location. Halted.

“Can you feel me breathing down your neck, Deputy? I’m inches from finding you.” He didn’t know the accuracy of his words.

She felt Russ pull in a deep breath, upping her concern and washing away the brief blanket of security his arms provided. Adrenaline urged her to move. To keep from panicking, she focused on Russ’s unwavering weapon.

The shooter took a few steps closer. Her heart thumped, threatening to leave her chest. Russ tightened his hold as if he knew she wanted to bolt.

The shooter spun, sending gravel flying, then headed up the path.

As his footsteps receded, she tried to relax taut muscles. The warmth from Russ’s body helped chase out her fear and the chill of the night. Thank God Russ was here. Who knows what would’ve happened if he hadn’t come….

She refused to go there. God had watched over her. Provided rescue, just not in the form she’d have chosen.

Not only was Russ the head of the city’s police force—a team often in competition with the county sheriff’s department, where she worked—but he was a man she’d had a crazy crush on in high school. A man whose rugged good looks still turned women’s heads.

She let out a long sigh.

“I know this is awkward,” he whispered, “but hang tight for a few more minutes. We need to wait for him to head back down the hill.”

She wanted to protest and suggest they flee now, but Russ thought clearly. Taking off now gave the killer the advantage of higher ground, making them moving targets. They’d have to sit like this until he passed them again.

If they made it out of here, which the approaching footfalls told her wasn’t at all certain.

The shooter’s steps pounded closer. He moved at a quick clip this time, as if he thought she’d gotten away and he was in hot pursuit. Or maybe he was heading to her car to lie in wait for her.

As the footsteps receded again, she felt Russ’s arm slacken.

“Time to roll,” he whispered. “Stay here.”

“But I—”

“You have a backup?” He meant a backup gun that most officers carry on the job.

She shook her head.

“Then wait here.” He gave her the hard stare that’d made him famous around town, and crept toward the path.

She leaned against the boulder and wrapped her arms around the warm circle on her waist where he’d held her. Without his warmth, she couldn’t quit shaking. The reality of the night froze her inner core.

She should listen to Russ. Lie low. Wait until he apprehended the killer.

That was the safe thing to do.

The easy thing to do.

The wrong thing to do.

As an officer of the law, letting a shooter escape without trying to stop him wasn’t an option. Even if that shooter had her in his sights, she’d make her way to her car for her gun and help Russ stop this maniac before he hurt anyone else.

Near the ditch, Russ came to a stop and fought to catch his breath. The taillights of a mud-splattered dirt bike vanished up the trail. He’d warned the suspect to stop, but short of shooting him in the back, Russ couldn’t stop him from fleeing into the dark.

At least he’d accomplished his primary objective—to protect Sydney and keep her alive. Now he needed to alert his men and the sheriff’s office to the suspect’s whereabouts.

He lifted his shoulder mic and ordered a unit from his office to stake out the end of the trail for the motorcycle and to send an ambulance in case Dixon survived. Then he asked dispatch to patch him through to the county sheriff’s department to make sure they knew he’d taken charge of the scene so none of their hotshot deputies arrived with the hope of usurping control.

He turned on his Maglite and headed up the hill. The beam of light skipped over gravel and lush plants lining the winding path. Midway up, rustling brush stopped him cold. He’d left Sydney higher up. Nearer the lake.

Was a second shooter hoping to ambush him?

He flipped off his light and sought protection behind a tree. His breath came in little pulses in the cold air—unusual for fall in Oregon. Adrenaline, with little time to ebb away, came roaring back, but even as the noise grew louder, he resisted the urge to take action.

Maybe it was Sydney. The girl he used to know wouldn’t have listened to his directive and stayed put. She’d trounce down the hill, her chin tilted at the same insolent angle as when he told her he didn’t return her crazy crush her freshman year of high school. Not that he’d wanted to send a beautiful, lively girl like her away. He could easily have dated her, but he was four years older, in college. With their age difference, it wouldn’t have been right.

Bushes at the path’s edge shook, then parted. Slowly, like a sleek panther, Sydney slipped out. He watched until she stood tall on those incredibly long legs he’d admired since she was sixteen before lowering his gun and aiming his flashlight at her.

She jumped and then peered up at him, an impudent look on her face. This was the Sydney he’d known as a teen and, heaven help him, in just minutes, she’d sparked his interest again.

“Care to shine that somewhere other than my face?” She shaded her eyes, warding off the glare.

He moved the light, but not before he caught a good look at a gaping wound running from her hairline to her eyebrow, covered in congealed blood. He lifted his hand to check out her injury, but stopped. He wouldn’t probe a wound on one of his men’s faces. As a fellow LEO—law enforcement officer—he wouldn’t treat Sydney any differently.

“I told you to stay put.” He infused his words with authority.

“I wanted to help.” She held out blood-covered hands. “Wish I’d listened… I tripped over the body.” Her eyes watered as if she might cry.

Man…don’t do that. Don’t fall apart. He couldn’t remain detached if she started crying. He’d have to empathize, maybe give her a reassuring pat on the arm. Maybe feel her pain and resurrect all the reasons he’d left his homicide job in Portland.

Changing his focus, he nodded at the brush. “Show me the body.”

As the faint whine of sirens spiraled in the distance, she limped into tall grass, a grimace of pain marring her beautiful face. He followed, illuminating the area ahead of her. About ten feet in, she stopped suddenly.

Diffused rays slid over a young male lying on his back. Russ swung the beam to the man’s face, landing on open eyes staring into the blackness above.

Sydney gasped and swung around him. She rushed toward the main path. Even though Russ knew it was a lost cause, he bent down to check for a pulse. As he suspected, this man hadn’t made it and he ID’d him right away. Carl Dixon, a man every officer in the area knew from his frequent blips on the police radar, including his most recent arrest, for selling drugs.

All that ended with three gunshots to the chest at close range, from what Russ could see with his flashlight. Once they thoroughly processed the scene, he’d know more. But first, they needed to vacate the area before further contaminating the scene.

He found Sydney near the path, gaze fixed in the distance, hands clasped on her hips, exhaling long breaths as if trying to expel what she’d just seen.

Haunted eyes peered at him. “He’s dead, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And what about the killer?”

“Couldn’t catch him. He took off on a dirt bike.”

Disappointment crowded out the fear on her face. “Did you at least see him?”

“From the back. He was my height or a little taller, but lean. Wore a black stocking cap. The bike has a plate so it must be street legal. I caught the first few digits.”

“That’s something, then.”

Russ didn’t want to tell her it would do little for them in terms of searching DMV records, as three digits would return thousands of bikes, but he didn’t think she could take any more bad news so he kept quiet. “Let’s head down to the parking lot.”

He gave her the flashlight and urged her to take the lead down the steep hill. Once on solid concrete, she handed it back to him. Holding it overhead, he watched her closely for dizziness or other impairments from her fall. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, but a head injury could mean a concussion. He’d have the EMTs check her out when they got there.

He pointed at a rough-hewn bench. “Maybe you should sit down.”

“I’m fine.” Her voice cracked and she seemed embarrassed about overreacting to the murder.

“It’s okay to be upset, Syd. A horrible thing happened tonight.”

“I’m fine, really. I’ll be back to a hundred percent by morning.”

“Don’t expect too much too fast.”

“I said I’m fine.” She straightened her shoulders into a hard line. “It may be my first year on the job, but I can handle this.”

“You just witnessed a homicide. If you’re like other officers, you’re probably feeling guilty for not preventing it.”

“I deserve the blame,” she said, her eyes overflowing with guilt. “I should’ve been carrying. Now a person is dead and a killer is running free. What if he hurts someone else?”

Russ knew that look. Had worn it himself. He took a step closer and softened his voice. “You can’t think that way, Syd. You have a life outside the job. You couldn’t have known something like this would happen when you left your gun in the car.”

She backed away, studied his face for long moments, her pained expression turning suspicious. “What’s going on here? Is this about me being a woman?” She pulled her shoulders even higher.

“What?”

“If I was a guy, you’d be jumping down my throat and railing on me for being dumb enough not to carry at all times.” Her voice had turned angry.

He held up his hands and took a moment to regroup.

Maybe she was right. Not in the way she meant, discriminating against her because he thought a woman couldn’t do this job. This had more to do with their past. He’d never interacted with Sydney the deputy, just Sydney, the woman with captivating blue eyes that could leave a man thinking about her into the wee hours of the night.

He needed to adjust his thinking and see the fiercely determined deputy standing before him. She was trying so hard to overcome her guilt and hold herself together at a time when many rookies fell apart.

He’d respect that and get on with it. “All I’m trying to say is I’ve been where you are, and I’m here if you want to talk about it. But we can move on.” He paused, waited until her anger receded a bit. “How about telling me what happened before I got here?”

She shielded her eyes from the light. “There’s really nothing much to add. I was on the hill checking on the construction of my town house. I heard gunshots and dived for cover. The killer called out my name, asking me to come out.” She shivered, then clamped a hand on the back of her neck as if she could stop it. “He said he wanted to talk to me, but I think that was just his way of luring me out so he could kill me, too.”

“You made so much noise falling down that hill, he had to know your location. If he wanted to take you out, even with your vest on, a few rounds in your direction would’ve done it.”

“So you think he really did want to talk to me about something. But what?”

“We figure that out, we ID our killer. The first step is analyzing your connection to Dixon.”

“No real connection. I arrested him a few times, but that’s all. I—” Her voice drifted off as flashing lights rounded the bend in the road, catching her attention.

His men were almost here. He wanted to keep questioning her, but she was distracted. He needed to move her out of the action.

“I need to get Officer Garber to secure the area. You can wait in your car and we’ll continue this when I’m done.”

She opened her mouth as if to question his decision, but then closed it. He escorted her to the car and watched as she gingerly settled in, a soft moan escaping when she bent her knee.

“I need to call this in to my supervisor.” She picked up her cell from the cup holder.

Great. Krueger.

Sergeant Karl—with a K—Krueger, as he liked to call himself, had also applied for the chief’s job, and when the council selected Russ over him, a fierce rivalry developed. If Krueger, representing the county sheriff’s department, showed up and offered to help in the investigation, and Russ turned him away, Krueger would let it slip to the public that the city police—and Russ—weren’t doing all they could to catch this killer.

Maybe he could convince Sydney to hold off. “Do you really want Krueger coming out here right now?”

“Honestly, no. Fortunately, he’s out of town until tomorrow, but I still need to call in.”

Yes, finally, something in his favor tonight.

“Go ahead, then. I’ll be right back.” Russ crossed the lot to meet Bill Garber, his most senior officer.

He’d climbed from his car and was surveying the area. Russ could see the excitement of a murder investigation burning in Garber’s eyes. Not that Garber would be happy someone died, but the thrill of using skills he didn’t normally get to use in this small town was intoxicating.

Russ met him at the road. “I want this entrance sealed off. No traffic, foot or vehicle, beyond that bench.” He pointed at the bench near the path. “And call the ME. Tell him to hurry. With the fog moving in we need to get the body out of here before we can’t see anything.”

Garber nodded. “Should I call county for their portable lights in case?”

That’s what Russ liked about Garber. Always one step ahead. “Do that. Let me know what they say. I’ll be at Deputy Tucker’s cruiser taking her statement.”

Garber’s eyes filled with questions, but Russ walked away. He wouldn’t waste time now bringing Garber up to speed. Back at Sydney’s car, Russ chose not to sit but stood next to the door. That way he could block her view of the scene and keep an eye on what was going on at the same time.

He focused on Sydney for the moment. “So tell me about Dixon’s arrests.”

She swiveled to face him. “The first time was last month when I busted a party at his house and hauled him in for supplying alcohol to minors.”

“Your sister, Nikki, was involved, right?”

She nodded. “Dixon got her and three of her friends stinking drunk and the judge let him off with a fine. A fine. Can you imagine that?” Her voice rose with each word. “He corrupts young girls, pays a few bucks and is free to do it again.”

“Sometimes our system doesn’t work.”

“Yeah, well, try to act so complacent when it happens to someone you love.”

She had a good point. How would he react if this happened to his seven-year-old son, Zack? Not that Russ would find himself in this position. He’d let alcohol control his life for a few years and now only had weekend visits with his son. They spent every waking moment together so this couldn’t happen. But as a father, Russ could still understand why Sydney reacted this way.

“I’m sure I wouldn’t let it roll off my back real easy.”

“And I couldn’t either. She’s my little sister, Russ. I fed her. Changed her diapers. Loved her when both our parents failed us.” She paused. Breathed deeply. “I couldn’t let Dixon get away with hurting her and walking free. He had to pay.”

“You wanted him dead,” he added, to see her reaction.

“What? No! Of course not. I just wanted him in jail. I knew he’d screw up again so I made it a point to follow him in my free time.” She met his eyes. “Last Wednesday afternoon I caught him on his porch selling coke and busted him.”

He couldn’t believe it. She’d gone rogue and followed the guy, putting herself in danger. “They call it off duty for a reason, Syd. Without backup, you could get into serious trouble. Besides, you don’t have the experience to run a narcotics investigation.”

“Believe me, I’m well aware of my limitations. When I started following him, I didn’t know it would lead to drugs. Or to this.” She held out her bloody hands. “If I’d known my actions would result in someone’s death, I would never have pursued him.” She shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist, sheer misery clouding her face.

He hated to see any officer forced to deal with death, and he hadn’t wanted to make things worse. Still, he had a job to do. That meant tough discussions like this would occur. But he could try to make it easier.

He went to his trunk, grabbed a blanket and settled it over her shoulders. Raw anguish filled her eyes.

Russ felt her pain.

To the bone.

He had lived it for the past four years, since he’d watched a homicide suspect gun down a six-year-old boy. Watched, helplessly, in slow motion.

Russ wanted to go back. Save Willie Babcock’s life. But that wasn’t possible. The price had been paid. Willie with his life. Russ with the loss of his family.

He shook off the emotions, dug deep for the calm center he’d worked so hard to develop the past few years. He couldn’t change the past, but he could stop it from happening again.

He’d do everything within his power to find the killer so another person didn’t die on his watch.

TWO

Heavy banks of fog drifted off the lake and rolled across the cement, as if alive and breathing. Damp and irritated from the mist, Russ stood in the parking lot next to Garber, waiting for him to conclude his call with the sheriff’s department.

On a good day, waiting around got on Russ’s nerves, but tonight it left him with too much time to think about Sydney’s wounded expression. Something that was definitely not in his best interest.

Garber clapped his phone closed and turned to Russ. “Not good news. This fog has the sheriff’s department swamped. They’re investigating a hit-and-run on the south side of the county and using their only set of lights. We won’t get them until they finish.”

“Any idea of time?”

“Could be a few hours or not at all if they have another problem,” Garber replied.

“No sense in all of us standing around. Call Dixon’s landlord back. Tell him I’m on my way to the house and to meet me there. Call me when the lights arrive or if anything else develops.”

Heading in Sydney’s direction, he saw her sitting on the bumper of a silent ambulance, its red light swirling through the fog in an eerie dance. She’d washed the blood from her hands and pulled her hair into a ponytail, which emphasized the angry gash on her head, now swollen to a massive purple lump. At least the bleeding had subsided, thanks to EMT Lisa Watson, who’d applied a neat row of butterfly bandages.

“That’ll do for now.” Lisa pressed her finger on the bottom bandage.

Sydney winced, then forced a laugh. “Will I live?”

“Looks worse than it is. I closed the wound, but it could still scar. You might want to have a doctor take a look at it.”

“Or not. But thanks, Lisa.” Sydney smiled up at Lisa, a genuine, warm smile like the one she’d radiated up at Russ as a teen, almost overpowering his common sense in sending her away.

He shook off the thought. He was here to do a job. Catch a killer. Not let the cute dimples or generous smattering of freckles dotted across high cheekbones distract him.

He stepped into his professional mode and approached the pair. “So Deputy Tucker’s good to go, then?”

Lisa nodded. “She’ll be fine with some rest and over-the-counter pain relievers.”

“Then if you’ll excuse us, I need to have a word with her.”

“I’ll be taking off,” Lisa said to Sydney. “I’m off duty in an hour or so, but you can call me any time tonight if you need something.”

“Thanks again, Lisa.” Sydney shoved off the bumper, grimacing on the way up.

He nodded at the jagged slit in her pant leg, darkened with blood. “Looks like your forehead isn’t your worst problem.”

“I’ll ice my knee when I get home. It’ll be fine.” She turned her gaze to the officers at the base of the path. “Any leads?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. We’re waiting on your department to deliver lights, so I’m heading over to Dixon’s place and wanted you to accompany me.”

“Me?” Her eyes widened.

He laughed. “Don’t sound so surprised.”

“You have to admit it’s not common practice to ask for a rookie’s help.”

“Normally I wouldn’t, especially when you’re the closest thing we have to a witness on this case, but I’m hoping a trip to Dixon’s house will jog your memory and give us a lead.” Before she could ask another question, he held his hand toward the road. “My cruiser’s over there.”

Though her gaze still held questions, she started toward his car. He heard her groan in pain, but kept his mouth shut. The less he said about her injuries, the less likely he would make a comment that she misunderstood. For the same reason, he didn’t open the passenger door for her as he would in a social situation, just climbed behind the wheel. When she settled into the other seat, he eased onto the road.

Pulling out her seat belt, she suddenly let it go. “My gun. It’s still in my car.”

“Relax. You won’t need it at Dixon’s house.”

Sighing, she retrieved the belt. “You must think I’m hopeless at this job.”

He could hear the despondency and self-recrimination in her voice. She had to find a way to deal with the guilt. Not the way he had, with a stiff drink, but by talking and working through it.

He gave her what he hoped was a comforting smile. “Good officers aren’t born, Syd. They learn through experience.”

“But you’d never leave your gun in the car.”

“No, you’re right. But I might’ve as a rookie. All you can do is learn from tonight and adjust accordingly.” Trying not to feel so much like a hypocrite by telling her one thing and still letting Willie’s death get to him, he eased through light traffic.

“Not that this is an excuse.” She shifted to face him. “But I like to do something positive on my way home to help relieve the stresses of the day. Part of that is leaving my duty belt behind. It’s like taking off the weight of the belt helps remove the weight of the job.”

He didn’t know what to say that he hadn’t already said, other than telling her about Willie. And for the first time in years, he wanted to tell someone.

He opened his mouth, but the words didn’t come. Other than his partner, he’d never talked with another LEO about Willie. They’d have told him to let it go. That he wasn’t at fault. A second search wasn’t protocol. But Russ learned early in the job to take extra precautions. He just didn’t follow his instincts that particular day. And it still haunted him.

So much so he still couldn’t talk about it, so he focused on his driving, taking the shortest route to Dixon’s house. Making the final turn, he caught sight of Sydney’s questioning gaze.

“What?” he asked, hoping she hadn’t been watching him battle warring emotions.

“What do you do to let go of a bad day?”

He shrugged. “My biggest problems are often bureaucracy or the budget. Not finding a killer.”

“So what about tonight? When you get home, how are you gonna let this go?”

“I haven’t had to deal with real stress since leaving Portland, so I don’t really know.” And he hadn’t had to deal with it since he put his drinking days behind him. So what would he do tonight?

“So why’d you leave, anyway?”

Searching for the right address, he slowed. “You’re full of questions.”

“I’m just trying to learn how to handle the job, Russ. It’s different from what I thought it would be. Especially tonight.” She rubbed a hand over her eyes. “I know we’re told to expect to see people die in car crashes, but I honestly never thought I’d see someone gunned down.”

This experience could make her walk away from the job. A job she excelled at, from what he’d heard through the grapevine. She was known for being patient. Understanding. Intuitive. Sure, she’d panicked tonight, but law enforcement would lose out if a rookie with her promise quit. Hopefully, he could help restore her confidence during the investigation.

He tipped his head out the window. “That Dixon’s house, with the big porch?”

“Yeah, that’s it.” She peered out the window. “I can’t see how this visit will help. Nothing much happened here. It was a simple drug bust.”

“Try to let go of that notion or you might block anything that could help us.” He slid into a parking space.

He climbed out and a feeling of unease settled over him.

The wind howled through trees, whipping the fine mist into his face. He looked at Dixon’s house. Surveyed the ragged shrubs. The dark porch. Saw nothing out of the ordinary. Searched the street, peering into the deep shadows running the length of the house.

“What is it?” Sydney asked coming up behind him and startling him.

“Nothing.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Then why are you so jumpy?”

“I have the feeling our suspect is watching us.”

He saw a fresh wave of fear grip her face and instantly wanted to take back his words. But maybe scaring her a bit wasn’t a bad thing. If it didn’t paralyze her like earlier tonight, and made her more vigilant, a little fear was just what she needed to stay one step ahead of their killer.

Russ’s concern upping hers, Sydney looked across the street at the small white bungalow illuminated under a streetlight. The fog swirling around the lake hadn’t arrived in town. She could clearly see white paint rising in papery peels on old clapboard siding. The stirring breeze moved overgrown grass and carried the flakes into the air, depositing them like snow on the unkempt yard.

A yard that was as overgrown as when she’d arrested Dixon three days ago.

Only three days.

Seemed like a lifetime ago. Maybe in another world. A world before the roller coaster of emotions that raced through her heart tonight. Up. Down. Around. One minute she was fine. The next nearing panic and letting guilt threaten to swamp her with tears. But she wouldn’t cry in front of Russ. Even if he seemed to understand what she was going through.

He nodded at the house. “Since Mr. Becker’s not here with the key yet, we can run through Dixon’s arrest. Where were you when you saw the deal go down?”

“Behind a big pine at the edge of those woods.” She pointed across the street. “I had to work in a few hours and didn’t want Dixon to see my cruiser, so I left it a few blocks away and walked over here.”

“So then you had a clear view of the house. What time of day was it?”

“Around three.”

“Good. Daylight. Easy to see something that at first glance didn’t seem important. Take me through the arrest.”

“When I arrived, I could tell a party was going on from the noise. About an hour later, Nikki’s old friend Julia came walking down the street from the east. I knew she had a drug problem, so I figured she was here to get her next fix from Dixon.” Sydney shook her head. “You should’ve seen her, Russ. She was such a mess. I hated to arrest her, but she wasn’t the sweet kid I used to know anymore. She’s in rehab right now. I sure hope it sticks.”

“The arrest might be just what she needed to kick the addiction.” He offered her a reassuring smile.

She hoped he was right, but her gut said Julia had a long road ahead of her.

“So what happened next?” he asked.

“Julia knocks on the door, and Dixon comes out. She exchanges cash for a baggie. I call it in to dispatch, then head across the street, slap the cuffs on Dixon and convince Julia not to run. Then we wait for backup and round up the partygoers for possession.”

“So no one fled the scene?”

“Not really. There was a girl standing by a motorcycle a few cars down who walked away when I came up, but I’m not sure she was involved.”

His face lit up. “A motorcycle? Can you describe it?”

“I can do better than that. While I was watching the house, I snapped a few pictures of the area. I know I got a shot of the bike.”

“Maybe our killer knows about the pictures and there’s something in them that could incriminate him.” His tone rose with interest.

She dug out her cell and thumbed through the pictures. Russ moved behind her, and she felt his breath whisper over her neck, below her ponytail. She had to fight to concentrate on the images. He lifted her hand closer to his face. The warmth of his hand covering hers almost made her turn to see if the touch affected him, too. But he stabbed a finger at the current picture and she knew his focus remained on the case.

“That looks like the bike our suspect took off on tonight. Can’t make out the plate, but if we enlarge it we might hit pay dirt.” He let go of her hand. “Officer Garber is a motorcycle enthusiast. He might see something in this picture that we don’t.”

An older-model car with a rumbling muffler chugged down the street emitting waves of smoke and pulling up in front of the house.

“That’s Mr. Becker,” Russ said. “Time to check out the house.”

Russ greeted the older man whose face held enormous respect for Russ. Locals appreciated his experience, diplomacy and the way he kept the department operating so efficiently.

Thinking about what she’d heard around town about Russ, Sydney watched as he talked with Mr. Becker.

Everyone in town knew Russ was divorced with a young son who spent occasional weekends with him. Especially the single women who thought they could crack his hard shell and win the man who seemed to need no one. But other than that, no other rumors had spread about the ten or so years he’d been gone from Logan Lake. She hadn’t really wondered about him, but tonight she wished she knew a little more about him.

Shaking Mr. Becker’s hand through the open window, Russ caught her watching him. She wanted to look away, but his gaze met hers. He’d only smirk if she suddenly averted her eyes. So she kept them firmly fixed to his and was surprised when he responded by staring deeply into her eyes as if searching for something.

But as Mr. Becker handed Russ the key, he broke eye contact. He promised to lock up and return the key, then waited for Mr. Becker to drive off before heading her way.

Wondering what that look had been about, she waited for him to pass and climbed the stairs behind him. On the porch, memories from the arrest floated up, replacing her thoughts of Russ.

With gloved hands, he turned the key in the lock. She accompanied him into the house. As she looked around, she snapped on gloves.

“Look the same as when you arrested him?” Russ asked.

“Minus the beer cans and rowdy friends, yes.”

“You arrest these friends?”

“Yeah, we found lines of coke on the table, so we hauled them all in.”

He crossed to the desk, drew open a drawer. “We’ll need to question them. I’ll want a copy of your arrest report first thing in the morning.”

Sydney nodded, though it would have to be second thing in the morning. Her sergeant would want to blast her first for leaving her gun in the car.

She saw a cord trailing from an outlet and found a charger holding a phone hidden under a table. “Odd place to charge a phone,” she said, dropping down to her knees.

“We didn’t find a cell on the body so I was hoping it’d be here.” Russ’s tone was the most optimistic she’d heard all night. He tossed her a plastic evidence bag. “Bag it.”

She settled the phone into the bag. As she laid it on the table, it chimed a text.

“There’s no way I’m ignoring that.” Through the bag, she fiddled with buttons until it unlocked. “It’s from someone Dixon has labeled as Boss.”

“Read it to me.”

She opened the message.

Good evening, Deputy Tucker. This isn’t over. I want what you took from this house. I will get it back even if someone else gets hurt in the process.

Her mouth fell open, and she stared at the screen.

What was he talking about? She didn’t take anything from this house.

And how did he know she was here and would answer Dixon’s phone?

Had he followed them? Was he outside now…watching?

“What’s it say, Syd?”

She heard Russ’s voice but couldn’t quit staring at the screen or form the words to tell him about the message. Their theory had been right. The killer did want something from her.

But what, she had no clue. She felt powerless.

Russ crossed the space and dropped down next to her.

“Let me see.” His voice was soft, reassuring, but didn’t melt the ice forming around her heart.

He tried to take the phone. Her fingers clamped around it like a vise. She couldn’t seem to let go. He turned her hand. She heard him draw in a quick breath before jumping to his feet.

“Stay here,” he commanded and raced to the door. Gun in hand, he eased onto the porch, pulling the door closed behind him.

He needn’t have told her to stay put. Without her gun, she wasn’t moving a muscle. Especially not to go outside. The killer was likely hanging in the shadows of the trees. A mere shadow himself. Watching through the misty rain. Biding his time. Hoping to strike again.

Wait. The text said if someone got hurt in the process. He didn’t say if she got hurt. Did that mean he’d hurt people she cared about instead? Maybe even Russ?

She dropped the phone and flew to the window. Searched up and down the street. Not seeing Russ, she opened the door. Poked her head out. She heard footfalls at the side of the house.

Was it Russ or the killer? Should she stay out here or go inside?

She scanned the area, her mind churning with indecision. The footfalls grew closer. She slipped back inside the doorway but kept the door open a crack. A hand holding a gun cleared the side of the house. She glimpsed a deep navy sleeve covering the arm. Russ?

She held her breath. Waited.

Russ emerged from the shadows, his profile strong and solid. She whooshed out the breath. Dragged a fresh one into her lungs.

He spun and fixed his gun on her. He hissed out a breath. “Go inside and close the door, Syd.”

Sirens split the air. Red lights twirled in the distance, coming closer. Knowing backup was moments away and their killer wouldn’t try anything with several officers on the scene, she took cover in the house.

“Lord, please protect Russ,” she cried out, and settled on the floor with the phone.

Hoping it was a bad dream, she looked at the message again. But there it was right in front of her. His warning. That this wasn’t over and might not end before someone else died at the hands of a madman.

THREE

After Russ and his men searched fruitlessly for the killer, he went back inside the house. He found Sydney sitting on the floor, Dixon’s phone still in hand. He squatted next to her and took the phone, still in its evidence bag.

“We’ll get him before he hurts anyone else, Syd. I promise.” He didn’t know how he could say that. He could no more promise this guy wouldn’t hurt anyone than he could promise she’d be fine.

“Promise me something else.”

“What?” he asked gruffly.

“That you’ll let me work on the investigation with you.”

“I—”

She held up her hands. “Don’t say no right away. Just think about it. I may be a rookie, but I also seem to hold the key to this case. I didn’t take anything from this house, but our killer thinks I did and he seems more than willing to come after me to get it.”

He let himself spend a few moments peering into her eyes, thinking how much she’d changed and yet how much she hadn’t. Her eyes seemed bluer, her face softer. If he didn’t move away from the pull of her gaze, he’d promise her the moon.

He stood. “All I can say right now is I’ll think about it.”

“Fair enough.”

The door opened and Officer Baker came into the house. Russ went to meet him.

“Here’s the phone.” Russ handed the bag to Baker, who was busy checking out Sydney.

Russ got in his face. “I want a log of every call and number on here before you go home for the night. And put some pressure on the phone company to get Dixon’s past phone logs ASAP. Call me as soon as the log is finished.”

“You got it,” Baker said, his eyes returning to Sydney.

“Let’s step outside, Baker.” Russ bit back his irritation and went out. “What’s wrong with you? Staring at Deputy Tucker like that. She’s a capable officer just like us and deserves respect.”

“Sorry, Chief. I didn’t mean anything by it. As you say she’s a capable officer, but—don’t jump down my throat for this—you have to admit she’s nothing like us.” He grinned.

Russ would admit no such thing aloud and definitely not to one of his officers. “Get out of here and get to work on the phone.”

Russ couldn’t blame Baker for noticing Sydney. He’d done the same thing when his only thoughts should be about protecting her. He needed to keep his focus. Especially out here.

He made a quick sweep of the area. He’d left one unit stationed out front so they could finish searching Dixon’s house without worrying about the killer.

Russ felt as if the creep was long gone, but he couldn’t help worry about what his next move would be or if Russ would be with Sydney when he did strike again. Maybe Russ should call county and ask them to arrange protection for her.

No. Not a good idea.

If he went that route, Russ would have to deal with Krueger all the time just to talk to Sydney. He could ask to have her assigned to the investigation as she’d requested. She’d not only be available when needed, but he could also keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t come to any harm.

Yeah, that’s what he’d do.

Before he changed his mind, he made a quick call to Lieutenant James, who was most obliging. Krueger would be miffed when he heard Russ went over his head, but Russ could handle it.

He made one last sweep of the area then went inside.

“Let’s finish this place up and get out of here.” He returned to the desk. “Oh, by the way. I called Lieutenant James while I was outside. He agreed to put you on the team. You’ll report to me until this investigation is closed.”

She smiled. “That’s great, Russ. Thank you.”

“You can thank me by being extra vigilant until this killer is caught.” He let his gaze connect with hers. “Keep your head on a swivel. Wear your vest at all times.” He wanted to add Sleep in it, too, but he knew that would only earn him a roll of her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Russ. I hear you.” She turned back to digging through the sofa. “Found some weed. Didn’t take Dixon long after getting out to replenish his stock.”

Russ sat on a chair and dug deeper into a bottom drawer. He pulled out a power cord from a computer. “Did you take a laptop into evidence?”

She shook her head. “We saw that power cord, but no computer.”

“Maybe that’s what our suspect thinks you took.”

“Could be, I guess. Though I don’t know what kind of evidence a drug dealer would have on a computer.”

They worked for another hour, but didn’t locate anything else of interest so Russ decided to call it quits. At the door, he said, “I still want to show those pictures of the motorcycle to Garber if you’re up for it.”

“Sure.”

They stepped onto the porch, where the whispery mist had turned to soft rain. The temperature had dropped when the rain came in, and neither of them wore jackets.

Sydney shivered and nodded at the patrol car sitting at the curb. “What’s he doing here?”

“Just a precaution.”

“You thought the killer might come back.” The worry returned to her eyes.

He scanned the area on the way to his cruiser, but tried not to be obvious about it and raise her concern even more. He nodded at his officer to let him know he could leave.

At the car, Russ opened the trunk, retrieved his jacket and draped it over Sydney’s shoulders.

“You keep it,” she said. “You’re cold, too.”

“I’m fine.” He moved to open her door before remembering not to. Not saying anything, she tugged his jacket tightly around her shoulders and climbed in.

On the road, she didn’t speak. He didn’t mind the silence. He used the quiet to keep his focus on making sure the killer wasn’t following. When they pulled up to the town houses, he was certain no one tailed them. Of course, that didn’t mean their killer hadn’t left Dixon’s house and returned before them.

Feeling the killer’s eyes on them, Russ shifted into Park and searched the area. Dense woods and heavy undergrowth made plenty of places to hide. The rain, growing thicker by the minute, gave him even more cover.

Russ turned to tell Sydney to wait here and he’d drive her home, but a car fishtailed to a stop across the road, drawing his interest. The passenger door opened, emitting throbbing music. A young teen climbed out.

“Nikki?” Sydney said on a whisper.

“What’s your sister doing here?”

“I don’t know, but don’t worry. I’ll make sure she leaves right away.” She started to open the door but he grabbed her arm.

“You think that’s such a good idea?” he asked.

“Her leaving a murder scene? Of course.”

“What if our killer got here before us and is watching you? Even in this weather it’s easy to see her resemblance and figure out she’s your sister. He could see Nikki leave. Follow her to—”

“Get to me.” Sydney finished his sentence.

“Exactly.”

A plethora of emotions shifted over Sydney’s face. Worry morphed into rage, the exact emotion he’d feel if Zack were targeted by a murderer. He would do anything to keep his son out of the hands of a killer. Russ could understand the thoughts traveling through Sydney’s mind and knew she was probably thinking like a parent, not a deputy.

Resolve tightened her eyes. “I’ll take her home with me.”

“I’ll drive you.”

She arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow. “I don’t need a babysitter, Russ.”

“I know, but humor me. Once I show Garber those pictures, I won’t be needed here until the lights arrive.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to escort me home.”

“I think I do.” He held up his hand before she argued more. “This event tonight has made you more of a victim than a deputy and you aren’t at the top of your game. Worrying about your sister is just an added distraction. If the suspect follows you, it would be good to have another officer present.”

She glanced across the lot in the direction of the other officers. “I can’t see you telling one of your men to duck and cover like this.”

“You’re wrong. If one of my men were in this situation—” he paused, locking eyes with her to communicate the truth in his words “—I’d make sure he was escorted home. I would never do anything to endanger their lives. I’ll do no less for you.”

He was afraid he’d scared her again by the over-the-top intensity in his tone, but she simply shrugged. “Okay…but we take my car. I’ll need it in the morning.”

“Fine, but I’ll drive.”

She leaned closer and her eyes burned into him. “I don’t like this, Russ. Not one bit. Your officers will think I’m soft and need coddling, but your points are valid. Nikki’s safety comes before my reputation. If you think driving my car will accomplish that, then I’ll agree.”

“You made the right decision, Syd.”

The roll of her eyes said she thought otherwise. “Here’s my phone. I’ll get Nikki and wait at my car.” She handed it to him.

“I’ll walk with you.” He got out and came alongside her.

An uneasy feeling settled over him again. He searched the scrub lining the road. Nothing. So why did he keep feeling as if the killer was watching them, waiting for Russ to turn away to strike?

He glanced back at Sydney, vulnerable and scared for her sister. Now he had two people to protect from a killer.

Could he keep them safe or was he fooling himself?

A fresh wave of apprehension washed over him. Visions of Willie falling to the ground flashed into his mind.

Let it go, Russ.

He couldn’t let the raw pain from Willie’s death rise up and make him paranoid. Emotions like that only led to two things in his life. Mistakes and regret. He had to keep his head and apprehend this creep before he returned, got the information he wanted from Sydney and ended her life.

Sydney didn’t know what to say to Nikki. Her training as a deputy didn’t prepare her for this situation, and her role as Nikki’s surrogate mom didn’t, either. Only God could give her the right words, now.

Father, I need Your help. Everything is crumbling around me. People are getting hurt or this madman is threatening to hurt them and now I have to tell Nikki about him. Give me the words, Lord, and help me keep her safe.

She took Nikki’s arm and moved her behind the protection of a van. “What’re you doing here, Nikki?”

“We heard about the shooting on Mr. Clark’s scanner.” She shook off Sydney’s hand. “You always stop here on the way home. When you didn’t answer your phone, I got worried. So Emily brought me.” Nikki pointed at her best friend, Emily Clark, who waved at them from the driver’s seat of her car.

“It was sweet of you to check on me, Nikki, but I’m fine and this is no place for either of you to be.”

“You don’t look fine.” Nikki stared at Sydney’s forehead, then whistled. “That’s some awful shade of purple already.”

Sydney smiled her thanks for Nikki’s concern. It had been a long time since her sister said anything nice to her. A month, to be exact. Since the drinking episode at Dixon’s house, after which Sydney had grounded Nikki.

Hoping she’d learned her lesson, and hoping to repair the relationship that had been deteriorating of late, she’d agreed to let Nikki spend the night at Emily’s house. Now she had to tell Nikki that she needed to come home.

So what did she say without giving her the gory details of the murder and scaring her?

“I know that face, Syd.” Nikki drew her attention. “What’d I do now?”

“You shouldn’t be here. This is a crime scene and you need to leave.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nikki saluted, but her tone didn’t hold the usual sarcasm. “Is it all right if Emily and I stop for some ice cream on the way to her house?”

Sydney took a deep breath before breaking the bad news. “I really wish I could let you go with Emily, but you need to come home with me tonight.”

“What?” Nikki cried, drawing stares from the officers. “This is a joke, right?”

“No joke. Something’s come up.”

Nikki pouted. “No, it didn’t. You just figured if I left her house tonight that I’d do it again. Admit it. You don’t trust me.”

Her sullen tone hit Sydney like a punch to the gut. “That’s not it.”

“You just want to ruin my life.”

Sydney hated to tell Nikki what was going on, but if she didn’t her sister wouldn’t understand. Their relationship would only suffer. “This wasn’t just a case of gunshots being fired tonight. A man was murdered.”

“What?”

“Someone killed Carl Dixon.”

Nikki’s mouth dropped open, and she brought a hand up to cover it.

Sydney moved closer and laid a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “That’s why I need you to come home.”

“I’m really sorry he got killed, Syd, but what does it have to do with me? I only went to a party at his house—I didn’t, like, know him or anything.”

“This is about me, not you. Three days ago, I arrested him for selling drugs to Julia. Seems like whoever killed him thinks I took something from the house and he wants it back.” She took a deep breath. “He tried to kill me tonight, too.”

“No way.”

“Unfortunately, yes. He could come after me again or even you.”

“Me?” Nikki’s tone squeaked higher. “Why me?”

“It’s a long shot, but he could go after you to get to me. I want you with me so I can protect you. Until the killer is found, I’ll need you to stay close to home.”

“But what about Emily’s birthday party? It’s tomorrow night.” She pleaded with Sydney. “You said I could go. Promised, even.”

“I’m sorry, Nikki. I don’t like to break a promise, but this’s out of my control.”

Nikki crossed her arms. “You’re not sorry at all. Ever since you became a cop all you want to do is keep me locked up in the house.”

“That’s not true. What I want is to help you become everything you can be in life. Sometimes that means being the bad guy.”

“Whatever.” Nikki’s nostrils flared in anger.

“I want you to call Emily. Tell her you’re coming home with me, but don’t say anything about the murder.”

“I’ll just go over and tell her,” she huffed.

“No—call her. I want you to stay behind the van. This guy could be hiding around here, and I won’t risk exposing you.”

Fear sparked in Nikki’s eyes. Sydney hated that she was the cause of it, but sometimes you had to do the hard things to protect the ones you love. The text from the killer proved he’d stop at nothing to retrieve the item he was looking for, and she wasn’t about to let this crazed man anywhere near her sister.

FOUR

After cleaning up in the bathroom, Russ sat in the tiny dining area in Sydney’s duplex, pulling sandwiches from a bag. Since none of them had eaten, they’d grabbed fast food on the way here.

Nikki stormed off to her room the moment they walked through the front door. He didn’t know what Sydney had said to her sister at the crime scene, but anger radiated off the teenager all the way to the duplex. It seemed like an odd reaction, since Sydney had her best interest at heart. But then again, Nikki was at an age when anything could set her off without much provocation.

As he waited for Sydney to finish her own cleanup, he looked around the room. Mail, a laptop and a Bible cluttered the far end of the dining table. A napkin holder and salt and pepper also sat on the table, but it was the well-used Bible that held his interest. He’d never have pegged her for a religious girl back in high school. More of a rebellious troublemaker. Shows how much he didn’t know about this woman.

Still limping, she entered the room. Though she wore her soiled uniform, she’d washed away the grime from her face, leaving the anguish from the night even more visible. “Hope you weren’t waiting too long.”

“No problem,” he answered.

“I’ll get some sodas.” She’d taken out her ponytail, brushed her hair until it gleamed and the full curls swung against her shoulders as she walked.

Even now, worn-out and injured, she was a real beauty. He couldn’t help but want to tangle his fingers in the locks to see if they were as soft as they appeared.

Don’t go there, Russ.

She returned and set cans of soda on the table. “I’m sorry Nikki ran off to her room.”

“Believe me, I understand. My son, Zack, is only seven. He can get mad and storm off in a flash.”

“Wait until he’s a teenager.”

He knew she spoke the truth and that a teen could be problematic, but Russ welcomed the challenge of raising his son at any age.

“I’m not in any way trying to minimize how hard it is to raise your sister,” he said. “But if I could have even partial custody of my son, I’d gladly put up with the challenges.”

“How long has it been since he’s lived with you?”

“Three years,” Russ quickly answered and tried to think of a way to move the subject away from Zack. Russ had never told anyone in Logan Lake about his battle with alcohol and losing custody of Zack. He wasn’t about to start now.

He reached for his soda. “How long has Nikki been living with you?”

“Let’s see.” She paused. “She was eight when we left Aunt Lana’s house. So almost nine years.”

Her wistful tone told him not to pry any deeper. He wouldn’t want anyone digging into his past, but something inside—maybe the same desire to see Zack succeed, despite how Russ had screwed things up—made him want these two to do well, so he ignored the warning.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what happened to your parents?”

“My father took off when I was fifteen. Said he couldn’t be tied down anymore. He promised to keep in touch, but we didn’t hear anything about him until he died a few years ago.”

“And your mother?”

“She took his leaving hard.” Sydney went silent, contemplative, then sighed out what seemed like years of pain. “She started drinking to cover up the pain and spent her days too wasted to take care of us. Right before I turned eighteen, she told me she was going to kick me out and put Nikki up for adoption. I split with Nikki that night and came here to live with Aunt Lana.”

All the pain he’d seen reflected in his ex-wife’s face when he’d hit rock bottom showed on Sydney’s face as she stared into the distance. He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed slowly to give her time to compose herself, but it tasted like sawdust and he washed the bite down with his soda.

He could take her silence no longer. “Want to talk about it?”

“Not really.”

“It could help,” he murmured softly.

“Or it could put undue focus on the problem.”

“Is there still a problem? I mean other than the pain from the past.”

She raised the eyebrow near her cut and winced. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“Not usually.” He smiled but she didn’t respond. “I’ll stop prying if you want me to.”

“No…it’s fine. Things with Mom are starting to heat up. After no word from her for years, she contacted me recently and wants to see us. I don’t think it’s a good idea, but Nikki’s all for it. I want what’s best for her and that isn’t our mother.”

“You sound certain about that.”

“I am, I mean, I—” She bit her lip, looking uncertain. “I know I’m right, but honestly, I don’t know how to handle this with Nikki, so I keep putting it off. I’m hoping she’ll forget all about meeting Mom once we move into a real home of our own.”

He didn’t know how to respond to the problem with her mother, so he focused on the town house. “From everything I’ve heard it’s gonna be a sweet complex when it’s finished. Nikki should be real happy there.”

“I hope so, but maybe not. I know she’d rather live in a single-family home where she could play her music louder.”

Memories of Sydney living with his friend Adam brought a smile to his face. He could still picture her lounging on the sofa, flipping through a magazine, while music blared through the house.

Maybe he could lighten this conversation. “I remember when you liked to crank up your tunes in the summer, and Adam’s mom got on your case.”

She sighed, a faraway look filling her eyes. “What I wouldn’t give for those carefree summers at Aunt Lana’s place, when all I thought about were music and boys.”

She’d said boys, but he knew there had been one boy in particular she’d thought about back then. Him. Now he wondered what would’ve happened had he pursued those feelings. Would his life have taken a much different road? Maybe he’d never have left Logan Lake to go to Portland. Willie would be alive. Russ wouldn’t have hurt the people he loved.

“Don’t worry,” she said as she peered into his eyes, which he knew exposed his inner turmoil. “I might’ve had a crush on you, but that was a long time ago. If you can believe it, I’m over you.” She offered a smart-aleck grin, washing away his angst.

“Tell me it isn’t so.” He faked pulling a knife from his chest.

She laughed along with him, lifting his spirits. With their history, he’d thought he’d feel awkward around her. Instead, everything he’d seen so far intrigued him. He wanted to get to know her better. To find out the kind of person she’d become. Especially after the sad story of her parents. She really was fragile and vulnerable, despite the tough exterior she’d tried to portray all night.

Fragile and vulnerable.

Two things that didn’t jibe well with being targeted by a murderer. And two things he shouldn’t even be thinking about when he felt responsible for keeping this beautiful woman alive.

Sydney peered at Russ’s shuttered expression. She’d said something wrong but what, she didn’t know. Something special had flashed between them during the light, flirtatious banter. The exact situation she’d hoped for back in high school. Now it felt as if all the light had gone out of him, and he’d put up an invisible barrier.

Just as well. They were law-enforcement officers now, not a couple of teenagers. She wasn’t interested in a relationship with another man who’d lead her on, then balk at the responsibility of helping her raise a teen. Relationships were off-limits until Nikki was on her own.

As they finished eating, their conversation drifted back to the case. They rehashed the arrest and murder. Talked about how Garber thought the pictures of the motorcycle would lead somewhere. At Russ’s office tomorrow, they’d transfer them from her phone and enlarge them.

As if on cue, her phone chimed a text.

“Excuse me a minute.” She called up the message screen.

You seem to be avoiding my request, Deputy. Maybe I should have a conversation with that cute little sister of yours instead.

“Nikki.” Sydney dropped the phone and bolted from the table. “He’s after Nikki.”

“What?” Russ called after her.

She fled down the hall and shoved open Nikki’s door. Hoping to find her sister sitting behind the computer, Sydney stopped short. The room was empty, the window cracked open.

He had her. The killer had her.

Oh, God, no. Please, anything but this. Don’t let my baby sister be harmed. Help me find her, please, Lord. Please…

She charged back to the breakfast area and gazed desperately at Russ, who still sat at the table holding her phone. “Nikki’s not in her room. The window’s open. He must have her.”

“You’re jumping to conclusions, Syd. Why don’t you try calling her?” he said calmly, holding out her phone.

She snatched it and punched in Nikki’s speed-dial number. “Straight to voice mail. What’re we gonna do?” Panic seared along her nerve endings.

Russ crossed over to her and placed his hands on her arms. She felt the warmth of his fingers through her sleeves and wished the heat would still the alarm threatening to overwhelm her.

“Take a deep breath and calm down,” he said. “It’s not likely this creep has Nikki. She’s a tough kid. She wouldn’t let him take her without making so much noise we would’ve heard them. Maybe she snuck out.”

“She wouldn’t do that. Not after I warned her about the killer.”

“She’s a teenager, Syd. They think they’re invincible and do dumb things all the time. We should go to her room and see if we can find a lead.”

Sydney jerked away from Russ and raced back down the hall. She heard him follow. In the room, her eyes lit on the computer.

“Her life revolves around her computer. Maybe I can find something there.” She dropped into the chair and lifted the lid. After it woke up, Facebook filled the screen, followed by the little chat window with a transcript of a conversation with Emily.

Russ came up behind her and leaned over her shoulder.

Nikki had typed, Things changed. I can go. Emily responded, Seriously? Thought the warden said you had to stay with her tonight.

Sydney cringed at the “warden” comment. So what? She wasn’t Nikki’s friend or just her sister. She was her legal guardian. For all practical purposes her mother. And mothers had to be wardens at times.

Don’t care what she says. I’m going, Nikki added.

It’ll be crazy fun. Nick scored two kegs.

K. Pick me up at the corner so S doesn’t see me leave.

Be there in 5, Emily had typed before signing off.

“See,” Russ said, his tone meant to soothe but doing nothing to still her anxiety. “She went to a party. Now all we have to do is figure out where they are and bring her home.”

It was good to know the killer hadn’t abducted Nikki, but his message said he knew she wasn’t home. Her life could still be in danger.

A wave of nausea rolled through Sydney’s stomach. “The killer’s watching us. That’s how he knew she snuck out. What if he followed her?”

Russ didn’t say anything, but the concern in his eyes said he agreed. “Any idea where the party might be?”

“I’m guessing the pit.” She referred to a gravel pit just out of town. “At least that’s where most of the parties around here are held.”

“Then let’s go. We’ll issue a BOLO for her friend’s car on the way.” A Be On the Look Out would alert all officers in the area to watch for Nikki.

“You can call it in while I get my gun. I’ll meet you at the car.” She didn’t wait for agreement but ran to her bedroom, where Nikki had dropped Sydney’s backpack after bringing it in from the car.

Sydney jerked out her duty belt and reached for the gun to load it. It wasn’t there. She clawed through the pack, came up empty-handed. Her backup gun was here, but her service weapon was missing.

What had happened to it?

It couldn’t have fallen out of the bag. Someone had to have taken it. The only person with unrestricted access since Sydney dropped the gun into the backpack was Nikki. She was mad enough about not being able to go to Emily’s party to take the gun, just to rile Sydney. Yeah, her sister knew the right buttons to push to make Sydney freak out. This was the exact thing that would do it.

Sydney grabbed her backup gun from the pack. She slipped out of her shirt and removed her bulletproof vest. When she found Nikki alive, and she would find her, Nikki would need the vest more than Sydney would.

If the text was true, the killer wanted something from Sydney and he wouldn’t kill her until she provided it. Not so with Nikki. He seemed very willing to put a bullet in Nikki to get Sydney to produce this mysterious item.

She slipped the vest on over her shirt then ran for the car. By the time she arrived, Russ had it turned around and the light bar turning.

She jumped in. Before she closed the door, Russ took off. He flipped on the siren and she sat back, finally feeling the strain running had placed on her injured knee. She’d been so consumed with fear for Nikki she hadn’t even noticed the pain. Now it throbbed in time with the wails of the siren.

But a little pain didn’t matter, Nikki did. And what they both needed right now was God’s intervention.

Dear Lord, please wrap Your arms around Nikki and keep her safe. Help us to rescue her and let no one be harmed in the process.

She breathed out her distress and let God’s peace take over before opening her eyes.

Russ glanced at her, his eyebrow raised.

“What?” she asked.

“What’s with the vest over your shirt?”

She hadn’t expected him to question her, but he had to know from when he held her at the murder scene that she’d had the vest on under her shirt, so she explained her reason for the change. “When we get there, you can wait in the car. I’ll go in after her.”

Russ cocked an eyebrow. “Your logic is full of holes, Syd. Did you take something from Dixon’s house?”

“No.”

“Then this could just be a ploy to get you out in the open to take you out.”

She exhaled sharply. “I’m willing to take that risk to save my sister.”

“This’s exactly what I was warning you about earlier when you followed Dixon. You have an emotional investment in this. You can’t simply bypass everything you’ve learned about safety and act irrationally.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“We follow protocol and stay together. The area outside the pit is so wide-open we’ll be sitting ducks if this guy has a rifle. Our only chance is going in there together and working as a team.”

She peered out the window. “It’s overcast so that’ll help.”

“But we’re too far from the lake to count on fog hiding us.”

“I still think you should stay in the car.”

He snorted. “Not a chance.”

“I told you—he’s not gonna shoot me. He might try to take you out or even Nikki, but not me.”

“I’ll risk it. I’m not letting you go alone.”

She knew by his tight expression that this wasn’t negotiable, so she stopped arguing.

“I’ll need the phone number from that text so I can have Baker run it down,” he said.

She picked up her notebook from the console and jotted it down. She ripped off the paper and gave it to Russ. “We should also check to see if it came from the same phone as the text we received on Dixon’s cell.”

“I’ll have Baker cross-reference it,” he answered then fell silent.

She figured he was thinking about how crafty their killer was. Using Dixon’s cell when he must have had her phone number, just to add a little more emphasis to the message.

Or maybe the killer used Dixon’s cell for another reason?

“You think he sent the message on Dixon’s cell to make sure we found the phone?”

“Maybe. Though I don’t know why the killer would want us to find Dixon’s phone. He might’ve used it to show us how creative he is. Or maybe he didn’t have your cell number yet.”

“We may never know.” She focused on the road as they neared the pit. She took out her gun. “We should go in silent so we don’t scare a bunch of inebriated teens into cars and onto the road.”

He flipped off the lights and siren. As they turned onto the driveway, he killed the headlights and slowly drove them to the far end of the lot. He shifted into Park and faced her, uncertainly filling his eyes. “No cars. You think we were wrong?”

“I hope not.” She tried to sound confident, but her stomach clenched into a tight ball. Because with no cars in sight, it was unlikely that a party was going on.

Concern for Nikki gnawed at her. She looked away from Russ and sent up a prayer.

If they were wrong, Nikki might have set out for a party somewhere else. Or the killer could already have her and she was at his mercy as he tried to recover something from Sydney that she couldn’t possibly produce.

FIVE

Sydney and Russ crept toward the mounds of gravel. As they’d suspected, fog wasn’t a factor and the moon had emerged from heavy cloud cover. If the teens were here, they would congregate in the back area of the pit, ringed on three sides by mounds of soil with only one way out.

Worry for Nikki forced Sydney to up her speed, but her feet faltered in deep ruts, slowing her down. She wished a whole cavalry of officers were advancing with them, but they’d agreed not to call in backup, putting other officers in a potential sniper situation. Once they got Nikki out safely, they’d request other units to break up the party.

Finally at the opening, she heard voices and music drifting into the night.

“They are here,” she whispered to Russ, who stopped next to her.

She peered at a small bonfire casting a flickering light on the group. Approximately twenty-five teens hung in small clusters.

“There’s Nikki.” She pointed to where her sister, cup in hand, stood talking to Emily.

Russ knelt beside her, and she saw him search the landscape. “Looks like we’re alone, but I don’t think we should take any chances.”

Sydney had almost forgotten about the killer. Seeing Nikki alive and laughing had consumed her thoughts. But Russ was right. They weren’t out of the woods yet. Still, she took the time to breathe, slowing her racing pulse. To think this through when all she wanted to do was rush over and throw her arms around her sister. To hold her and plant kisses all over her sweet face.

But that wouldn’t teach her what she’d done was wrong. Besides, there was still the issue of the missing gun. And another episode of drinking. Nikki had to learn her actions had consequences. Plus the killer could still end her life if he lurked in the woods.

“I’m going in after her,” Sydney said, hating the way her voice wobbled from stress. “Watch our backs. I’ll bring her out.”

Russ clamped a hand on her arm. “We never agreed to that. I have more experience. I’ll go.”

Sydney shook off his hand. “We’ve been through this. You have experience, but the killer would be more than happy to plug you. He wants me alive so I have less to lose.”

“I’ll cover you.” His words came out in a grudging tone, but Sydney had no doubt that he’d do his best to keep her safe.

She gave him a smile, got a flat-lipped one from him. She pushed off and crept to the opening. Once inside the area where walls of gravel kept them out of a shooter’s range, she marched into the group.

Nikki’s friends looked up. Anxiety spread across their faces.

Good. They should be apprehensive.

Sydney was so thankful her sister was alive, but a sudden wave of anger over her taking this chance with her life just to grab a beer made Sydney knock the cup out of Nikki’s hand. “You’re coming with me.”

“Seriously, you didn’t come here.”

“Seriously, I did.” She clamped her hand on Nikki’s elbow. “Now come on.”

“Later,” Nikki said to her friends.

Her friends responded with disappointed goodbyes, but also seemed relieved that Sydney had only come for her little sister and not to break up the party. They’d be sorely disappointed when other officers arrived on the scene to arrest them.

Once outside the group’s hearing range, but still in the protective ring of gravel, Sydney took a few deep breaths.

“Where is it?” she demanded.

“Where’s what?”

“I know you took my gun.”

“What?” Nikki screeched. “I don’t have your gun.”

“Are you telling me the truth? You didn’t take it from my backpack when I was having dinner with Russ?”

“Why would I want your stupid old gun?” Nikki rolled her eyes.

She wanted to believe Nikki, but she’d lied too often lately. “I hate to do this, but I have to search you.”

Nikki glared at her. “Why am I not surprised you don’t believe me? You never believe me.”

The hurt in Nikki’s voice cut to Sydney’s core, but she ignored it.

“Lift your arms.” She gritted her teeth as she searched.

Nothing in life had prepared her for this. Sure, the academy had taught her how to properly search a suspect, but her sister? How could she pat down her sister without ruining an already deteriorating relationship?

Russ couldn’t believe his eyes. Sydney was searching her sister like a common criminal before dressing her in the vest and leading her toward him. He could never imagine treating his son like that. No matter what Zack had done. But then, he couldn’t have imagined letting alcohol control his life so he’d lose custody of a child who meant the world to him. So he was in no position to judge Sydney for her actions.

When they reached him, Sydney jerked her head at the car. “I’ll take the lead.”

She didn’t wait for his agreement. He urged Nikki forward with a light hand on her shoulder. She shot him a harsh look but started walking. He saw Sydney check her surroundings. He did the same until they safely reached the car. Sydney grabbed Nikki by the arm and put her into the backseat of the car. She slid into the front and requested units to break up the party.

Russ stood openmouthed and watched.

Was she planning to turn Nikki over to the officers when they arrived? If she wanted Nikki to hate her for life, Sydney was doing the right thing. If not, she was making a colossal mistake. He should know. He was the king of relationship blunders.

But what difference did it make to him? This was her life. Her sister. He was just a fellow officer.

She climbed out of the car and his mind waffled over how he should handle this. Should he tell her what he thought or walk away? Crossing over that professional boundary with Sydney wasn’t a good idea. But could he stand by and watch her ruin her relationship with Nikki if he could help?

He groaned and went to her. He’d probably be sorry for trying to butt in, but he had to step in like he’d want someone to do if he were about to make a huge mistake and arrest his son.

“You’re not arresting Nikki, are you?” he asked.

“She’s lied to me one too many times. Maybe hauling her in for drinking will scare some sense into her.”

“Or not.”

Her eyes zeroed in on him. “Are trying to tell me how to raise my sister?”

“Wouldn’t think of it. Just trying to help you think this through before doing something you might regret later.”

She searched his face before she sighed out a long breath. “So what do I do with her? This’s the second time I caught her partying. It’s got to stop.”

“You’re certain she was drinking tonight?”

Sydney seemed to think about his question. “I don’t know. She had a cup in her hand. We both know she wasn’t here long enough to get drunk and she didn’t act like it, but why else would she be here?”

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