Christmas K-9 Protectors, page 3
“Got it.” He got out his phone and snapped what he could of the area. While he was doing that, she found her phone in her bag and set it to record an audio note.
“The man grabbed me in a secluded part of the parking lot,” Tala dictated into her phone. “He forced me to walk to his van. I couldn’t see his face. He was wearing a jacket with a hood, gloves and a mask. I guesstimate he’s over six feet tall. No distinctive regional accent. The voice and hand size definitely indicate he was a man.” She paused a long moment, then added, “He smelled like blood. But I didn’t feel anything wet or sticky in the van, and we didn’t see any residue in the snow at the crime scene, so I don’t know what that means.”
She stopped recording.
“I can’t say I’d have kept my wits about me well enough to notice all that,” Ian admitted. “Was the smell of blood in the van or on him?”
“On him,” she said. “I think.”
“Did he have a weapon?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. I don’t remember him mentioning it. He basically overpowered me.”
“He caught you by surprise,” Ian said. “It could’ve happened to anyone. How did you escape the van?”
“I opened the door,” Tala replied. “Vans like that don’t lock people in unless specifically modified to do so.”
“In the dark? With your hands tied behind your back?”
She shrugged. “I’ve analyzed the interior of similar vans before. So I conjured up a mental image of what the inside of one would look like and went from there.”
“That’s impressive.” Ian whistled softly.
“I was distracted and unfocused when I left the mall,” Tala admitted. “If I’d been paying better attention to my surroundings, he wouldn’t have been able to get the jump on me.”
She was blaming herself and it frustrated him, especially as he didn’t know what to do about it.
“None of this was your fault,” he said firmly. “I’m going to call it in now. Unless you want to?”
“Go ahead,” she said.
He dialed Dispatch, gave them all the relevant information and then sent Lorenza a quick message, as well. He’d have a much longer conversation with his boss and his team as soon as he could. But for now, his heart was torn between the part of him that wanted to focus on every little detail that might help bring the Golden Bandit to justice and another, unfamiliar part that just wanted to hold Tala and make sure she was okay.
“What exactly did he tell you about the Golden Bandit case?” he asked.
“He told me to sabotage it. To stop digging, mislead investigators, ignore and destroy evidence. Basically, he told me to kill the case.”
“So he knows who you are,” Ian said, “and obviously he’s scared of you and what you’ll turn up.”
Tala rolled her eyes. “Nobody’s scared of me. I’m like the least threatening person alive.”
“Are you kidding?” Ian asked. “You’re brilliant.” And kind, thoughtful and stunning. “I, for one, have always been intimidated by you.”
She paused for a moment as if debating how to even respond to that.
“I need to go back to my office,” she said. “Clearly, this man thinks I’ll find something that can take him down.”
“You want to go into work now?” he asked. The Alaska State Crime Lab was located on a rural road that backed onto a beautiful, forested ravine. It was also completely isolated. “Won’t it be closed?”
“They officially shut at five,” she replied. “But they’ll be a security guard patrolling the place and I can get in with my key card after hours. I like being there alone when the place is deserted. It’s quiet and peaceful.”
Sure, it might be peaceful, but that didn’t mean it was safe.
“I remember you always liked pulling all-nighters,” he said. Just like he also remembered how he used to drop by in the middle of the night with food knowing that she’d have forgotten to eat. “But as you know, the body’s reaction to trauma can be both unpredictable and delayed. Also, you’ll be much sharper tackling the work once you’ve eaten something. I’m guessing you haven’t had dinner?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’m not exactly hungry.”
“I’m sure,” he acknowledged. “But if you head to work alone right now and something happens to you I will never forgive myself.”
“You’re not responsible for me.” Her arms crossed. “You’ve advised me. As a trooper and new colleague that’s all that’s required.”
“Yeah, but that’s not all you are to me, is it?” Ian’s arms rose as if to catch the falling snow. “Tala, you were my best friend and the person I cared about most in the entire world. I know we haven’t spoken in years. But are we really supposed to just be colleagues and act like none of that ever happened?”
“Well, we have to,” she said tersely. “Otherwise, we need to tell Lorenza that we have a personal conflict.”
When Lorenza had interviewed him for the K-9 unit, he’d told her how his late grandmother always joked the McCaffrey men were all heart and no brains. She’d reassured him that having a big heart could be a real asset to his work and his team, not to mention to his K-9 partner. But right now, he wasn’t so sure.
“But you’re correct,” Tala said. “I could use a hot drink and I should probably grab food in case I’m hungry later. And we should also probably talk.”
Despite how calm her tone was, an emotion he couldn’t quite place quivered in her voice. Was she worried about the case? Her safety? Working with him? He was new to the Alaska K-9 Unit, and whether Tala realized it or not, catching the Golden Bandit meant a lot to him. Not just because he wanted to prove himself. But also because he’d grown up in the gold-finding community. And besides, he might be the utmost expert on the pawn and jewelry shops on the team.
Help me, Lord, I don’t know how to fix what happened when we were teenagers. I don’t even understand what happened between us.
Was he missing something? And if so, how would he keep it from impacting the case?
THREE
Fifteen minutes later, Tala stood in the ladies’ room of her favorite coffee shop, gripping the counter so hard her knuckles ached as she tried to convince her reflection in the mirror that she was all right. But she still couldn’t stop her hands from shaking.
She closed her eyes and prayed for peace.
Rationally she knew that she was now safe. Ian and his K-9 partner, Aurora, had come to her rescue and they were waiting for her just on the other side of the door. But the adrenaline coursing through her veins just couldn’t be convinced. While Ian had lined up to get them drinks, she’d taken a few extra photos of herself in the mirror in case they were needed as evidence, then carefully cleaned every spot of muddy slush off her red wool coat with a wet wipe, before doing the same to her boots and bag. Afterward, she’d run a wet brush through her hair, washed her face and applied a little makeup. But nothing she’d done had been able to cleanse her mind of the irrational fear that when she opened her eyes again the masked man would be standing there over her shoulder.
How had Ian known that coming here was what she needed? If it hadn’t been for him, she’d have been all alone in her office when the initial jolt of adrenaline-fueled denial about her feelings wore off leaving nothing but fear behind.
Not to mention that seeing Ian in the mall had thrown her for a loop. They used to call each other best friends because when they’d been kids that seemed like the most special label to give someone. But as she’d grown older, her young, innocent heart had secretly started to think of him as so much more than that and even dream that Ian would be the guy she’d marry one day.
Clearly, she was nowhere near as over him as she’d wanted to believe. Or the fact that he’d chosen his high school hockey friends over their friendship. Hadn’t he seen how they’d treated her? The snickering behind her back? How they’d bump into her in the hallway and claim it was by accident? It had gotten even worse when she’d caught a couple of them trying to cheat off her test and told her history teacher, who also happened to be the hockey coach. Coach Charlie Heidorn was the kind of chill teacher who told students to call him by his first name and had promised he’d talk to the boys. But after that, it had escalated to wads of chewing gum flung into her hair from people who hid before she could spot them, swear words spray-painted on her grandmother’s home and nasty anonymous notes wedged into her locker.
That was when she’d learned that knowing in her gut who was behind something didn’t count for much if she didn’t have proof. The coach and the principal had both believed her bullies when they protested they were innocent. And when she’d tried to talk to Ian, hoping he’d choose her over them, somehow she’d blurted out far more than she’d meant to. If only she hadn’t almost kissed him. But she had, he’d rejected her and now they were going to be working together.
The door swung open behind her. Tala’s eyes shot open as she turned to see an elderly woman in a blue shawl step through.
“Is that your doggie out there?” she asked, smile lines crinkling her eyes. “She’s adorable.”
Tala glanced past her and through the door as it slowly swung closed. There sat Aurora, at attention, with her ears perked and her back to the door as if she was on lookout.
“She’s a friend’s dog, actually,” Tala explained, and Aurora’s presence served as a reminder she couldn’t just hide away clutching the fixtures forever.
“Merry Christmas,” the lady said with a smile.
“You, too, Merry Christmas.”
She stepped through the door and felt Aurora nuzzle her hand in greeting. Tala rubbed her fingers over the German shepherd’s silky ears.
“Thank you for looking out for me,” she whispered. “Now let’s go find Ian.”
Aurora woofed slightly and they started through the tables. Garlands and bows bedecked the crossing wooden beams above. The instrumental Christmas music playing through the speakers was slow and dreamy, and seemed to be a perfect match for the snow buffeting the window. This family-run coffee shop had been one of Tala’s favorite hangouts since high school, when she’d spend hours hiding away in a corner by the fireplace studying.
She found Ian in that very spot waiting for her, in the chair across from her favorite one, where he’d sat while she studied so many times in the past. He stood as she approached.
“How are you?” he asked, running a hand over the back of his head.
“Shaken,” she admitted. “But good. Thank you for sending Aurora to make sure I didn’t get lost.”
“No problem.” He grinned. “She’s pretty amazing and I feel incredibly blessed to be partnered with her.”
Tala slid into her chair and looked down at the table. There was a hot green tea with lemon, peppermint chocolate mocha, three different types of grilled cheese and meat sandwiches, and a single cake pop. A smile brushed her lips. “You remembered all my favorites.”
“I did.” He sat and Aurora stretched out on the floor between their chairs.
“Then you’ll also remember I can’t eat this much,” she said, “and you’ll probably end up eating most of it.”
“That was the plan.” He chuckled. It was a warm and deep sound that seemed to finally melt the cold that had been coursing through her veins since the attack.
For a very long moment neither of them said anything.
“Your reputation with the K-9 team is absolutely stellar,” he said, breaking the silence first. He leaned forward, rested his arms on the table and linked his fingers together. “I can’t tell you how many of my teammates told me that while usually a forensic scientist only has one discipline, like weapons or biology, you’ve consulted on so many different types of cases you’re invaluable.”
“Thank you,” she said. “But honestly, most of the time I only interact with the K-9 troopers through video chats or phone calls. We work out of two different buildings. There are a lot of people on the team I’ve never even met in person.”
“Sounds lonely,” he said.
“Does it?” she asked. Maybe it was. The members of the Alaska K-9 Unit were so close-knit they were practically family. It was only natural for her to feel like a bit of an outsider. “Well, I love the work and the entire team is wonderful. I’m sure you’ll get along great with everyone. You were always great at fitting in.”
Now, had that sounded bitter? She hoped it hadn’t, but if it had, Ian didn’t even blink. He really had no idea how hard it had been on her in high school when he’d suddenly become this hotshot goalie on the hockey team and been swallowed up in a brand-new group of friends.
They’re teammates, not friends, Tala! Seventeen-year-old Ian’s voice echoed in her memory. I’m on the team for the hockey. I don’t get involved in any of the stupid stuff. From her perspective there’d been nothing but stupid stuff, like underage drinking and pulling stupid pranks. The girls who hung around the boys were just as bad. It had seemed like every other week Ian had a new girlfriend, who was the sister or friend of someone on the team. Then, to pour salt on the wound, Ian would drive Tala to school each morning and spend the whole trip dithering about why he thought he should break up with whoever he’d just started dating. Like he was counting on Tala to set his head straight!
“So, is the Golden Bandit the main case you’re working on at the moment?” he asked, cutting into her thoughts.
“Pretty much,” she said. “I remember your family was always big into metal detection.”
“They are. And to be honest, so am I.”
“You search for lost gold?” she asked.
“Recently lost treasures, more like,” he said, and it was like a light switched on behind his eyes. “What I love is searching the glaciers, hiking trails and forests for things lost by tourists and hikers. There’s nothing like reuniting someone with something they thought they’ve lost forever. Aurora’s a great sidekick for that. That’s actually what I was doing when you saw me at the mall. Aurora and I found an engagement ring in the woods, a really expensive, gaudy thing. I recognized the jeweler’s mark and brought it in to see if they could help me locate the owner.”
Oh! An unexpected sigh of relief slipped her lips. So Ian wasn’t shopping for a girlfriend, then. His eyes widened like he could tell what she was thinking, and she felt a sudden heat rise to her cheeks. His phone began to ring. She looked down instinctively to where it sat on the table. It was Colonel Lorenza Gallo.
Ian stood as he answered. “Hello? ... Yes, ma’am, Aurora and I are here with Tala ... Okay...Got it. I’ll be there as soon as I drop her off...Okay, I’ll bring her with me. We’re on our way. Bye.”
He ended the call and she realized his face had paled.
“Sorry to cut this short,” he said. “But that was the boss. We’ve got to go, and she wants you to come with us. Looks like the Golden Bandit has struck again and this time it’s murder.”
* * *
Less than five minutes later, Ian was pulling his SUV out of the parking lot. Tala sat in the passenger seat, balancing a take-out tray piled with drinks and food on her lap, while Aurora lounged in the back seat.
“I’ve never actually been to an active crime scene before,” Tala confided. “That’s the job of Bob Flocks and the other crime scene investigator. Not a forensic scientist. Do you know why she wants me to come?”
“No clue,” Ian said. He felt his brow furrow as he watched the windshield wipers battle heavy snow. “My guess is that either she wants your insight on something urgent, or that she doesn’t want me stopping to drop you off. Either way, I’m guessing it’s pretty serious.”
“Can you quickly tell me everything you can about the Golden Bandit?”
“Why?” he asked. He glanced at her and silently thanked God to see she was finally eating something, even if it was his favorite of the sandwiches. “I doubt I know anything you don’t.”
“Maybe not,” she said. “But your perspective will be very different from mine and that’s what I’m interested in.”
“All right, then.” He tightened his hands on the steering wheel and focused his gaze on his headlight beams as they cut a path for him in the darkness. “Well, first off, I hate the fact that everyone calls him the Golden Bandit. It’s a silly nickname for someone who’s stolen tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry, antique coins and raw gold.”
Not to mention Ian suspected the fact that three pawnshop workers had gone missing meant the bandit also had blood his hands. But suspicion wasn’t the same as proof.
“You know that Anchorage is one of the few places in America that actually has a pawn detective whose full-time job is to work with pawnshops and secondhand jewelry?” Ian asked. “His name is Hugh Bertram. I don’t know him personally, but he seems incredibly professional and thorough.”
He realized he’d just used almost the same adjectives Tala had to describe the crime scene investigators she worked with. So much talent, yet so few leads.
“See, I actually didn’t know that,” she said. Maybe the fact that they had different perspectives on the case would be an asset. “Why would police dedicate one detective’s entire workload to just pawnshops?”
“Melting down jewelry for raw gold is where the biggest profit is,” Ian explained. “That means a lot of crime evidence gets completely destroyed and melted down by pawnshop owners and jewelers before police can find it, let alone seize it.”
