by Lenora Worth
“Is he a suspect in the second murders?” Emmett asked, his gut now burning.
“We don’t know yet,” Nate admitted. “Too early to tell.” He thanked Emmett and left. Meaning, he didn’t want to reveal too much too soon.
“Okay, we have enough for now,” Gavin finally said. “I’d advise you let us work on this as much as possible while you do your job, but I’ll keep you informed and you can ride along with Belle as needed. If push comes to shove, you can move in with us.”
“Deal.” Emmett liked Gavin’s straight talk.
Gavin stood. “I’ll show you the way to the vet’s office.”
“I’ll escort Officer Montera home,” Emmett said, making it clear he wouldn’t back down.
“Thank you.” Gavin pointed to the hallway and then turned to leave. “And thanks for your cooperation.”
Emmett nodded and then Gavin led him to the vet’s office.
He found Belle sitting by a table where Justice lay sleeping, her hand holding the big dog’s paw. Studying her from the door, Emmett took in her straight dark brown hair and her olive skin. She was a beautiful woman and a tough one at that. From here, he could see the bruises and marks on her slender neck.
His blood boiled. He not only planned to help her find his cousin. He planned to help her track down the person who’d done this to her, too. Emmett knew the kind. If this guy had a vendetta, he’d keep coming. Sure, she was trained in one of the toughest jobs in the city but...still...she was in danger and she’d have to watch her back.
But Emmett would have her six, whether she wanted him to or not. That’s just the way things had to be right now since the attacker could come back for both of them.
And meantime, he’d work with Belle and the Brooklyn K-9 Unit to find Randall. He only hoped his cousin wouldn’t be given a guilty charge before he had a chance to be exonerated. Maybe Randall had an alibi or maybe he could explain why his watchband had become evidence toward a double homicide.
Emmett had to know the truth, either way. He’d start by searching his father’s old files.
Belle glanced up and saw him at the door. Taking a last look at Justice, she leaned down and whispered in the big dog’s ear, her hand brushing his silky coat.
Emmett’s heart did a funny little twist after seeing the sweet gesture. There was something about this strong, tough woman that made him appreciate her and also want to protect her. He knew she’d balk at the protection. She had been trained in all things tactical, so she didn’t need a hero to come to her rescue. He’d just watch over her without making a big deal of it.
He had to. He was all in now.
* * *
Belle glanced back at Justice one more time. She really didn’t like leaving him. “We’re rarely apart,” she said to Emmett as he led her out of the building. “I should stay in case he wakes up.”
“Your sergeant told me he ordered you to go home and rest and to stay home tomorrow, too. You need to take it easy. You’ll be sore in the morning.”
She didn’t answer but she didn’t bolt, either. It figured that Gavin would alert Emmett that he’d ordered her to go home. They’d ganged up on her along with Gina Mazelli and a couple of her coworkers.
Once the word was out about what had happened, several members of their unit had come by the precinct to check on both Belle and Justice. Her friend Vivienne Armstrong and her K-9 partner, Hank, a border collie, happened to be running through some training sets when they’d brought Justice in. Vivienne had sat with Belle while she’d talked to Justice and lulled him back to sleep.
“He’ll be fine, Belle. I know it’s scary to see him so still and out of it, but the doc knows her stuff.”
Vivienne’s reassurances had helped but this day seemed to be dragging on and on. And now, she had a big US marshal shadowing her. She should have been appreciative but instead she felt defeated.
“I’m too tired to make a big deal out of this,” she admitted as they headed toward Emmett’s truck. “But you don’t have to take me home. I can take the subway.”
She stepped out ahead of him and checked the street. In the next instant, a motorcycle roared to life and came screeching toward Belle. She looked up, the bike’s bright headlight blinding her and freezing her to the asphalt.
Then she felt strong hands wrapping around her waist and lifting her into the air. Emmett grabbed her and pulled her back, both of them toppling over onto the sidewalk in the split second just before the biker flew by. Emmett managed to take the brunt of the fall but Belle landed across his chest, her eyes crashing with his as they stared at each other.
Her heart beat in triple time and she thought she might pass out again but Belle felt the pull of his gaze.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he quickly sat up and helped her do the same. Belle noticed the spicy scent of his aftershave and reminded herself that she was tired and someone had tried to do her in twice tonight. Her mind was playing tricks on her in too many ways to analyze right now.
“Yes,” she said, out of breath. “Did that guy try to run me down?”
“I think so,” Emmett replied, the sound of the bike roaring off in the distance. “I didn’t have time to get a good look. All I saw was a blur of man and machine.”
“I didn’t see anything,” Belle said, wondering if she truly would be out of commission for a few days since her mind didn’t seem to be functioning. “You saved my life again, Emmett. I’m pretty sure that’s the same man who attacked me in the park. Remember, I heard a bike cranking before I was attacked and then right after he ran away.”
“Yeah, well, I’m just glad I was here to help and witness this. Makes sense it’s the same person. We need to report this to Sergeant Sutherland.”
Belle shook her head. “I’ll call him from your truck. The guy on that bike is long gone, I’m beat and every muscle in my body aches. I can’t bring myself to file another report tonight. I want to go home but I don’t know what I’ll do without Justice. He’s always by my side. Now I have to worry about him getting hurt.”
“Hey, you’re still tough and so is Justice,” Emmett said. “You’ll both be fine soon enough. But you shouldn’t be alone. Too dangerous.”
“I live in a building that my parents own,” she explained. “My grandparents bought up apartment buildings in Fort Greene way back in the seventies and my dad took over when they moved to a retirement home. He now owns several rentals. We all live in one building. I have a younger brother and two younger sisters who pound on my apartment door day and night. I’m never alone, trust me.”
“All right.” Emmett checked her over, his piercing glances giving her an up close and personal opportunity to look him over, too. Again, a heated awareness covered her. His winded whisper only added to that. “Are you sure you don’t need a doctor? Maybe you should talk to Gavin?”
Suddenly feeling smothered and all too aware that someone wanted to do her harm, she shook her head. “I want to get out of here. Now.”
Emmett gave her a concerned stare. “Okay.”
She was close to a crash and burn, and she didn’t want it to happen in front of her team or her sergeant. Maybe Emmett had figured that out.
“Let’s go,” he said, guiding her to his truck. Once he had her inside, he leaned against the passenger-side door and said, “You know, you’re kind of exciting to be around, Officer Montera.”
“Yeah, I’m just a barrel of laughs,” she retorted on a shaky voice. “Except someone doesn’t think I’m much fun.”
“I think you can be,” he said, “when you’re not being chased by someone out to do you in.”
Once she’d called Gavin to give him the latest, Belle didn’t say much on the drive to Fort Greene. Instead, she stared out at the buildings along the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway just before they passed Sunset Park. She could barely hold her eyes open, but she managed t
o direct Emmett to her apartment off Lafayette Avenue. Emmett pulled up to the curb in front of the multi-level brick building with white trim and white wrought iron mini-balconies. The foursquare looked like a big row house, but right now it looked like home. Belle was ready to go to sleep in the safety of that home.
“I’m on the bottom floor because of Justice needing a dog run,” she said, pointing to a corner apartment of the three-story apartment building. “We have a nice little yard out back with a sturdy fence.”
“I’m walking you to your door.”
He didn’t let her say no. Now she’d have to explain to her parents. Maybe they could sneak by the main entryway to the stairs without any family drama. Her family worried that she hadn’t dated since her last fiasco of a boyfriend. Hard to explain that her line of work didn’t allow for any fun late nights or online dating sites.
But if her sisters got a glance of Emmett Gage, they’d get the wrong impression. Then she’d have to give her family the real reason for his being there.
“I can make it from here,” she said when they entered the stoop and she keyed in the door code.
Emmett kept standing there. “I’d like to come inside.”
“You’re annoying.”
“I hear that a lot.”
“I’m fine, really,” she said as they went through the vestibule. A long central hallway ran the length of the bottom floor. The apartments on the other side of hers were used for family members passing through and storage. The rest of the building was her family’s two-story home, where she hung out a lot. Her siblings slept on the third floor.
Emmett filled the hallway with his presence. “I’m right behind you, really.”
She made it to her door and tried to get the key in the lock. Emmett took it and managed to unlock the door, adding to her humility.
But when he opened it, he stumbled on a yellow mailing envelope, his gaze moving from that to Belle.
“Were you expecting mail?”
“Not shoved underneath my door, no.” Glancing around, she added, “How did someone get in here?”
“We can figure that out later. Right now we need to find out what this is,” he said. “Don’t touch it yet.”
Belle shifted around the letter-sized envelope. Emmett picked it up with a tissue he’d found in the box on the counter and Belle found latex gloves so she could open it.
The handwritten scribbles said it all.
I intend to finish what I started. You ruined my life. I intend to ruin yours. Maybe I’ll find one of your sisters next.
Belle’s heart accelerated as her gaze met Emmett’s. Then her mind went wild with speculations. Was this just an idle threat or was her attacker going to come after her family, too?
FOUR
“That’s a definite threat,” Emmett said, his eyes scanning the dark street and the trees around the building. “It had to have come from your attacker but when did he leave it here? We’ll brush for prints and you should alert your sergeant.”
“I’ll report it now and talk to Gavin tomorrow,” she said. “I’m thinking we won’t find any prints since he slipped it through the door. First, I want to check on my family.”
She stopped in the hallway. “I don’t want to alarm them but I do need to beef up security and alert them on what’s going on. This man is dangerous. I feared that they’d be targeted because of me and now it’s happening.”
“Okay. I’ll call it in and report we’re together and things are under control,” Emmett replied. “You’re right. Your family needs to be aware.”
Belle searched the bottom floor but found nothing unusual while he made the call. Quick and efficient and in charge, Emmett handled everything with a strength she wished she had.
Thankful that he was with her, she motioned toward the entryway stairs. “My parents and my brother and sisters live up here. My dad converted these two floors into one unit.”
Emmett followed her up the stairs. “The door looks solid. No sign of a break-in.”
“I have a key. We need to check on my family.” Belle silently unlocked the door. Darkness greeted them. “They should all be in bed by now. Wait here.”
Emmett took in the apartment. Average in size but clean and neat with a long narrow hallway toward the back with stairs up to the next floor. Her family had obviously taken over this whole foursquare and turned it into a big family unit.
After she’d done a room check, Belle tiptoed back. They were almost out the door when Emmett heard footsteps.
“Belle?”
“Cara, what are you doing up?”
From what he could tell in the muted darkness, the girl was in her teens and looked like a petite version of Belle but her dark hair was longer. “I heard a noise.”
“Just now, you mean?” Belle asked, urgency in her question. “Did you hear anyone coming in earlier?”
“Sí. I was reading and I heard you open the door.” The girl’s eyes widened when she noticed Emmett. “But Joaquin came home about an hour ago. Is something wrong? Your voice sounds funny.”
Giving Emmett a warning glance, Belle replied, “I strained my throat earlier when we got into a scuffle with a perp. I’ll be fine. Sorry I woke you up. I was just checking since I had to work late.” Then she glanced around. “Was our brother okay?”
Cara bobbed her head. “Snarly, as usual, and sneaking in. I didn’t rat him out, though.”
Belle didn’t comment. Emmett wondered if their brother had seen someone or had even taken the envelope from someone in front of the building and left it under her door.
The girl motioned to the kitchen. “We have leftover chicken spaghetti in the fridge.”
“I’m not hungry,” Belle said on a low note. “You should go back to bed.”
Cara rubbed her eyes and crossed her arms over her big nightshirt before sending Emmett a direct stare. “Who is he?”
Emmett had to smile at that blunt question. “I’m Emmett, a friend of your sister’s.”
Cara’s eyes widened as she came fully awake. “A friend? Belle, you didn’t tell us you were dating again.”
“I’m not,” Belle said on a slightly agitated sigh. “We’re not. It’s not that way. We had a business meeting.”
Her sister’s eye roll was classic. “Right. Nice to meet you, Emmett. I’m going back to bed now.”
Belle waited until her sister was back in her room. “Sorry about that.”
“She’s something, huh?”
“You could say that. Her twin is not quite as forthcoming. Anita is quiet and loves to read. Cara is more of a girlie girl with an attitude. Sweet sixteen and going on thirty.”
They moved back down to her apartment. Emmett could tell she was embarrassed by the way she refused to look at him and then started explaining. “I was in a serious relationship for a couple of years, but it ended badly. Now they all hold their breaths hoping I’ll find someone new.”
Emmett followed her inside the apartment and let that tidbit settle over him. “Have you been dating again?”
Giving him a stern stare, she said, “Is that really any of your business?”
“Nope. Just curious.”
He had to watch himself around this one. She was pretty and smart and tough. No flirting. No anything but finding out the truth about his cousin possibly being a murderer and trying to protect Belle. Moving with her around the combined kitchen and dining area that flowed into a tiny den, he waited when she turned on the lights and checked the bedroom and bath, all the while reminding himself that he had rules about dating any woman in law enforcement and apparently she had her own set of rules.
“All clear,” she said. “Normally, Justice makes the rounds with me. I miss him.”
Safe subject. “How did you and Justice become partners?”
She smiled and pushed at her messy bun. “
I joined Emergency Services a little over a year ago, after being on another K-9 team with the NYPD for two years. My K-9 partner, Rocket, stayed with that unit after a trainer moved up the ranks. Justice had finished his initial training when he became my partner. We trained in Emergency Services together and he’s been by my side almost every day since training.”
“You two obviously make a good team,” Emmett said. Then he looked her over. “How you feeling?”
“I’ll feel better after a hot shower and more pain pills. And sleep.”
“That’s my cue to leave.” He pointed to the dead bolt and the chain locks. “Lock up tight and fill in your sergeant a little more tomorrow.”
“I will. I’ll take this straight to the lab to be analyzed and then I’m going to search mug shots and old case files.”
Emmett knew she’d do it, too. “I’ll check with you tomorrow and report anything else I can find on Randall.”
“Thanks.” She looked down at the floor and then back up to him. “It was nice to meet you, Emmett.” Then she let out a nervous little laugh. “Really nice, considering.”
He smiled at that. “We dodged a bullet, literally. That guy’s aim was seriously off.”
“Which means at least he’s not a professional.”
“Nowhere near.” He studied her for a moment. “I’m thinking he’s someone you put away and now he’s back and out for revenge. Report the motorcycle incident, too. Like you mentioned, he must have used that to get away at the park earlier.”
“I don’t know how he got access to this building,” she said, thinking of how she’d always gone to a lot of trouble to make sure her family’s home was secure.
“He might have slipped in when someone from your family opened the main door. Or it could have been a person your family knows and trusts.”
“I’ll go over my cases and I’ll talk to my parents,” she said. “I certainly never expected this when I made plans to meet with you.”
“Me, either.”
“Good night,” she said. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
