by Sharon Dunn
Darcy rose. “Okay, I’ll wait for your knock.”
Jackson clicked the leash on Smokey and headed for the door.
Once outside the apartment, Jackson waited for the sound of the dead bolt clicking into place. He then left the building, searched the side streets, circled the building and then took Smokey up the stairwell. Smokey didn’t growl. The September night was dark and crisp. Several streets away, he heard the thrum of Friday-night traffic but the streets around Darcy’s place were pretty quiet.
Satisfied, Jackson returned to Darcy’s door and knocked three times.
Darcy slid back dead bolt and undid the locks.
“All clear,” he told her as she opened the door.
She seemed mildly amused by his protective nature.
He nodded.
“Tea’s hot.”
“Great, I’ll have some and then Smokey and I will be out of your hair.”
She handed him a steaming mug. “You haven’t been bad company.” He liked her smile. Those dimples really got to him. “It’s not like I had a crazy night planned. Just hanging with Mr. Tubbs and a good book.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty much the same for me and Smokey.”
“Well, we should do something about that.” She took a sip of her tea. “As friends, I mean. I don’t date cops.”
“Yeah, I heard.” He turned toward the window by the door that looked out on the street where the residents of the building probably parked.
She stood beside him. “You asked around about me?”
“It’s sort of common knowledge.” He shrugged, feeling his cheeks grow warm. “That policy is all right by me.”
He took another sip of tea. Behind him, Smokey became suddenly agitated. He emitted a high-pitched bark. Jackson turned to look at the dog as a percussive boom hit his eardrums. Glass shattered all around him. Taking Darcy down with him, he dove for the cover of the coffee table.
The last thing he heard was Darcy’s scream.
* * *
Long, straight shards of glass came at Darcy. Fueled by some primitive survival instinct, she’d taken a step back right before the booming sound vibrated through her chest. Glass rained down on her. Smokey’s barking surrounded her. The dog was frantically bouncing around Jackson, who lay on top of her behind the coffee table. He rolled off of her but remained close to the floor.
“Stay down. That was most likely a rifle shot from a distance. The shooter might still be in place, ready to fire again.”
She lay on her stomach and peered into his face. Tense seconds ticked by.
She noticed that her hand was bleeding. The sight of the blood did not bother her, but she was suddenly aware of the pain of the cuts.
Jackson reached out, touching his hand to her cheek. “You all right?”
She nodded, unable to form words.
A voice came at her from the side. “What happened to break your window like that? I was up the block when I heard it. I phoned it in, Darcy.”
It took her a moment to realize the man staring at her through her shattered window was her upstairs neighbor, Mr. Blake. He was an older, hunched-over man who wore a wide-brimmed hat all the time.
“Thank you.” Her voice sounded like a child’s voice.
Jackson said from beside her, “Sir, get down and out of the way. We think someone shot the window out from across the street.”
Mr. Blake’s eyes grew wide with fear and he stepped out of view.
Jackson lifted his head and peered through the shattered window at the high-rise building across the street. “The shooter must have scouted the area, got into place and waited for you to stand in front of the window.”
The high-rise was mostly offices with some eateries on the ground floor. All the windows were dark. “Long-range rifle. Maybe four or five stories up,” Darcy said. “I wonder what caliber bullet the shooter used.”
Jackson’s forehead furrowed.
“Thinking about the tech part of a crime calms me down.” She looked around, taking in her surroundings. The damage was largely to the window. Mr. Tubbs, she noted, had disappeared like the smart cat he was.
She heard sirens in the distance.
“Smokey and I are going to search that building across the street. Maybe the shooter is still around. You stay back and down low.”
Jackson and Smokey headed out the door and across the street.
Within minutes, the flashing lights of the police, fire department and ambulance filled the street.
Jackson returned, shaking his head. Whoever had shot at her had gotten away. He came to stand facing her.
He reached up to touch her forehead. “You have a cut there.”
His touch was warm on her skin. For some reason, she wanted him to hold her. Silly. She shook her head and took a step back. Maybe it was just because the shooting had frightened her. “I’m sure the EMTs can fix me up.”
They were ushered out to the ambulance. Smokey trailed behind them. Harlan and the other members of the forensics team arrived. Darcy knew it would not be appropriate for her to work the scene. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t ask questions. Harlan approached her. “I heard about the lab break-in. We might not be able to work tomorrow.”
She nodded and Harlan jogged away to join the rest of the team.
A patrol officer wandered over to ask them questions about what had happened as an EMT cleaned and bandaged her cuts. The were sitting inside an ambulance, the warmth of the blanket the EMT had offered her giving Darcy some comfort. Still, she felt like she was shaking from the inside.
Jackson got to his feet, throwing off his blanket. “I see glass in Smokey’s fur.” He combed his fingers through the dog’s coat. “I’ll need to brush him when I get home.” Smokey remained still.
“I’m so sorry that happened. He’s such a good dog.”
“It’s not your fault, Darcy,” he said. “All of it’s just another day at work for him.”
Jackson ran his hand over Smokey’s sleek, dark head and then under his chin.
Mr. Blake walked over to her. “I talked to the super. He can order replacement glass in the morning and they can start the install, but you’ll have to find someplace to stay for tonight.”
“Thanks, Mr. Blake, for doing all that.” She watched as the old man wandered back toward the growing crowd of onlookers.
“Do you have a place to go?”
“No place close,” she said. “I have relatives in Connecticut. I don’t feel comfortable calling a friend at this late hour. I suppose I could get a hotel room.”
“Given the nature of this attack, I don’t think you should be alone.” Jackson turned back toward the broken window. “You can stay with me. I have a roommate, but we could set up an air mattress on the floor. The couch isn’t too bad to sleep on, either.”
Darcy clutched the blanket at her neck. She didn’t have a lot of options here. “I’m not sure what to do.”
“Between me and Smokey, you’d be safe for the night. Maybe we can talk the department into providing you with some protection.” Jackson took a few steps away from the ambulance and then ran his fingers through his hair. He seemed hesitant to say what he wanted to say. “It’s clear now that this isn’t directed at the whole lab. Someone is upset about something you’ve done, probably connected to your work.”
Jackson had vocalized the thought that had been spinning through her mind. The attacks were personal. There was nothing in her private life that warranted this level of violence. She barely had a private life. It had to be over a case she’d worked or was working. As the spokesperson for the Brooklyn forensics unit, she’d gotten used to dealing with attacks and accusation from the press, but this was a whole new ballgame. “This is getting serious, isn’t it?” She took in a deep breath to summon up some courage.
A Bible verse came to min
d.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
“If it helps with your decision, no expectations are placed on my offer other than friendship and keeping a colleague safe.”
“Give me a minute to make sure Mr. Tubbs has water and food for the night. He’s used to being shut in the back room, so he won’t be able to jump out the broken window. I’ll throw some things in an overnight bag and text my sister to let her know what’s going on.” She studied Jackson for a long moment. His features softened as he met her gaze. “Then we can head over to your place.”
A few minutes later, Darcy was buckled into the passenger seat as Jackson drove through the mostly dark residential streets. She rested her head against the seatback, feeling the fatigue in her body. “Do you think whoever attacked me meant to kill me or is it just anger that is boiling over?”
Jackson kept his hands on the wheel as he looked straight ahead.
As she thought about the nature of the attacks, his silence told her everything she needed to know.
Someone wanted her dead.
FOUR
Even though it was his day off, Jackson awoke early to let Smokey out into the fenced yard and put the coffee on. Darcy slept on the couch, partially covered by the quilt one of his sisters had made. One of her legs stuck out as she slept on her side, turned away from the back of the couch. Blond hair fell over her face.
His roommate, who worked in finance, had gotten up even earlier than he had and left for the day. Jackson tossed a load of laundry in, let Smokey back inside and started to break some eggs for breakfast before Darcy stirred. Smokey munched his food in his bowl.
There was no wall between the kitchen and the living room. Darcy sat up, stretching her arms and yawning.
“Hey, you want some coffee?”
“Sure.”
“We’re not in a hurry this morning,” he said, reaching for the coffeepot. “It’s my day off and I doubt the lab is going to be accessible just yet.”
“Harlan texted me. They are taking the most pressing evidence over to the Manhattan lab, but they’re backed up, too. Everything is at a standstill for now. It will be at least a day before they will let any of the techs in to fully assess how much damage was done to the cases we were working on.” The tone of her voice suggested frustration.
He poured her coffee and brought it to her. She took the mug, wrapping her hands around it while the steam swirled up.
Jackson beat the eggs he’d broken in the bowl and poured them into the sizzling frying pan. “Hope you like scrambled eggs with green peppers and onions.”
“That sounds delicious.” Clutching her coffee, she rose and wandered toward the living room window.
Jackson spoke in a calm but intense voice. “Darcy, get away from the window please.”
Her face blanched as fear clouded her features. “Sorry, I forgot.” She stepped back and wandered into the kitchen, which had only one small window above the sink.
“Didn’t mean to upset you. We just can’t take any chances.”
“No, I get it.” Her voice was somber.
If the memory of last night was enough to make his chest feel like it was in a vise, he couldn’t imagine how it had affected Darcy emotionally. Though he was impressed with how well she held herself together.
He tossed the veggies into the frying pan and moved the eggs around with a spatula. Offering to set the table while he cooked, she searched cupboards for plates and pulled silverware from the drawer.
They sat across from each other. Darcy took several bites of the scrambled eggs. “This is really good. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Jackson liked that she enjoyed eating his cooking. She didn’t seem like the kind of woman who would order a salad if they went to a steak house together. Now why had he thought of that? Amelia had always eaten like a bird.
Smokey wandered over to the table and rested his chin on Jackson’s leg.
“He really wishes he could have some eggs.” Amusement danced through her words.
Smokey wagged his tail.
Jackson leaned closer to his partner. “You need to stick to your dog food, buddy.”
“He is charming,” said Darcy.
Smokey turned his head toward Darcy and wagged his tail.
“He likes you. He doesn’t respond to everyone that way,” Jackson said.
She reached out and stroked Smokey’s head. “That means I’ve made two friends.”
They ate for several minutes without talking.
Darcy took the last few bites of her eggs. “I feel a little lost today. I can’t go to work. And I doubt I can go home. Even if they’ve cleared the scene, it will take time to replace that window in my apartment.”
He met her gaze across the table. That sweet, welcoming face with the light brown eyes just never seemed to fit with the level of scientific knowledge she displayed. He liked the contrast. Darcy was a person with depth and interest. “It’s my day off. Smokey and I were headed over to Dog Beach in Prospect Park. But I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone.”
“That makes us both prisoners,” she said. Her full mouth curved up into a soft smile. “I appreciate you wanting to make sure I’m not attacked again.”
“You got me figured out, don’t you?”
“I don’t mind. Yesterday was a bit much. And I am concerned.” Her shoulders jerked up to her ears and then she leaned toward him. “I can call Mr. Blake to see if they have pulled the crime scene tape away. If they have, I’d like to get my laptop. I would be able to access some of the current files so I can start narrowing the list of people who might have something against me.”
“Sure, we can do that.”
Light danced through her eyes. “Your accent comes out just a little bit. Texas, I’m guessing.”
“Good guess. Been here two years, you’d think I’d manage to sound a little less like a country boy.”
“I kind of like it.” She took a sip of coffee.
They finished breakfast and washed the dishes together.
Darcy made her phone call. “Mr. Blake said the window installer has been delayed, but the crime scene tape is gone. So I can at least check on my cat and grab my laptop.”
“Okay, I’ll take you over there.”
While Darcy was in the bathroom, Jackson made a call to ask about permanent protection for Darcy. As expected, he got the usual story about how stretched thin the regular police units were, and that the amount of paperwork involved and level of bureaucratic hoops he’d have to jump through made him wonder if it would just be easier for the K-9 Unit to informally protect her.
Darcy emerged from the bathroom with her blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wore capris, a blouse and jacket and canvas shoes imprinted with cats.
Jackson loaded Smokey into the back of his crew cab truck and Darcy got into the passenger seat.
They drove through Williamsburg, Darcy seemingly lost in thought.
“I wonder...” she said. “That night you and Smokey found the body in the park...and that car that came after me. Maybe it wasn’t random.”
A chill skittered across his spine. “I suppose the list of relatives who vowed revenge over the years for your testimony putting one of their relatives in prison is pretty long. Someone could have seen the forensic van and looked for you.”
“I’ve gotten my share of hate mail. It doesn’t help that I’m the spokesperson for Brooklyn forensics. We shouldn’t assume it’s a case from the past. It might be a current case, maybe someone is afraid of what I will find, or it could be a case that is about to go to trial.”
Traffic slowed and then stopped all together. Jackson looked in his rearview mirror. Though he did not want to alarm Darcy, a compact car seemed to be following them.
* * *
As traffic came to a standst
ill, Jackson seemed to tense up. Darcy’s stomach tightened in response to his change of mood.
They were on a street that had lots of coffee shops and places to eat. She watched the people on the street, focusing in on a woman who looked to be about her age. The woman was with a man who had a baby in a backpack-style baby carrier while she pushed a stroller with a second child.
“I used to think that was going to be me by now.”
Jackson followed her line of sight. “They look like a happy family. Why can’t it be you?”
“I’m twenty-nine.” She shrugged. “It’s hard to meet people when all you do is work.” She shook her head. “My sister is two years younger than me and she’s engaged.”
“You never know. Everyone operates on a different timeline.”
“How about you?” Darcy asked. “Have you met anyone?”
He tapped his hands on the steering wheel. “I was engaged when I transferred up here. We moved so she could get ahead in her job. We found separate places to live and were making wedding plans. We talked about going back to Texas once she got some experience.” His words seemed tainted with intense emotion. Hurt or maybe even anger? Jackson looked through the windshield, focusing on some far-away object.
Smokey emitted a small whine from the back seat.
Dogs, she knew, tended to pick up on the emotions of their owners, so she reached out to pet him. “My question upset him, didn’t it?” She spoke in a whisper.
Smokey licked her face.
Jackson glanced over at her. “Look, there is just no point in bringing up the past. It’s all behind me. I’ve come to love this city. I found a great church. I love my dog. I have a good life.”
So he wasn’t going to tell her any more about what sounded like a past-tense relationship and some deep hurt. That was okay. As a friend, Darcy knew enough not to push. “I hope the window installer shows up soon at my apartment. I appreciate your hospitality, but Mr. Tubbs shouldn’t spend too much time alone, and I miss my little place, my kitchen, my bed, my reading chair.”
