by Zoe Dawson
Austin pushed a pad over to him. “Write down the names.”
He complied and pushed the pad back to him.
“So, George. Who was it that was interested in a little ‘temporary gratification’?”
His lips tightened and he sat up straighter. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t?” Austin said. “Didn’t your commander remind you that this team stands for integrity?” He stayed quiet, and Austin waited a few beats, then filled the gap. “I get it. You don’t want to rat out any of your team members. Neither did Sarah. She only mentioned she was being harassed.” Still nothing. Austin tried a different tack. “You guys have to fly in precision formation and trust every single member on the team. Isn’t that correct?”
George nodded. “It’s imperative that we’re all as close-knit as possible. One mistake can be catastrophic.”
Austin leaned forward. “I can imagine. But Sarah, she’s never going to join you in the sky at any air shows. Someone took her life. I’m here to make sure that person doesn’t get away with it. Where do you want to be in that equation, George?” George closed his eyes, his jaw clenching. “Will you keep your mouth shut and possibly let a killer go free, or make sure that Sarah gets her justice?”
He swallowed hard and looked away, his face showing not only the distress of losing Sarah, but the truth of Austin’s words. He didn’t want to be a rat.
He sighed and looked away, clearly fighting with his conscience and his need to be a team player. Finally, he faced Austin. “Lieutenant Sims. He was interested in Sarah. I don’t believe she was receptive.”
“Lieutenant Daniel Sims?”
“Yes. Are we done now?”
“We are. Thank you for your time.”
He walked out, wiping at his brow, looking more pensive than relieved. Austin rose and approached Commander Washington. “I’d like to talk to Lieutenant Sims next.”
The commander called the pilot’s name and he rose.
When Sims came in, Austin said, “Please identify yourself for the record.”
The six-foot, dark-haired guy said stiffly, “Lieutenant Daniel Sims.”
“Your position on the team?”
“Lead solo. I’ve also flown the narrator’s slot, the guy who explains what maneuvers the team is performing for the audience at the air shows. I've also flown as opposing solo in formation for the last two years, respectively.”
“Have a seat.”
He sat down and Austin said, “So you’ve been on the team for three years. Must be strange to have a woman pilot make it.”
“It’s a good thing for the Blue Angels squadron, and Sarah was amazing in many ways.”
“Was she? How?”
“She was personable, would have been an even greater draw for audiences who would want to see her in action, and she was also a great pilot.”
“She was beautiful, too.” Austin slid Sarah’s commercial pilot’s photo across the table, then slammed down the crime scene photo on top of it. Sims blanched and looked up at him, his face fixed in both regret and distress.
“I know where you’re going with this. Okay, I hit on Sarah, a lot. She complained to the commander.”
“Maybe you decided if you couldn’t have her, no one would, or your fragile ego got all bruised and that made you angry?”
“Can we get the executive officer in here?”
“For what reason?”
“He has a valuable perspective that will answer your questions.”
After Lieutenant Josh Tolbert entered and sat down, Sims turned to him. “Tell him what happened with Sarah.”
“I confidentially talked to Sarah about Daniel. She agreed to have a sit-down with him. Their differences were worked out. Daniel stopped asking her out for dates and generally being overtly sexual with her. The matter was handled in-house and was closed.”
He looked at both men. “Where were you when Sarah was murdered?”
Josh glanced down at the photographs, compassion in his eyes and his voice. “I was home with my wife.”
Daniel said, his voice quiet, “I couldn’t sleep, so I took a walk. I don’t have an alibi.”
Austin dismissed them both. His intention was to keep Lieutenant Sims on the short list.
He left the building and before getting into his car, his cell rang as the sun beat on his unprotected head. The Imperial Valley, even in the winter months, was warm. He answered, “Beck.”
“Hey, it’s Drea. I talked with Dr. Joiner and his findings are conclusive that the cause of death was manual strangulation.”
“Sounds personal.”
“Seems so. He said the bruises were deep, as if he bore down on her. He also thinks that it was a slow process because of the extent of the marks. Usually a crime of passion. Normally means the perp wanted to squeeze the life out of his victim.” She paused. “Dr. Joiner also said she had a bruise on her chest. It seems he knelt on her to hold her down. Her hands had been bound, so unfortunately, no DNA under the nails. The bruise on her jaw is an indication that he hit her first to incapacitate her. There is a distinctive, round bruise, but Dr. Joiner couldn’t figure out what it was. He’s working on it now, trying to get a better picture.”
“Thanks. Send that report to my email.”
“On the crime scene results: one set of unmatched fingerprints. Sarah’s, Jenna’s, and the super’s were the only other ones that we found. After running them through the database, there were no hits.”
“Okay, so no help there.”
“No.”
“Do you have any leads?”
“A Blue Angel pilot was harassing her, but with no DNA to place him at the scene, all I have is a Blue Angel pilot without an alibi. There was a prowler reported—maybe it was him spying on Sarah—but I have to say, I can’t see that guy skulking in the dark, hoping for a peep show. He didn’t give me that vibe.”
“So basically, other than Torres’s connection on her carrier, you have zilch.”
“Pretty much, probie. But I don’t give up that easily. There’s her phone ripe for the taking. We’ll see what turns up there.”
“Okay,” she said, her tone brisk. “I messengered Lieutenant Taylor’s effects to you to return back to the next of kin. Dr. Joiner said he’s not quite done with the body, so the family will have to wait to make arrangements for the funeral.”
“All right. Thank you, Drea.” He related the information from the interviews to her.
“Sounds like Lieutenant Sims might have had it in for her. She rejected him many times and complained about him to his superiors. Usually, joysticks don’t like their egos bruised, let alone their careers put in jeopardy.”
“Joysticks?”
“That’s what I call pilots.”
“Uh-huh.”
She huffed a breath. “Okay, I have a weakness, but that’s all in the past. Pilots are all so egotistical.” She paused, but Austin wasn’t going to tease her anymore. He had a thing for Jenna, and he knew how painful that could be. “Well, back to Sims. He has an impeccable record so far. They could easily have ejected him from the team and that would have made him quite resentful, I’m sure.”
“Yeah, I thought the same thing. Gives him motivation. Nice call.”
“Thanks. I was a detective, after all.”
“Yeah, probie. I bet you were good at it.”
She chuckled. “Let me know if anything else pops. I’m still working on the people who were rejected for the open slots. I’ll call you with any updates.”
“I’ll look at her phone when I get back to my room.”
“Okay, bye.”
He disconnected the call and once he picked up the envelope with Sarah’s effects inside, he went to the room and set them beside him as he picked up Sarah’s phone. He went through the contacts and stopped. “Bennie” was all the information listed in the contact detail. Could that be Benjamin Torres? He noticed she had an encrypted messaging app. Could that mean she was talking to someone that she
didn’t want anyone to know about? Why?
He pulled out his cell. Putting a call through to Jenna, he waited. “Hello,” she said, and her sultry voice washed over him. He closed his eyes. Damn, she’d always had this effect on him.
“Jenna, it’s Austin. I was wondering if we could meet this afternoon.”
“Sure, I’m at my volunteer job at the library right now, but we could meet after I’m done. I get off about four. I could make dinner.”
“Okay, that sounds fine. I’ll be there around four.”
He disconnected the call and pushed away the sizzle that went down his spine, thinking about being in a homey situation with Jenna. He got down to hacking Sarah’s app and her laptop. After further investigation of her phone, he saw that she had a file titled For My Eyes Only, but when he tried to access it, he was thwarted with a request for a pin code. This was going to be a bit more involved.
Jenna set her phone back in her purse with an involuntary shiver of anticipation at seeing Austin again and cooking for him. She picked up another stack of books and set them on her reshelving cart. When she looked up, Billy Dyer, a frequent library patron and resident of El Centro, was watching her. He was short, heavyset, with a combover and dark-rimmed glasses. As soon as she made eye contact, she groaned internally. Billy took it as an opportunity to talk to her. She wondered what he did for a living. He often came to the library and asked her for recommendations, which she gave him as a part of her job. He stopped at the desk, his face conciliatory. “That book about Winston Churchill was as fascinating as you said.” He sidled closer as she left the front desk and stood next to the trolley.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I recommend you read the one about Franklin Roosevelt next, then follow that up with Truman.”
“Okay.” He didn’t make any move to go find either book. She looked at him speculatively. “I heard about Sarah,” he said, reaching out and covering her hand. His skin was clammy and moist, and she pulled her hand away.
“Thank you, Billy. I really need to shelve these books.” She turned away, but he followed her.
“You know, if you need a shoulder to cry on, I’m your man. Maybe we could go out and have dinner and talk.” The only shoulder she wanted to cry on was Austin’s. But she dismissed that notion. Once the autopsy was over and Jenna could claim Sarah’s body, she would bury her cousin and there would be no reason for her to stay in El Centro. She needed to get back to DC, figure out her life and what she wanted to do with it. This brief attempt to run away from her problems was at an end.
"No, thank you, Billy. I can handle it."
She started to go down the aisles, but he followed her again and she reached for a number of books and started to shelve them. She gave him a direct look and frowned. He'd never been this aggressive before, but his attention toward her had been escalating. Maybe she should talk to her supervisor about it.
Austin was here to do a job, nothing else. He’d been nothing but a gentleman, and secretly, she wished it were different. She’d never know what it was like to have him touch her the way she’d fantasized about. The guilt over that was probably part of the reason her marriage disintegrated once she got back to DC. She wanted to believe Robert’s controlling ways and his inability to see her as a fully capable woman had caused the rift between them. She desperately wanted to believe that. It would make her attraction to Austin just about unhappiness and loneliness. It would make it easier to go back home.
“C’mon, Jenna, say yes. It’ll be good for you,” Billy cajoled, grasping her arm. She was sure it would be good for him. Billy’s attempts to ask her out were now grating on her nerves.
She was unable to get him to let go of her because her hands were full of books. Instead, she pulled away hard, her voice firm with annoyance. “Billy, we talked about this. I think we’re better as friends.”
“Right, but this isn’t romantic.”
“No, no dates. No hanging out. I don’t think those are good ideas. Now, I really need to shelve these books.”
He looked downcast as she walked away, but she didn’t want to encourage him in any way. There was no future between them and zero attraction.
When quitting time rolled around, she headed home, stopping at the market to pick up some food for dinner. As she passed the strawberries and automatically reached for them, her heart contracted. Sarah had loved strawberries and eaten them by the bushel. Jenna bought them every time she went to the market. She hadn’t known Sarah well before she came to El Centro, but they had gotten close, even though her cousin was so busy with her training. She had been so proud, so jazzed she was going to fly with the Blue Angels. Jenna felt a spurt of rage at the person who’d taken that experience away from her. The person who had ended her life.
All the way home she worked at getting her emotions under control, especially knowing that Austin was going to be arriving shortly after she got home. As she went to open her door, Mitch from across the hall was leaving his apartment. “Here, let me help you with those, Jenna,” he said kindly.
He took several of the bags, making it easier for her to unlock her door and push it open. They walked inside and he set the bags on the counter, looking sympathetic. “I’m so sorry about Sarah. You must be devastated.”
“I am. We only just got to know each other, and now she’s gone.”
“Do they have any leads?”
“Not yet, but they’re working on it.”
“Let me know if I can be of any help.”
When he left, Jenna put the groceries away except for the meal fixings and poured herself a shot of whiskey. She needed the fortification it would bring against her raw emotions.
She then went into her bedroom and stripped off her clothes and got into the shower. She felt tired and couldn’t focus after her restless night and full day. The warm water went a long way toward loosening up her muscles and relaxing her. She washed her hair and conditioned it. She’d cut it shortly after she’d divorced from Robert, as he’d always been adamant that she maintained her long hair. It still felt strange when she ran her hands through it. After getting out and drying off, she went to grab her yoga pants and a simple top, then paused. This was dinner with Austin and, although it wasn’t a date, she wanted to look her best. It would give her courage. She went to her closet and started to pull out garments, discarding them as she went as either too dressy, too date-y, or too casual. Finally, at the end of her rope, she came across a filmy white blouse. It was ultra-feminine; the stark white, gauzy fabric felt pretty against her skin, not too dressy with a ruffled front and sleeves. She deliberately left the top button undone, showing the skin of her neck and upper chest, and paired it with a pair of skinny jeans.
Then she turned to her hair, pulling it up into a sexy, tousled style that also gave her confidence. Taking another breath to steady her hands, she applied her makeup. When she finished, she stood back and assessed her handiwork. She grinned at herself, a light feeling coming at her in a rush. She really hadn’t deliberately set out to mess with Austin’s mind, but she wanted him to see her as the woman she was. Not some victim, not a grieving family member. She wanted him to notice her. Even though he’d made it clear he wasn’t going to pursue a relationship with her, there was a stubborn need in her to show him who she was, both inside and out. She looked in the mirror. This was a pretty good external.
On a whim, she went into Sarah’s room and opened up her jewelry box. Inside were some beautiful pieces, but Jenna went right for the simple necklace with an eagle on it. It was something Sarah always wore when she was off duty and, right now, Jenna wanted to feel close to her. Yet when she looked, it was gone. She must have been wearing it when she’d been killed. Instead, she grabbed a pretty opal that had also been a favorite. She slipped it around her neck and clasped it, touching it briefly to make sure it was centered.
Her throat thick, she stood there for a moment. She startled when the doorbell rang. She walked to the door, loving the feeling of confidence she g
ot from her girly armor. Expecting Austin, she was surprised to see it was Scott, the superintendent.
His eyes went over her in an appreciative slide. Okay, it was working, she thought, but on the wrong man. “How are you, Ms. Webb?”
She gripped the doorknob. Lord, he was a big man, imposing, and his eyes a deep blue, but somehow unsettling in a way that made her guard go up slightly. It could be her imagination. Her cousin had been murdered not more than a few strides from the front door. But Austin had said he’d had an alibi and he’d always been so helpful to them, especially with that prowler situation. “I’m doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.”
He indicated the glass. “You getting yourself a little courage?”
She looked toward the counter and nodded. When she turned back, he was inside. She got a little frisson of unease. She stood there for a moment, and he smiled, giving her a little creepy chill.
“Everything working all right?”
“I think so.” She let out a breath. She sure was on edge, so much so that the super seemed menacing and all he was here to do was help her.
“Let me just make sure.” He gestured toward the fuse box.
He’s just doing his job, and you’re on edge. Relax. “Okay, that would be good. I don’t want any problems with the power.”
Jenna went to the closet to check Sarah's pockets for the necklace. When she spied Sarah’s flight jacket inside, tears welled. She reached out and stroked the leather as her throat cramped. Sarah had been fearless. She had gone for what she wanted full blast, just like the jets she’d flown. Jenna wished she could be like that, but maybe Robert had been right. Maybe she wasn’t able to stand up for herself. Be bold. Her fears and doubts always assailing her. Maybe she did need someone to handle everything?
Sarah's pockets were all empty. Closing the door, she cried out and stepped back. The super was behind the closet door, startling her. As her heart pounded, he took a step toward her.
Chapter Six
