Nick motioned for her to go inside first then closed the door and made sure it was locked. “Does your sister have a boyfriend? Maybe she feels safer with him around….”
Her eyes opened wide and she shook her head. “Oh, no. Not Beth. She wouldn’t spend the night at his place. They met at church. I think they’re both leaders of the youth group. Beth is, anyway. She takes her vow of abstinence very seriously. That’s part of why I’m so concerned about what happened the other night. Even though she was spared the worst, the assault was an attack on something that she held dear.” Sarah paced the main floor, studying every detail intently.
“How’s she dealing with it?”
Sarah hesitated to answer. “She’s denying any reaction. I’m worried about how she’ll handle it when she realizes what could have happened. I want to get her to talk to a good assault counselor, before someone tries to convince her that she did something to deserve this.” Sarah’s voice became softer and harder to hear.
She was speaking like someone who knew what her sister was going through. Nick wasn’t sure how to respond. “Did anyone in our department say something like that?”
She looked up in confusion; her attention had been somewhere else. “What?”
He wanted to change the question, but didn’t. He wanted to take this tiny woman with more spunk than most officers and hold her, comfort her.
He couldn’t.
He shouldn’t.
He had to find a way to turn off the personal feelings he was discovering for this petite spitfire.
He repeated the question.
“I don’t know. She won’t talk to me. She won’t let me talk to her….” Sarah’s voice trembled. Tears stung her eyes, and she fought to cover the fact.
“It’s happened to you, hasn’t it?”
She turned away. “I didn’t say that.”
“Not directly, but you sound as if you know what she’s going through. Or did you handle serial crimes at the FBI?”
“No, and no. A roommate in college was raped, while I was across the hall sleeping. I’ll never forget hearing her scream, seeing the rapist disappear back through that window. I was so terrified, I did everything wrong, ruined the investigation. I vowed I’d never do that again.”
“Forgive me for jumping to the wrong conclusion.” He couldn’t imagine how helpless Sarah must have felt. It was no wonder she wanted to help her sister now. “I’m sorry, Sarah.”
He forced his mind to the situation at hand.
“Beth is a youth counselor, encouraging abstinence. Avoiding temptation. She wouldn’t stay at Steve’s house, even after this. She didn’t want to tell our parents, so I’m positive she wouldn’t tell her fiancé, either. That concerns me.”
“Do you think that’s pertinent to the case?” He felt his investigative instincts kick in.
She nodded. “It’s worth considering.”
“Does she teach abstinence in her college classes, too? It seems I’ve seen something about an organization promoting abstinence recently, at church, or in the newspaper or somewhere.”
Sarah was silent, then started looking around. “Do you see my sister’s laptop? It’s usually right here.”
Nick searched the room. “Maybe she took it with her.”
“Hmm. She doesn’t usually do so unless she’s gone for a holiday or something. Even then, she takes her files on her flash drive and uses Mom and Dad’s computer when she’s there.”
Sarah ran up the stairs and returned a few minutes later, empty-handed.
What was her sister doing, and why hadn’t she told Sarah she was going somewhere?
TEN
After her brother showed up, Sarah tried to escape while Nick was talking to Joel.
“Call me when you get to your place, Sarah,” her brother said as she quietly closed the screen door.
Nick swung around and darted out after her. “Wait a minute there! Talk to you later, Joel.”
Her brother laughed from the doorway as Sarah hurried to her SUV with Nick running behind. “Keep a close eye on my sister, Nick.”
“That’s easier said than done.” He knocked on the passenger window and pointed to the seat, and Sarah smiled as she unlocked the door.
He climbed inside. “What was that about? I told you I’m going to be your shadow until we figure this out.”
“I was just trying to give myself a fighting chance to get away,” she said firmly, trying not to laugh. “I meant what I said about not jeopardizing your career, Nick. I want you to leave this problem to me. Don’t get involved. How else can I prove to you that I’m not trying to get you into trouble?”
“Why do you care what I think?” he challenged.
“Because you’re my training officer,” she replied automatically. She started the engine, realizing she didn’t know for sure why she cared. Yes, she’d had a crush on him in high school, but she’d also had a crush on about a dozen other boys back then, and the thought of them didn’t turn butterflies loose in her stomach.
“Maybe you need to take a few days off until this is under control.”
“Maybe I should,” she said, rather than arguing that she’d have had no issue with pursuing this, even if it meant pushing the limits with her previous field training officer. It was Nick she didn’t want hurt in the cross fire. She wanted to protect him as much as she did her family. She had three more weeks as his trainee. Another four after that with another officer, on her last probationary rotation. It seemed like forever, and she couldn’t wait to have her independence back.
Nick was painfully quiet, and she was glad for the darkness. Unfortunately, they were accustomed to the dark, and even in the cover of the night, she felt vulnerable to this man.
She pulled up at her apartment and got out. The long day was taking its toll, and the adrenaline churned up by her sister’s disappearance was wearing off. Still, Sarah knew she needed to find some information about Beth’s whereabouts before she’d be able to sleep.
“Why doesn’t your sister normally take her laptop with her?” Nick said as he followed Sarah up the steps.
It seemed like an odd question to come out of the blue. “I don’t know. Why do you ask?”
He held the screen while she unlocked her door. “I’m just curious why you think it’s so odd that it’s gone. Laptops are made to carry along.”
She shrugged. “It just is. Over Christmas, she went the full month at our parents’ without it. It’s an older machine, so maybe it’s not very fast. I don’t know.”
“Is she a heavy e-mailer?”
Sarah spun around, annoyed. “I don’t need you tempting me to dig into her investigation, Nick.”
He smiled. “I’m not trying to tempt you. I’m trying to point out that it’s possible she went someplace where she didn’t think she would have computer access. Or maybe she e-mailed you. When is the last time you checked?” He glanced over at her desk and raised an eyebrow. “I know you haven’t since you got to work. We had the interview of the bank robbers before briefing….”
“And didn’t have a break all night. I hope you’re right.” Sarah hurried to her computer and pressed the power button. “While it’s revving up, how about I put a pizza in the oven? We never did eat tonight.”
He glanced around the unsettled apartment, curious to learn more about his partner, she supposed. “The last thing you want is dishes. I’ll call for one. What do you like on it?”
She paused, realizing how Nick still fit the image she’d had of him in high school. He’d been one of the quiet guys who hadn’t let his talent go to his head. He’d grown into a sweet, considerate gentleman. A man of honor.
He was still waiting for her answer. “On your pizza, what do you like?”
“Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something. Anything but pineapple and anchovies. I’m going to change and pack a few things for overnight.”
Before he could respond, she’d disappeared up the stairs. He had the local pizza place programmed
in his cell phone, so he called the order in, and waited for her to return. Boxes from her move were still stacked around the living room and kitchen. She had a few photos out on the mantel of the gas fireplace. He recognized her brother, and guessed the woman to be her sister, though she didn’t look much like Sarah. Beth was a few inches taller, with a short, sporty hairstyle and lighter hair. Another photo was pushed to the back of the shelf, lying facedown. Nick picked it up and peeked at the photo of Sarah and a man on the beach.
“That’s trash,” Sarah said from behind him.
He turned, almost dropping the picture. Sarah had brushed her hair so that it hung, lush and gleaming, around her shoulders. “What is?”
“The whole thing. The relationship, the cutesy frame…” She took the photo from him and tossed it into the trash can. “I had the movers pack for me. That wouldn’t have made it here if I’d done it myself.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” he said, though he was happy she’d given it.
She smiled. “I kind of hoped you’d want to know that. I mean, you did tell me not to keep any pertinent information from you.”
While he groped for some clever comeback, she went to her computer and entered her password. He wasn’t prepared for the sight of her in those clothes—snug jeans and T-shirt, and a pink, fitted jacket. He tried to keep his attention focused on the investigation.
“While the computer logs me onto the network, could I get you something to drink?”
He was encouraged to learn that his earlier assessment of Sarah appeared to be one hundred percent accurate. This woman was in charge. “I ordered a soda with the pizza. I figure it’s going to be a long night.”
“Morning. It’s almost five.” She bent forward as the monitor started displaying incoming e-mails.
Nick stepped to the side, careful to keep his distance. He couldn’t lose sight of the fact that he was her training officer. Until he could get her reassigned without causing himself more trouble, Sarah Roberts was off-limits. Whether he liked it or not.
“No e-mails from her. I want to check one more thing.” Sarah went to a search engine and typed in her sister’s name. “There she is, as a contributing author on a ‘waiting for marriage’ Web site. And on a blog on another site…”
“What’s that?”
Sarah looked at the conference link that Nick pointed to. “It’s the weekend after next.”
“I had hoped that’s where she was today.”
“No, but maybe she’s meeting with the organizers. That’s the only thing that makes sense. Let me check her Coedspace listing again, see if she mentions abstinence there.” Sarah scrolled through the information, looking for her sister’s name. Just then, her doorbell rang.
Nick paid for the delivery and thanked the kid by name. “Ah, nothing like hot pizza at 5:00 a.m. Shall we take it back to eat with Joel?”
“Sure,” Sarah said as she shut down her computer. She grabbed her bag and met Nick at the entryway. He stepped out the screen door, holding it while she locked the dead bolt.
“Did you check your phone messages?” he asked as an afterthought.
She nodded. “No word yet. I’m certain she’s okay, though. I’m sure of it.”
“How can you be so positive?”
“I’ve always known when one of my family was hurt or in trouble. It took years to recognize that sick-to-the-stomach feeling I get, but it’s pretty accurate.”
“Is it that twin-connection phenomenon?”
She shrugged. “Partially, I suppose, except there’s eleven years between Beth and me, so it’s not just that.”
“Does your brother have it, too?”
She beeped the device to unlock her SUV, and they were off. “Not that he’s acknowledged. I don’t talk about it much.”
“Oh, so you don’t want me to mention it to him?”
She laughed. “Not really. They already think I’m the oddball of the family.”
“Why’s that?” Nick asked, inhaling the tempting aroma of pizza. “Think Joel would notice if we ate it on the way?”
“Yes, and to answer your first question, I’m short. I’m the only one in the family who isn’t in education. I—”
“You’re the brainiac, and they think you should use it for something less dangerous than law enforcement?”
She looked at him and smiled. “Yeah. They don’t understand me, why I find the thrill of the chase so rewarding. The last thing I need is for them to ship me off to the psych hospital to find out why I have a gut instinct.”
He’d never made that connection. “So did you know you had this instinct when you were a kid?”
“Not really. I knew when my brother was going to be in big trouble, but that wasn’t quite the same. I had usually snitched on him, very covertly, of course, so I had insider information. And I don’t want Joel to know that, either.”
Nick smiled, his eyes meeting hers. “Remind me not to make you mad.”
“As long as we’re on the same team, you’re safe,” she said, turning the final corner to her sister’s house.
“Let’s keep it that way.”
When they pulled into the parking space at the curb, the police cars were gone. The soft glow from the lights inside made the house stand out, even on the fringes of the college campus.
Sarah knocked on the door and waited for her brother to let them in. “Hi, we brought breakfast. Feel like some pizza?”
Joel yawned. “Not really. I’d like some sleep. I don’t know how you two can keep these kind of hours. I’m just glad it’s Sunday and I don’t have to be at school this morning.”
Sarah looked over her shoulder and smiled at Nick. Why was it that being with her felt so natural? He hadn’t felt this free to be himself in months. Not since his reputation had been called into question.
“We do sleep, it’s just during the hours that you’re normally herding middle schoolers. Now if there’s anyone with a job no one understands, that has to be it,” Sarah teased.
“Yeah, and everyone thinks you’re the tough one,” he sparred back.
“I wouldn’t want to go up against her in a brawl,” Nick interjected. “Have you seen your sister in action?”
Joel glanced at him. “I had to share a womb with her. She’s been kicking and punching all her life! But no, I haven’t seen her in a fight recently, thankfully. She’s still a little spitfire, huh?”
“That’s an accurate description,” Nick said with a laugh. “So do you teach, or coach, or…?”
Her brother yawned again. “Both. I teach science and coach basketball and track.”
They visited for a few minutes, then, after the pizza had been devoured, Sarah asked Joel if the police had stopped in to discuss anything.
“Nick’s brother wants him to call. A tow truck took her car to the police investigations something or other. That’s about all they told me. So what do you think really went down?”
Nick looked at Sarah, curious as to what she’d say.
“We’re not really investigating either of the cases, Joel, and even if we were, you know I can’t talk about evidence. I’m only here because I’m her sister.”
Joel accepted that, but still pressed for more information. Sarah said nothing more than Nick had heard her say before, and no more than he would have told his family if he were in the same situation. He had learned a lot from his sister Kira’s experience, and respected the way her fiancé, Dallas, had handled her case. All had ended well for them personally, too.
“Nick?”
“What?” Why was he so easily distracted tonight?
“My mom and dad will be here this afternoon. Would you mind if Joel and I get some sleep? You can take my SUV back to the station if you—”
“I’m not going anywhere. You two go on upstairs. I’ll watch out here for a while, then grab a few minutes’ rest. Since we’re off Monday night, we can catch up on last night’s paperwork, and hopefully, have some answers on your sister by the end of t
he day.”
Joel studied them both. “You don’t expect anyone to come back after all that, do you?”
Nick explained. “Vandals often do come back, either to finish a job, to show off that they carried out on the act, or…”
Joel looked at Sarah. “You didn’t say this was gang related.”
“No, I didn’t. We don’t know that it is. It’s too soon to know any of that for sure,” she said.
Nick knew it was unlikely that they’d learn any more over the course of his brother’s shift, but he made the offer, anyway. “I’m going to call Garrett, see what they found out. I should hear back from him before you wake up.”
Nick watched the twins walk up the stairs together, hoping he’d have better news about their sister before the rest of their family arrived. He turned out the lights and sat on the futon, hoping to catch someone coming back to the scene of the crime. Every few minutes he went to the rear of the house and peered out the kitchen window. He called Garrett and left a message, eager for any news at this point. Anything that would help him stay awake.
Nick drank another glass of soda, figuring that between the sugar and the caffeine, he’d be able to make it through till daylight, when the likelihood of the suspects returning would lessen. Surveillance never had been his specialty.
The first few trips from the living room to the kitchen were dicey, as he tried to make his way without tripping over Beth’s piles of books or breaking anything. Including his own leg, which he cracked on her old trunk more than once when cutting the corner too close.
Just as the sun rose, he felt the sugar wearing off. His eyes drifted closed, and this time, he couldn’t fight it. He slept soundly, the occasional snore startling him into a more comfortable position.
He woke to screams at the front door, his phone ringing, and the subject of his dreams rushing into the room with her weapon drawn.
Nick jumped from the futon and tripped over the trunk serving as a coffee table.
He peeled his eyes open, realizing Sarah was pointing a gun at him, then at her sister.
Badge of Honor Page 7
