Badge of Honor

by Carol Steward

  “It’s me! Nick!” he cried.

  “Nick?” Sarah asked.

  At the same moment her sister said, “Sarah? What are you doing here, who is Nick, and why are the two of you in my house?”

  ELEVEN

  Sarah tucked her gun in her waistband and rushed toward her sister. “Where have you been? Why haven’t you returned my phone calls? We were worried sick.”

  “We? As in you and Nick?” She looked at him as if he were the enemy. “Who is he?”

  Nick stepped forward, offering his hand. “I’m Sarah’s training officer.”

  Just then Joel made his way down the stairs. “Is it safe to come down? All of the weapons put away?”

  Sarah brushed the hair off her forehead. “You’re such a dork.”

  “Joel? What are you doing here?” Beth asked.

  “You may as well set your things down, kiddo,” he answered. “This is going to take awhile. And about the time Sarah finishes the story, Mom and Dad should be here and we can go through it all again.” He gave his little sister a hug and took her bags. “At least you’re okay.”

  “You told them?” Beth yelled. “Sarah!”

  Nick’s phone rang, and he stepped outside to answer it, away from the fury of Sarah’s sister.

  Sarah knew there was no better time than the present to explain what had unfolded in Beth’s absence. It wasn’t going to get any easier. When she was through, she looked at her sister, who was white as a ghost.

  “I can’t believe you told anyone what happened, let alone Mom and Dad and Joel,” Beth said, covering her face with her hands. “I trusted you to keep this between us.”

  “Hold on, Beth. You can’t expect Sarah to take that burden on herself,” Joel interrupted. “It’s been a week, and you wouldn’t answer your phone. You didn’t call her back. What was she supposed to think? I’m not even a cop, and I’d fear the worst under these circumstances.” He gave their sister a firm lecture about them being family and how much it hurt that she’d piled all this pressure onto Sarah.

  Beth crossed her arms over her chest and began to pout like a two-year-old. “I just want to forget about it and put it behind me. Is that too much to ask for?”

  “Yes, Beth,” Sarah was saying as Nick walked back inside. “It’s unrealistic and irresponsible….”

  His face was drawn, with a seriousness she’d not seen before. She looked at him, waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, she continued drilling her sister, despite being distracted by the feeling that something worse had happened. “So, how were we supposed to react to your sudden disappearance and the vandalism to your property?” she asked. “Not to mention finding your name and address listed on Coedspace?”

  “I figured it’s on every other online directory. What’s the point of making more work for kids who want to contact me? But fine, I’ll take it off if it will make you happy.”

  Nick interrupted. “No, call the detective now, before you remove her address from the Web site. Otherwise, they won’t be able to use it in the investigation, if it turns out to be related.”

  “My sister’s safety comes first,” Sarah argued.

  “Of course it does, but do you know she’ll be safe even if you remove her listing? If the suspect did get her address off the Web site, the damage is already done. That was Garrett on the phone, by the way.” He turned to Beth. “I can’t say why, but I think you need to move in with your sister or someone until the assailant is caught. You’re putting yourself and Sarah both in jeopardy. Last night it was your car. Next time, it may not be quite as easy to repair the damage.”

  Sarah looked at Nick, wondering what had happened to make him lecture her sister. It was nice to have him support her, but he’d gone a little far.

  Beth stared at the stranger giving her orders. She glanced at Sarah, then eased toward the stairs in silence.

  “Go pack your bags, Beth. You can stay at my place for now,” Sarah told her.

  Joel led their sister upstairs while Sarah talked to Nick. “What happened?”

  “There was a rape. The woman from two houses down went out to get her dog to quit barking. She heard someone bashing up the car and went to get the dog, which had broken through the fence. The suspect attacked her, told her to give the ‘prude’ who lives here a message from him.”

  Sarah clapped her hand to her mouth. “He knows…”

  Nick took her into his arms and held her close. “We have to catch this guy. He chased the victim down the alley. She said her dog tried to protect her. He bit the suspect and held on to his leg, and she was able to break away. He was apparently dragging the dog, and when she escaped, he shot it. By then, she’d gone into a convenience store and called the police.”

  “It could have been Beth. How do I tell her that her neighbor was…”

  Nick let Sarah go. “If that’s not enough to get through to her, nothing will. But then again, I don’t want her to blame herself, either.”

  Sarah nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes as she put some distance between them. “Any similarities to the other attacks?”

  “You’ll have to talk to the detectives about that. I don’t know enough about the other incidents, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable with my sister living here, especially by herself. And I don’t feel comfortable with you living here with her, either.”

  Nick looked at her with his soft gray eyes, and for a minute she felt something more than the brotherhood of the badge between them. Then he glanced away, and she realized it was dangerous to even imagine a romance with her training officer. She had to get Nick Matthews out of her head. She had to get her mind back on the subject.

  “She won’t even let me suggest that this might be someone she knew, let alone convince her that she needs to make changes to her life. I’m surprised that she listened to you.”

  “You and Beth will both have to talk to the detectives, Sarah. They have to consider all of this if we’re going to catch him.”

  There was a long pause. “She works mainly with the girls in the abstinence group,” Sarah murmured at last. “Maybe it’s one of their boyfriends.”

  “That’s warped, but I’ve heard of worse. You can’t fly under the radar on this. It’s dangerous for you, for Beth and for your career.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his blue T-shirt clinging to his body. Sarah reminded herself that he shouldn’t even be here.

  She heard Joel and Beth moving around upstairs, then turned and walked to the kitchen. She glanced outside for the first time since the crime scene had been cleared. “Not to mention your career, right?”

  “Don’t make this about me,” Nick said, leaning against the doorjamb. “I know how difficult it is to leave this to someone else when you have the experience to handle the case. It’s a fine line to walk. A dangerous line. You can think you’re in control, and in one moment of distraction, it’s all gone.”

  Sarah glanced up the stairs. “Is that what happened to you?”

  “I didn’t professionally interfere with the investigation, but I was definitely keeping my nose in the details and keeping an eye out for my sister’s safety. I was working a drug investigation at the same time. I left myself wide-open when I asked the two officers to tag some evidence instead of doing it myself.”

  “Live and learn,” Sarah said softly.

  “I’d rather you not learn that same lesson the hard way. Would your sister listen to someone else? Like my sister, maybe? After her incident, Kira is volunteering with the county victim’s advocacy network. I hear she’s doing a great job helping out there.”

  Sarah took a few steps toward the stairs and shook her head. “I don’t know what would reach Beth right now, but I know she’s going to blame herself for her neighbor’s assault. You got through to her without even telling her that. Maybe Kira could, too. I just know that I have to find something that will make her understand how serious this is.”

  TWELVE

  The next day, Nick met Sarah at the police s
tation to finish their reports. “How’s your sister doing?”

  “Considering my parents won’t stop asking her questions, she’s hanging in there. I haven’t told her about the neighbor yet. But I think she’s finally willing to talk to someone.”

  “And you? How’re you holding up?”

  “The same. It’s a small apartment for four people.” She printed off the last report and started reading it for accuracy, then handed it to Nick. “They’re out looking for a more secure, bigger place for us to share.” Sarah took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as if she was counting to ten.

  Nick glanced at the report, then peered up at her. “And how is that settling with you and Beth?”

  She shrugged. “It’s fine, I guess. I just wish it were something we had a little more control over. Dad isn’t going to leave till he’s moved us both. Either that, or until we consent to go to Montana with him and Mom and never leave home again!”

  “Montana was the hideout of the Unabomber. You can always use that as an argument not to do so.”

  Sarah laughed. “Thank you. I’m not going, but bigger and more secure is hard to find these days.”

  “It sounds like a good idea, though. My sister has a place in a gated community. I think there’s a three-bedroom condo for sale. They’re pretty nice, in a good neighborhood. Even a gate doesn’t keep everyone out, though.”

  “Don’t tell my dad that, please. I just want to find someplace soon. I haven’t signed a lease for my apartment yet, so I need to make a decision pronto. I stayed with Beth till I found something, and just barely got moved in myself, but it’s definitely not going to work for the two of us. Beth’s been in her house for two years, so she’s fine to give her notice. Under the circumstances, I figure it’s safer to make it look like she’s living there for a while longer anyway, until this guy is caught.”

  “Stop right there. That sounds like you’re planning something, Sarah.” He almost wished they were assigned to patrol tonight, given the stress she had waiting at home. “Did you call the detective yet?” He glanced up from the report to find her looking at him.

  “It’s not quite that easy, Nick.” She ran her hand through her hair and pressed her lips together.

  “Why not? These details could break the case,” he said, handing the paper back to her. “This report looks good, by the way.”

  “The whole thing could also come back to bite me. I want to fit in here. I want the other officers to give me a chance. I can’t come in and act like a hotshot from the FBI, telling the detectives how to do their jobs.” She shook her head. “I’ve left a message for Detective Wang to call me. I mentioned that Beth is staying with me now, but he hasn’t phoned back yet. He didn’t recognize me when I picked my sister up after the incident, and for all I know, he may not even realize I’m a cop for FCPD.”

  Nick looked at her, shook his head and smiled. “That’s kind of funny, a detective who didn’t recognize a coworker. Even I recognized you from fourteen years ago.” He didn’t dare admit to her that he’d been too shy fourteen years ago to ask an older woman out.

  “With a little reminder,” she said with a grin. “I thought I’d see how he responds when I talk to him. If he seems irritated, I’ll find some other way to pass the information along. I’m just not willing to make waves right now.”

  Nick wrote down his sister’s phone number and the cross streets where her condo was located, and handed it to Sarah. “There were several weeks between each attack until Beth’s and her neighbor’s. If the online community is how the perp is finding his victims, we need to take action right now. I don’t care if Wang doesn’t like someone thinking of something he hasn’t. Our goal is to solve the case and prevent more assaults.” Nick gazed at her again. “I understand your hesitation, but this is not something you can keep quiet about, Sarah. Take it to the shift supervisor if you don’t want to step on Wang’s toes. Send Lieutenant Douglas an e-mail with your discoveries. Let him look into it and pass it along.”

  “I notice you’re not willing to tell Wang.” Her eyes sparkled. “You think he’s going to be upset?”

  “He and I worked okay together, but I think it will come better from someone else right now. Like you. I know it’s hard to swim upstream with your hands tied behind your back. But one way or another, it’s a lead that needs to be passed along.” Nick studied Sarah’s face. “You shouldn’t back down. Your experience is worth a lot in a department like Fossil Creek. You can’t hide your skills in a place like this or you’ll be kicked around forever. And it seems like you are trying to hide them. What’s going on?”

  She didn’t answer, just shrugged.

  Nick wasn’t up for games right now. He’d overstepped the lines already. If she wasn’t going to come clean with what she was up to, he wasn’t about to drop his guard.

  “When we return to work on Thursday, I want some answers. And I’d better not see you holding back. Talk about something coming back to bite you, that’s going to be it.” He stood, pushing the chair aside. “Have a good weekend.”

  “You too, Nick,” he heard her say as the door closed behind him. “Sorry I can’t be who you want me to be.”

  Nick opened the local newspaper Friday morning, and nearly choked on his coffee. “Rapist Taunts Fossil Creek Police, Promises to Strike Again.” He had spent his days off splitting firewood for his wood stove, ignoring the outside world, trying to put Sarah Roberts out of his mind. So much for his efforts. She was front and center once more.

  Had she talked to anyone about her suspicions yet? What had spurred this change in the suspect’s pattern?

  He called Garrett to see what he knew about the message the newspaper was referring to. “Did it mention anyone specifically?” he asked his brother.

  “All we were told last night was that until he’s caught, we’re patrolling in pairs. The chief’s job is on the line, I suppose. They’ve asked for volunteers to work the Harvest Festival tonight. I think they wanted to cancel it altogether.”

  Nick left early for work, hoping to talk to Sarah before the briefing. He’d called yesterday to find out about her house hunt, and had left her a message, reminding her to be prepared for a lot of walking the downtown carnival grounds during the festival the next two nights. It seemed like a perfect place for their rapist to strike, especially after his recent message to the newspaper. Nick also needed to be sure she’d talked to Detective Wang.

  He turned onto Highway 87 and noticed a car on the shoulder with the trunk lid open and the left side lifted on a jack. He looked at his watch and started to drive past, until he saw the white-haired woman trying to turn the wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the wheel.

  Pulling off the road, he called the station to let them know he’d be a little late, and give his location in case they’d already received a report of a stranded motorist. He tugged his wallet from his pocket to show the woman his badge. “Good evening. I’m Sergeant Matthews from Fossil Creek Police Department. Looks like you could use some help.”

  “I’d just about given up and started walking,” the woman said. “No one stops to help these days.”

  “You never know whether it’s safer if they do or don’t. Do you have roadside assistance to change that for you?”

  She looked at him as if he was speaking a foreign language. “I don’t even have one of those cellular phones, or I’d have called for help. No one even stopped to offer to call someone for me.”

  He could see where this conversation was going—in circles. “Let’s see if we can get you back on the road then.” He lowered the jack.

  “I just got the car lifted. Why’re you doing that?”

  “To keep the tire from turning while I loosen the lug nuts. Where’s your spare?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t have one. My husband put this jack in the trunk before he died, I guess, but I can’t find the extra tire.”

  Nick paused. She was obviously confused. It was going to be a long night. He asked a few gener
al questions to make sure she wasn’t disoriented, then went back to the topic of the tire when he felt sure she was okay. “You certain there’s no spare? Mind if I take a look? They’re usually under the floor of the trunk these days.”

  “Be my guest, but I didn’t see anything in there. My husband used to keep track of these things.”

  Nick simply smiled, remembering the days when his grandmother didn’t touch her car. A minute later he was lifting the mat in her trunk and detaching the spare tire.

  “Well, I’ll be. I wonder if Gordon knew that was there.”

  Nick smiled again, reminded of the days when a spare tire had been full size and few people hesitated to stop and help a neighbor. Times had definitely changed.

  From there, things went smoothly, and he had the tire changed in a matter of minutes. “Be sure to take this in and get it repaired right away—today or tomorrow. These spares aren’t made for driving long distances on.” He looked at his watch and reminded the woman that the tire shop two miles up the road was only open until six.

  “Thank you very much, Officer. We need more people like you around,” she said before she drove off.

  Heading toward work again, Nick grew more and more concerned as he thought about how easy it was for someone stranded to be victimized. How frightened people were of lending a helping hand. It seemed these days most people assumed everyone on the road owned a cell phone. That they were obligated to, for their own safety and convenience.

  His department needed to do more to educate the public on safety and public services available, he decided as he drove into the lot, noticing most of the cruisers had already left on patrol.

  The shift supervisor met him as he walked into the station. “I sent Roberts out to the festival with Thomas and Daniels, so as soon as you’re dressed, get downtown and meet up with her.” He started to walk away, then stopped. “Oh, you’ll notice on the assignment board, we’re doubling up on patrols until this rapist is stopped. So until further notice, you and Roberts are a team. If it lasts past her rotation with you, so be it. The mayor has instructed the chief that we’re to make immediate and substantial changes.”