John brushed a hand over his blond hair. “We’re trying to connect the organization that claimed responsibility for the car explosion to a faction here in the States, but so far we don’t have enough to go on since this is a brand-new threat. We’ve got eyes on both factions and we’ll keep plugging away.”
Dylan wondered if they’d ever narrow it down. “We have people over there trying to put two and two together. If we bring down the terrorist group, we can relax a little while we tie up the loose ends here in the States. But until then, we have to protect her.”
John shot Elizabeth a knowing glance and then gave Dylan one of his frosty blue-eyed stares. “You seem kind of all-in with our subject, Dylan.”
Dylan kicked up out of the high-backed table chair and put his empty cup by the coffee service on a nearby console. He knew John understood. His fellow K-9 officer had gotten very close to his own subject very recently, a neighbor he’d fought to protect—and had fallen in love with. “The woman lost her father. She doesn’t have any close relatives. I’m trying to be considerate. It’s two weeks until Christmas. The holidays are hard...after you lose a loved one.”
John gave Dylan a quiet, appraising stare. “Yeah, we’ve all been there.” He’d lost his older brother a few years ago. Killed in the line of duty and the case had never been solved.
Dylan hadn’t lost anyone to that kind of death but he’d loved someone a few years ago, back in New York, and she’d left him right before the holidays. Walked away because she couldn’t handle his line of work. Because she liked Daddy’s money more than she liked a police officer’s salary. Either way, he hadn’t dated anyone seriously since then. And he didn’t plan on starting now.
An image of Abigail holding that folded flag played through his head. Dylan cleared it away and got back to business.
“I’m not sweet on anybody or anything except to find out who’s harassing our subject.”
No wonder he couldn’t settle down with any one woman.
Some days he couldn’t handle this work either, so it wasn’t fair to expect anyone to cheer him on. Getting shot had sobered him, made him see that he wasn’t invincible. But he still wanted to do this work, wanted to protect and serve.
“It’s tough,” he said, thinking of his parents who still lived back in Brooklyn in the same house where Dylan had grown up. His father had served his country and had come home in a wheelchair but Dad had never uttered a bitter word. Dylan would miss seeing them at Christmas. “Being alone is tough.”
“She’s alone with the whole world watching,” Elizabeth said. “I can understand how you’d want to cut her some slack.”
Dylan nodded. “I’m going to check on her. She was wiped out so she might be sleeping.”
“If Tico needs a break, Lady and I can go sit with her,” Elizabeth offered. “Girl talk soothes a lot of ailments.”
Dylan smiled at that. “Might be a good idea. I doubt she has any close friends since she travels so much.”
And he’d ask her about that, for sure.
He headed up the long hallway to the other side of the house, checking open doors and stepping into big, rambling rooms as he went. Abigail’s assistant CiCi Janus sat in a dainty little office toward the middle of the house.
“Do you need anything, Officer?” she called as Dylan walked by.
He turned into the office. CiCi was young, solemn and efficient, dressed in the standard dark suit and white blouse. But not very friendly. Understandable that she’d want to protect Abigail since she worked closely with her on a daily basis. She’d insisted on staying here near Abigail.
Out of habit, Dylan did a quick scan of the office. “No. I’m going to check on Miss Wheaton. Have you heard anything from her since I last checked?”
The young woman shook her head, her dark brown ponytail swaying. “We had a brief meeting this morning to go over changing her schedule and moving some things around. We have a lot of work to do, but I can handle that for a few more days.” She leaned up in her chair. “Mr. Benison keeps calling. He’s the family lawyer and he needs to consult her regarding the reading of the will in a couple of weeks. And he reminded me of his big to-do next weekend. He’d like Abigail to attend in her father’s honor, if she’s up to it. It would really help if you could get her to go back into the city.”
“Working on it,” Dylan replied, wondering why the assistant thought it necessary to mention that since he’d been clear on how he felt about staying here. “I’ll see how she’s doing and I’ll let her know about the lawyer. But I’m sure whatever he needs can wait for a few days, especially her making a public appearance so soon after her father’s death.”
CiCi got up to come around the desk, her hesitation obvious. “She’s a very private person. This has been hard on her.” She waved a hand toward the desk. “I’m combing through the paperwork. This is a large estate—so much to decide. But...all in good time.”
Dylan held a hand on the door facing. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Then he headed on down the hall to Abigail’s suite. Why did he get the impression that CiCi didn’t want him here?
* * *
Abigail heard a soft knocking at the door.
Then she heard a woof.
Sitting up in the bed, she wiped at her eyes and tried to focus. How long had she slept?
She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Two hours?
The dog stood and gave her an interested stare. The beautiful animal sure took his job seriously.
“Reminds me of your partner,” she mumbled.
The knock came again.
“One minute,” she called. She got up and tugged the velour tunic jacket over the matching soft pants and white T-shirt she’d changed into earlier, the dark gray material warm against her cold skin.
Running a hand through her hair, she headed to the sitting area in the next room, Tico following her every step.
Her heart fluttered with fear as she remembered why she was here. “Who is it?”
“Dylan. Are you all right?”
Abigail opened the door and held on to it to steady herself. But she couldn’t avoid looking into Dylan’s dark chocolate eyes.
He looked different now. He’d taken off his jacket and his shirtsleeves were rolled up. The shadow of a beard trekked a deliciously dangerous path over his jawline. He glanced over her, those dark eyes flaring again in that way that confused her, causing her heart to beat with an adrenaline that showed she was still alive.
The dog whimpered a greeting but stayed by her side. She smiled down at Tico, her eyes burning from crying herself to sleep. “We’ve had a long nap,” she explained.
Dylan reached a hand toward the waiting dog and rubbed his head to acknowledge their connection. “May I come in?”
Abigail found her footing and gathered her manners. “Oh, yes. I’m sorry. I’m still so groggy. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was.”
He walked over to the drawn curtains. “Sun’s going down. You need to eat dinner.”
“Are you always this bossy?” she asked, glad to also regain some of her assertiveness.
“Yes.” He turned and gave her a curt smile. “You didn’t have much lunch.”
“I’m not that hungry and I can decide that for myself, thank you.”
He gave her a mock-stern glance and moved from window to window and then checked her bedroom before stalking back to the now-too-small sitting room. “Do you want a tray in here or would you like to stretch your legs and eat in the kitchen?”
Abigail gave that some thought. “Should I wear hiking boots since it’s such a long way?”
“Touché,” he retorted with a deadpan expression. “Do you want to leave this room for a while?”
She toyed with a coil of hair. “Are you asking me to move to the kitch
en or are you telling me to move to the kitchen?”
He shook his head. “Are you always this difficult?”
“Yes,” she replied, suddenly feeling a bit better about everything. Then she took his arm. “Let’s get out of here.”
Dylan grinned and commanded Tico. “Come.”
They moved up the wide hallway, Tico trotting along with them. “I see someone’s been decorating,” Abigail said. A big Christmas tree graced the sunroom just past the bedrooms. She stopped to admire the giant blue spruce. “CiCi must have done this.”
“I think I saw her moving boxes earlier, but she had the entire staff helping, too,” Dylan replied. “One of our guards helped her carry some ornament boxes.”
“Lots more in the attic,” Abigail replied. “Nice of her to think of that, considering.” She blinked back tears. “Christmas is always so special here. Poppy and Louie go all out inside while Sam makes the yard look extra special.”
The lights on the big tree twinkled, blinding her to her pain. She moved to keep going and in the next instant, one of the big windows shattered and glass spewed out into the air.
Dylan grabbed Abigail and shoved her against the wall past the windows.
Tico started barking and people came running.
While Dylan held her there and shouted orders over her head, Abigail stared at the beautiful tree that held so many family memories. And wondered if she’d be able to celebrate Christmas at all this year.
FIVE
“You okay?” Dylan’s husky whisper sounded in her ear and sent shock waves down her backbone.
Abigail nodded, still holding her breath.
“One shot through the window,” John called out. “We’re on it.”
Dylan didn’t move and Abigail didn’t want him to move. This man was like a human shield that protected her from every angle.
“I have to go,” he finally said. Tugging her toward the middle of the house, he directed her into the office. “CiCi?”
Abigail’s heart fluttered and started beating again. “CiCi,” she called, fear tripping against her pulse.
Dylan let her go and gave Tico the order to guard her.
“Stay in this room,” he said. Then he drew his gun and hurried to the big window behind the desk.
Abigail pressed against a bookcase and watched him running his hand over the windowpanes and casings.
“CiCi? Miss Janus?” he called again as he walked around a high-backed settee on the far side of the room.
When he stopped and looked down, Abigail knew something was wrong. When his eyes locked with hers, she moved toward him, her hands going up to her mouth. “No.”
Dylan held up a hand. “Stay there.”
“No.” She rushed to the settee. “No, I won’t stay back. I have to see—”
CiCi lay dead, her blue eyes open, her ponytail wrapped against her neck like a cord. Her white blouse was stained with blood from a small, gaping hole. She’d been shot.
“Oh, no, no.” Abigail felt herself falling, her legs completely collapsing underneath the weight of what she saw there.
Dylan lifted her and carried her to a nearby chair. “Hey, hey, listen to me,” he said, taking both her hands in his. “I’m sorry, Abigail. Sorry.” He called Tico over. “I’m going to radio this in but I’ll be right outside the door, understand. Tico will make sure I hear if anyone comes near you.”
She moved her head in acknowledgment but Abigail couldn’t find her voice. He leaned in and placed a quick kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry.”
He was halfway to the door when she called out to him. “Dylan, how...how did this happen?”
He came back and stared down at her with a darkness that broke her heart. “I don’t know yet but I promise you, I’ll find out.”
Abigail leaned her head against one of the big wings of the side chair, dizziness and dread tugging at her like whiteout snow. CiCi. Her sweet, efficient CiCi. Dead.
And it was all her fault.
She shouldn’t have insisted they stay here at the farm.
Dylan’s voice echoed out toward her, his words low and firm, his tone serious and swift while he reported in, first to 911 and then to Captain McCord. Was he planning on moving her again?
She ventured a glance over at the settee. She could see one of CiCi’s legs, her foot twisted, a black pump slipping off her toes. A life gone too soon. Who would do this? Who would kill an innocent young woman to get to her?
Abigail closed her eyes and pushed at the tears that threatened to explode in a deluge of pain and frustration. When she heard a soft woof, she opened her eyes to find Tico right there at her side. The big dog’s dark gaze seemed to hold a world of understanding.
“You are such a sweet boy,” she said, smiling in spite of her pain, in spite of the need to crumple into a pool of tears. “Tico, thank you for watching over me.”
She leaned down and let him sniff her knuckles. Then she reached out a tentative hand to touch his furry head. The big dog didn’t move, but his happy smile told her he liked being petted. She’d never had many animals as a child. Always moving around. Here where she used to feel safe, they’d had barn cats and one mutt of a dog named Clover who had refused to leave.
“What an amazing animal,” she said to the dog she petted now. “You are a good police officer, Tico.”
Then she leaned down, her cheek brushing against his lifted head. “What a sweet, sweet protector.” With her eyes closed and Tico’s soft fur against her cheek, she sent up a prayer for CiCi’s family and for herself. She asked God to protect her protectors, an image of Dylan and Tico front and center on that prayer list.
When she looked up, Dylan was standing in the doorway staring at her with a dark expression that spoke of the things neither one of them could admit.
“We found another cracked window,” he said as he advanced into the room.
“In here?” She turned toward the drawn drapes.
“Yes.” He pointed up to where a skylight slanted against the gabled roof. “Up there.”
Abigail stood and stared up at the dark window to the stars. “Someone came up on the roof?”
“Yes. Dogs tracked him to some trees on the back side of the house. Must have climbed up into the oak tree and followed a big limb right up to the roof. He had to have shot her from an angle, but we have a diamond-edged hole right in the middle of the skylight.”
Abigail looked over at the desk. “I had that skylight installed to bring more sunshine into this room since it faces the west. Beautiful sunsets but shady and dark for most of the day. I enjoyed sitting inside the glow of that slash of light.” She shook her head. “I’ll have it removed when this is all over.”
Dylan’s sympathetic expression lasted only a couple of seconds and then he lifted her out of the chair. “I need to take you back to your suite. Officer Elizabeth Carter and her dog, Lady, will sit with you. I’ve got a crime scene team and my captain on the way out here. But I want to keep you away from all of this.”
She nodded, too numb to react. “And what about you and Tico?”
“We’re gonna have a long night,” he said.
He nodded toward a waiting officer to enter the office and then he placed his palm against the middle of Abigail’s back and guided her down the hallway.
When they reached the big Christmas tree, Abigail stopped. “CiCi was always so thoughtful, so considerate of my time and my work. I can’t believe someone would murder her.”
She touched a hand on a delicate ornament. “This isn’t going to end any time soon, is it?”
“No.” Dylan tugged her away from the shattered window. “I’m afraid it’s just beginning.”
* * *
Abigail couldn’t sleep. She tossed on the bed, unable to get the image of
CiCi’s lifeless body out of her mind.
At around three in the morning, she got up and decided she’d try to read. When she checked the other room, she saw Lady lying on the rug by the fireplace. The beautiful border collie was different from Tico, but every bit as professional.
Lady watched as Abigail tiptoed toward the remains of the fire. Elizabeth was curled up on the couch with a throw over her but she sat up when Abigail entered the room.
“Ma’am?”
Abigail waved her back down. “I’m fine. I can’t seem to settle down. And please call me Abigail.”
Elizabeth sat up and ran a hand through her short dark curls. “You’ve had a rough few days.”
Abigail nodded and then sank into the chair away from the windows. “Yes. The shock has left me numb and...frightened. Two people I cared about gone in such a short time.”
Elizabeth straightened her clothes and folded her blanket.
“You don’t have to keep me company,” Abigail said. “I only came to get my book.”
“It’s okay,” Elizabeth replied. “Talking can sometimes help people to remember or think about details and we need a lot of information right now. Anything you can remember.”
“Ah, I see.” Abigail couldn’t argue with that logic. “Any word on the investigation?”
“Nothing yet,” Elizabeth said. “Dylan checked in with me about an hour ago. He’s in the briefing room going over things with the crime techs and the rest of the team.”
Abigail let out a dry chuckle. “We have a briefing room here now?”
Elizabeth smiled. “Yes. One of the dining rooms. The interior one near the kitchen.”
“Well, we have three so I’m glad someone is putting the space to good use.”
“Would you like me to get you something?” Elizabeth asked.
“No, no. I’m good.” Abigail got up to stoke the fire. “I’m not good but I’ll be okay. I wish there was something I could remember that might help.”
Elizabeth called Lady over and stroked her lush blond fur. “When you were overseas, did anyone approach you or try to contact you? Someone who you might feel uncomfortable with?”
Capitol K-9 Unit Christmas Page 12
