Bound by Duty

by Valerie Hansen

  “Copy,” Linc replied. He didn’t particularly like taking orders from a sergeant who was technically not his boss, but it was a reasonable request. Besides, he wasn’t eager to return to the Sullivan apartment until he’d figured out why being there had rattled him so.

  He’d realized he’d carelessly let down his guard. That was a mistake. A huge mistake. One he would not repeat.

  * * *

  “Look, Mama. Another puppy!” Freddy was peering through the screen as Zoe steadied him.

  “I see them. Looks like your friend Star has somebody to play with.”

  “I wanna go play, too.”

  “Not now, honey. The policeman is working and so is his dog. We have to stay up here and just watch.”

  “Aww.”

  “No whining.” Zoe tried to distract him. “How about a game on the iPad? You can make some doggies wag their tails.”

  “Naw. I wanna watch real puppies. They’re soft. I love them.”

  “Not all dogs are as nice as Star,” Zoe warned, “and she might not be fun if Sergeant Colson didn’t tell her it was okay. You need to be very careful with all dogs. Ask permission before you try to pet them. Promise?”

  Freddy nodded vigorously, but Zoe had doubts he’d take her advice until he was older and wiser. That was the trouble with small children. Until they’d had experience, they were willing to try just about anything. After today, she would have to be doubly vigilant about his interactions with strange animals.

  A noise behind her caught Zoe’s attention. Frowning, she froze. What was that? It sounded like the squeak in the hallway floor. Listening intently, she didn’t hear it repeated. Nevertheless, she started to glance over her shoulder.

  Nothing there. She began to feel foolish. Boy, am I jumpy. She was turning back to the window when she sensed more than saw movement in her peripheral vision. Instinct made her tighten her hold on her son. Was there actually somebody there?

  An instant later, she whirled and put substance to her jitters. A figure in a dark hoodie was tiptoeing across the far end of the small living room!

  Zoe thrust Freddy behind her and held him there, hoping and praying she didn’t look as scared as she was. With the hoodie masking the side of his face, there was no way to identify the intruder. One thing was certain—he was too slightly built to be Boyd.

  “Get out of here,” Zoe ordered, relieved that the quaking of her insides wasn’t reflected in her voice.

  The figure stopped dead. Nobody moved. Zoe could feel the pounding of her pulse in her temples.

  A weapon. She needed a weapon. Anything with which to defend her innocent child. But what? The only people on base who were armed were members of the Security Forces and posted guards. Casting about, she saw nothing usable. That left bravado as her only option, and lots of it.

  “I said get out of here.” It was a commanding order, almost a shout, and Zoe felt her son grasping her legs from behind, the way he did when he was frightened.

  A hand with slim but masculine fingers rose to pull the sides of the hood closer. The man dipped his head, averted his gaze momentarily, then pulled something from his pocket.

  A knife!

  Zoe gasped. Her resolve deepened, hardened, became the wall she needed to protect her little boy. She dropped into a combative stance, feet apart, arms extended and ready to fend off the coming attack. No lowlife with a blade was going to get past her. Not if she had anything to say about it.

  Freddy had backed off and begun to cry as she’d prepared to do battle. The attacker turned to the boy for an instant, then focused back on Zoe.

  She grabbed her jacket off the couch and wrapped it around one forearm, never letting her concentration stray. The man seemed hesitant, as if having trouble choosing his next move. That was to her advantage. She didn’t want to face him hand to hand but intended for him to believe she would.

  Her mouth was so dry she couldn’t swallow, let alone muster a convincing threat. So there they stood as the seconds ticked off, Zoe braced and ready and her adversary hesitating until the hand with the weapon began to visibly shake.

  She had him worried. Good. Now all she needed to do was force him to bolt. Would a charge do it? Maybe. And maybe it would trigger his predatory instincts and drive him toward her.

  Before she could decide, Freddy touched the back of her leg and whimpered. “Mama?”

  Habit caused her to react. She eased her stance momentarily and lowered one outstretched hand toward the boy. That was all the opening her enemy needed. He leaped at her, falling short because she dodged just in time.

  With a guttural roar, she charged, coming in low and catching him at the waist the way a football player would take out an opponent.

  The man stumbled backward and fell.

  Zoe went for the knife and managed to grab his wrist before he threw her off and started to scramble away with his weapon.

  She raised the hoodie-wrapped forearm in case he chose to turn and slash at her. Time seemed to slow to a snail’s pace. He flipped onto his hands and knees, combat boots slipping on the slick flooring, and crabwalked until he could regain his footing.

  Zoe screamed, afraid he was going to detour toward her son.

  Freddy was already at the window, waving his hands and yelling, “Help,” in his screechy little voice.

  The attacker threw the bolt and jerked open the door. Momentum carried him into the hallway.

  Breathless, Zoe followed, inhaled as deeply as she could and let loose with a blood-curdling shriek. “Colson! Stop him!”

  FIVE

  Linc was moving toward the apartment building before he knew what was happening. Star ran ahead of him, barking.

  He took the stairs two at a time, reaching the second floor and immediately spotting Zoe braced in her open doorway.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She gestured with her arm. “A man. That way. Down the back stairs. Camo pants and a dark hoodie.”

  Star was straining at her leash. Linc drew her in and hesitated only long enough to ask Zoe, “Are you okay?”

  “Yes! Go! Don’t let him get away.”

  He would have given Star a tracking command if he’d felt it was necessary. In this case, she was clearly on the fresh trail and needed no more encouragement. Had Zoe forgotten to lock her door after him? Worse, could he have overlooked someone hiding in the apartment? He’d checked it thoroughly.

  Except for the room where Portia had been, Linc added, berating himself. Careless. Unprofessional at best. He had allowed himself to assume that the teenage girl was alone when she may have had company. She wouldn’t be the first babysitter to entertain friends when she should have been minding a child. The instant messaging beeps from her iPad and the absorbed look on her face had thrown him enough that he’d never thought of checking the room further.

  But he’d surprised Portia. How would a friend have had time to hide? More important, where was the guy now? Star was still straining at her leash, but there was nobody in sight.

  They reached the rear parking area just as a motorbike roared off. Star might have been able to keep up for a short distance if Linc chose to release her, but there was no use endangering the K-9’s welfare when he wouldn’t be there for the takedown and arrest.

  Linc shaded his eyes, trying to make out details of the bike and its rider. But the sun was too bright.

  “Star. Out,” he commanded forcefully.

  Although she remained excited, acting eager to continue her pursuit, she obeyed. Linc knew that his primary task was watching and monitoring the actions of Sergeant Sullivan. Given the state she’d been in as he’d passed her door, he figured it was best to return for an explanation. Assuming she’d offer one.

  It bothered him that he still doubted her, yet what choice did he have? She was who she was, the sister of a convicted murderer.
Anything beyond that fact was only relevant to where it led them in locating Boyd Sullivan and halting his latest killing spree. Part of him felt sorry for Zoe and her little boy, while another part kept warning him to keep his distance, particularly emotionally. There was no room for sentiment in his job. No place for opinions not based on hard evidence.

  And right now, the evidence kept indicating that Sergeant Sullivan was trouble with a capital T.

  * * *

  Zoe had kept watch at her door, just in case. Plus, she wanted to be ready to identify whomever the cop and his dog captured. When she saw them returning alone, her heart fell.

  “He got away? How? You had to be right behind him.”

  “Motorbike,” Linc replied. “Star could have kept up on foot for a short distance, but I couldn’t have.”

  “You let him go? Just like that?” Wheeling in a huff, she reentered her apartment and scooped up Freddy, holding him close and murmuring words of comfort.

  “What happened anyway? Where did the guy come from?” Linc asked.

  “I don’t know. I’d locked the door like you told me to, so I guess he was inside all along.” Her eyes narrowed on Linc, and she grimaced. “I can’t believe you missed him when you checked.”

  “Neither can I. Stay here a sec while I take a second look.”

  “Better than the first time, I hope.” She knew she was being hypercritical, but someone had just threatened her child and her mother-tiger instincts were still strong.

  As soon as Linc and Star returned to the living room, Zoe apologized. “Look. I’m sorry I snapped at you, but that guy was scary. He had a knife.”

  “What? You didn’t tell me that.”

  “You didn’t give me a chance. Besides, I wanted you to hurry up and catch him.”

  “All right,” Linc said, sobering and pulling a small notebook and pen from a deep pocket on his ABU. “Start at the beginning and tell me everything.”

  By the time she was finished relaying the basics of her scare, Zoe felt exhausted. She yawned. “Sorry. I guess the rush of adrenaline is wearing off.”

  “You’re not on duty today?”

  “No. I had planned to shop, as you already know, then do some housecleaning and relax with Freddy.”

  “What about tomorrow?”

  “We usually go to church on Sunday mornings. If you’re still assigned to watch me then, I think you’re allowed to bring the dog inside.”

  “I am. I just don’t usually go to church.”

  “Why not?” Zoe smiled. “Afraid the roof will cave in if you show up?”

  “Something like that. I wouldn’t want to shock your pastor.”

  “I think Pastor Harmon will be okay with it. He’s a seasoned preacher.” Sobering, she added, “I’m starting to appreciate your diligence more than I did before. I really would feel safer if you—or another officer—were with me. With us.”

  Watching Linc nod, she wondered if the concern she was sensing was real or imaginary. His expression was hard to read when he was at ease. The way he had looked as he and K-9 Star had dashed past her in the hallway, however, was quite memorable. It would be a long time before she forgot his intensity or the way his courageous actions had made her feel. Being married to John Flint had not imparted that kind of cosseted feeling, although belonging to the air force had given her security and a stable place to call home. At least until her brother had been dishonorably discharged, arrested and convicted as a serial killer. Those events had changed everything.

  Oh, her job had continued afterward and she’d managed to retain rank, but there had been a subtle shift in the way she was perceived by her fellow airmen. Her troubles had actually begun even earlier when she’d discovered that her late husband had been disclosing details of base operations to unnamed parties. Zoe had taken the proof of it to her superiors immediately. It had been the right thing to do, yet she’d been so mortified she’d almost resigned. If not for the assurances of her officers and thanks from the Department of Homeland Security, she just might have crawled off to lick her wounds and given up the career she loved.

  And now Boyd was back.

  Yes, she had her son and the best job in the world, but what would keep her brother from spoiling the life she’d hammered out for herself?

  Listening to Linc as he reported the incident and requested a tech team to dust for fingerprints, Zoe shivered. Just when she’d thought things couldn’t get any worse, they had done just that. As one thing led to another, she felt surrounded by so many unknowns—it was mind-boggling. Being so beset by problems also made her dredge up past failures. Normally, she wasn’t so hard on herself, but these current circumstances were enough to cause her to question her choices the way she used to. That not only wasn’t good, it wasn’t fair to herself or to those around her. Freddy needed a strong, capable parent, not a whimpering, worried mama. She would give him what he needed if it killed her.

  In the hidden corners of her subconscious, there lingered the notion that she might be more right than she wanted to be. Her stalker might very well bring death. And then who would look after her son?

  * * *

  Linc left Star sitting with the Sullivans as he welcomed the tech team and their evidence gathering equipment. “There was definitely an uninvited guest in here,” he told them. “According to the sergeant, the guy was too slightly built to be Boyd Sullivan, but treat this scene as if it could have been him just the same. No sense taking chances.”

  The lead tech was the same one who had inspected the warehouse for him. “You sure this time?”

  “Sure enough,” Linc replied. “He was apparently hiding in the bedroom, and she saw him trying to sneak off. Star and I chased him out the back. He rode away before I got a look at him, but this was no figment of Sullivan’s imagination. Star was hot on a trail.”

  “Gotcha. We’ll start in there.”

  Zoe had been waiting in the background while Linc spoke. He caught her studying him when he turned. The expression on her pretty face didn’t suit him, so he approached. “Look, Sergeant, I understand how all this can seem a bit overwhelming but we’ll get to the bottom of it eventually.”

  “Not if people keep insinuating it’s all in my head.” She sighed. “At least I know your dog believes me.”

  “I have no doubt you saw somebody.”

  “Saw? I had my hands on him.”

  “You what?”

  “You heard me. When he acted as if he was going to go for Freddy with that knife, I rushed him.” She pointed. “We crashed to the floor together right over there. I had hold of his wrist, but he threw me off and ran. I guess I should be thankful he didn’t decide to cut me on his way out.”

  “Stay right there. Don’t move. Don’t touch anything,” Linc ordered. It was only a few strides to the hallway and bedrooms where he called, “One of you get back in here and check for trace evidence. Now!”

  His next words were for Zoe. “What else are you withholding?”

  “Nothing. I wasn’t withholding that.” Her hands were clasped in front of her. “Look. I was in combat mode, okay? Details were fuzzy. Some still are. All I know for sure is that I charged him when I thought he was going on the attack.”

  Linc glanced over at her son. “At least one of you had the presence of mind to call for help.”

  “Did he? Good for Freddy. That didn’t register with me either. Nothing did except the fight I was in. I do remember screaming, probably at you, come to think of it.”

  “Maybe.” Linc shook his head. “You were certainly hollering something when I hit the top of the stairs. Are you always so excitable?”

  “Only when somebody is threatening to kill me,” Zoe countered. She rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to act as if I’m a hysterical female, okay? I’m actually very levelheaded and sensible. Most of the time. I’d have to be to have dealt with t
he significant others in my life.”

  “Your brother.”

  “And my late husband. But that’s a story for another time.” She stood still as evidence techs inspected her hands and stroked her skin with sterile cotton swabs. “I can’t imagine that there’s anything there.”

  “Maybe not,” Linc said. “But when there is even a remote chance of touch DNA, it makes sense to take samples.” He addressed the technician. “Check her clothing, too. She says she grappled with the prowler, so there may be something stuck to her body, as well.”

  “I wish you’d been this thorough in the warehouse,” Zoe drawled. “There had to be some kind of evidence there.”

  “Yeah. From any one of the hundred or so people who had passed through in the last few weeks,” Linc countered. “This is different. You and Freddy are the only ones living here. If anything from the attacker rubbed off on you, we’ll detect it.”

  “Who do you think it was?” she asked.

  “Well, I’m beginning to doubt it was your brother if that’s what you’re asking,” Linc said. “Knowing that he pulled a knife on you and you tackled him changes everything. If it had been Boyd, I imagine you’d have tried to talk him down.” It amused him to see her rolling those warm hazel eyes again, and he chuckled softly. “Hey, I just tell it like it is.”

  “No,” Zoe countered, “you tell it like you think it is. There’s a huge difference.”

  He decided to humor her now that the techs had stowed their samples and returned to the bedroom where the man had probably been hiding. “Okay. Here’s what I think happened. You hired Portia to babysit, and she invited a young man to keep her company. When he heard you come home, he probably thought you were alone and he hid. Then, when I checked the bedroom and rousted Portia, I failed to let Star search the rest of the room. That’s on me.”

  “You think he was here all that time?”

  “Yes, unless you left your back door open.”

  “Never. There’s a dead bolt and chain on it so Freddy won’t wander out on to the deck.”

  Linc shrugged and spread his hands. “There you have it. You probably scared that guy so badly he’ll never come around again.” To his relief, Zoe began to smile.