Bound by Duty

by Valerie Hansen

  He’d been to church often enough to recall Scripture insisting that a wrong thought was the same as the deed. They sure didn’t feel the same to Linc. And there lay the conundrum. His feelings had taken control and were running rampant, urging him to do or say something he knew would bring pain to himself and to Zoe. Linc clenched his jaw. Not to mention Freddy.

  The little guy deserved a better father than he could ever hope to be. If Zoe didn’t realize that, maybe it was time to remind her.

  Linc led the way to his car, put Star into the rear and held a front door for Zoe. As she passed close by to slip into the SUV, he caught a whiff of her shampoo. She smelled like flowers. Her hair was down again, brushing against her shoulders in silky light brown waves. And those expressive eyes. He knew better than to dwell on her hazel gaze because every time he did, it became more difficult to look away.

  He climbed behind the wheel and gripped it hard. Out of the corner of his right eye, he could see her peering over at him, so he said the first thing that came to mind. “Do you have all the groceries and housekeeping supplies you need? If not, we should stop at the BX before we pick up Freddy.”

  “I’m good. I try to stock extras so I don’t have to shop too often. I hate wasting time.”

  “A woman who doesn’t like to shop? Now, that is something for the newspapers.”

  “Well, you could contact Heidi Jenks.”

  “Not likely. There’s a strong suspicion she may be our mysterious blogger. I sure don’t want to feed her any more information, even accidentally, and see it turn up on everybody’s computers.”

  “You mean like the time that blog listed the RRK’s supposed romantic interests? It wasn’t only the women who had already got a red rose and a warning note. There were others, too.”

  “I know. I visited Jolie Potter, the scientist who works in our biomedical lab. All she recalled was a few dates and Boyd dumping her because he claimed she was too smart. I also spoke to Munitions Specialist Lara Dennie. She admitted to having had a crush on him but said she’d dodged a bullet when he’d ignored her. Those women were both on a classified list that only authorized personnel should have had access to.”

  “Then how would Lieutenant Jenks...?”

  “Unknown. Just like so many other facets of what’s been going on around here.” He made the turn onto the side road leading to the preschool. Not only did Zoe perk up when the building came in sight, so did Star.

  Linc gave a low chuckle. “I think my K-9 is glad we’re picking up her little buddy. Look at her.”

  “I see.” Zoe’s laugh carried tones of fondness for the dog that would have surprised Linc coming from anyone else. “It’s a pleasure to have her around, particularly when her favorite person is Freddy.”

  “Whoa.” Linc had to grin. “I am supposed to be the one and only person Star is interested in. I told you not to spoil her by making her too social.”

  “Phooey. I didn’t make her anything. You and I both know she had a soft side all along. Just because she wags that stubby tail more when Freddy and I are around is no reason to blame us.”

  “Oh, no?”

  “No.” Zoe pointed to the curb. “Just pull over right here and I’ll run in to get him.”

  “We’ll come with you.”

  She didn’t say it, but he saw the objection in her eyes and body language. She obviously did not want an escort, although why was puzzling. She had just told him she wanted him close, yet she was acting as if he’d insulted her. “What?” he asked.

  Zoe was shaking her head the way a trainer did when a particularly dense canine didn’t pick up instruction quickly enough. “It’s perfectly safe here. You’ll be in the car and your dog will alert if anything’s wrong.” She pushed open the passenger door and hopped out. “Stand by, Sergeant. I’ll be right back.”

  Because he had scanned the approach and the yard already, Linc felt reasonably certain Zoe would be fine. After all, he hadn’t been assigned to become her Siamese twin, he’d merely been told to keep watch and try to convince her to trust him.

  Well, mission accomplished, he thought cynically. Sergeant Sullivan trusted him implicitly. Remembering that kiss, he wondered if that was more of a problem than if she had held him at arm’s length.

  Linc saw her climb the front steps and knock. It took several seconds for the door to open and Zoe to be admitted. Then it shut tight. Good. The women inside were properly protecting their charges. It was a shame they had to worry so much but that was better than being too lax.

  Moving back and forth in the seat behind him, Star was acting anxious. “Settle down, girl. She’ll be back soon.”

  The dog continued to fidget. When she let out one of her impressive rottweiler barks, Linc took her seriously. Just because he hadn’t seen or sensed a problem didn’t mean Star was wrong.

  He stepped out of the SUV, fastened a lead on his K-9 partner and gave her the command to jump down. She took off so fast and pulled so hard that Linc almost lost his footing. Her nose was to the ground now, the hackles on the back of her neck and shoulders bristling. He might not know what she was after but as long as Star did, Linc was going to let her search.

  They crossed a sparse lawn, rounded the preschool and made the corner, then slowed. Star froze as if she were a hunting dog, signaling a hidden pheasant. She sniffed the air. Then the bare dirt. A fenced play area stopped them from continuing right next to the building, so Linc urged his dog to backtrack. She didn’t refuse, but he could tell she wasn’t happy about the redirection.

  A child’s laughter reached them both. Star began to strain. Linc kept her controlled so she wouldn’t race around to the front and flatten some poor kid with her enthusiasm, probably Freddy. “Easy, Star. Heel.”

  The look the K-9 gave him was so full of frustration and angst it was almost comical. She’d probably led him to the play area because she knew children had recently been out there and was disappointed when he’d pulled her away.

  A female voice called, “Linc? Sergeant Colson?”

  Zoe. He was about to answer when her words morphed into a scream.

  With every nerve firing and every muscle taut, Linc raced back toward his vehicle. Zoe! Someone wearing a jumpsuit and a baseball cap had hold of her and was grappling for control while brave little Freddy pounded tiny fists against the man’s legs.

  Linc drew his gun and shouted, “Security! Hands up.”

  EIGHTEEN

  Zoe fought for her child with all her strength, all her heart, every maternal instinct she had. Nobody was going to harm her little boy as long as she had breath in her body.

  The man’s hold tightened, pinning her arms so she couldn’t get a good swing at him. Remembering her training, she bent lower and tried to use his own momentum to pitch him over her head. Instead, she found herself hurtling toward the ground when he suddenly released her.

  Everything was happening so fast that the surrounding scene was a blur. A male shouting, a dog barking and Freddy... The moment Zoe regained her senses enough to act she reached for her beloved child. Freddy leaped into her open arms with such force he knocked her backward. Gasping, she pulled him close and showered kisses all over his tear-streaked face.

  Feet wearing combat boots thundered past. “Linc?”

  There was no immediate answer. It had to be him. He had not waited for her in the car the way he’d promised, yet he must have remained close by. She knew he’d never have abandoned her. Not in a million years. So where was he?

  Fierce barking and growling at the side of the house was her answer. Star! That was the dark-colored blur she’d seen passing as she fell. The K-9 was in attack mode. Hopefully, this time Linc was there to back her up.

  Freddy began struggling to free himself. “Too tight, Mama.”

  “I’m sorry, honey.” Zoe managed to get to her feet without letting go of the boy�
�s hand. As soon as she was certain she was stable, she scooped him up. “I was so worried about you. Why didn’t you run away like we practiced?”

  The child pouted. “Uh-uh. He was hurting you.”

  Zoe buried her face against his little neck and fought back tears. “I understand. I’m not mad, Freddy. Honest, I’m not. I know you were doing what you thought was right.”

  Assuming Linc had captured her attacker, Zoe was slack jawed when he and Star returned alone. The dog seemed okay this time, but Linc’s beret was missing and he was rubbing the back of his head.

  “Linc? Are you hurt?”

  “Mostly my pride,” he said gruffly. “Star had him until somebody conked me in the head and she let go to come check me.”

  “Is she supposed to do that?”

  “No.” He cast a disparaging glance at his dog. “We’ll be doing some retraining ASAP.” Then he turned back to Zoe. “I’m sorry we didn’t apprehend the suspect. This is the most physical attack he’s made on you so far.”

  Zoe was kneading her neck. “Yeah. Tell me about it.” She watched as Linc crouched to examine his dog, presumably checking for unseen injuries. “What’s she chewing on?”

  Linc commanded the K-9 to release. She placed a soggy piece of fabric in his outstretched hand. He stood and displayed it in his palm. “What does that look like to you?”

  “Part of a dark blue jumpsuit like our mechanics sometimes wear.”

  “Exactly.” Linc tucked the scrap into a plastic evidence baggie. “As chewed as this is, I doubt the lab can isolate DNA, but our next stop is going to be the airfield. I want to see who’s missing a piece of his south end.”

  “Might Star have made him bleed?” Zoe wasn’t cowed when Linc gave her a quizzical look, so she added, “I hope so.”

  “I see your spirit isn’t harmed. That’s good, because we’re now searching for two assailants—the one who grabbed you just now and the person who hit me over the head from behind.”

  “Two?” She hadn’t progressed that far in her reasoning, but now it registered. “Of course. Remember the warehouse? There were two involved there, too. A man and a woman. Maybe she’s still working with him.”

  “Maybe.” Linc gave her a lopsided smile. “Don’t stress that notion in your debriefing, okay? I’ll report it, but I’d just as soon the other members of my unit didn’t start teasing me about being taken down by a female.”

  Zoe huffed. “Why not? We can swing a baseball bat as well as anybody. Stop acting so macho and admit it.”

  That brought a chuckle and another exploration of the knot on his head. “Granted. But in this case, she either went easy on me or didn’t have a man’s strength, because I don’t think I have a concussion.”

  “Maybe she didn’t intend to kill you.”

  “Let’s hope not,” Linc replied. “The last thing the base needs is another bona fide killer roaming the streets.”

  * * *

  Zoe argued that she didn’t need a visit to the ER but went along after Linc convinced her by agreeing to be checked out, as well. As soon as they were given clean bills of health, he suggested they stop at an ice-cream parlor to buy Freddy a cone.

  Zoe wiped the drippings off her son’s chin as she spoke. “So, what are they planning to do for a guard at my place tonight?”

  “My captain is considering letting me hang around, if that’s what you mean,” Linc replied. “You’ll still have someone else watching who is actually assigned.”

  “Good.”

  The bell over the shop door jingled and drew his attention. “Well, what do you know.” He stood. “Excuse me for a second?”

  “Sure. I’ll wait here with Mr. Sticky.”

  Grinning, Linc stepped forward and saluted. “Lieutenant Webb. I thought you’d be off enjoying a well-earned vacation by now.”

  Ethan Webb shook Linc’s hand vigorously. “So did I. My time off was delayed because my K-9 and I were needed here at Canyon.” He lowered his voice. “Now there are more reports of sightings of the Red Rose Killer at Baylor Marine Base.”

  “More?”

  “Yes.” He urged Linc aside so the two friends could speak privately. “Lieutenant Colonel Masters over at Baylor used to be my father-in-law, as you know, and he’s asking for me. Insisting, really.”

  “Do you think Jillian is behind his request?”

  Ethan’s grimace at the mention of his ex-wife was fleeting yet telling. “Possibly. She’s impossible to predict. I’d hoped she was done causing me trouble when she divorced me.”

  “Maybe she is. Her father may just be taking advantage of his high rank to bring in outside help he trusts. What I don’t get is why he’s poaching on our turf when he’s got a base full of marines.”

  “I think it’s because of my K-9. He wants Titus. Besides, Jillian has always got whatever Jillian wants. That’s a big reason our marriage failed. I had no idea she was so spoiled when I proposed.”

  Glancing back at the small round table where Zoe and Freddy sat, Linc gestured. “Why don’t you take a load off and join us? It’s safe to talk about personal stuff in front of Zoe.”

  “Thanks, but I have to be going.” Ethan grinned. “You finally settling down, Colson? That’s a huge surprise.”

  “It’s not what it looks like,” Linc insisted. “I’ve been assigned to guard the sergeant and her son.”

  “Looks pretty cozy to me.” Ethan hesitated. “Don’t mention anything about Jillian, okay? Whatever Colonel Masters wants may work itself out after I’ve spoken to him in person. Boyd Sullivan may not actually be at Baylor right now, even if Jillian did get the customary red rose and warning note.”

  “Sure. No problem. How’s Titus?”

  “Fine,” Ethan told him. “You and Star still good?”

  “Absolutely. She’s out in the car with the air running to keep her comfortable. We’d all be out there if she wasn’t so fond of that kid—and ice cream.”

  The lieutenant chuckled and clapped Linc on the shoulder. “You know what they say, Colson. When in doubt, trust your K-9.”

  “Those two have more than won over Star. If I’m not careful, they’ll turn her into a useless lap dog.” He shook his friend’s hand once again. “Take care. And keep your defenses up around your ex. Don’t let a woman get to you.”

  Ethan eyed the table and smiled broadly. “Same to you, buddy.”

  * * *

  Thankfully, Zoe hadn’t run out of napkins by the time Linc returned. “All done,” she said. “Time to order mine to go.”

  “I didn’t understand why you wanted to wait to eat yours until I saw Freddy with that cone. Yuck.”

  “Licking drips takes practice when you’re only three. So who was the officer?”

  “An old friend who handles Titus, a German shorthaired pointer.”

  “Doesn’t sound like an attack breed,” Zoe said.

  “Titus isn’t. He’s been used for patrol and is a great cadaver dog. Ethan’s back from combat and due for some R & R. Unfortunately, he may be sent to Baylor Marine Base because of possible sightings of...”

  “Oh, brother.” She made a face. “Literally. I hope your friend gets his time off soon. I’m sure he deserves it. That sounds like an awful job to train for.”

  “I wouldn’t want it,” Linc admitted. He smiled down on her and she warmed considerably. “Now, for our ice-cream cones. What flavor for you?”

  “One scoop of cherry chocolate walnut, thanks. What are you having?”

  “Plain vanilla. I don’t like to ruin good ice cream by loading it up with other flavors.”

  Freddy clapped his sticky hands. “I love ’nilla.”

  “You and me both, kid,” Linc said with a grin before walking away. Zoe was positive she’d glimpsed a tenderness in his eyes when he’d smiled down at her son. And, truth be told, she so
metimes imagined the same fond expression settling on her. Whether that was true or not, she felt good when Linc smiled at her. More than good, actually. His approval, spoken or implied, gave her spirits a boost like the afterburner on a jet. Being around him was so wonderful, so sweet, so...

  “Fool,” Zoe muttered to herself, pulling a face. She was doing it again. Kidding herself by imagining a happy future with the wrong man.

  But was he wrong? Never mind his insistence that he intended to stay single. What if he was considering changing his mind? What if he was starting to feel as much affection toward her as she was feeling for him?

  “That’ll be the day,” she mumbled, using a glass of water to dampen a fresh napkin and wipe Freddy’s hands some more.

  The deep voice behind her made her jump so badly she nearly tipped over the glass. “What will be the day?”

  Linc was back with their cones. In a flash, Zoe tried to recall how much she had actually uttered aloud and how much had been silent thought. She looked up to study him. Since he didn’t seem upset, she figured she was safe.

  “Um, when my son can eat without taking a bath in it.”

  “He does pretty well on pizza.”

  “Only because I cut it up for him.” She reached for her treat. “Is this mine?”

  “Yup. And this is mine.” As he began to lick the cone, Zoe decided it was best if she looked away. Everything Linc did, every word he spoke, every shadow of a smile he displayed sent her heart racing and made her hands tremble. Had he asked what was bothering her, she intended to blame her unrest on her stalker. That would be partially true. But it wasn’t an adversary who had her nerves in knots and filled her stomach with butterflies. It was her new friend. Her protector. The one man she had finally decided wasn’t half bad.

  That conclusion made her grin. Rather than giggle, she started to eat. The ice cream was delicious. “Mmm.”

  “Glad you like it,” Linc said. “For a minute there, you looked so strange I was afraid I’d got the wrong flavor.”

  Zoe hid behind the cone and bided her time by systematically licking all the way around. “No problem. It’s wonderful.”