“Probably stuck to the perpetrator’s shoe.” The sergeant looked at the bottom of his military boots. “See how they’re imbedded in my soles?”
Maggie nodded then turned worried eyes to Nate. “That means he went into the guest bedroom.”
“Evidently.” Nate pointed around the living area. “Does anything appear to be moved around or missing?”
He followed Maggie’s gaze as she looked at the photographs of Kelly and her mother, the books stacked on the coffee table, the teacup collection on a shelf in the corner.
She turned back to him and shook her head. “I don’t notice anything out of place. Kelly’s bedroom appeared neat and tidy, just the way she had left it.”
Nate couldn’t help but think of what would have happened to Maggie if he hadn’t arrived home in time. He had checked his mailbox in the open-air walkway farther down the complex and was heading back to his BOQ when Kelly’s door had opened and Maggie raced toward the parking lot. He’d run after her. When she’d turned to look into his eyes, he’d seen terror written across her face.
The Foglio teen had given Kelly problems last summer and had promised to make her pay. The kid needed to be brought in for questioning. If anything pointed to his involvement in the break-in, Nate would ensure he never stepped foot on Fort Rickman again.
“Sergeant Thorndike and Corporal Mills will handle everything here,” Nate said to Maggie. “Let’s go over to my place. I’ll call Kelly and tell her what happened before I write up the report and fix you something to eat.”
She shook her head. “I’m… I’m not hungry.”
Her face was pale and reflected the shock she had to be feeling. Knowing she needed to get away from the scene of the crime, Nate placed his hand on the small of her back and ushered her toward the door. “I’ll be back shortly,” he told Thorndike.
Once inside his own apartment, Nate insisted Maggie relax while he contacted Kelly. She was relieved to know Maggie hadn’t been hurt and promised to be back at Fort Rickman as soon as her investigation in North Georgia was over. After he hung up, Nate made a pot of coffee and fixed sandwiches for both of them. Nate filled out the paperwork electronically while Maggie sat on the couch and picked at her sandwich. Before he could submit the completed form, he glanced over, surprised as well as relieved to see she’d drifted to sleep.
Long lashes fanned her cheeks and a faint smile slipped over her full lips. Please, Lord, allow her dreams to be as sweet as she is.
Surprised by the thought, he tried to remember the last time he’d had any dialogue with the Lord. Certainly not since Michael’s death. Maybe Maggie was rubbing off on him in a good way.
Nate had grown up in a strong Christian home, although his faith in God had never been more than lukewarm. After Michael’s death, too many questions haunted Nate—questions about a loving God and the tragedy of a life cut short. Somehow the concept of a merciful Lord didn’t work for a grief-stricken warrant officer who carried the blame for his younger brother’s premature death.
Once again, a bad taste bubbled up from Nate’s gut.
Was he making another mistake now? Despite his earlier prayer and the rising crime rate, he wasn’t ready to buy into God nor was he totally convinced Dani had been murdered.
Quick as lightning, a vision of Maggie’s body, lying in the pile of broken glass, flashed through his mind. Silken locks streamed around her lovely face as blood seeped from wounds made by a crazed intruder.
Nate’s stomach roiled and a queasy sense of foreboding made him shiver. If Dani had been murdered, the killer could have come after Maggie tonight.
Maggie woke, hearing a door open. Her gaze flicked over the couch to the coffee table and the photo of Nate with his arm draped around his younger brother. Raking her fingers through her hair, she sat up, realizing she must have fallen asleep. Footsteps caused her to turn. Nate stood in the doorway.
“You’re awake,” he said, his voice upbeat.
“Sorry, I dozed off.”
“I doubt you’ve gotten much sleep these last few nights.” He walked to where she sat. “They boarded up the broken window with plywood and cleaned up the glass. It’s a temporary fix, but you’ll be safe tonight.”
“Did you learn anything new about what happened?”
“We pulled in Lieutenant Colonel Foglio’s son for questioning. He admitted walking across the parking lot to get to his girlfriend’s house. She lives in the next housing area. The dad confirmed the kid’s story.”
Maggie heard hesitation in his voice. “But?”
“But there’s a more direct path so he must have planned his route to include the detour. Kelly came down hard on Kyle last summer when he first appeared on our radar. The kid claimed he’d make her pay.”
“Where’s Kyle now?”
“Being held overnight. I told his dad the experience might make him realize where he’s headed, if he doesn’t do an about-face.”
“Did the dad agree?”
Nate nodded. “He knows if his son is involved in a crime, the commanding general will be notified. Foglio could be relieved of his position on post and transferred to another duty station because of his son. He used to oversee the contractors on post and had to travel a lot. Now he’s got a better job he wouldn’t want to lose.”
Maggie shook her head, feeling a swell of anger and frustration. “That’s the army way, isn’t it? If there’s a problem with a kid, you ship off the family to another installation.” A jumble of memories played through her mind of the MPs talking to her parents, mention of the chain of command, her father being called in to see the commanding general.
Nate furrowed his brow. “You know a soldier who has kids—whether he’s an officer or a noncommissioned officer or enlisted—has to be responsible for his family members’ actions on post, Maggie. If a man can’t control an unruly teen, how is he going to handle a company or battalion or brigade of men during combat?”
“It all comes down to the mission, doesn’t it, Nate? Combat. War fighting.”
“We don’t focus on war, Maggie. Ask any soldier, and he or she will tell you that we’re peacekeepers first. Sometimes the only way to ensure the peace is to stand up for what is right.”
“And what about you, Nate? Are you keeping the peace, or trying to find my sister’s killer? I told you, Graham killed her.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Needing to convince Nate of Graham’s guilt, she said, “Dani and Graham dated for a while during high school. When their relationship started to got bad, she tried to make him jealous by flirting with other guys. A rumor circulated that Graham was interested in someone else. Then there was a party down by the river with no adult supervision.” She shrugged. “You know kids.”
Nate nodded.
“Dani and Graham broke up, and a few days later, I heard our dog barking. Spike was a good watchdog, but he was chained in the backyard and couldn’t defend himself. By the time I got outside, Graham had slit his throat.” Remembering the dying animal’s gasps for air brought tears to Maggie’s eyes.
“And your dad, Maggie?”
“He died soon thereafter.”
Nate let out a lungful of pent-up air.
“Last night someone called Kelly’s landline.” Maggie swiped at the wayward tear that escaped down her cheek.
“The first time, I thought it was a prank call. The second time he whispered Spike’s name.” She glanced up at Nate. “It had to have been Graham.”
Nate’s eyes narrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I… I didn’t think you’d understand.”
He sighed with frustration. “What else did the caller say?”
“Nothing else.”
“But you think it was Graham because he mentioned your dog’s name? Did you see Graham kill your dog?”
She raised her hands. “Why do you always doubt what I tell you?”
“Did anyone see Graham do it?” Nate pressed.
“No, but I heard him gloating at school over how upset Dani was about it. He all but admitted he’d done it. But you’re missing the point. If the caller last night wasn’t Graham, how would he know about Spike?”
Nate shook his head as if she were making up the story. Why didn’t he believe her? “You don’t bend, do you, Nate?”
He raised his brow. “Bend?”
“It’s your way or no way. Aren’t I right? Was that what happened in Afghanistan with your brother? Did you boys get into an argument so you lashed out at him? He got hot under the collar, hurled a few negative comments your way and then stomped off and got himself killed?”
The muscles in Nate’s neck stiffened. She had said something that hit too close to the truth he always demanded from her.
The phone rang. In that split second, he slipped back into agent mode. He glanced at the caller ID and lifted the cell to his ear. “Patterson.”
His face darkened, his eyes lowered. “Do you have a positive ID?” He nodded in response to something the caller said. “That’s right. A young daughter.”
Maggie’s stomach tightened.
“Have you notified the grandmother?” Nate paused, listening. “Roger that. Let me know any further developments.” He slipped his cell back into his pocket before he looked at Maggie.
“It’s Kendra, isn’t it?” she asked.
Nate pulled in a breath before he spoke. “The Freemont police IDed a body they pulled from the river. The name they have is Kendra Adams.”
“Oh, no.” Maggie’s hand flew to her mouth.
“The police found her car on the side of the road near a bend in the river. Evidently, she was trying to leave town. Suitcases were in the back of her car. She told her mother she would return for her daughter as soon as she could.”
“Why did she park close to the river? The news reports have been warning people about the strong current.”
“She’d been forced from her car, Maggie. Her arms were scraped, and there were marks around her neck. Kendra had been dragged to the river’s edge and strangled to death before her body ever entered the water.”
Maggie’s chest constricted. She shook her head, unable to accept the senselessness of another death. “Ken… Kendra called me earlier and said someone had tried to break into her house. Whoever it was pried the lock off her back door.”
“You should have told me. I could have notified the police. They would have increased surveillance.”
“She said the police would cause her more trouble and begged me to keep silent for twenty-four hours. They were watching her, weren’t they, Nate?”
“More than likely. They must have known she had talked to us.”
“There was a dark sedan that followed me out of Kendra’s neighborhood and all the way to the pawnshop.”
Nate nodded. “I saw it, too.”
“But you didn’t mention it?”
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
“The person or persons who killed Kendra could be the same people who killed Dani.”
“I still don’t have anything to substantiate that theory. Jamison questioned Graham again this afternoon.”
“Did he make up another alibi?”
“He was with Wanda.”
“And you believe him?”
“Maggie, it’s not just me. The head of the CID unit here at Rickman, Chief Agent-in-Charge Wilson is convinced your sister’s death was a suicide.”
“What about the smuggling operation and Kendra’s murder?”
“We’re not even sure what Dani uncovered in Afghanistan. Show me evidence, Maggie. I need something to prove a tie-in.”
“What about the list of names and post office boxes?”
“That’s not enough to hold up in court.”
“I thought military justice didn’t need evidence.” She huffed.
“Oh, come on. You’re being unreasonable. Evidence is needed in a military court of law just as it is in a civilian court.”
“Some of my things were out of place when I opened my suitcase at Kelly’s apartment. Did you have a soldier rifle through my suitcase without a search warrant the night Dani died.”
“He took the initiative on his own, Maggie, which was the wrong thing to do. I talked to him about it later, but as you recall, we were investigating a possible homicide.”
“So you’re admitting Dani was murdered?”
“I’m saying initially murder couldn’t be ruled out.”
“And now?”
“Now, I’m not sure.”
“You’re blinded to the truth, Nate.”
“Why is it so hard for you to believe your sister took her own life just as your father did?” He stared at her for a moment. “It’s you, isn’t it? You feel responsible for both of their deaths.”
His words stung as if he’d slapped her with his hand. Digging her fingernails into her palms, she steeled herself, unwilling to let him see the effect his accusation had on her.
Lowering her voice, she spoke slowly and distinctly. “You’re the one who struggles with responsibility issues, Nate. What did you do that makes you feel the blame for your brother’s death?”
Once again, he stared at her as if weighing whether to divulge the secrets he carried. “Okay.” He nodded. “I’ll tell you the truth. Then maybe you’ll share your story with me.”
Suddenly, she wasn’t sure she wanted him to continue.
He lowered himself onto the couch and put his head in his hands for a long minute. When he finally looked up, his face was stretched tight. “I’d gotten word Michael’s best friend had made some black market sales to the Afghanis. It’s a problem over there. Cigarettes are a big ticket item. The evidence was shaky, and my brother went to bat for the guy. Said he was a good soldier and did everything by the book.”
The pulse throbbed on Nate’s neck. “I should have gone with my initial gut reaction, but because Michael vouched for the guy, I gave him a pass. But when new evidence came in against him, I couldn’t ignore it. I had no choice but to bring him in for questioning. Michael thought I was shoving my weight around because I didn’t like the guy and that I’d been out to get him from the start.”
Nate ran his hands over his face. Maggie knew the next part of the story would be more difficult to tell.
“My brother had come back from patrol a few hours earlier and hadn’t caught any shut-eye. Unbeknownst to me, he was tasked to pull his friend’s patrol duty—the duty the guy couldn’t do because I had him in custody.”
A lump formed in Maggie’s throat. The ending was one she didn’t want to hear, but she couldn’t stop Nate now.
He looked at her with somber eyes that revealed the pain he carried. “The last time I saw Michael, he was heading out of the forward operating base, lead Humvee in the convoy. The only thing he said to me was ‘Thanks a lot.’”
She scooted closer and rubbed her fingers over his arm. “Oh, Nate, I’m so sorry.”
“Had I hauled the guy in when I first suspected wrong doing, he might have confessed, and my brother would still be alive.”
“You’re not responsible.”
“None of this would have happened if I had done my job and questioned the guy until he told the truth.” Nate’s crystal-blue eyes turned on her.
Suddenly, the focus was on Maggie. “Do…do you still think I’m not telling the truth?”
“You didn’t tell me about the prank caller last night, Maggie, or about Kendra leaving Freemont. I think you’re keeping something else from me. Something about what happened long ago. It all ties together, doesn’t it? Your father’s death, Dani going into the military.”
Maggie felt exposed. Nate knew she was to blame. She could see it in the way his brow furrowed and his gaze narrowed. No matter what, she could never tell him what had started the terrible chain reaction that led to her father’s death. She’d rather turn her back on him now, than open a wound she had tried so hard to heal.
“I need to lie down, Nate. I�
��ll keep my cell on and call you if I have a problem.”
Rising from the couch, she hurried to the door. He raced after her and grabbed her arm. “Are you running away?”
She hesitated. “I… I guess I am. Just like you’ve been running away, Nate. You can’t help me until you get over your brother’s death.” She searched his face. “What I don’t understand is that you have a family. You could tell them what happened. They’ll know you’re not to blame.”
Because they love you, she failed to add as she ran from his BOQ and locked herself in Kelly’s apartment. Maggie needed to distance herself from Nate’s penetrating gaze that went straight to her core and saw the essence of who she truly was. Did he realize she didn’t deserve to be loved? She had caused too much pain, too much death.
Everything started long ago with a terrible mistake she had made, never realizing the effect it would have on too many people’s lives.
But now she was back in the place where it had all fallen apart, and the last of her family was dead. Could she bear to stay and find answers, to prove the guilt of her sister’s killer, or would her own guilt drive her away again?
THIRTEEN
As much as Nate wanted to race after Maggie, he had to let her go. She was running away from something in her past, just as Nate had tried to escape the reality of Michael’s death. Maggie was right. Nate had turned his back on his family, not the other way around. Maybe they deserved to know what had led up to Michael being on patrol that fateful day, but Nate wasn’t ready to expose himself to more pain.
He glanced at his watch. Mentally adjusting to the time in Afghanistan, he retrieved a number from the contact list on his cell and hit the call key, relieved when a voice answered on the other end.
“This is Mr. Patterson, CID, Fort Rickman, Georgia. I called yesterday and spoke to Special Agent Damian Jones. Is he available?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll get him for you.”
Nate drummed his fingers on his desk until the agent came on the line. “Unfortunately, I don’t have answers for you yet,” Damian said in greeting. “We brought in the dogs and searched the area, looking for earthenware figurines as well as drugs. Nothing turned up. Funny, though. After your phone call yesterday, I kept thinking about the improvised explosive device that killed Captain York and the other soldier in the 2nd Transport. It had been bothering me before, but after talking to you, I decided we needed to give it a relook. My people are combing through the wreckage yet again. No one’s happy, but, I promise you, if there’s anything that points to U.S. soldiers setting the IED, we’ll find it.”
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