UNSEEN

by Felicia Mires

  She leaned away. "I'm writing a crime drama in which the cop puts a bullet in the murderer's head."

  "He'd have to catch him first."

  "It's easier than you might suppose."

  "Maybe in one of your books." Jeffrey laughed and straightened to his full height. "I think in the real world, cops just don't know what they're doing."

  Caleb stood. "In my experience, criminals are so full of their own importance that they miss seeing the big picture."

  "Let me know how that works for you, Detective."

  "I imagine I could give you a full report in the not so distant future."

  Jeffrey laughed and walked toward the exit, and Destiny released her breath. For some reason, she'd been holding it since Caleb stood to challenge Jeffrey. Seeing them go head-to-head was a daunting sight. Jeffrey was even cockier than before, and Caleb's voice was cold as the proverbial ice.

  He held out his hand. "Come on, Destiny. Let's get you back to the station."

  "I can't stay there forever, Caleb."

  "You won't have to, sweetheart. We're going to catch him."

  Sweetheart? Whatever had possessed him to call Destiny sweetheart? She'd looked so small in the booth when Jeffrey leaned over her, spouting his poison. Caleb had wanted to scoop her up and carry her off. After, of course, he knocked Jeffrey's head off his shoulders. There had to be a faster way to expose that jerk. Destiny might not say much about it, but Caleb could tell the stress was wearing on her. He took her elbow as they walked to the car. What was she thinking? Was she disappointed in him for not catching Jeffrey?

  During the short drive back to the precinct, she didn't say a word, but her fingers worried the fringe on her leather purse. When they passed her car in the parking lot, she gasped.

  "Oh, no."

  "What? What is it?" Caleb slammed on the brakes.

  "My tires are flat…all of them."

  Caleb got out. She was right. Each tire had a puncture that could only have been caused by a knife. He scowled and kicked the closest tire. How in the world did Jeffrey manage to get on the precinct lot and slash her tires?

  He climbed back in the car and pulled into his parking space. "Sorry."

  "It's not your fault. I asked to be put on the case." She kept her face turned away from him, looking out the window.

  "Hey…" He reached for her chin and tugged at her face. "Look at me. We're gonna catch this guy, but I think I better watch your place again tonight."

  Her wan smile tugged at his heart. "You mean sleep in my chair?"

  "Every night, if that's what it takes."

  "What will people say?"

  "As long as you're safe, I don't care what they say."

  She snorted. "You've got your career to think of, Caleb, and I have my reputation as a Christian author."

  "We'll think of something. Meanwhile, I'll get a tow truck here for your car."

  "Thanks."

  He followed her back to Laurel's lab and left her at the door after making sure Laurel was already inside. "Go in there and find the footage of that license plate. You can do it."

  "What are you going to do?"

  "I'm past due for an update with the captain."

  Before Caleb met with the captain, he needed a powwow with Pemberly. He found his partner at his desk, pouring over papers.

  "Please tell me you found something."

  Pemberly looked up. "You sound woefully desperate. What's up?"

  "I took Destiny to the diner. Seymour showed up, and I seriously considered taking him outside to beat some sense in him."

  "You can't beat sense in a lunatic."

  "Maybe I just want to hit him. Destiny stood up to him, but he was taunting her right in front of me. Then we get back here, and all four of her tires have been slashed. In the middle of a police parking lot. The guy is brazen."

  "Which means he's getting careless, Caleb. Cops come and go all hours of the day and night. We also have security footage. I'll check it."

  "He's not that stupid, but go ahead. I guess you haven't found anything."

  "I was double-checking the texts back and forth between Destiny and the phone she thought was her grandfather. I can verify her phone, but the other was a burner, untraceable."

  Caleb threw his hands in the air. "We have to find something!"

  Chapter 9

  Death, the final frontier and sooner than you think.

  "Forest!" The gruff voice of Captain Jonas brought Caleb up short.

  "Yes, sir."

  "In my office."

  Caleb followed the captain back to his room and waited until he shut the door and walked around the desk to sit. He flicked a finger at a seat, and Caleb settled in a chair.

  "Well? What have you got on that Penny Weathers murder?"

  "We got all the warrants to search the websites for the cell phones of Destiny Knox and her grandfather, the traffic cams, and the camera covering the only bank ATM on the route between Seymour's office and Penny's house. It's a short drive. We also got a warrant to have the techs verify the security in the entire building where Seymour works. Dr. Blake is certain Seymour has the expertise to change the logs and the camera footage so he could leave the building during the time in question."

  "Yes. Good thing she hired a P.I. Smart woman."

  "Yes, sir."

  "What have you got Miss Knox working on?"

  "She's searching the traffic footage for Seymour's car. The facial recognition came back negative, but Seymour probably wore a hat to shield his face."

  "We can't just leave this to the techs. Who haven't you pushed that you could question again?"

  "I've thought about that, sir, and I want to tackle Seymour's boss. From the very start, he was uncooperative, probably because he was trusting in that security log. If I can show him something that would cause him doubt, he might give us more."

  The captain tapped his pencil on the desk for a few seconds. "Sounds plausible. Keep me posted. How are Dr. Blake and Miss Knox taking all this?"

  "Miss Knox expressed some concern about her reputation…not from the charges, but from having an officer in her home overnight."

  The captain frowned. "I suppose we could send in a woman."

  "I suppose."

  "I take it you don't care for that idea?"

  "I feel she's my responsibility, sir. By the way, her tires were slashed outside in our parking lot."

  The captain slammed his fist on the table. "Forest, you catch this guy, and I mean now! And you tell Miss Knox that I said she was stuck with you. Is Pemberly keeping an eye on Dr. Blake?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Get on with it."

  "Yes, sir."

  Caleb left the office and strode to his desk. "I hope you haven't got any plans until this is over, Zack. The captain said stick with Laurel whenever she leaves here."

  "Not a problem."

  Caleb grinned. "Were the two of you slightly chummy this morning?"

  "Considering that you are spending your evenings with Miss Knox, I don't think you should be inferring anything."

  "Not inferring, just curious…in a friendly sort of way."

  "Well, then…now that Laurel is no longer dating you, I might have aspirations in that direction. However, I'm waiting until the case is over so that she knows it isn't because she's convenient."

  Caleb whistled. "Zack, that's about the most considerate thing I've heard you say about a woman."

  "Considerate? That's the kiss of death. I'm hoping the lady sees it as romantic."

  "Go for it. Laurel is intelligent and humorous, great to be around."

  "Forest, I could say that about my dog."

  "I guess that explains why she and I never had any sparks."

  "Sure took you long enough to figure it out. I thought you'd never get out of the way."

  "You could have said something."

  Zack shrugged. "Not my style."

  Caleb's phone rang, and he picked it up. "Forest, here."

&n
bsp; "Caleb, this is Laurel. I found something. It isn't as good as I'd hoped for, but it's something. You and Zack should come up here."

  "On our way."

  Caleb hung up, repeated the conversation for Zack, and they took the elevator to Laurel's lab. When they got there, Destiny looked up with a big smile on her face.

  "Laurel found something. I told you she was clever."

  "It's a start, anyway. Look at this." Laurel pointed at her computer screen. "This is the camera footage inside the elevator that Jeffrey supposedly used to go to his office."

  The scene showed Seymour walking in the elevator, pushing the button, and getting out at his floor. When it ended, Laurel turned to stare at them.

  "I'm sorry," said Zack. "I think I missed something. Don't we want to prove he didn't take the elevator?"

  "Exactly. Watch again." Laurel punched some keys, and the scene repeated.

  "That's the same thing, Laurel."

  "Only the time stamp on this one is two hours earlier. That's impossible. No one can stand in exactly the same place."

  "He copied it and overrode the footage," said Zack.

  "Yes, he overrode the footage. Imagine how many times he must have gone to the elevator before he found it empty because he couldn't have someone else messing up his timeline."

  Caleb gave Laurel's shoulders a squeeze. "This is exactly what we needed."

  "There's more. I haven't identified the IP address yet, but I have discovered that the images were uploaded from somewhere else."

  "Because he wasn't in the building."

  "Yes. He probably used WiFi hotspot to bounce the signal back to his office. It will take some doing, but I think I can track it."

  "Laurel, to mask what he was doing, he not only had to create a false sense of his presence at work, but he had to hide that he was sending the signal from somewhere else. Is it possible to override that many firewalls at once?"

  "It is, but it would take a computer program to make it all happen simultaneously. I've never seen a program like that, but Jeffrey had the wherewithal to write it."

  "Especially if he's been working on it a couple of years," said Destiny, brushing the hair back from her face.

  Caleb paused to take a good look at her. Dark, puffy circles had formed under her eyes. Staring at the screen was taking its toll. He glanced at his watch. Almost seven. Usually, he'd work until nine or ten, but he didn't think she'd last that long.

  "Why don't we all take a break for the night," he said. "It's getting late."

  Laurel waved him away. "You men go ahead. I can't stop now. I'll lose my momentum."

  "Sorry, Laurel, but the captain said you weren't allowed to leave without security." Zack cleared his throat. "If you stay, I stay."

  "Oh. Right. Destiny's tires." Her eyes clouded for a moment then she turned back to the screen. "Ok. Zack can stay if he doesn't talk. Caleb can take Destiny home."

  Zack shrugged and rolled his eyes at Caleb. "See you tomorrow. I'll call you if the mad scientist comes up with anything else."

  "I heard that, Zack." Laurel continued tapping keys on her keyboard, but she smiled.

  Caleb put a hand on Destiny's shoulder. "You ready?"

  "More than ready. I don't see how Laurel does this all day every day. My eyes are exhausted."

  She picked up her purse, and Caleb followed her to the elevator. Neither of them said anything as they traveled down then passed through the bullpen of officers. His fellow officers must be growing accustomed to his female sidekick, because he'd received fewer snide comments. There also appeared to be a lot less leering.

  Either way, Destiny was oblivious to their surroundings as they traipsed out to the parking lot. Her usual effervescent style had evaporated. Was she dreading another evening with him or just in need of a rest?

  "Are you tired?" he asked as he opened the door for her.

  "I am. Are you?"

  "I'm used to this."

  "Are you hungry?"

  "We ate about two hours ago. I'm not really interested in food."

  She waited until he got in the car before she spoke again. "What are you interested in?"

  Either that was a loaded question or a completely innocent way to gauge what he wanted to do. Caleb wasn't sure how to respond. He was definitely interested in the long term, but he wasn't sure now was a good time to express that…unless she was asking. If he interpreted her question incorrectly, she'd get the wrong impression. She might assume he didn't want to see her after the case. Falling back on his usual behavior seemed safest.

  "What are you interested in?"

  She laughed. "I am interested in a hot bath and an early night, but with you along, I'll settle for some television and an early night. You can take the couch tonight. I'm sleeping in my bed. I don't think you can handle another night in a chair."

  "Hmm. What if I don't want you out of my sight?"

  "Don't you think that's taking things to the extreme? I can't see Jeffrey going up against you. That would be suicidal. He's more the sneaky type."

  "You think Jeffrey would be suicidal to fight me?"

  "Your head is swelling, Detective."

  "But you are impressed."

  She turned to peer at him as he stopped in her driveway. "I am. Now, go in the house and impress me with how fast you can finish a search."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Two hours later, they sat side-by-side on the couch, watching football and eating popcorn. Caleb couldn't imagine a moment when he'd felt more at ease with a woman, even if he was aching to put his arm around her. Destiny, however, had kept her distance all night. Not less than three throw pillows rested between them.

  He tilted his head to peek at her. Her eyes drooped and her head was falling back on the couch. In another few minutes, she'd be asleep. He should probably send her to bed, but if she fell asleep, he could easily lift her and carry her to her room. A much more appealing idea.

  He set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. When her eyes finally closed, he reached over and pulled her against the pillows. Not quite in his lap, but close enough to drape one arm around her.

  With a soft sigh, she snuggled against him. His hand came up to brush the hair from her cheek, and he leaned closer. She smelled like something sweet and spicy. Whatever cologne she wore, he liked it. And he could probably stand to sit this way for several hours.

  When the game ended, she hadn't moved. Caleb clicked the TV off and reached for the afghan on the back of the sofa. He draped it over the both of them, kicked off his shoes, and propped his feet on the coffee table. He would hold her just a little longer.

  Destiny woke to utter darkness and couldn't remember where she was, certainly not in her bed. A heavy arm rested over her shoulders. She tried to sit up and felt a solid chest under her hand. Caleb. The rat. He was supposed to make sure she slept in her own bed tonight. Perhaps he had fallen asleep, too. Not a chance. The TV was off and the afghan was covering her.

  As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she peered closer. He was definitely asleep. His breathing came in an even rise and fall. She shoved at his shoulder. "Caleb…Caleb. I was supposed to sleep in my bed."

  "Go back to sleep. You're fine."

  "Aren't you uncomfortable?"

  "Be quiet."

  She shook her head. Stubborn man. She rested against the pillow and shifted to give him more room. His arm tightened as if he wanted her close.

  "Good night, Caleb."

  He grunted.

  She had almost dropped off to sleep when she felt a soft touch on the crown of her head. Her eyes popped open. Had he kissed her? She froze for several seconds, but he didn't move again then his breathing became regular. She closed her eyes.

  When next Destiny woke to the softly filtered light of morning, she found herself alone on the couch. One thing was certain, Caleb didn't require nearly as much sleep as she did. With her ear tilted toward the kitchen, she waited to ascertain where he might be. She certainly didn't want to run
into him in the bathroom.

  At the sound of sizzling bacon, she made a dash down the hall. Ugh. She really had to stop falling asleep with her make-up on. She looked appalling with raccoon eyes and puffy lids. After a quick wash and a plain ponytail, she hurried into her room to change clothes.

  The tantalizing aroma of the bacon brought her into the kitchen as soon as possible. "Good morning, Caleb. Breakfast again? I could get used to this."

  His eyes rested on her with obvious appreciation. "So could I. Cute ponytail."

  "How do you manage to look so spry every morning?"

  "Clean living. Your coffee's on the table."

  Destiny settled in a seat and waited for Caleb. He set a plate before her, sat in a chair, and took her hand. "You wanna say a blessing?"

  "Sure." She closed her eyes. "Thank you, Father, for a beautiful day, for Caleb, and for the food. Bless it and cleanse it. In Jesus' name."

  She opened her eyes to find Caleb watching her. His intensity was a little unnerving. She tugged at her hand. "I need that to eat."

  He grinned and took a bite of scrambled eggs. Why was he so happy?

  "As grandpa would say, you're certainly chipper this morning." She took a sip of coffee. Perfect. Just the way she liked it. Caleb had been paying attention. He certainly had an eye to detail.

  "I guess I'm a morning person. You aren't?"

  "I am. I never sleep past eight, even if I stay up 'til two or three. I love mornings."

  "Something else we have in common."

  "We have things in common?"

  He took the last bite of his eggs and stood to wash his plate in the sink. "Hurry up, slowpoke. We've got a lot to do today. I think we've got enough to interview Seymour's boss again and get him talking. And for future reference...never talk to cops without a lawyer. You're much too trusting for your own good."

  "I thought cops just wanted the truth."

  He grimaced. "Aaah, yeah, but you were right when you said we try to twist things. Sometimes that gets us more information. If you get the lawyer, you're out of jail faster and you haven't said anything that can be interpreted the wrong way. And next time, insist on that phone call."