Scent of Danger (Texas K-9 Unit)

by Terri Reed

  Dismayed, he tried to wrap his mind around her words. “You never saw him again? Not even when you got married?”

  “Nope.” Bitterness laced the word. “For a while Sierra and I received gifts at Christmas and birthdays but that eventually ended.” She let out a scornful laugh. “He started a new family. Didn’t want to be bothered with the old.”

  Parker’s fingers flexed on the steering wheel as anger at her father ripped through him. He couldn’t imagine a father walking away from his children. He knew it happened all the time, but the selfish act still boggled his mind. He would never do that to anyone he loved. One of the many reasons he wasn’t prepared to be in a relationship. Families took work, time and energy.

  Until he was ready to be one hundred percent in, he’d stay far away from that kind of commitment. He’d let his brother down all those years ago, his parents, too. He didn’t ever want to feel that kind of regret and hurt again. “Who gave you away at your wedding, then?”

  She turned her face toward the passenger window. “No one. I walked down the aisle alone.” She let out a humorless laugh. “Which pretty much sums up how the marriage went.”

  He glanced at her, hating to see the anguish etched in her profile. “I don’t follow.”

  “I was as alone in my marriage as I am now. Six months after we said our ‘I do’s’, Roger decided he needed to find himself.” The words seemed torn from her as if she were trying to hold back. “He took off for Europe and never returned. A year later I was served divorce papers.”

  Heart twisting with empathy, Parker reached over and took her hand, offering what little comfort he could. “You’re not alone anymore.”

  “Thanks,” she said softly, but there was no conviction in her tone.

  “I mean it. You have the whole Sagebrush P.D. behind you,” he said, careful to keep the support general. Though he wanted to say she had him, too, but he didn’t dare make any sort of promises that he couldn’t keep.

  “It’s nice of you to say. Other than Jim and Kaitlin Mathers, I don’t really spend time out of the office with anyone.” Her mouth tipped up at the corner. “Except you, of course.”

  “Why is that? You’ve been with the department a long time.” Surely by now she’d have developed a network of friends.

  “I’ve been very focused on the youth center and solving Daniel’s murder. There hasn’t been time for much socializing.”

  He heard longing in her voice. “Kaitlin’s good people.” Kaitlin Mathers was one of the K-9 unit’s dog trainers. “Friendships take time and effort.”

  “True.” She shrugged. “I’m not good at forming relationships. Or keeping them.”

  She had to be referring to her ex-husband. “You shouldn’t blame yourself for you ex’s desertion.”

  “I try not to. But there must have been something wrong with me to make him leave.”

  “No.” Parker hated that she’d think that. “There’s nothing wrong with you. He was an idiot to leave you.”

  Her grip tightened. “You’re kind. You know that?”

  “I’m telling the truth.”

  She looked away. “It’s not just that. Even when I lived in Austin, I never really felt like I belonged.”

  “But you were on the Austin Police Force for a while, right? You must have friends there?”

  “Acquaintances,” she said. “But I never really learned how to make connections. Growing up I was so busy caring for my mother, I didn’t have anything to give to anyone else.”

  Sympathy clenched his gut. “Your mother was ill?”

  Melody met his gaze. Her blue eyes were shiny as if she was fighting her emotions. “She fell into a despondency after my father left. It was years before she finally came out of it. By then I was an adult.”

  “I’m sorry. That must have been rough.” He swallowed hard. “When my brother died, my parents suffered, but they got help through our church.”

  “That’s good they reached out. My mother wouldn’t let anyone help her.”

  “But she came out of her depression.”

  Melody nodded. “She did. She’s working now for a department store in Austin. She likes to keep herself busy so she can’t dwell on the past.”

  “The past can’t be undone. No matter how much we wish we could change things,” he said.

  “What do you wish you could change?”

  “I’d have paid better attention to my brother. Not let him get sucked into trying drugs.”

  She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

  For the rest of the drive they remained silent.

  Parker pulled onto the street of Melody’s apartment building. Two Sagebrush police cruisers were parked in front, lights flashing.

  Beside him, Melody stiffened and agitation radiated off her in waves adding to his own level of concern. He’d barely brought the car to a halt before she was out and running toward the building.

  Sherlock let out a howl of protest at her departure.

  EIGHT

  “Come on, buddy, let’s go see what’s going on,” Parker said as he harnessed the dog. They hurried to where Melody was talking with two patrol officers.

  “There’s been a break-in,” the taller of the two men stated. His badge read Sanders. “You’ll have to wait until the CSU team arrives to go inside, ma’am.”

  “Detective,” Melody corrected. “I’m Detective Zachary, homicide. And this is Detective Adams with the K-9 unit.”

  The younger patrolman nodded to Parker. “I recognize you. What’s the K-9 unit’s interest here?” The K-9 unit shared the same space as the regular police force.

  “Detective Zachary lives in this building,” Parker said. “Do you know which apartment was broken into?”

  Though he had a suspicion he knew what the answer would be.

  “Apartment 4F,” Sanders replied.

  Melody inhaled a sharp breath. “My apartment.”

  Sanders blinked. “Oh. Sorry.”

  “Are there any witnesses?” Parker interjected.

  “One of the neighbors. He sustained a minor injury from the perp. A guy in a ski mask.”

  Melody’s gaze met Parker’s. The same guy who’d ransacked her office at the youth center. “Could Zane and the ski-mask guy be working together?”

  “Worth picking up Zane to find out,” Parker said. He turned to the younger patrol officer. “I need you to put out a BOLO for Zane Peabody.” They walked toward the cruiser as the crime-scene unit van turned the corner and came to a halt a few feet away. Rose and Clay climbed out. Rose was already shaking her head when she stopped beside Melody.

  Melody held up a hand. “Don’t say it.”

  “I wasn’t going to say anything, except I’m sure glad to see you in one piece.”

  Affection for the CSU tech spread through Melody. “Thanks. Someone apparently managed to break into my apartment after all.”

  They filed inside and headed up to the fourth floor. Mr. Hendrix sat on the floor holding a bag of ice to his forehead. A dark bruise showed beneath the ice.

  Melody rushed forward. “Mr. Hendrix. What happened?”

  He took her hand with one of his. “I come out of my apartment just in time to get smacked in the face by a guy dressed like a ninja.”

  Rose inspected the dead bolts. “These have been punched through.” She stepped inside. “Melody.”

  Dread made her sick to her stomach. She walked into her apartment and grimaced. The ransacking was worse than at her office. She hadn’t been around this time to stop the masked man from destroying her property. The cushions of her love seats were ripped open. Her plants had been toppled over and potting soil spread across the floor. Her books were pulled from the shelves and scattered haphazardly about. Her many Disney character figurines were smashed to bits. Her gaze shot to the refrigerator, to the empty place where her treasured keepsakes once sat and her heart sank. Shreds of pink and purple material littered the kitchen floor.

  The destruction seemed pointless
. The feeling of violation stabbed at her worse here than at her office because this was her private space. Her fingers curled into fists.

  A hand on her shoulder startled her. Parker stood beside her with worry in his eyes. “What could he be looking for?”

  “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “But I hope he found it.”

  “You can’t stay here,” Parker said.

  She turned to face him. “I’ve nowhere else to go.”

  “A friend’s?”

  She supposed she could ask Kaitlin. Though she didn’t like the idea of intruding on her or putting her in any danger. “I’ll go to the Sagebrush Hotel.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Parker said. “As soon as Rose is done, pack a bag.”

  It didn’t take long for Rose to finish up and give Melody the go-ahead to start packing.

  Her bedroom had been tossed. Her clothes yanked from the drawers and closet and flung onto the floor with little regard. Impotent rage reared. Someone had not only ransacked her place but they’d robbed her of control. And she hated not being in control of her own destiny.

  * * *

  The Sagebrush Hotel had an old-world feel to the place, like stepping into a luxury hotel in Europe rather than southwest Texas. Melody felt strange entering the establishment with Parker at her side, like a couple coming to stay for a vacation when in fact she was hiding from some unknown danger that had thrown her life into chaos.

  She had stayed at the Sagebrush Hotel for a few nights when she’d first arrived in town five years ago, right after Sierra and Daniel’s deaths. Those days were a blur now. She hadn’t stepped foot inside the mammoth hotel since.

  Gleaming brass, marble floors and crystal chandeliers set an elegant tone. A large vase filled with exotic and expensive-looking flowers set atop a vast, round marble pedestal dominated the entryway. The hotel looked pretty much the same as she remembered.

  Parker had called ahead and secured a room. They picked up the key from the reception desk. The hotel staff didn’t blink an eye when they saw Sherlock. Of course the dog had on his police vest with the Sagebrush Police Department emblem.

  Her room was the last one to the right on the tenth floor. The suite was airy and lit with low-wattage lamps, casting glowing circles of warmth to dispel the shadows.

  Awareness of Parker so close behind her shimmied over her like silk sliding over her skin. The feeling left her a little breathless.

  Needing to gain control of her reaction, she walked to the window and gazed out at the sweeping view of Sagebrush at night. Lights twinkled downtown and extended in the distance, then abruptly ended. A vast blackness stretching as far as the eye could see marked the Lost Woods, the thousand-acre forest on the edge of town.

  She shivered. Daniel was killed in those woods. Those woods hold the answers. Answers she needed to uncover.

  In the reflection of the window, she watched Parker set her suitcase on the floor near the door leading to the bedroom. He straightened and stood watching her. She studied his face, the angles and planes, liking the way his hair fell over his forehead, the way his mouth curved slightly at the corners. The way he made her feel. Protected. Cared for. Special.

  Dangerous feelings that confused her heart and her mind.

  A flutter hit her tummy when their gazes met. She turned away from the window with a sigh to cover the peculiar way he made her feel, plopped down on the leather couch and into the soft, luxurious cushions. “I’m not sure I can afford to stay here more than one night.”

  “You’ll stay until the threat to your life is neutralized.”

  “Easy for you to say. It’s not your checkbook taking the hit.”

  “Don’t worry about the cost,” he said. “The department will pick up the tab.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “You can’t promise that.”

  “It’s already been arranged.”

  A mix of annoyance and gratitude surged through her. “You think of everything, don’t you?”

  “It’s my job.”

  Hers, too. Only she wasn’t the one calling the shots. She watched him inspect the place, opening doors and cabinets. Peering under the couches, running his hands along the edges of the tables, chairs and around the inside of the lamps. She couldn’t help but watch the play of muscles under fabric as he turned and reached, bent and flexed. The room grew warm. She remembered herself and why they were there. “Looking for drugs?” she teased.

  “Maybe. Or bombs or snakes or anything that might pose a threat to you.”

  His words touched her, making her think he was really worried about her well-being. His attention warmed her from the inside. “No one knows I’m here. I’ll be fine.”

  He strode toward her, stopping at the edge of the couch. “With everything that’s happened, we can’t be sure you’re safe.”

  An arrow of anxiety shot through her. “I wish we knew what this was all about.”

  “Me, too. Until then, I’m staying with you.”

  Her heart jolted. The very idea of him remaining in the suite with her, alone, had her mind racing with equal parts anticipation and alarm. She shot to her feet. “No. Absolutely not. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”

  Understanding dawned in his dark eyes. “I suppose you’re right.”

  A vague sense of disappointment coursed through her. “You got that straight. I can take care of myself.” With purposeful steps, she headed to the door. “I think we should call it a night.”

  He snagged a chair from the dining table and carried it to the door. “I’ll be right outside the door.”

  “What?” Disbelief raised her voice an octave. “That’s not necessary.”

  “Yes, it is. I’m not leaving you unprotected.”

  She couldn’t let him sit out in the hall where the other guests would see him and ask questions. “What about Sherlock?”

  “I’ll kennel him at night at the training center.”

  Stunned that Parker would be willing to do that, she didn’t know what to say. That was beyond the call of duty. Her gaze dropped to the dog sitting at Parker’s feet. Sherlock stared back at her, his big, brown eyes adoring. “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You’re not asking.”

  Stubborn man. “There has to be a better solution.”

  He thought for a moment. “Officer Patty Truman.”

  A vague image of one of the female patrol officers came to mind. “Yes. That would work.”

  “Good. Tomorrow we’ll make the arrangements with her.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “And tonight?”

  He grinned. “There’s an extra blanket and pillow in the closet. I’m sure the hotel can handle Sherlock staying here for one night.”

  He was staying? Melody’s palms started to sweat. She wiped them on her pant leg. Yeah, maybe the hotel could handle the beagle sticking around for the night, but could she handle Parker staying?

  He replaced the dining chair and disappeared into the bedroom, returning a moment later with the pillow and blanket in his hand. He dumped them on the leather couch.

  For a long moment they stared at each other from across the room. She couldn’t deny there was a part of her that was glad he was staying. For protection’s sake only, of course. Yet she couldn’t get used to having him look out for her, because sooner or later, having him around would be a thing of the past.

  Forcing back her agitation and growing attraction, she gave him a sharp nod and bolted for the bedroom. With the locked door separating them, she sat on the bed and planted her hands against her hot cheeks.

  How on earth was she supposed to get any rest with him in the next room?

  * * *

  “What do you mean you’ve been staying at the Sagebrush Hotel? Why?”

  “Shhh,” Melody hissed to Jim Wheaton. She quickly glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. Thankfully, the youth center wasn’t busy yet. “Someone broke into my apartment last Sunday night.”

  Jim stopp
ed midstride and faced her. “And you’ve waited five days to tell me? I’m your partner. I should’ve been told.”

  Guilt flooded through her. The thought of telling Jim hadn’t crossed her mind. There was no reason for him to know. And the fewer people who knew where she was staying, the better. She was only telling him now because he’d wanted to swing by her apartment on his way to the Founder’s Ball tonight and pick her up. “You’re right. I should have told you.”

  “Adams knows though, doesn’t he? That’s why he’s been dogging your steps all week. And why you’ve seemed distant.”

  The accusation in Jim’s eyes made her wince. She didn’t have to justify herself to him, yet he was her partner and friend. They’d been working together for a long time. She owed him the truth. She told him about the note and then about coming home and finding her apartment ransacked.

  “And you told Adams and not me.”

  “Parker was with me when I got to the apartment.”

  Jim’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re dating Adams?”

  “No. We’re not dating. Captain Drexel asked him to provide some protection, that’s all.”

  “Like I couldn’t?” Jim stalked away, his heavy boots ringing through the hall.

  Melody hustled to keep up. “Of course you could. It’s just the way things worked out. That’s all.”

  “Is he staying there with you?”

  Heat crept up her neck. Not now. “No.”

  “Good. Parker’s not good enough for you,” he huffed.

  She blinked, not sure how to respond. His words were something a father would say. Affection tightened her chest.

  “So what did they take?”

  The change of subject threw her for a moment. “Nothing as far as I could tell. I don’t own anything of monetary value.”

  The items she treasured were only special to her because of the memories attached to them. Photos of her family, Daniel’s Timex watch, the ring her mother gave her on her sixteenth birthday. The stuffed Cheshire Cat from her father. Her fingers curled with anger at the loss.

  Jim pushed open the door to the woodworking room and paused. “I hope if anything else happens you’ll come to me.”

  Pushing back her turbulent emotions, she nodded. “Of course, Jim.”