by Terri Reed
She wiped at her eyes before turning toward him. As always, she was dressed impeccably in a starched blouse and skirt. Her short, bobbed hair matched the warm brown color of her eyes. “How can I help you?”
Ben appreciated her professionalism though he knew she had to be hurting just as badly as the rest of them. Marissa had worked closely with Greg for the past few years. Respecting her need to keep emotions in check, he said, “I need the key to Greg’s office.”
Without blinking an eye at the request, she opened a drawer and withdrew a key ring. “Here you go. Senior Captain Parker is waiting in the conference room for you.”
Not surprised to learn the senior captain was already here, Ben wished he had something concrete to report.
“Thank you.” He turned to go, then paused. “Marissa, do you have any idea what case came up recently that Greg was working on?”
She shook her head. “I don’t. But I can check the logs to see if anything came in that I’m unaware of.”
“That would be helpful.” Instead of heading directly to the conference room, Ben returned to his office where he called the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory Service operating out of San Antonio.
“Talk to me, James,” Ben said to the head technician when he got him on the phone.
“Hey, Ben. Sorry about Greg. He’ll be missed.”
A swell of sorrow rushed in. Ben gripped the receiver tighter. “Yes. What do we know so far?”
“The coroner is just starting his exam. I won’t have the bullet for a few hours. I can tell you that the prints taken off the unknown vic don’t show up in IAFIS.”
Ben’s jaw tightened painfully. The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System used primarily by law enforcement agencies across the country was the largest biometric database in the world. Most people’s fingerprints and corresponding information such as address and criminal record were entered into the system whether they realized it or not. Seemed this guy had somehow managed to avoid being fingerprinted. “What about DNA?”
“We’ve sent samples to the FBI’s CODIS—the Combined DNA Index System—and we’re running them here in our lab. We won’t have results for at least seven to ten days.”
Time was not on their side. Every minute that went by meant the criminal who’d shot Greg was on the loose and possibly getting away.
“But unless we find something to compare the data to, it’s useless,” James stated.
Taking a deep breath to stem the tide of frustration, Ben asked, “Anything else?”
“I sent photos of the vic to our Austin office. They have the most up-to-date facial recognition software available and are hooked into the National Crime Information Center database. Plus, Paige Bryant knows that system better than anyone else I’ve ever met. If the guy’s image is in the cyber world, Paige will find it.”
“Let’s hope,” Ben said. He’d only met the forensic artist a few times and had liked her calm demeanor. He reminded himself to have her drive down to work with Corinna.
“We found particulates on the unknown vic. Some grass and pollen fibers. We’re working on identifying them. We also found traces of clay loam on the floor after both incidents, which is indigenous to the area around the Pikes’ place.”
“We’re pretty sure the perp came in through the patio doors and left the same way both times.”
“Makes sense. But anyone or anything could have tracked in the loam. We also found cat hairs on Greg.”
“His daughter, Corinna, has a cat.”
“Okay.” He sighed. “That’s all I have for now.”
“Keep me updated.” As soon as he hung up, Ben dialed Paige’s number. He explained what he needed. She agreed to drive down straight away. With his calls done, Ben ran a hand over his close-cropped hair, the ends bristling against his palm. Best to face the inevitable. He headed toward the large conference room where the Rangers convened to discuss active investigations.
All the Rangers were seated at the huge oval table. A sea of white hats, grim expressions and suppressed emotions awaited him. They were all grieving their captain’s demise and anxious to catch the villain. Trevor slipped in behind Ben and took a seat. Ben stood and braced his hands on the back of an empty leather chair.
At the head of the table stood Texas Ranger Senior Captain Doug Parker, dressed in tan slacks, a navy sport coat over a white button-down and a white hat. In his late sixties, Parker made an imposing figure at six-one with a bony frame that barely contained the energy emanating from him.
The lines in his craggy face were as harsh as his sharp green eyes as he assessed the nine men and one woman in front of him from beneath the brim of his hat. He smoothed a finger over his handlebar mustache. “It’s a sad, sad day,” he said.
Nods of agreement went around the room.
“But we carry on. The Rangers have always carried on,” Parker said in a solemn tone. “There’s work to be done. First I need to appoint a new captain to Company D.”
The sound of the Rangers shifting in their seats filled Ben’s ears. He kept his gaze trained on Parker, though he could feel the speculative glances shooting his way.
Ben cleared his throat. “We need to find our captain’s murderer before any decisions are made.”
Parker’s eyes narrowed. “Without a leader the team will falter.”
“I agree,” Trevor interjected, his voice vibrating with anticipation. He stood. “As the senior lieutenant, I’m more than willing to step into the captain’s role.”
Parker never shifted his gaze from Ben. “Duly noted, Donovan. However, Lieutenant Fritz will be promoted to Captain of Company D.”
The senior’s words hit Ben like a fist to the solar plexus. He and Greg had talked about the day when Ben would be promoted, but it was always in the context of when Greg retired.
“What? How can you do this?” sputtered Trevor.
Parker pinned Trevor with his glittering eyes. “If you have a problem with the situation, we can discuss it in private.” Turning his sharp gaze back to Ben, he said, “So, Fritz, do you accept the position?”
Ben’s heart pounded. He wanted the promotion, but not like this. Greg should be the one handing off the leadership baton. But Greg was gone and Ben needed to face that fact. His gut crunched.
He glanced around the table, appreciating the encouraging looks of the Rangers of Company D. Slowly, he nodded, accepting the responsibility out of respect for his fallen captain.
Parker nodded with satisfaction. “Good.” His expression turned grim. “Then I’ll leave you to find Pike’s murderer. Anything you need, Ben, don’t hesitate to ask. You have all of the resources of the State of Texas at your disposal.” Parker touched the brim of his hat and headed for the door.
Ben hurried to catch up with him in the hall. “Captain Parker, I’d like to request to promote Daniel Riley to the rank of lieutenant.”
Parker stopped and placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I think that’s a fine idea. Fill out the necessary forms.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Sadness crept into the older man’s eyes. “I’m sorry about Greg. I know you two were close.”
“We were, sir.” As close as father and son. Only their bond went deeper. Ben had trusted Greg with his life. And vice versa. If only Ben had arrived twenty minutes earlier….
Parker squeezed Ben’s shoulder. “I have every confidence you’ll bring the murderer to justice. And until the fiend is apprehended, you are charged with keeping Corinna Pike safe.”
“I will,” Ben assured him with rock solid determination strengthening his tone. “Believe me, I will.”
Trevor stepped out into the hall. “Captain Parker, may I have a word?”
Parker removed his hand from Ben’s shoulder, sighed and then nodded to the other Ranger. “Walk with me, Donovan.”
Shooting Ben a withering glare, Trevor edged past him and walked away with Captain Parker.
Ben reentered the conferenc
e room and accepted his comrades’ well wishes with bittersweet emotion. He held up a hand and waited until they quieted down. “Where are we in the investigation? I want this guy caught before he comes after Corinna since she can ID him.”
“Still waiting on forensics to identify more trace elements found at the scene after the break-in,” Oliver said.
“We should have the ME’s report by noon,” Gisella said.
“The neighbors didn’t see or hear a thing,” Levi said.
“We found several sets of tire tracks at the back gate. Hard to say if they were fresh or not. Took impressions and gave them to forensics. Still waiting.”
“Hurry them along.” Ben turned his gaze to Daniel and Marvel. “And the man found shot with Greg?”
“Coma guy? No change,” Marvel replied. “SAPD sent over two officers. They’ll report in if there’s any development.”
Disappointment lodged a boulder in his chest. “So basically, we have squat.”
An uncomfortable silence fell across the room.
“Come on, people. No one can be that good. Our killer had to mess up somehow. We just have to find his mistake.” Ben prayed his words were true. Turning to Anderson, he asked, “What does the SAPD officer from last night have to say?”
“Not much. Guy came up from behind him and hit him over the head with a rock from the garden,” Anderson replied.
“Prints?”
Anderson shook his head. “Guy wore gloves.”
“Figures,” Ben said. He shifted his gaze to another Ranger seated at the table. “Oliver, when Paige arrives, see if the facial recognition software has come up with an ID for coma guy.”
“Will do, Captain.” Oliver grinned. “I sure like the sound of that.”
Ben wished he could fully embrace his new title, but his grief was too fresh. He’d give anything to have Greg back. “Thanks.”
His gaze swept over the remaining Rangers. “Beat the bushes. Find something useful. Cade, check with the DA. See if any of Greg’s old cases send up any red flags. We have to work this from every angle. The guy’s still out there and Corinna could be his next target.”
“On it, boss,” Cade said as he slipped his cell phone out of his sport-coat pocket. He rose and left the conference room.
Ben headed for Greg’s office. He unlocked the door and flipped on the overhead light. A long filing cabinet ran the length of the room beneath the large rectangular window overlooking the back parking lot. The mahogany desk facing the door was neat, just the way Greg liked it, with files piled on the corner edge, pens in their holder and a computer waiting to be booted up.
Behind the desk, the rust-colored, high-back leather chair beckoned for its owner to sit. Ben wasn’t that man.
How could he ever measure up to his mentor and friend’s legacy? Greg had been a fierce leader, determined to right wrongs and bring order out of chaos. He’d taught Ben how to exert power without aggression, how to remain calm in the face of deadly situations and how to uphold the law while upholding justice because the two didn’t always coincide.
Greg’s certificates covered the wall facing Ben. College diplomas, academy documents, Ranger credentials. Pieces of a man’s life.
Shaking off the melancholy threatening to cut off his breath, Ben moved behind the desk. With a slight hesitation, he sat in the leather chair. As difficult as this situation was, he had an investigation to conduct. He was Captain now.
Get on with it, he admonished himself.
With determination, he booted up the computer. It didn’t take long to figure out the password—Corinna. Ben opened the top drawer and examined the contents—pens, paperclips, stacks of sticky notepads, official forms.
Which reminded Ben that he wanted to get Daniel’s promotion in the works right away.
He found what he needed in the stack he pulled from the drawer and filled in the blanks. The desk phone rang just as he finished.
For a long moment he stared at the instrument as if he’d never seen a phone before. Finally, he picked up the receiver. “Fritz.”
The administrative assistant’s voice came over the line. “You have a call on line one.”
“Thanks, Marissa.” He depressed the blinking light.
“Captain Fritz.”
“This is SAPD Officer Talbot. Sir, we have a situation here at the hospital.”
FIVE
Adrenaline spiked through Ben. “He woke up?”
“No, sir. We have a Corinna Pike here demanding to talk to the unconscious man. She said you’d know her.”
Surprise rushed in, pushing the adrenaline to the background. “I do. I’m on my way.”
What was she doing there? And asking to talk to the victim? How crazy was that? She had no business involving herself in his investigation.
The question rattled inside his head as he hung up and glanced at Gisella, who stood in the doorway of Greg’s office. “Corinna’s at the hospital wanting to see coma guy,” Ben said.
Surprise flickered in her dark eyes. “I assumed she was still asleep in her room when I left this morning. I should have looked in on her. There’s an SAPD officer stationed outside my house. They’d have informed me if she’d left. How did she get to the hospital?”
Frustration pounded at his temple. “I have no idea.”
“I can go,” Gisella offered.
Rising from the chair, Ben shook his head. “No. I’ll take care of her. She’s my responsibility.”
Gisella arched an eyebrow.
For some reason, heat crept up Ben’s neck. “Was there something you needed?”
“I was just going to give you a quick update on her,” she replied.
“How did she seem to you?”
“She’s taking her father’s death hard, as one would expect. She wasn’t happy when I told her she needed to stay inside the house at all times.”
Picturing her bleak eyes when they’d parted last, he didn’t know how she’d survive after such a loss. And now she’d left the safety of Gisella’s home, putting herself in needless danger when the assassin was still at large and probably knew she could ID him. The need to see her, to protect her, spurred him on.
“Call my cell if you need me,” he said before hurrying from the office.
He encountered little traffic on his way to the hospital. Rather than wait for the elevator, he took the stairs and emerged on the fourth floor opposite the nurses’ station. He tipped his hat in greeting and hastened down the hall. The smell of antiseptic burned his nose. The soft noises of the hospital echoed inside his head as he neared Corinna.
She looked fragile and beautiful and in need of protection. Her leather-soled shoe tapped soundlessly against the linoleum, and her slender arms were wrapped around her middle. She wore jeans and a plum-colored tank top. Her dark, silky hair was captured at her nape in a twist, emphasizing her slender neck and porcelain skin. Her eyes were wide and filled with desperation in the swirling depths.
The stark white bandage taped to her bare biceps reminded him of how close she had come to being killed. His heart contracted painfully.
Acknowledging the two haggard-looking SAPD officers with a tip of his head, he led her away by the elbow. “Corinna, what are you doing here? You were supposed to stay at Gisella’s.”
“I couldn’t just sit there doing nothing,” she said, her voice breaking.
He could see how badly she was hurting. He wished he could make her feel better. But he didn’t know how to accomplish such a feat. “How did you get here?”
She tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth before answering. “I called a taxi and went home to get my car.”
“But how did you get past the SAPD officer?”
“He probably hadn’t arrived yet. I left Gisella’s around six this morning.”
A fist of aggravation and anxiety slammed into his midsection. He was going to have to do a better job of protecting her, not only from her father’s killer but from herself. He sought an even tone as he
said, “We can’t protect you if you’re sneaking off and running around alone.”
A little crease appeared between her eyebrows. “I don’t need to ask permission to live my life.”
“But we can’t protect you if we don’t know what you’re doing.”
Through gritted teeth, she said, “I can take care of myself.”
And the state’s Ten Most Wanted would meet him for coffee tomorrow morning. She was lean, bordering on too thin, petite with delicate features. A strong wind could blow her over.
He pushed back his hat and rubbed at his pounding temple. “Corinna—”
She cut him off in a voice that shook with suppressed emotion. “Tell them to let me in there.” Her sorrowful brown eyes implored him to understand. “I want him to tell me who shot my father.”
“He hasn’t come out of his coma,” he stated gently.
Her pretty lips pressed together in a straight line. She took a breath and slowly let it out. “I understand that. But I read online that sometimes coma victims can still hear and rouse to respond to what’s being said to them. Maybe…” She took another shuddering breath. “Maybe he’ll want to wake up to tell us who shot him. And my father.”
Ben had thought the same thing. He’d tried, but nothing happened.
An inner nudging made him pause. If the man in the bed could hear, maybe listening to the woman who’d tried to save him, the daughter of the other victim, might be the catalyst to bring him back to consciousness. Who was Ben to deny her the attempt?
“Let me check with the doctor. If he says yes, then I’ll take you in there,” he said.
Her face lit up with hope.
His stomach dropped. “You can’t get your hopes up. This is a long shot and may not work.”
“But it could.”
Her desperate expression beseeched him to believe along with her. He wanted to. He wanted the man to wake up. But he was realistic enough to know not everything turned out the way one wanted or hoped.
After securing the doctor’s permission, Ben sent up a silent prayer he wasn’t making a mistake by allowing Corinna to go into the room.
She’d suffered too many traumas already. He wasn’t sure she could sustain any more.
