“Hey!” Nate rapped on the door, trying to get the guy’s attention. “Police!”
Nothing.
“Open up! I want to talk to you!”
Still nothing. Peering through the window, Nate couldn’t see the person inside any longer. Had he gone out the back?
“Come, Murphy.” Nate whirled away from the glass door and quickly walked along the sidewalk, looking for the quickest way to get to the back of the long building.
When he found a narrow walkway between the one structure and the next, he didn’t hesitate to enter. There was just enough room for Murphy to walk alongside him. As they approached the back of the building, he slowed, straining to listen.
He didn’t hear anything above the routine traffic, subway train and pedestrian noise.
Murphy stood beside him, nose in the air as if still seeking the scent from the gas receipt. His partner didn’t alert, so Nate crept around the corner, keeping his back pressed against the wall.
The alley was long, stretching the entire length of the building. Several dumpsters were stationed at intervals along the way. He moved from dumpster to dumpster, wrinkling his nose at the pungent scent, searching for signs of someone hiding out.
He found what appeared to be the back door to the Burgerteria, but it was locked. He looked down at Murphy. “What do you think?”
The K-9 gazed up at him, waiting for the next command.
Nate offered the evidence bag to Murphy. “Seek.”
Murphy eagerly sniffed the inside of the bag, then went to work along the alley. Nate kept one eye on Murphy, the other sweeping the area for any sign of danger.
Murphy scouted the area for several long minutes, but never alerted. Fifteen minutes later, Nate called him off.
“Heel, Murphy. Good boy.” He rubbed the Lab’s sleek coat, smiling as Murphy wiggled with joy and reminded himself he needed to take time to throw the K-9’s orange ball.
“Come.” He shortened Murphy’s leash and returned through the narrow walkway to the street where the dog had last alerted on the intruder’s scent. The Burgerteria was the only clue he had so far, other than the gas receipt itself, and he didn’t like the fact that so far, both had led to a dead end. Maybe Eden could get more info from the receipt.
He headed back toward Willow’s apartment building, wondering again if the perp had gone to the restaurant for a meal or to meet someone?
And if it was the latter, why? What could they have possibly been looking for inside Willow’s apartment?
Nate always liked a puzzle, but this one bothered him more than most. Maybe because Willow was a beautiful woman alone caring for her young niece.
Before he reached Willow’s apartment building, his phone rang. “Hey, Gavin, what’s up?”
“Emergency staff meeting. Can you get here ASAP?”
He thought about the cops he had watching over Willow and Lucy. “Yeah, sure. I’m only a few minutes away.”
The Brooklyn K-9 Unit headquarters was housed in a three-story limestone building that was a former police precinct until the unit merged with another precinct. Their new K-9 unit gladly took the abandoned space, making it their new home. A K-9 center with an outdoor training yard was located right next door, perfectly fitting in with room to grow.
Nate and Murphy made it to headquarters in record time. After entering the building, he nodded at Penelope McGregor, their desk clerk. Tall and slender with long red hair and dark brown eyes, Penny was only twenty-four, and the entire unit was protective of her. No one as much as her brother, Detective Bradley McGregor. “Hey, Penny, how are you holding up?”
She shrugged and grimaced. “It’s been horrible. I’m still reeling from this latest murder. Sarge asked me to attend the staff meeting with the rest of you.”
“Good.” Nate waved his hand toward the hallway. “Let’s go.”
He placed Murphy in one of the kennels kept in the precinct for just this reason, then followed Penny into the large conference room. The rest of the team was already assembled. The four female K-9 officers—Lani Jameson, who’d transferred from the NYC K-9 Command Unit after Gavin’s promotion, Belle Montera, Vivienne Armstrong and their newest rookie, Noelle Orton—were seated in a cluster, leaving the guys, Ray Morrow, Jackson Davison, Tyler Walker, Maxwell Santelli, Henry Roarke and Bradley McGregor, to fill in the other seats. Nate slid in next to Henry, while Penny took a seat beside her brother.
“Thanks for coming together late in the day on short notice.” Gavin Sutherland swept a serious gaze over his team. “As you may have heard, a married couple in East Flatbush, Alex and Debra Emery, were murdered earlier today. Thankfully, their three-year-old daughter, Lucy, a witness, was spared.”
“Just like me,” Penny whispered.
Gavin nodded. “Yes. The MO of the Emery murders is far too similar to your parents’ case.”
“The murderer, wearing a clown face with blue hair on top, entered the front yard, gave a stuffed monkey to Lucy, then shot both the Emerys in the back.” Nate glanced at his colleagues. “Every detail the same as the McGregor murders twenty years ago, down to the exact same date.”
“We’ve always known my parents’ murderer is still out there, but why would he strike again now, after all these years?” Brad asked.
“We have to keep an open mind,” Gavin cautioned. “But it’s possible the perp was locked up at some point, for some other crime, and recently got out. Once the forensic specialist gets through the evidence, we may have more to go on.” Gavin looked at his whole team. “I need all of you to work together on this. To back each other up in every way possible.”
“We will.” Nate infused confidence in his tone, and several of the other team members nodded their heads in agreement.
“Any news on Liberty?” Noelle Orton was paired with the beautiful yellow Lab, who they recently learned had a ten grand price placed on her head from a high-ranking gun runner. Liberty had foiled two military weapon smuggling operations in the past two months, so the kingpin wanted her and her skills out of the police business. The talented Lab was costing the gun runners way too much. Unfortunately, the dark smudge on Liberty’s left ear made her far too easy to spot, so Gavin asked them all to be vigilant about watching for any strike against the K-9.
“No, unfortunately Liberty remains a target with a bounty on her head,” Gavin said grimly. “You and Liberty need to continue keeping a low profile.”
“Yes, sir.” Noelle tried to hide her dejection, but everyone knew the rookie couldn’t very well prove herself if she and her K-9 partner weren’t allowed to work big cases.
Nate subtly glanced at his watch. Willow would be wondering where he was if they didn’t finish up soon.
As if on cue, Gavin waved a hand. “That’s all I have for now. Just be careful out there, okay?”
A chorus of “We will” echoed from the team members around the room.
Normally Nate would have lingered to chat with the rest of the team, heading over to the 646 Diner where they often went for a quick meal after work. But he needed to get back to Willow and Lucy, so he released Murphy from his kennel and left.
As he entered Willow’s apartment building, he thought about Gavin’s staff meeting and what he’d seen at the Burgerteria. He made a silent promise to get to the bottom of what was going on with Willow, even while continuing to investigate the Emery murders and the obvious link to the twenty-year-old McGregor case.
Willow tried to ignore her discomfort with the two uniformed officers standing outside her broken apartment door as she watched Lucy eat.
Voices from the hallway caught her attention.
“Thanks for staying.” Nate’s deep tone rippled through her, instantly relaxing her tense muscles. “I’ll take it from here.”
“Call if you need anything. We’ll be on duty until eleven.”
“I will.”
Turning toward the doorway, she met Nate’s gaze. “Well? You were gone for a long time. Did you and Murphy find anything?”
“Maybe.” He entered the apartment, two silver dog dishes tucked under one arm and a container of kibble in hand. He closed the door behind Murphy, even though it didn’t latch because the handle was broken. The yellow Lab took a seat in the center of her small kitchen, waiting as Nate filled one of the bowls with water, the other with dog food.
Murphy lapped up the water, then began to eat.
Nate watched his partner for a few minutes before turning toward her. “Murphy followed the scent from here all the way to the Burgerteria restaurant. Could be a simple coincidence, but my gut tells me the person who did this—” he waved a hand to indicate the mostly cleaned-up apartment “—was meeting someone there.”
“The Burgerteria?” She drew her gaze from Murphy, grappling with the idea of the vandal going to the restaurant. “That’s where I work as a line cook.”
Nate’s gaze sharpened. “For how long?”
“Three years, since I moved into this apartment.” She thought it was strange that the vandal would go there. “Are you sure Murphy didn’t follow my scent instead of the receipt?”
Nate’s eyes darkened. “I’m positive. He’s one of the best trackers we have.”
She wanted to believe him, but it wasn’t easy. Why would the vandal go there? Sure, the place was only a few blocks away, and served great food, if she said so herself, but still.
“Aunt Willow? Are we safe now?” Lucy’s tone drew her from her thoughts.
She did not want Lucy listening to their conversation. “Of course. Everything is going to be fine now. Where’s your dolly?”
“Baby!” Lucy ran over to pick up her baby doll from the sofa, clutching it to her chest. Nate took off Murphy’s vest and leash, and the lab went over to sniff at Lucy, then licked her. Lucy giggled but held the doll out of Murphy’s reach, as if the K-9 might steal her. “My baby.”
“Yes, she’s your baby. Why don’t you play in my room?” Willow smiled at her niece. “Maybe your baby needs a bottle?”
“Yes! She must be hungry.” Lucy disappeared into the bedroom. Murphy followed, but then turned around and stretched out in front of the bedroom doorway. She watched him, touched by the way he was clearly protecting the little girl.
“Is there any reason someone at the Burgerteria would come here to search your place?” Nate’s voice brought her back to the issue at hand. “Anyone carrying a grudge against you for some reason? Or have reason to believe you’re hiding something?”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “Why would they? I make hundreds of gourmet burgers every day. I can’t imagine why on earth that could possibly make someone upset with me. Or think that I would have something they’d want.”
“Not sure.” Nate glanced around, as if searching the apartment for answers. “It just seems like an odd coincidence that your place was tossed by someone who immediately left and went to the restaurant.”
“A coincidence?” Her annoyance grew. “You mean like the fact that my apartment was broken into and searched the same day my brother and his wife were murdered? That kind of coincidence?”
“Easy, now. I told you, I’m not sure the two cases are related.” Nate’s attempt to calm her wasn’t working.
“Well, it seems logical to me, that if anyone was looking for me, they’d know to come to the Burgerteria. They wouldn’t have to come here to search my place. I don’t have anything here.” She was tired and cranky but knew it wasn’t Nate’s fault. He was only trying to help.
It was all just too much.
Her stomach rumbled, and she blew out a breath and gestured toward the pizza. “Are you hungry? We can share what’s left.”
“I could eat.” Nate stepped toward her, his blue eyes searching hers. “Willow, I know you’ve had a long day. I’m just trying to understand what’s going on.”
“I know.” His gentleness was nearly her undoing. Tears threatened, and she bit her lip and pinched the bridge of her nose to ward them off. She couldn’t afford to break down. Not with Lucy in the next room. She drew in a deep breath. “I—Thank you, Nate. I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”
“Sit down.” He put a hand on the small of her back and steered her toward a chair. “I’ll dish up the pizza.”
She dropped into the seat and sighed. “It’s probably cold.”
“I love cold pizza.”
His comment made her smile. Talk about being willing to look on the bright side of things. She watched as he went to the counter and opened cupboards until he found plates and glasses. After piling two slices of pizza on each plate, he brought them over. “Milk? Or water?”
“Milk is fine. We may as well drink it up. I bought it for Lucy, but she doesn’t seem to care for it much.”
“Maybe she hasn’t been exposed to it enough.” Nate filled two glasses with milk and set them on the table. “Give her some time. She’ll get used to it.”
She thought about how her brother’s kitchen had looked, with the dirty dishes, trash and empty liquor bottles strewn about. “You’re probably right. I’m afraid that little girl is going to need a lot of time to adjust to her new life. And to the loss of her parents.”
Nate reached over to squeeze her hand. “I’m glad she has you.”
The stupid tears burned again, but she summoned a smile. “We have each other.”
They finished the rest of their pizza in silence. She felt herself blush when Nate’s gaze lingered on her features and she wondered if she had smears of pizza sauce on her face. She wiped at her mouth and pushed her plate away. “You can have the rest, if you like. I’m full.”
“Sure?” Nate’s gaze was hopeful.
“Yes. It’s the least I can do.” She frowned and glanced at her door. It bothered her that the door handle was still broken, but she didn’t have a clue how to replace it. “Do you think we should move into a hotel for the night?”
Nate followed her gaze and she wondered what he was thinking. He cleared his throat. “I have a better idea. Murphy and I will bunk here for the night.”
“Here?” Her voice squeaked. “There’s not enough room.”
He shrugged. “I’ll sleep on the sofa. Murphy doesn’t mind the floor.”
“The sofa?” She knew she sounded like a parrot repeating everything back to him. She didn’t want to be alone, but the idea of sharing her small apartment was a bit distracting. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” He smiled and she had to cross her arms over her chest to keep from hugging him.
She probably wouldn’t sleep much anyway, but knowing Nate Slater and Murphy were here to protect them gave her the sense of peace she desperately needed.
As Willow spread a sheet over the sofa and added a blanket and pillow, he found himself wondering if he’d lost his mind.
Everything about Willow Emery screamed happy homemaker. She was a nurturer, a nester.
She was everything he knew he couldn’t have.
“If you need anything else, just holler.” Her smile was sweet. “Thanks again for doing this.”
He cleared his throat, pulling himself together with an effort. “You’re welcome. Listen, I have to take Murphy outside one last time, but I won’t go far. I’ll keep my eye on the front of the building at all times.”
A flash of alarm rippled across her features, but she nodded. “Okay.”
He pulled out his cell phone and swiped at his screen, then met her gaze. “Tell me your number.”
She recited the number. He punched it in, then he called her phone. The screen lit up and the phone chirped. “There, now you have my number, too. I promise, it won’t take long.”
She went over and scooped up her phone. “Thank you.”
He nodded, then placed Murphy’s vest on, and clipped the leash to his collar. “We’ll be back soon.”
He took Murphy down to the lobby. There was a small patch of grass that wasn’t far from Willow’s redbrick building. Once Murphy did his thing, Nate cleaned up after him, then tossed the orange ball, keeping his eye on the front door of Willow’s building. Several people entered, but no one looked suspicious.
His phone remained reassuringly silent.
The puzzle pieces surrounding the case filtered through his mind. The perp had gone from Willow’s apartment to the Burgerteria where she worked. To meet someone? It was the only thing that made sense.
Yet Willow had a point about how anyone looking for her would know when she was working. Why break into her apartment to search for something today, a day she had off work? Why not pick a day she was working late instead?
All good questions without the barest hint of an answer.
Ten minutes later, he bent over to rub Murphy, deciding he’d given the K-9 enough attention for now. He pocketed the orange ball and took Murphy back inside, riding the elevator to the seventh floor. He approached Willow’s broken door, then dropped to one knee to examine the handle more closely. It would need to be replaced, something he could do for her in the morning.
After heading into the apartment, he closed the door and pressed one of the kitchen chairs firmly up against it. Murphy would let him know before anyone got close, but he figured the added barrier couldn’t hurt.
Murphy lapped water from his bowl. As Nate went past the bedroom door, he heard Willow and Lucy talking.
“It’s time to say our bedtime prayers,” Willow said.
“What are bedtime prayers?”
“I’ll show you. First you need to be tucked in underneath the covers.” There was a rustle of sheets as Lucy complied. “Now put your hands together like this and close your eyes.”
“Okay.”
“Dear Lord, we ask You to bless Nate and Murphy, for everything they’ve done for us today. We also ask You to watch over us as we sleep, keeping us safe from harm. Amen.”
There was a pause, before Willow added, “Lucy, you need to say amen, too.”
“Oh. Amen.”
“Good. Now we can go to sleep, knowing that we’ll be safe in God’s care.”
Nate backed away from the door. The idea of praying like that was completely foreign to him.
For a moment he remembered the night his father had lost all semblance of control. The way the old man had lashed out, hitting his mother so hard she flew halfway across the room. The way he’d rushed his father, his skinny ten-year-old fists hitting his father’s belly, bouncing off harmlessly as he begged him to stop.
The way his father had backhanded him, pain blooming in his head as he crashed into the wall, falling to the floor in a crumpled heap.
Sweat popped out on his forehead, the back of his throat burning from pent-up screams locked in his mind. With an effort, he forced the twenty-year-old images away. Turning away from the door, he went over to stretch out on the sofa. Murphy plopped on the floor next to him.
He reached down to rest his hand on Murphy’s soft fur. His partner was real. Murphy would do whatever was necessary to protect him and the woman and child in the next room.
No, he didn’t believe for one moment that God had ever watched over him.