Within the hour, the team had gathered in the conference room. Rocco stood near the window overlooking the parking lot, his chocolate lab, Cocoa, beside him. Seated around the long oval table were Meadow, Ian, Ashley and Bennett. Their respective dogs either sat beside their handler’s chair or lay down at their feet beneath the table.
Chase had requested a whiteboard be brought in and placed where all could see it.
Along the top, he made two columns with the headings RMK and Unsub, referring to the unidentified subject targeting Zoe.
The large monitor screen facing the conference table was split with Trevor and Hannah videoing in from the safe house in Utah. On the other side of the screen was Selena and her private investigator fiancé, Finn Donovan.
The most recent text Chase had received from the RMK had put searches in other Rocky Mountain states on hold. Presumably, the RMK lurked somewhere in Elk Valley now. A horrible problem they needed to deal with.
“Let’s go over what we know so far.” Chase wrote on the whiteboard in red marker. “If the text is to be believed, our serial killer is in town for the reunion.”
“Do you still think the RMK plans on trying to kill Trevor at the reunion?” Ashley asked.
“He can’t,” Hannah said. “We aren’t coming.”
“Well, that’s the thing,” Chase said. “We need the RMK to believe Trevor is going to be at the reunion.”
“You hope he shows up?” Trevor said. “As I said before, I can’t remember if I RSVP’d, but I could post on the reunion social media pages saying I’m heading back to town.”
“Good idea.” Chase wrote that down on the blackboard. “I will also ask Zoe to spread the news that you’re coming.”
Hannah scowled. “When do you want us there?”
“I don’t,” Chase said.
“You just want RMK to think I’m coming,” Trevor said. “To what end?”
There was a murmur of agreement to the question that rippled through the room.
“I have a plan, which I will tell you about in a moment.” He wrote on the whiteboard. Kidnapped Cowgirl but released puppies. “We at least know he’s got a heart when it comes to animals.”
“Small comfort to those he’s killed,” Bennett said.
“Agreed. We have two suspects.” He wrote the names Evan Carr and Ryan York on the board. He filled the task force in on what Haley had said about Naomi Carr and Shelly York.
“The victims—and Trevor—were all part of the same group of friends,” Chase said. “With the exception of Peter and Trevor, they played cruel pranks on those they didn’t like. And the RMK targeted them. Peter was killed for being a part of the pack. The RMK went after Trevor but wasn’t successful.”
Trevor scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I just want this over.”
“We all do,” Chase said. Then he told them about Zoe’s ex-husband. “For half a second I thought maybe Garrett Watson might be added to the list of RMK suspects, but he doesn’t have a knife tattoo on his right forearm.”
Chase moved to the column he’d drawn under the bomber of Zoe’s house. He wrote RMK with a question mark beside it. “I haven’t ruled out that the Rocky Mountain Killer isn’t after Zoe, though there haven’t been any attacks on the other family members of the victims. It seems less likely.” He shrugged. “The ex-husband? Garrett Watson showed little regard for Zoe’s welfare, but he did come to town to make sure his daughter, whom he claims not to want, was safe.”
“There’s still the question of the people who are against having the reunion and what lengths they might go to stop it,” Ashley said.
“We worked our way through all of the names on the list Zoe gave us and those who made the negative comments on social media,” Meadow said. “Other than Garrett Watson, no one else stands out as a possible suspect.”
“I concur, boss,” Rocco said. “There were many names that were from an older generation who are either infirm or have limited mobility. All the others have alibis for the days leading up to the explosion. Nothing came from the canvass of Zoe’s neighborhood either. Whoever planted the bomb did so under the cover of night and was careful not to be seen by any exterior cameras.”
“Which might suggest the person responsible has to be someone who is familiar with the neighborhood.” Unease slithered down Chase’s spine. Could one of Zoe’s neighbors have a reason to target her? “What do we know about those living in close proximity to Zoe?”
“Most weren’t home at the time of the explosion,” Meadow said. “But we can do background checks on them all. Did Zoe mention if there was any sort of conflict with her neighbors?”
Chase shook his head. “I’ll ask her about that when I get home.”
He didn’t miss the exchange of speculative glances among the team. He should disabuse them of the idea there was anything untoward going on between him and Zoe, but for some reason he held his tongue. Ophelia had seen them kiss and had promised to keep it to herself. Were his growing feelings for Zoe beginning to show? He needed to do a better job of keeping his emotions under wraps.
The door to the conference room opened and Kyle and his K-9 partner, Rocky, a male coonhound with long floppy ears, stepped inside, drawing not only the humans’ attention but also that of the dogs in the room.
“Hey, wanted to let you know that Dr. Webb’s car was found in the parking lot of the hospital,” Kyle said. “Ophelia’s processing it as we speak.” He and Rocky moved farther inside so he could shut the door. “And I just had a very interesting conversation with the clerk who likely sold our suspected bomber the supplies.”
Chase’s pulse jumped. “Please, tell me you have a description or better yet, a photo.”
Kyle shook his head. “Sorry. The clerk said the person paid with cash and only gave grunted responses. The clerk couldn’t say whether the suspect was a man or a woman. The store’s security video feed, which I finally managed to get from the owner of the shop, shows a slim figure wearing dark clothes, a hoodie pulled up over a baseball cap, and oversized dark glasses covering most of their face. The purchase was made two weeks before the bombing.”
Not a spur of the moment decision. “The suspect is a planner.” The thought sent dread coursing through his veins. What was the person targeting Zoe planning next?
“Thank you, Kyle, for your hard work,” Chase said. “And please have Ophelia contact me the moment she’s done.”
Teeming with frustration, Chase shoved a hand through his hair. They were still no closer to knowing who destroyed Zoe’s home, but he hoped the car would reveal something about the person who’d tried to run them down. Were the bomber and the car thief the same person?
He put down the whiteboard marker, ready to lay out his plan. “Here’s my idea. Feel free to poke holes in it. I want to get this right. Trevor is the only surviving target from that old friend group. Starting tomorrow, we are going to spread the rumor that Trevor is coming to town for the reunion. I’m going to rent a house on the outskirts of town in Trevor’s name. On the night of the reunion, a small team will lie in wait for the RMK to make his move.”
“What if he tries to make his move at the reunion?” Trevor asked, his voice tinny over the video feed. “You need me there.”
“I have a workaround for that,” Chase said. “At the reunion, we’ll tell people you’re in town staying at a rental but not feeling well. But before the reunion, I’ll drive around town pretending to be you. We’re roughly the same height and build. I’ll need one of your signature silver Stetsons and access to a truck with your company logo on it.”
“Thus, forcing the RMK to go to the house in order to attack Trevor,” Rocco said.
“Exactly.” Chase could see that the team was on board with the plan.
“Or the RMK could try to off you as Trevor as you’re driving around,” Bennett pointed out.
“True,” Chase said. “Which is why one of you will follow at a discreet distance. And we can communicate via earwigs,” he explained, referring to the communication devices that allowed them to hear each other through a small earplug.
“I can do that,” Bennett said.
“Great. One other issue... I need someone to provide protection for Zoe at the reunion in case we haven’t found the person targeting her by then.” Chase didn’t want to have to pick someone but rather hoped for a volunteer.
There was definitely an uncomfortable silence echoing through the room as the ramifications of what Chase was asking became clear. If they didn’t discover who was targeting Zoe and Kylie soon, one of the task force members would be on protection detail and not in on the serial killer’s potential arrest.
“I’ll do it,” Meadow and Ashley said at the same time.
Gratitude for the two team members and their willingness filled Chase. “Thank you both. Meadow, you stay with Zoe. Be her shadow at the reunion.” At her nod, he said, “I appreciate it. Ashley, would Cade be willing to go with you to the reunion?”
“We were already planning on going,” Ashley said. “My sister-in-law Melissa and her bestie, Jessie, are both planning on attending, as well.”
“Good. If you all could keep your eyes and ears open, and spread the word that Trevor’s in town but not feeling well, that would be optimal.” Chase turned his focus to Rocco. “The same for you. You’re alumni and your presence there won’t be questioned, plus Sadie’s on the reunion committee so it makes sense for you to be there.”
“But you’re also alumni,” Bennett pointed out.
“True,” Chase said. “I’ll make an appearance early on and then duck out.”
“While you’re doing that,” Ian said, “I’ll be waiting in the house.”
“Good. I’ll show up driving Trevor’s truck, in case the RMK is watching.”
“I can stay and help with the takedown,” Kyle said. He looked to Ian. “I’ll join you at the house.”
Ian nodded. “Sounds good.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Chase said. “We’ll also have Deputy US Marshal Sully Briggs on standby. He’ll take the RMK into custody and get him far from town as quickly as possible.”
“That’s a good idea,” Rocco said. “There’s a long line of people who would like a chance to rip into the Rocky Mountain Killer.”
“Exactly,” Chase said. “We want the RMK to stand trial and answer for his crimes. Not be killed in some vigilante assassination.”
“I can take care of renting the house,” Bennett said.
“I can make the trip to Utah and drive one of Trevor’s company trucks back here,” Ian said.
Pride and pleasure swelled within Chase’s chest. He couldn’t have asked for a better task force than the men and women sitting around the table and on the screen. Each member of the team had a specialty K-9 dog, and the combination made them a fierce force to be reckoned with.
“You guys are the best,” Chase said. “I’ll have Isla make the posts on Trevor’s behalf routing the ISP through his company.”
Chase released the team to go about their assignments. They had three days to prepare for the takedown of the Rocky Mountain Killer.
Failure wasn’t an option. Not again. This time the task force would succeed. Chase sent up a silent prayer asking God for help. And doing so eased some of the anxiousness bouncing around his chest.
After putting Kylie in the playpen that now took up space in the living room, Zoe set the table while Chase cooked in the kitchen. He’d shooed her out moments ago, telling her he had everything under his control. It wasn’t often somebody, offered to cook for Zoe, outside of when she went to a restaurant. Usually, once people knew that she was a chef and a dietitian, they asked her to do the cooking.
But Chase and his father, Liam, both seemed to enjoy the culinary arts. She would appreciate whatever they put in front of her.
Dash scrambled from his place near the front door as Liam appeared in the dining room doorway. He was dressed up in chino slacks and a gray blazer over a blue button-down shirt. His hair was combed and styled. And he’d recently shaved. “You don’t have to set a place for me.”
Chase came out behind him and Zoe’s breath caught. The man was too handsome for his own good. He still had on his work uniform but now a white apron covered the front of him, and the words Kiss the Cook stenciled in blue seemed to shout at Zoe, reminding her of the kiss in the conference room. Heat infused her cheeks, and she hoped the men didn’t notice. She and Chase needed to talk about the kiss. About what the kiss meant. Or didn’t mean.
She usually didn’t shy away from hard conversations but for some reason, this one had her pulse skittering every time she thought about broaching the subject.
Chase folded his arms over his chest. “Dad, where’re you going?”
“Out,” Liam said, obvious excitement evident on his face.
“Okay,” Chase said slowly. “Where? And what time will you be home?”
A scowl darkened Liam’s face. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“I think it’s lovely that you’re going out. Hopefully to do something fun?” Zoe ventured, slanting a glance at Chase to gauge his reaction.
He turned his thunderous gaze to her. She lifted her chin.
“Zoe, if you don’t mind—”
“I appreciate your support, Zoe,” Liam broke in before Chase could finish his words.
Chase grimaced, running a hand down his face. “I just want to make sure everyone stays safe. With the RMK in town, we have no idea who will be his next target. The police department has extra patrols canvassing all areas of town and the FBI and US Marshals are here as backup and also stationed around town, keeping an eye out.”
Zoe’s heart melted a little, and she reached out a hand to place it on Chase’s forearm. “We all appreciate your protectiveness. I’m sure your father will be careful. And it sounds like you and your team have covered all the bases. There’s only so much you can control.”
Liam’s expression softened. “Yes, we all do appreciate your efforts. I’m going to the Rusty Spoke. It’s trivia night. I’ll be fine, surrounded by lots of people.”
Chase’s jaw set in a hard line. Zoe waited to see if he would demand an escort go with his father. But instead, he heaved a sigh. “I hope you have a good time.”
Remembering the flirtatious vibe she’d witnessed between Liam and Martha Baldwin, she asked, “Will Martha Baldwin be there?”
Liam grinned. “She will. Don’t wait up.”
After Liam left, Chase turned to stare at Zoe. “You must think I am...” He spread his hands wide. “I’m not even sure what to say. He’s my dad and I can’t stand the thought of something happening to him.”
“And I’m sure he has the same thoughts every time you walk out the door,” Zoe said gently.
Chase seemed to think that over then gave a nod. “You’re right, of course. I’m on edge. No closer to catching your bomber. I see threats everywhere.”
“It’s understandable,” she said. “But you can’t let fear rule you.”
“Sometimes it’s hard not to,” he said, his voice breaking.
She understood. After what happened to his wife and son, Chase had become hypervigilant, wanting to keep those he loved safe. In some small measure, she and Kylie were both in that circle now. Though she couldn’t say he loved her, he did care. She couldn’t deny that, just as she couldn’t deny she cared for him. More than cared, if she were being honest, but her developing feelings would only lead to disappointment. Heartache. The attraction between her and Chase was born out of a stressful and dangerous situation. It couldn’t last, could it?
“When I’m afraid, I will trust in the Lord,” she said. “That’s my mantra most days. It’s been hard and daunting to think about raising Kylie alone. But I know that God has me in His hands. I know He has you and Liam and the task force and this town in His hands. Circumstances may not turn out the way we want. In fact, they rarely do. That doesn’t negate God’s goodness.”
Chase covered her hand on his arm with his own and threaded their fingers together. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “You are a brave and wise woman. Zoe, I—”
The sound of the buzzer cut off his words. “The lasagna is done.” He let go of her hand and returned to the kitchen, leaving Zoe to wonder what he had been about to say. Was he going to bring up their kiss?
Her pulse sped up as she transferred Kylie from the playpen to the high chair set up at the dining table. She had to work to calm her breathing as Chase brought out the pan of lasagna and a bowl of fresh green salad. He also placed a plastic bowl filled with small chunks of fruit in front of Kylie. Tenderness flooded Zoe at his thoughtfulness toward her daughter.
Chase dished up the lasagna and Zoe scooped salad onto their plates. They ate and chatted about life, books and art in a companionable way that put her at ease. Chase asked about her business and seemed genuinely interested in hearing her ideas for how to expand once her house was restored.
A pang hit her square in the chest.
How often had she longed for someone to share meals with? Someone to share her hopes and dreams with? Garrett had hardly ever been home for dinner and hadn’t really been easy to confide in. The man was adept at turning the conversation to him whenever she’d tried to open up.
“I have a favor to ask of you,” Chase said as he pushed his empty plate away.
Grateful to help him in whatever way, she said, “Okay.”
He laughed. “You haven’t even heard what it is.”
She shrugged. “I owe you my life and Kylie’s life. Whatever you need.”
He tilted his head. “You don’t owe me anything. I was doing my job.”
Gesturing to the table and the house, she said, “And all of this, is just you doing your job?”
His lips curved in a half smile that was both endearing and amusing. “Maybe.”
Her heart did a little jig. “What are we doing?”
His eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play coy,” she said. “We both feel the attraction.”
“Attraction, yes,” Chase said. “How could I not? You’re a beautiful, funny, smart and caring person. But I’m not in a position to offer you anything.”
Just a kiss. Her heart hurt. But what did she expect? “I understand,” she said. “You’re still grieving the loss of your wife and child. And, frankly, I don’t know if I could ever truly trust my heart to a man again.”
“Don’t say that.” Chase reached out to take her hand. “Don’t paint every man with the same brush as your ex-husband. There are good men out there. You’ll find the right one someday.”
“Right.” But it was clear he didn’t consider himself the right one. She should be relieved, but instead a bruise lashed across her heart. She extracted her hand. “What was that favor?”
He hesitated then said, “I need you to help me spread the word that Trevor Gage is returning for the reunion.”
“Does this have something to do with the Rocky Mountain Killer?”
He pressed his lips together. Obviously, he couldn’t say.
“Never mind,” she said and stood. “We can start now. Let me change Kylie into a warm outfit and we can head downtown for ice cream.”
“Ice cream in October?”
“Yep. Pumpkin spice ice cream,” she said, though she really didn’t have much of an appetite now. “Plus, if we mention Trevor coming home to Simon Kimmer, the owner of the shop, he’ll spread the word.”
“Thank you,” Chase said.
Zoe released Kylie from her high chair and headed for the bedroom. She could feel Chase’s gaze, so she kept her head high and her shoulders back. No way would she let him know how his words had affected her. And reinforced her need to not rely on anyone else.
Chase watched Zoe walk into the spare bedroom and shut the door. The air in the house seemed to cool, or maybe it was just his blood. He’d hurt her. Unintentionally but still...his shoulders dropped with the weight of regret.
“Son?”
Chase whirled around to find his father standing in the shadows of the entryway. “How long have you been there?”
“Long enough,” Liam stepped to the entryway cabinet, opened a drawer, and removed his wallet. “I forgot this and came back for it. I didn’t mean to overhear.”
Chase ran his hand through his hair. “What do I do? How do I make this right with Zoe?”
“You care for her,” Liam said.
“Yes. But it can’t go anywhere. My heart is too broken.”
“Hearts mend when you let them. You are not responsible for Elsie’s or Tommy’s deaths.”
This was an old argument between them. Chase remained silent, not seeing the point of debating his guilt when nothing could assuage it.
“I miss Elsie and Tommy,” Liam continued. “I miss your mother something fierce.” He moved to stand in front of his son. “But it’s time to let go of the past. Forgive yourself. Elsie wouldn’t want you to be alone. And I know your mother wouldn’t have wanted me to be alone. I’ve been alone too long.”
Chase wasn’t sure how to respond or even how to sort through the emotions swirling through him. Forgive himself? How? “But in moving on, won’t I forget them?”
“Never. They will always have a place in our hearts. But it’s time to put the past behind us. And look to the future.”
“It’s hard for me to think beyond the next few days,” Chase replied out of self-preservation. His focus had to be on putting an end to the RMK’s reign of terror. And he still had to find the person targeting Zoe. Until then he had to control his emotions and stay professional.
“You’ll know when the time is right,” Liam told him as he opened the door to leave. “The time is right for me. I’m going to ask Martha Baldwin out on a date.”
For a long moment after his father left, Chase stared at the closed door. He was happy for his dad; he was brave to put his heart out there again. And he was right, his mom wouldn’t have wanted or expected his dad to be alone forever. Just as Elsie wouldn’t have wanted or expected Chase to be alone. But could Chase be as brave as his father when he still had so much guilt and sorrow pressing down on him?