Blake
I scrubbed a hand over my face. I’d been staring at the blueprints so long my eyes were starting to cross. My gaze drifted once more over the large drawing I’d picked up from the developer before I pushed away from the desk and strode to the small window.
This far downtown there wasn’t much to look at. I was afforded a view of another ancient, crumbling red brick building next door and the spires of an even older church a block over. I was missing something, and it was bothering the hell out of me. Maybe some fresh air and a change of scenery would do me good. I tended to think better as I moved anyway.
I grabbed two manila folders from the corner of my desk and left the office, flicking the lights off as I went, then made my way down the hall to the bullpen. I tapped in the five-digit code and the door beeped, granting me entrance.
Three heads swiveled my way then just as quickly resumed what they were doing. I approached Doyle’s desk and propped a hip on the corner.
“I need a favor.”
“What’s up?”
“I need you to run a couple names for me. See what you can pull on both. I want full history.” I turned to Jason and handed him the dossiers on both Greg Andrews and Dr. Johnathan Martin.
“Anything in particular I need to look for?”
“That one”—I motioned to Andrews’s file—“is a disgruntled ex-patient of Victoria’s. See if there’s any history of violence, and put some priority on it if you don’t mind. When Victoria’s friend was killed years ago, the guy introduced himself as Marc. See if there’s any possibility that Andrews could’ve been in the vicinity at the time of the murder. He may have used an alias, or he may have changed his name since then. Whoever broke into Victoria’s house left behind a hunting knife. Maybe you can do some checking to see if he’s purchased anything recently. According to the police report, the blade appears to be the same one used in the Henderson murder a couple weeks ago, too. There’s a good chance he may be tied into all this somehow.
“And him…” I flicked Martin’s folder. “He’s an arrogant pain in the ass who’s in love with my girlfriend. I need a reason to knock his ass down a couple pegs.”
Jason nodded his understanding. “Fair enough.”
I couldn’t quite dispel my unease, and there was a heavy feeling in the air, almost tangible in its intensity. Something bad was going to happen—I could feel it. I’d been at QSG most of the day chasing leads, but I was still no closer to finding an answer. Victoria had called earlier to let me know she was going to see a friend, then would meet me back at her house.
With my stint at the healthplex almost complete, I wanted her to feel comfortable at both my place and hers in case I needed to be away from her. She’d insisted she’d be fine staying home alone today, so I’d reluctantly kissed her goodbye and come in to catch up on some work. Something had been nagging at me all day, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what exactly was bothering me.
Victoria and I had discussed some of her concerns over the last few days, which seemed to have soothed some of her fears. I hesitated to come right out and tell her exactly how I felt—that she could be the one. My mom had called a few nights ago, and when I told her I was planning to bring my girlfriend home for a visit, the excitement in her voice had been palpable. There was only one reason I would bring a woman home. I wasn’t quite sure Victoria was ready for so many Lawsons at once, but I had no doubt she’d pass any test they threw at her. She was naturally sweet and personable, and I knew my family would fall in love with her the second they met her.
As for me, well… I was almost there. I wanted to put all of this craziness behind us, toss the killer behind bars so we could move on with our lives in a more normal capacity. I could see myself beside her fifteen years down the road, a couple kids in tow, sipping coffee side-by-side each morning. Oh, I knew we’d have some ups and downs, but I was looking forward to every moment with her, good and bad.
Just the thought of being with her sent anticipation zinging through my veins. I glanced at Jason. “I’m taking off. Shoot me what you find, if you would.”
“No problem.” He didn’t bother to look away from the computer screen as his fingers flew across the keyboard.
I waved to Vince and Con, who were reviewing something on the computer. I’d seen Xander around once or twice, but with everything going on with Victoria, I hadn’t had much of a chance to really talk with him. From what I’d heard, the other man had his hands full with a woman of his own.
Con had been busy pulling strings and making connections, and inquiries and odd jobs were beginning to trickle in. Clay would be directing firearms qualifications for the local PD at the gun range downtown at the end of the month, and Vince had picked up the position working detail on the local singer Con had originally offered me. I hadn’t asked how things were going, but from the perpetually agitated expression Vince wore, it probably wasn’t good.
A string of burglaries had cropped up around the city and the PD had contacted Con to see if they could dig up some more information. Apparently the thieves were targeting wealthy homes or smaller businesses that lacked security, then holding an internet auction each week to net the highest bid for the stolen items. The problem was, the IP address was never the same, and the signal bounced off of several towers before finally landing at its final destination. The person—or group—knew what they were doing, and Jason so far hadn’t been able to get a good hold on the hacker’s method. But I knew he would—it was only a matter of time. The next auction was set up for Friday night and Jason would be at it again, doing his best to pinpoint the thieves’ location.
I pushed open the door and squinted in the waning sunlight before slipping my sunglasses into place. I headed for my truck, then changed direction and strode to the corner market to grab a few things for dinner.
As I drove toward Victoria’s place, I contemplated the layout of her subdivision. It was well-designed, as far as security went, with an eight-foot metal fence surrounding the entire property. While the black metal was more decorative than daunting, it at least provided a sense of security. It would deter most people from trying to climb it, especially since the subdivision itself was surrounded on two sides by a natural preservation.
I turned onto the main thoroughfare and stopped at the gate—another added boon. The gates here were reinforced, and cameras were posted on each side to survey traffic. Although the gatehouse was patrolled, it would be easy enough for someone to slip by, especially in the dark. But they would have to either scale the fence or bypass the gate—or tag along on foot behind a vehicle entering the premises.
I tapped in the code and watched as the gate swung inward. I pulled through and kept an eye on the rearview mirror, counting the seconds until it closed. Plenty of time to make it through if someone was close enough, but there wasn’t much to use for cover. A few decorative trees and shrubs dotted the entrance, but nothing of substance. Someone sneaking through on foot would be fairly obvious.
I dug my phone out and tapped the recently dialed number, then waited for the call to connect.
“Dallas Police, Tenth Precinct.”
“Hey, Angie, it’s Blake Lawson.” I’d spoken with the officer a couple of times over the last few days and already recognized her voice.
“What can I do for ya?” her syrupy voice drawled.
“Is Sanchez free?”
Angie was silent for a beat before responding. “He’s interviewing someone right now. I can have him call when they’re finished.”
“Maybe you can help me.” I turned into Victoria’s driveway and cut the engine. “Are you able to tell me if the footage from the gatehouse at Victoria’s subdivision has been reviewed?”
“I don’t think so, but I can find out.”
Anger churned in my gut and I tamped it down. They were doing the best they could with limited information and resources, and a B&E was probably pretty low on their priority list. “Let me know for sure, please. I’ve been thinking...”
I told Angie what I was looking for and she hung up with a promise to call me later. I climbed from the truck and entered the house using the spare key Victoria had given me a few days ago when we’d assessed the damage and fixed up her place. I took a quick look around to make sure everything was in place. Even though I’d upgraded her security system and changed the code, it was better to err on the side of caution. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, I made my way to the kitchen and set the grocery bags on the counter.
I unwrapped the salmon I’d picked up and popped it inside to broil while I cut and steamed the broccoli. It wasn’t gourmet, but I hoped she’d at least appreciate the gesture. I was beginning to enjoy these nights with her more and more. Maybe I could renovate my house and flip it, stay with Victoria until we found something better suited for a family. Her house was nice, but it was small and I’d still prefer a little more privacy. Once we had kids, it’d be nice to have a big back yard for them to play in.
Yeah, I knew I was putting the cart before the horse, but I couldn’t help it. I was ready to put down roots and start a family. I hadn’t said anything to Victoria yet, skittish as she was, but I was already looking years down the road. I’d spent the last decade having fun; now it was time to settle down. And I couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone but her.