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SIX

“Y eah, I recognize one vic as Petey Pawners,” West told Dan. “He and his accomplice were shot in the head and dumped here. No idea where the original crime took place.”

“You’re sure they weren’t killed in the dumpster?” Dan asked.

“Not enough blood or body fluids from what I can see.” West didn’t believe for a minute that the killer would have forced both men to climb into the dumpster so that he could shoot them. “The crime scene techs will be able to tell us more once they’ve processed the area. And the medical examiner will also be able to give us a time of death. I found one partial heel print, but we’ll need to rule out the gas station employees before we can consider it as possibly being left behind by the killer.”

“Yeah, okay, thanks for stopping over,” Dan said. “The ME is on his way, too. I appreciate you identifying one of the vics, but we need an ID on Pawners’s accomplice.”

“That would be nice.” West wasn’t sure knowing the second dead man’s name would help much, but it couldn’t hurt. He glanced at Trisha, still sitting in the SUV. “I have Trisha and her son with me, but I’ll stay here until you and the others arrive.”

“Thanks.” Dan disconnected from the call.

After pocketing his phone, he crossed over to the SUV. A quick glance at the baby confirmed Gabriel was still sleeping. Peanut lifted her head to look at him as if silently asking if he needed her expertise.

“We can head home once Dan and the crime scene techs get here.” He shook his head and added, “I don’t like knowing these guys were killed likely to keep them from talking.”

“Or in retribution for losing the gun shipment.” She frowned. “You don’t recognize the accomplice other than the fleeting glimpse we got that first night?”

“No. I’m hoping his prints will hit in the system. Or we can use facial recognition to get his ID.”

“Maybe he’s on the gym membership list,” Trisha mused. “That would tie the Glock in with the gun running organization.”

He hoped not, because they needed another thread to pull to break open the investigation. “We’ll see. The sooner we can look through that list, the better.”

“I read through it, but none of the names jumped out at me.” She grimaced. “Other than Bryan’s name. Seth Blakemore isn’t a member, though.”

As much as he wanted to review the list for himself, he continued sweeping the area with his gaze, making sure there were no threats lurking nearby. After the most recent brazen attempt to get Gabriel, he wasn’t taking any chances.

As promised, the crime scene techs arrived about the same time as the coroner. The techs went to work taking photographs of the area around the dumpster. West stepped forward to meet with Dr. Cathy Owens, a no-nonsense woman with gray streaked hair in her midfifties. “Thanks for getting here so quickly, Dr. Owens.”

“That’s my job.” The doc gestured toward the dumpster. “I heard there are two vics?”

“Yes.” West realized he wasn’t going to be able to leave until the bodies had been lifted out of the dumpster. Biting back a flash of impatience, he waited for the techs to finish their preliminary work. He took a moment to show them the heel print, then approached the dumpster with the ME.

Dan arrived next. More pictures were taken before they could remove the bodies. Soon they had both dead men stretched out on the ground. Dr. Owens quickly went to work. She glanced up at him and Dan. “I suspect they’ve been dead for roughly eight hours, maybe less, as the cold temperatures slow decomp. Cause of death appears to be that gunshot wound to the head, but I will need tox screen results to make sure they weren’t drugged prior to being killed.” Dr. Owens stood. “That’s about all I can give you now. I’ll do the autopsies tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Doc.” West glanced at Dan who stepped forward to take control of the scene.

“We know one man as Petey Pawners, but we need the prints for the second vic to be put through the system ASAP,” Dan said.

“Understood.” One of the techs eyed them warily. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope we don’t have to see either of you again real soon.”

“Tell me about it,” West muttered. They’d all been working with little rest since last night. Leaving Dan in charge, he turned away, eager to get back to work. He quickly joined Trish, sliding behind the wheel of the SUV. Seconds later, they were back on the road, leaving the gas station with its grisly discovery behind.

West made the trip back to his place, noting that Gabriel was just starting to wake up as he pulled into the driveway. It was past noon, and his stomach growled with hunger. He mentally inventoried his fridge and pantry. “How about grilled cheese and tomato soup for a late lunch?”

“Ah, sure.” She arched a brow. “Surprised you want to eat after the scene at the gas station.”

“I know it sounds terrible, but what can I say.” He shrugged as he pulled into the garage. No more parking outside, not until the masked man had been found and arrested. “I have a high metabolism. But I need to spend some time with Peanut outside for a few minutes, too.”

“Sounds good. That will give me time to get Gabriel settled.” She opened the back passenger door as she spoke, wincing a bit as she stretched her sore knee. Gabriel fussed for a moment, then seemed happy to be out of the car.

“Grab an ice pack from the freezer,” he suggested.

“Okay,” she said with a nod.

He took Peanut into the yard. After she did her thing, he spent time playing with her, having her search for “tools” after he hid his gun.

Peanut found his weapon without difficulty each time. He loved the way she was so happy, wagging her tail with excitement when he praised her.

Ten minutes later, he took Peanut inside, stopping abruptly as he realized Trisha was talking to her son while making lunch.

“You have to be a good boy so that we don’t bother West.” She glanced at the baby seated on a blanket in the middle of the living room.

“You’re not a bother,” he said, shrugging out of his coat and draping it over the closest chair. Okay, maybe he didn’t love the loss of his privacy, but that didn’t matter when Trisha and Gabriel were in danger. Peanut rushed over to sniff Gabriel, licking his face and making the child giggle. “I would have made lunch.”

“I don’t mind.” She shot him a quick smile, then added, “Besides, I know you wanted to start reviewing that gym membership list.”

He nodded, pulling the paperwork from his pocket. “I’ll get this scanned and sent to Cheyenne, then start looking for anyone with a criminal record.”

“Lunch will be ready in ten.” She wiped her hands on a dish towel, then reached down to adjust the ice pack she’d wrapped around her knee. “I need to grab Gabriel’s car seat to use as a makeshift high chair.”

“I’ll get it.” He went out to the garage and brought the car seat in. His house seemed smaller with Trisha and Gabriel there, but he told himself to get over it. His discomfort wasn’t nearly as important as keeping them safe. Although the responsibility of that task weighed heavily on his shoulders. He crossed to the alcove off the kitchen that housed his computer and printer. After scanning and sending the gym membership to their tech analyst, Cheyenne, he began checking names for criminal backgrounds. He had only gotten through a handful of people when Trisha called, “West? Lunch is ready.”

“Coming.” He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had made a meal for him. Unless you counted the pizza he and Kenyon would share while watching a game. West’s ex, Shannon, had cooked a few times, but then had gotten really angry when one night he’d gotten hung up at a crime scene and “ruined” their dinner. It was the first time he’d understood how much Shannon had resented the demands of his job. They had only dated for six months, but most of that time they were at odds with each other. He’d been relieved after she’d broken things off.

As a patrol officer herself, Trisha would understand how a detective could run late, but that didn’t mean he was interested in trying again.

Especially not with a ready-made family. No matter how beautiful and cute Trisha and Gabriel were.

Married to his job, remember? At the time Shannon’s accusatory words had stung, but there was no denying they were also true.

Cops had a high divorce rate, his parents were proof of that. His dad had been a cop, his mom a teacher, and they’d divorced when he was eight years old. He had no intention of making the same mistake his dad had.

He rose to his feet and joined Trisha in the kitchen. The grilled cheese smelled great, and she’d made him two sandwiches to have with his tomato soup.

“I would like to say grace.” Trisha looked at him, waiting for his nod, before clasping her hands and bowing her head. “Lord Jesus, we thank You for this food we are about to eat. We ask that You please keep us all safe in Your care, especially Gabriel and the members of the task force. Amen.”

“Amen,” he echoed softly, touched by her prayer that not only included him but the entire task force. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She took a bite of her grilled cheese, then offered a spoonful of some green baby food to Gabriel. The little boy opened his mouth, then made a face. She chuckled. “He’s not a fan of vegetables.”

“At least he didn’t spit it out.” He remembered when Kenyon had given the twins their first taste of broccoli. Beacon had spit his mouthful halfway across the table.

“He’s a good eater, which is nice.” She took another bite of her sandwich. “Find anything interesting?”

“Not yet.” He hoped he wasn’t spinning his wheels going through the membership list. Yet the Glock had been left by someone. His gut told him the perp wasn’t just using the locker as a safe place to keep the illegal weapon but had used the gym locker room as a drop off/pick up location, easily passing a key from one to the other. If so, the guy who had left it and the intended recipient should both be on the list.

And if neither one of them had a criminal background? Hard to believe, since most people didn’t get an illegal weapon without knowing someone sketchy.

His phone rang just as they finished eating. Seeing ATF agent Dan Slater’s name on the screen had him answering quickly. “Hi, Dan.”

“Hey, West. Good work on finding that gun at the gym,” Dan said. “I’m sure it’s from an earlier gun shipment.”

“It was all Peanut,” he said, glancing down at the beagle curled by his feet.

“I know and I’m grateful. We’re having the gun tested for ballistics, although it looks pretty clean. I also need you and Gracie Fitzpatrick to head over to the pizzeria this afternoon,” Slater said. “I would like Peanut and Gracie’s K-9 to give the place a good sniff.”

“Okay.” He glanced at Trish, hoping she would be okay staying here alone with Gabriel. He didn’t see how the masked man could know her location. “I’ll give Gracie a call.”

“I’ve already spoken to her. She’ll meet you at the pizzeria at four o’clock. There’s generally a lull between lunch and dinner so there will be fewer people there. We’re running the employees through the system but haven’t gotten any hits.”

Just like the gym membership, he thought grimly. “Understood. I’ll be there.” He ended the call and looked up to see Trisha eyeing him curiously. “In an hour, I’ll need to leave you and Gabriel for a while. Do you want me to have an officer from the department sit outside?”

“No need.” She managed a wan smile. “I’m a cop and armed. Besides, I don’t see how the kidnapper could know where we are.”

“Yeah, okay.” He finished his lunch, trying to shake off the niggling worry. Trisha was a cop who could take care of herself. She’d proved that and more the night of the shooting.

Still, he wouldn’t relax until he was back here, where he could keep an eye on her.

And that forced him to admit that he was already beginning to care about her, more than he should.

When she finished eating and feeding Gabriel, Trisha rose to get a wet wipe. Gabriel was a messy eater, often getting food in his hair. After that, she set him back on the floor with several toys. The ice pack on her knee had helped reduce the swelling, so she tucked it back in the freezer to use again, later.

“West, while you’re gone, I’m going to use your computer to keep searching on information on Seth Blakemore.” She glanced at him as she filled the sink with sudsy water. “If you don’t mind.”

“That’s a good idea.” He pulled out a dish towel, obviously ready to dry. “Where did Bryan Little work last?”

“He had trouble holding a job,” she admitted. “His last job was at the Rocking K Ranch, which is a good sixty miles east of here heading toward Badlands National Park.”

“I’ve never heard of the Rocking K,” West admitted.

“I hadn’t, either. I looked it up. The owner is a guy named Aaron Klinger, and I found an outstanding loan for which legal action was taken. Seems to me the ranch is cash poor. Doesn’t really matter, because Bryan quit that job anyway, right after I told him I was pregnant.” She glanced at her son. “I always wondered if the reason he filed for divorce and left was because he knew he’d be a lousy father and provider.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” West murmured.

She shrugged. “We’ve all faced challenges, right? I choose to believe God has a good reason for putting me and Gabriel in this position.”

He nodded and continued drying dishes without saying anything. She wondered if West was a believer, then reminded herself that his personal life was none of her business.

This was a temporary arrangement. Nothing more.

Which was for the best, as she’d made the mistake of marrying Bryan who hadn’t been a believer, either. Certainly her ex had not taken the whole, until death do us part portion of his vows seriously.

Enough. Thinking along those lines wasn’t helpful. Despite the difficulties of being a single mom, she was in a much better place.

At least, she would be once the kidnapper was caught.

She turned to play with Gabriel, hoping to tire him out for his afternoon nap. West worked on the computer, then suddenly said, “Trish? Check this out.”

“What did you find?” She rose from the floor, wincing a bit. Crossing to the alcove where West sat, she leaned forward to look at the screen over his shoulder. The enticing scent of his aftershave teased her senses.

“Does this guy sound familiar?” He tapped the screen. “David Albright?”

She turned the name over in her mind. “No, afraid not.”

“He was arrested for B and E last year.” He turned to glance at her. “Could be that he was the intended recipient of the Glock.”

“Breaking and entering isn’t nearly as serious as armed robbery,” she felt compelled to point out.

“He may have wanted the weapon for something else.” He shrugged. “It just makes me wonder if Albright met someone in jail and made a point of catching up with him once they were both out.”

“That’s something to consider.” She straightened. “But I would think that anyone buying or selling a Glock on the black market would be planning a bigger crime.”

“Yeah, there is that.” He sighed then stood. “I need to get over to the pizzeria. Are you sure you don’t mind being left here alone?”

“We’ll be fine.” She spoke with confidence. The danger was real, but she felt safe in West’s home. “Hopefully Gabriel will go down for a nap soon. He didn’t sleep that long in the car.”

He nodded. “Let me give you my phone number and password for the computer.” He pulled out his phone. “You better give me your number, too.”

Feeling awkward, she complied. Then entered his name, number and the password into her contact list. Back when she was a rookie, she would have been thrilled to have West’s number.

Before she’d married Bryan. And then divorced him. And had Gabriel.

This number was only to be used for police business.

“I hope you and Peanut find something,” she said, as he shrugged into his jacket then reached for Peanut’s leash.

“Me, too.” He flashed a quick smile, then turned toward the door leading to the attached garage. “Keep the doors locked.”

“Of course.” Gabriel began to cry, holding his arms out toward Peanut. With a sigh, she scooped the boy into her arms, and held him as West and Peanut left.

“You can play with Peanut later,” she assured him. Unfortunately, that wasn’t good enough, so she bounced him in her arms, walking around the house.

The house seemed empty without West there, which was ridiculous since she was used to living alone. Determined not to be ruled by fear, she pushed the feeling aside.

Out of habit, she went from one window to the next, checking their surroundings. She wasn’t familiar with West’s neighborhood the way she was her own, so she took her time, looking at license plates and vehicles parked in the various driveways. She took note of the elderly woman walking her small poodle and an older man riding his bike, bundled from head to toe because of the chill.

That’s dedication, she thought, turning away from the window. Since Gabriel was still fussing, she went to the kitchen to make a bottle.

Usually, giving him a bottle did the trick. She crossed to the sofa and nestled him in her arms. Within minutes, his eyelids began to droop. Still, she didn’t move until he’d stopped drinking his formula.

Setting the bottle aside, she slowly stood and eased down the hall to the guest room where she’d set up his portable crib. Practically holding her breath, she carefully set him down, praying he wouldn’t wake up.

He didn’t.

Sometimes on her days off she napped when he did, but that wasn’t an option today. Tiptoeing out of the room, she hurried back to the computer. Keying in West’s password, she began to search for information on Seth Blakemore.

He had no criminal background, but she did eventually find him on social media. The only problem there was that he hadn’t posted anything in over six months.

Frustrated, she rose and paced the room. Maybe she needed to go back to the beginning. Seth wasn’t the masked kidnapper—his physical characteristics from the photos she’d seen online didn’t match that of the man who’d slammed her to the ground and grabbed the stroller.

What was she missing? What key? Not the gym locker key, but a key to something else?

She found herself making the rounds from window to window again, as her thoughts whirled. At the window overlooking the street where the dog walker and biker had been earlier, she took note of a black Ford sedan. It caught her attention because it was moving so slow, almost as if the driver was lost.

Or looking for someone.

She pressed herself back against the wall to avoid being seen. When the car rolled past, she quickly memorized the license plate number, then hurried over to jot it down on the notepad near the computer.

Maybe she was making a big deal out of nothing. It was smart to drive slow through a neighborhood where kids could be outside playing. The owner could be looking for a lost pet.

Still, that didn’t stop her from pulling up the DMV database and accessing it with her patrol officer credentials. The car was registered to a woman by the name of Renee Mills.

It didn’t sound familiar. When she checked that name in the criminal database, nothing popped.

Frustrated, she rose to her feet and returned to the window. This time, she didn’t see anything unusual. When Gabriel started to cry, she quickly turned away to tend to her son.

“Shh, it’s okay. Mommy’s here.” She lifted the baby into her arms and paced the room. Then froze, as she heard a muffled thumping sound near the back door.

Someone was trying to get inside! She quickly set Gabriel back down and tucked the car seat behind one of the living room chairs. Then she reached for her weapon and silently moved toward the door.

The knob jiggled. Remembering how the perp had used lock picks to get into her house, made her realize he was trying to do the same thing now. With an abrupt move, she grabbed the door handle and wrenched the door open.

“Police!” She peered around the corner to see the masked intruder was already running away. “Stop! Police!” Unable to leave Gabriel alone, she was forced to watch helplessly as the perp disappeared around the corner.

Battling a wave of frustration, she closed and locked the door, then pulled out her phone to request an officer response.

“I need back up to this location and for you to run this plate number.” She rattled off the information.

“Trish, that vehicle has recently been reported as stolen,” the dispatcher informed her. “I’m sending a squad ASAP.”

A stolen vehicle and another attempt to get to her son. She didn’t like how this was going. Not one little bit.