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Thankfully, Raelyn’s uniform utility belt contained a few evidence bags. First, she took several pictures with her cell phone, showing the weapon sitting on the white tablecloth. She carefully used one as a glove to place the weapon inside, then sealed it shut. One Glock looked just like another, but she could tell by the resigned expression in Isaiah’s blue eyes that he suspected this was the weapon Pinky had held pressed against his side that day.

She did too. Especially since the gun was left in the church as a silent message to Isaiah. Almost like an apology for holding him at gunpoint.

“We’ll head back to the precinct so I can get this processed.” The lab had the bullets that were removed from the dead officer and the two who were critically injured. One of the wounded officers, a guy named Brett Carson, was doing better, awake but still on pain meds. The other was still listed in critical condition. According to her brief conversation with Rhy, they were hoping to be able to interview Carson about what had happened soon.

She would bet her next paycheck that this Glock had fired the rounds that had hit at least one of those officers, if not all three. She found herself hoping that Carson would be able to identify the kid who shot him, and that Pinky wasn’t responsible.

Maybe she was getting soft or was swayed by Isaiah’s view on things, but she found it hard to imagine Pinky as a cold-blooded killer.

“I need to check the back.” Isaiah turned and hurried down to his office. She followed more slowly, resting one hand on the butt of her gun in case Pinky or someone else was back there and still armed.

She relaxed when she realized the office and small kitchen area were empty. Then she frowned. “The front door of the church was locked. How did Pinky get in?”

“You don’t know who left that gun there,” he said mildly. “But how someone got inside is exactly what I’m trying to determine.”

She followed him through the small area to the back door, which had obviously been broken, either by a well-placed kick or a baseball bat. Maybe even a solid brick, as the door didn’t look overly sturdy.

Isaiah sighed. “I’ll need to fix this.”

“Now?” She frowned. “I can’t sit here with key evidence. I need to turn it over as soon as possible.”

“Go ahead and take it in. I’ll stay here. I need to change my clothes, and it will also take me some time to get this repaired.”

She rolled her eyes. “Have you forgotten the three attempts to kill you? And the fire at my place?”

“No. I have not forgotten.” He turned to look at her with an intense gaze. “But I’m responsible for this building and for keeping the church a safe place for worship.”

“You’re risking your life to repair a door.” She glared at him. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

Anger sparked in his eyes. “My responsibility is not ridiculous. I am here to spread the word of God. That means having a church. Besides, you can’t force me to leave.” He turned and headed back the way they’d come.

Grinding her teeth together in frustration, she followed.

He opened a door leading to a dark, damp basement. Flicking on the light, he headed down the stairs. She hesitated, then followed, wondering if Pinky or one of the others had been down there too.

The cobwebs didn’t appear disturbed. Isaiah waved them away as he found a hammer, nails, and more wood. Without saying anything, he brushed past her to return to the main level.

To her surprise, he made quick work of the repairs. He was able to fix the door enough that it was able to be locked. After he’d finished, he stood and brushed off his hands. “That will work.”

All in all, the repair hadn’t taken long, making her feel small for arguing over it. She managed a smile. “May we please go now?”

He nodded, then held up a hand. “After I grab some clothes.”

She waited, tapping her foot on the floor as he disappeared into his office. He closed the door behind him. When he emerged, he wore another pair of black slacks and a black shirt. “Do you own anything besides black?”

A smile quirked the corner of his mouth. “I do, but this is how people expect their church pastor to look.”

She supposed he was right. Turning, she led the way back through the church. She opened the door an inch, sweeping her gaze over the area outside before stepping out.

Isaiah was close behind her, taking a moment to relock the door. She used her body as a shield the best she could, considering Isaiah was at least four inches taller than she was, to head down the stairs and to the Jeep.

She caught a glimpse of movement from the window of a house directly across the street. The residents had all been questioned, but she was fairly certain they hadn’t told the police everything they knew.

The neighborhood where she’d grown up was very similar. They would rather die than be caught cooperating with the police.

She swallowed a sigh of frustration and pulled away from the curb. Her goal in joining the Milwaukee Police Department was to help eradicate crime in these types of neighborhoods. Yet it seemed impossible to crack through the tough exterior of the long-held cycle of crime and poverty.

Police work alone wasn’t enough. She glanced at Isaiah, who appeared lost in thought. Maybe he was doing a good thing here. Working from the inside as one of them to be a catalyst for change.

“I admire your dedication to the church and the community.” She managed a smile. “I’m sorry if I was testy.”

“I understand.” He met her gaze briefly, before she turned to pay attention to the road. “However, you keep forgetting one important detail in all of this.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m not afraid to die.”

The simple statement was like a kick to the chest. She knew, of course, that those who believed, like Rhy, Joe, Brock, and Steele, among others, felt the same way. Yet hearing him say the words in such a matter-of-fact tone gave her a chill.

“Maybe you’re not afraid,” she agreed. “But I would think you would want more time here to help change the path some of these kids are heading down.”

“Yes, that is true.” He reached out to lightly touch her hand. “I didn’t say I wanted to die, but that I’m not afraid. There’s a difference.”

Was there? Maybe. She nodded and focused on driving. It wasn’t that long ago that someone had fired a shot at her squad in this same neighborhood.

Better to stay alert for danger than to think too much about her own mortality.

When they arrived back at the precinct, she quickly headed inside to find Rhy. He wasn’t in his office, but she found Joe nearby.

“What do you have there?” He eyed the evidence bag curiously.

She filled him in on what she’d found. “I know this technically belongs to the third district police station, but I don’t know many cops there, and honestly, there are still a few questions over what exactly went down outside the church.”

“I agree with you.” Joe’s expression was somber. “The third district has a tough job, no question about that. But I know the mayor is very concerned about the crime in that area, especially since he raised his family there. And the fact that teens and cops exchanged gunfire is a huge red flag.”

“I know.” She glanced back to where Isaiah sat, his head down as he stared at the floor. “I think this is the weapon Pinky used to hold Isaiah hostage. And probably the gun that killed or wounded our officers.”

“We’ll put a rush on this.” Joe picked up the evidence bag. “I heard about your house fire, Rae. Where are you going to stay?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet.” The insurance company had informed her that they would cover temporary housing, but the amount of money didn’t sound like enough to pay for a hotel. Not when she knew that it could take up to nine months to get her home repaired. “Right now, I’m focused on keeping Isaiah safe.”

He tipped his head to the side. “You’re welcome to stay with me and Elly. We have a new house now with a spare bedroom.”

“Oh, thanks but that’s not necessary.” She felt herself flush. Having gotten married in February, Elly and Joe were still newlyweds, and the last thing she wanted was to impede on their privacy. “The insurance company will put me up someplace.”

“Maybe you can bunk with Jina or Cassidy?” He pressed, mentioning the only other female officers on the tactical team. “I think you should consider another option too. Just in case the money runs out.”

He spoke as if he knew what he was talking about, and she vaguely remembered that Colin Finnegan’s wife, Faye, had her home burned down last year. Maybe Joe was right about the need to be cost conscious. She didn’t have experience with this sort of thing. “I will, thanks.”

“I take it the lead on Pinky didn’t pan out?” Joe asked.

“No. We think he was there but was gone by the time we arrived.” She hesitated, then asked, “It might be wise to put an undercover cop nearby to watch the place. Could be Pinky goes there at night.”

Joe nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll check with Lieutenant Marcel at the third. See what he thinks.”

“And if he doesn’t have the resources?” she asked.

“Then I’ll follow up with the fifth district.” Joe shrugged. “After hearing about your house fire, Rhy headed out to the third district to discuss how we can share resources. Captain Sanchez is supposed to be running the show, but the mayor is putting pressure on Rhy to back them up.”

“That’s good.” She couldn’t deny feeling better knowing Rhy and the rest of their team may be given more responsibility in getting to the bottom of this mess. When cops were killed in the line of duty, the lines between districts became blurred. Every cop out there wanted the person responsible behind bars.

For their own safety and that of their respective families.

“Will you let me know what Rhy decides?” She worked hard not to glance at Isaiah again. “I have a vested interest in this case.”

“We all do,” Joe assured her with a nod. His phone rang, and he quickly answered it. “Hey, Rhy, we were just talking about you.” He listened for a minute, then glanced up at her. “Yeah, she’s here with the pastor. They found a Glock in the church.”

She hoped Rhy had new intel for them. She needed a distraction from the fire.

“I’ll let her know, thanks.” Joe disconnected from the call. “Boss wants you to meet with Mitch Callahan the arson investigator about your house fire. Then he wants you to take Isaiah back to the neighborhood to see if you can get a line on Hugo Morrison. His last-known address is a bust. There’s a young family living there who claim they don’t know him.”

She would rather work on Hugo first but knew that the sooner she got the conversation with Mitch Callahan off her plate, the better. “Okay, that works.”

“Mitch will gladly come here,” Joe added. “I’ll call him now.”

“Great.” She smiled. “Thanks.”

Mitch Callahan arrived about fifteen minutes later. “Let’s talk in one of the interview rooms,” Mitch suggested. “Pastor Washington, would you please join us?”

“Call me Isaiah.” He quickly followed them into the interview room.

“The fire was started with gasoline as an accelerant, and it was used on multiple points of entry, which is how your house was engulfed in flames so quickly.”

The news was sobering. “What about my neighbors on each side?”

“Both properties were saved, aside from some minor water damage. No one was hurt, which is a blessing. But your place is a total loss, Raelyn.”

She tried not to think about how much this would cost her. Yet there was nothing she could do about that, except maybe to find a place to stay that wouldn’t cost anything extra as Joe had suggested.

“I’ve heard about the attempts against you, Isaiah,” Mitch went on. “And it sounds like you were attacked by this guy Hugo Morrison near Raelyn’s place.”

“Yes.” Isaiah looked upset. “I feel like this is all my fault. If I hadn’t decided to do some rideshare driving for extra cash, Hugo may not have spotted me at the gas station or set fire to Raelyn’s home.”

“You didn’t light the match,” Mitch said. “Although that’s a good point about the gas station. We’ll check the video surveillance there. Maybe we’ll get a good look at this Hugo guy if he purchased the gas from there to start the fire.” Then he glanced at her. “What do you think?”

“I don’t blame Isaiah; he didn’t ask to be shot at and attacked.” She thought for a moment. “I haven’t made any enemies lately, so I have to agree that Morrison is our prime suspect for the fire.”

Mitch nodded. “I know there’s a BOLO out for him already.” He pulled out a business card. “I have the authority to arrest him, too, so if you or anyone else on your team get a line on him, let me know and I’ll be there.”

She frowned, staring at the card. “No offense, but you’re not a cop.”

Mitch chuckled. “No, but several of my brothers are, and I’ve learned a lot about law enforcement over the past few years.”

She was well aware the Callahans were second cousins to the Finnegans. She’d attended Joe’s wedding and had met both families. She reluctantly took the card and tucked it away. “Thanks. We’ll let you know if we learn anything.”

Mitch nodded, then rose to his feet. “I wish there was more I could do for you, Raelyn. But if Hugo Morrison is responsible, we will prosecute him to the full extent of the law.”

“I understand.” She knew the arson case could be considered an attempted murder too, although that would be harder to prove. She was a witness to the first attempted murder, so it was likely that charge would trump arson. Still, she hoped the multiple murder attempts would be enough to put Morrison away for the rest of his life. It was what he deserved.

But first, they had to find him.

Every timehe thought about the damage to Raelyn’s home, Isaiah felt sick. No matter what she or Mitch Callahan said, he knew that her being in danger was his fault.

He stood when both Raelyn and Mitch did. He shook hands with Mitch, then followed the pair out of the interview room.

“Are you ready to hit the road?” Raelyn asked.

He nodded, as it didn’t seem he had much of a choice. “What’s your plan?”

“I was thinking we should head back to your place,” she said, surprising him.

“There you are,” another male voice said, before he could respond. Isaiah frowned when he saw Grayson.

“What’s up?” Raelyn asked.

The officer arched a brow. “I was going to ask you the same thing. Joe says we’re supposed to see if we can find this Morrison character.” Grayson glanced at him briefly, then back to Raelyn. “I’m your backup.”

“Okay.” Raelyn didn’t appear as disappointed as he was by the news. “I was just telling Isaiah that we should head to his house. It seems likely that Morrison, or whoever hired him, will be watching the place.”

Grayson nodded. “That could work.”

“Hold on.” He lifted a hand. “You’re both dressed in uniforms that will be easily spotted in the daylight. No one is going to come after me if they see you.”

Raelyn frowned. “We’re not setting you up as bait for this guy.”

“Why not?” Grayson asked. Then he winced. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that to sound as if I don’t care about you, because I do. No offense, it’s just that we need this guy behind bars ASAP.”

“None taken. I agree.” He was the one Hugo wanted. Why, he wasn’t sure. But he did agree that it was imperative to get him behind bars.

And he’d do whatever was necessary to keep Raelyn safe.

“He has a point about the uniforms,” Raelyn said thoughtfully. “We should go in plain clothes. I have one more change of clothes in my locker, then I’ll have to hit a department store.”

“I’m game to go in plain clothes.” Grayson gestured toward the locker rooms. “Let’s get changed.”

The two officers left to go to their respective locker rooms. It was tempting to head off on his own but knew that would be counterproductive. Risking his life was fine if the outcome was that they were able to get Hugo in custody.

The big Black man had to have been hired by the Chief. It was the only thing that made sense. Either the Chief held a grudge from ten years ago or he’d somehow figured out that Isaiah had made the anonymous call to the third district police station.

A bit of an overkill to send Hugo after him and to torch Raelyn’s home, but he knew better than most that the drug business was ruthless.

When Raelyn and Grayson returned, he found it difficult to tear his gaze from Raelyn. She was so incredibly beautiful. Even more so without her bulky uniform.

Then he frowned. “Wait. What about your vests?”

She tipped her head to the side as if surprised by his question and lightly tapped her chest. “We’re wearing an abbreviated version. Don’t worry, it still covers the heart.”

“That’s a good point, though, we should get one for the preacher.” Grayson spun on his heel to grab one from the equipment room.

“He’s right. I should have thought of that,” Raelyn said. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” He rubbed the scar on his chest again. “I guess it would be better not to have to undergo another open-heart surgery.”

“Isaiah.” She reached out to grasp his arm. “You don’t have to do this. We can go to your place without you. Grayson doesn’t have dark hair or your skin color, but we can look for an officer who is a better match to do this.”

“No, it’s better if I’m there.” He was touched by her concern and covered her hand with his. He wanted to draw her into his arms again but knew that would not go over well with her. Raelyn would not want her fellow officers to see her as weak.

Especially since she was exceptionally strong.

When Grayson returned with the vest, Isaiah removed his shirt so he could strap it on. He caught Raelyn’s somber expression when she noticed the scar, but then it was quickly covered by the stiff Kevlar.

“Thanks.” He shrugged back into his shirt.

“I’ll drive.” Raelyn had the Jeep key fob in her hand. Grayson sighed but nodded.

They headed outside and climbed inside the vehicle. The trip to the north side didn’t take long, although as always, he was keenly aware of the difference between the neighborhood he called home compared to Raelyn’s ranch house.

Worlds away, he thought. And that was the stark reminder he needed to understand his secret infatuation with her was useless.

He couldn’t leave this neighborhood where he had a chance to influence young lives, and no woman in her right mind would agree to live there. They didn’t have a future, no matter how much he might wish for one.

Raelyn didn’t drive straight to the house he rented from the mayor but took a winding route through the side streets. When she pulled into a vacant parking space, he realized she didn’t want to park the Jeep in his driveway.

He couldn’t blame her. Besides, his car was still there. Unless it had been stolen.

“I think we should avoid the front,” Raelyn said. She turned in the driver’s seat to face him. “I assume you can get us there through backyards and alleys?”

“Yes.” He knew these streets better than they did. “This is a good spot. My place is only three blocks away.”

“I know.” She grinned. “I scoped the place out that first night I was waiting for you, remember?”

It seemed like months ago rather than two days. “Okay, you should both follow me.”

Despite the fact that they were wearing casual clothes, they still looked like cops. Well, Grayson more so than Raelyn. Not just because they were Caucasian in a section of the city that was predominantly Black and Brown, but because they swept keen gazes around like cops. Moved silently and deliberately like cops.

And if you looked closely, were armed like cops.

If Hugo had someone watching the place, he figured the guy would stay back, unwilling to face the odds of three against one.

Or so he hoped.

Cutting through the backyards didn’t raise an alarm. In the balmy spring air, many of the residents had their windows open. He could hear music blasting and the occasional shouting match. Most of the people around here kept to themselves.

Upon reaching his backyard, he hunkered down for a moment, glancing back at Raelyn and Grayson. He dug out his house key and held it up for them. “What do you think? Is it safe to go inside?”

“I don’t know.” Raelyn took the key and scowled as she looked around. “I don’t like how easy it was to get here.”

“You think it’s possible Morrison is inside?” Grayson asked.

The comment had him looking back at his house, checking for movement. “Maybe it’s better if I go in first.”

“No, you’re not armed.” Raelyn’s voice was terse. “Grayson, do you want to take the front or the back?”

“I’ll head to the front,” he offered. “You keep the key, use it in the back door. I’ll wait to see if anyone bolts out my way. Preach, you need to stay here until we make sure it’s clear.”

He wanted to argue but knew it would be useless. He wouldn’t put it past either of them to handcuff him in place. “Okay.”

Raelyn stayed beside him as Grayson picked his way around to the front of the property. Raelyn’s teammate stayed close to the house, peering around the corner cautiously before moving closer.

Isaiah could feel his stomach twist as Raelyn approached the back door. He couldn’t tear his gaze away, but he silently prayed as Raelyn cautiously unlocked the door.

She pushed it in while staying back, which was a good thing when the sound of gunfire erupted from inside.