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“I saw an ad and it interested me, so I enrolled. They accepted my application and that was that. I love what I do. Keeping the border safe is my passion,” she replied.
Her demeanor changed with talk of the CBSA. The lines on her face turned upward from scowls to smiles.
“Your father must be proud,” he said.
She heaved a sigh. “I doubt it.”
“Why would you say that?”
“We rarely speak.”
He turned left onto a side street. “I’ve seen you together before. You seem so close.”
“Don’t believe everything you see.”
There was a story there. Would she trust him enough to share it? “Well, you’re good at what you do,” he said. “You proved that to me on our last case when we wired you to get a confession out of your ex for drug trafficking. What was his name again?”
She looked away but not before he caught her frown. How quickly her mood changed again.
“Jake Shepherd, and he’s locked up.”
“How did you two meet?” There was more behind those sad eyes than she would probably admit, he knew, but he’d try to get it out of her.
She shifted in her seat. “It was after high school, at a church function.”
He raised a brow. Maybe she did have a background with the gospel. “So you believe in God?”
“I don’t. I went to appease a friend.” She fumbled with her shirt button as if trying to occupy her mind with something other than her past.
Another story for another time.
“What happened with Jake?” He turned the police radio down slightly, so he could hear her every word.
She gave up on the button and peered out the window but waited before continuing in a soft voice. “We met, fell in love, got engaged, and then I realized he was doing drugs. But it was after—”
She stopped. Her silence betrayed her tangled emotions.
But he had to know. “After what?” He turned down another street, taking them closer to Blaine’s address.
Her eyes glared at him like a cobra ready to strike. “Nothing.”
“Didn’t he threaten you when you helped convict him?” He couldn’t let it go.
She rubbed her arms as if protecting herself from her ex’s advances. “He said he’d get even with me when he got out.” Her voice broke.
“Good thing he’s in jail.” Lord, protect her and help her move past this.
Kaylin bit her lip.
Her nervous habit. It was cute. Where did that thought come from?
“His lawyer is appealing his sentence.” Her face turned ashen as she stared at the road ahead.
She was scared, he realized. This man had gotten to her even from behind bars. “Have you heard from him since he was incarcerated?”
“Numerous times. Letters I haven’t opened.”
“Maybe you should. If they’re threats, they could keep him behind bars.”
“I don’t want to have anything to do with that man.” She clamped her mouth shut.
That was his cue to stop talking about her ex. Instead, he pulled in front of the address given to them. “We’re here.”
Graffiti filled the front of the dilapidated apartment building with boarded-up windows. Weeds poked out of cracks in the concrete and chunks of brick lay around the yard.
“Wow. How can anyone live here?” Kaylin opened her door. “Looks like the building is ready to be condemned.”
“Let’s be careful. This may be a setup.”
She shook her head. “No, Akio seemed to want to help. I don’t think he fed me incorrect information.”
“Only one way to find out. Let’s go.”
She walked up the uneven sidewalk ahead of him, sidestepping the bulging concrete.
The front door hung at an angle, broken at the hinges.
Young boys played basketball in the lot next to the building under lights. Shouldn’t they be home now with their parents? This rough neighborhood could easily cause problems for these boys. “When will kids learn to get off the street at night? Especially here.”
“I wonder if their parents know where they are.”
Hudson eased open the broken door. “What apartment?”
“Second floor. Number two fourteen.”
Their footsteps creaked on the old stairs. No keeping their arrival quiet. Hudson walked with his hand ready on his weapon. He wasn’t taking any chances. He opened the door to the second level and the overwhelming scent of marijuana filled the air.
Hudson crinkled his nose. “Great. This building has got to be a grow-op.”
“No wonder it appears abandoned.”
The smell increased the closer they got to their destination.
Hudson pointed. “Here’s two fourteen.”
The door stood ajar, its lock broken.
Hudson unholstered his weapon and eased the door open.
“Looks like someone beat us here.”
Kaylin whisked out her weapon and followed Hudson into the ransacked apartment. Tables were overturned, couch and chairs ripped to shreds, and marijuana plants strewn about the one-bedroom apartment. A skunky odor filled the small area and Kaylin covered her nose and mouth with her hand. The cannabis reeked.
Hudson raised his gun and swept the room. “Police. Anyone here?” He turned back. “Check the bedroom.”
She entered the tiny room ready to take action. It, too, was trashed. Mattress torn apart, dresser drawers open with the contents thrown all over, but no sign of Blaine.
“Clear.” She moved back into the living room. “The place is empty. Sure looks like someone was bent on finding something.”
“Agreed. I wonder what Blaine had that they so desperately wanted.”
She holstered her weapon. “And who are they? Can this all be related to the drug smuggling ring or something else?”
“Good questions.” He pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll call it in. Maybe we can get prints from this mess.”
Would they? Considering the way their day had gone so far, she doubted it.
A wave of dizziness plagued her and she teetered. She grabbed the back of the couch to steady herself. The day had taken its toll on her. She needed to get home, eat a real meal and climb into a hot bath to soothe her achy body.
No. She would not let Hudson see her as weak. She’d struggled too hard to get to where she was, given all the criticism from her male coworkers. She’d prove them wrong, especially her father. One way to do that was to solve this case. Even if it meant putting her own life at risk. And working with another male. At least this one wasn’t hard on the eyes, and he seemed kinder this time around.
Did I just think that? She blinked. No way would she be caught in the same situation as she was with Jake. No, she didn’t trust men. Not after her broken engagement.
But it was hard not to notice the handsome man beside her, with his army-cut hairstyle and muscular arms. He piqued her interest.
But she had to stop thinking about him.
Besides, he believed in God. Something they could never agree on.
She glanced at her watch. “Are we done after the forensic unit arrives?”
He clenched his jaw. “I need to keep going. Find these people.” His face twisted, the pain evident.
She placed a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry about your nephew, but you won’t help him by overtaxing yourself. Believe me, I want to catch these people, too, but it’s been a long day and you need rest. We both do.”
His shoulders squared as if preparing for battle.
His love for his nephew drove him. She understood that, but she wouldn’t let him wear himself out. Matthew needed him alert. “You know I’m right. Don’t fight me on this.”
He let out a forced breath and his muscles relaxed. “Fine. We’ll call it a night.” He stuffed his phone back into his pocket. “Forensics should be here within ten minutes.”
“Good.” She spotted a drug kit on the coffee table. “Looks like Blaine here dabbles in his business. I wonder if it’s doda.”
“The unit will test it to find out. Wouldn’t surprise me if it was doda, since it appears he’s involved.”
“How do you know that?”
Hudson stared at the mess in the living room. “He ran, didn’t he? I suspect he knew more than Akio and that’s why he’s on the run.”
“We need to have someone stake out this place in case he returns.”
“I’ll clear that with my sergeant.” Once again, he pulled out his phone to make the call.
The front door squeaked open. “You two aren’t messing up the crime scene, are you?” Bianca walked in with the Ident team. They set their kit on the floor and pulled out fingerprint powder.
Kaylin held her hands in front of her, palms out. “We haven’t touched a thing. I promise.”
Hudson clicked off his call. “Hey, Bianca. Good to see you again.” He gestured around the apartment. “Think you guys will be able to get some prints off this mess?”
“We’ll do our best.” She put on her gloves.
“You find out anything from the van?”
“The team hasn’t had much time for the tests yet, but nothing so far. Doesn’t look hopeful. Whatever was in the van was completely destroyed.”
Hudson frowned. “We need to see if there’s any connection to the doda smuggling ring.”
“You’ll be the first to know.” She opened her notebook. “For now, leave us so they can do their job.”
“We’re outta here.” Hudson motioned Kaylin toward the door. “Time to get you a protective detail at your address.”
She scoffed. “No way. I know how to protect myself.”
“And your police chief father would have my head if I let something happen to you. Don’t argue.”
She realized it was his turn to be forceful. So she just shook her head and followed him out of the apartment.
An hour later, with an officer positioned in front of her building, Kaylin let the lavender-scented candle permeate the air in her living room. She slouched back into the couch, allowing her achy muscles to relax. Exactly what she needed after a long day.
Her black-and-white cat hopped onto the coffee table. She stuck her paw into Kaylin’s ice water and licked it.
Kaylin giggled. “Sassme, why do you do that?”
The cat meowed.
Kaylin kissed the feline’s forehead before it jumped down and trotted out of the room.
Her cell phone rang, jarring her out of a relaxed state. Who could be calling at eleven thirty? She reached for her phone and when she saw an unknown caller, she hit the decline button. She didn’t want to talk to anyone tonight.
The cell phone rang again.
Same unknown caller.
Someone was persistent. She picked up. “Poirier here.”
Silence. Heavy breathing.
“Hello? Who’s there?”
“I’m watching you.”
Kaylin sat up straight. “Who’s this?”
“You’re mine.”
Click.
Goose bumps spiked the hair on her arms.
So much for a relaxing evening. There was no way she’d be able to sleep tonight.
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