Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #1 (11 page)

The intensity in his look and voice made her feel protected but also something more. If she didn't know better she would think that Jesse cared about her. Of course, he cared if she were safe. That was the kind of person he was. Expecting more was setting herself up to be hurt—like she'd hurt him.

* * *

Jesse pulled up in front of a small white house, well kept, with a fenced backyard. The blackout shades were down on every window they could see. The hairs on his nape tingled. It didn't feel right. He called Thomas, who was behind him in his car. “It doesn't look like anyone is home.”

“Let's park up the street. Maybe we should check with a couple of neighbors to find out about Mr. Jacobs. He isn't the man who owns this house, and there isn't a driver's license for the guy.”

“He won't be the first person to drive without a license. And the house is listed as a rental.”

“But I haven't gotten in touch with the owner to see who is occupying it right now. I'll take the neighbor on the right. You visit the one on the left.”

Jesse parked and unloaded Brutus from the rear, then approached the house on the left. He rang the doorbell and waited. Turning, he noticed a car in the driveway so this time he knocked. Still no answer. He decided to go across the street and see if that person was home.

An older woman, probably in her late sixties, opened her door but left the half glass/half screen shut. “Is something wrong, Officer?”

“Do you know your neighbor directly across the street?”

“No one has been there for a while or at least no one I've seen. I keep an eye on the street since I'm home all the time. I thought Mr. Sims would have rented it by now, but he hasn't put up a sign.”

“Who lived there last? We haven't been able to get in touch with Mr. Sims yet.”

“A young man, not very friendly. I'd say hi to him, and he would ignore me.”

“Did this man have a dog?”

“If he did, I never saw it.” The petite woman frowned. “What's going on? Is something wrong?”

Jesse glanced at Thomas talking to a man on a porch. “Do you know a gentleman around seventy years old? Mr. Jacobs?”

She shook her head and unlocked her screen door, then stepped out on her stoop and pointed toward the man Thomas was talking to. “That's his name. But as you can see, he isn't seventy.”

Jesse removed a business card. “If you see anyone at the house across the street, please give me a call.”

The lady's brown eyes widened. “What's this about?”

“It has to do with a case I'm investigating.”

Her mouth twisted in a thoughtful expression. “I can call. I figure you have your hands full with the Laughing Bomber. I don't leave much so I might see something.” She looked at the card and slipped it in her dress pocket. “I'm Anna Dodson.”

“Could you describe the man who used to live there?”

“I could hardly see his face with all the hair and beard. He was normal height, certainly not as tall as you. Thin. Probably no more than thirty but again not sure.”

“Thanks.” Jesse turned to leave.

“What's your dog's name?”

He looked back and grinned. “Brutus.”

“He's well behaved. I used to have a dog that would never sit that long. Always getting into things.”

“Good day, Ms. Dodson.”

Jesse met Thomas in the yard of the house in question. “Did Mr. Jacobs tell you no one has been here for a while?”

“Yes, at least a few weeks. And while I was talking to him, the owner, Mr. Sims, called me. He didn't realize it wasn't occupied. The man living here, a Sam Alexander, paid the rent this month. I asked him if we had permission to go inside. He gave it and is actually on his way here with the key.”

“While we're waiting for him, I'm going to take Brutus around the house and check out what's in the backyard. See if he picks up anything.” Jesse nodded his head toward the neighbor to the right. “I know Mr. Jacobs doesn't fit the description Lydia and JoAnn gave us, but do you think he could be involved somehow?”

“I'll be checking him out. And I'll send someone out to talk to the neighbor to the left. When I saw you walking across the street, I asked Mr. Jacobs if they worked. It's a middle-aged couple, and they both work at the hospital.”

Jesse started across the yard, letting Brutus sniff around while he checked if he could see inside, but all the shades were pulled. When he tried the back door, the knob turned. He wanted to go inside, but he didn't want any legal issues. This case was too important. Jesse completed circling the house as a white Ford Escort pulled into the driveway.

Mr. Sims greeted Thomas, then Jesse, but as the owner started for the house, Thomas said, “I'd prefer you stay outside. We don't know what we'll find inside.”

“But it's my place.”

“As soon as we think it's safe, you're welcome to come inside, but there's a possibility this place is tied to a crime and therefore there may be evidence we don't want compromised.”

Mr. Sims opened his mouth but snapped it closed before saying anything. He nodded.

Jesse took the key the owner held out for them and walked toward the porch. “Let me and Brutus go first. For some reason the fake Mr. Jacobs went to a lot of trouble to send us here.”

His K-9 sniffed around the porch and especially the entrance. Jesse waited until he was through before unlocking the door. He eased it open, looking for any trip wires. Then Jesse and Brutus entered going to the right. His K-9 checked the living room for any scent of a bomb.

Thomas came to the doorway. “Okay for me to come in?”

“So far nothing. But you should stay there until I check everything.” Jesse strolled into the dining room and stepped onto an area rug where a table and four chairs were.

Brutus went to the right, smelling a cabinet. He sat and barked.

“Get out,” Jesse yelled.

Following his friend, Jesse ran for the door with Brutus.

Two feet from the exit, a laughing track sounded.

TEN

W
hen the doorbell rang at Jesse's house, Lydia came from the kitchen to see Officer Williams checking the peephole, then opening the door with his hand on his gun handle.

“Yes?” Don asked the teenage boy on the porch.

“Kate invited me over.”

“Wait here.” As Lydia walked toward the hallway to the bedroom they shared at Jesse's house, she wanted to throttle her sister. After the day she'd had at work, this was not what she wanted to deal with.

When she turned the corner, Lydia spied Kate coming out of the room. Lydia hurried her steps and blocked her sister's path. “Where do you think you're going?”

“I saw Connor's car parked out front.”

“Did you invite him over here?”

Kate lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes. “So what if I did? I need help with my Algebra II homework. Who do you think has been tutoring me?”

“This is the first I've heard that you needed a tutor. Why didn't you tell me this earlier?”

“You haven't been home but ten minutes. Connor is early.” Kate started around Lydia.

But she stepped to the side, preventing her sister from going anywhere. “Is that the truth or another lie?”

“What lie?” Kate's voice rose several decibels.

“You did great last year in geometry. Math has never given you a problem before.”

“How would you know? Until this year you were never around.”

“You made a B in Algebra I.”

Kate got in Lydia's face. “Because I had a tutor. If you hadn't stayed away, you'd have known that.”

Lydia took a step back, her pulse racing at the anger pouring off her sister.

“You left me here with Dad. He didn't care what I did. So why do you? Mom left, you left and then Dad...”

The issues that had been standing between them spewed out. A lot of what Kate was feeling, Lydia had gone through herself—a bit differently but the end result was the same, the feeling of abandonment.

Kate opened and closed her hands at her sides, her glare cutting through Lydia.

“You two can work at the dining room table if Officer Williams says it is okay.”

Her sister charged past Lydia while she gathered her composure. She'd never felt that she'd abandoned her little sister, but in her eyes she had. They would have to talk about this. This anger couldn't continue, especially when a mad bomber might have been at her place of work today.

She made her way toward the foyer, Kate's pleading voice drifting to her.

Don glanced at Lydia when she came into view.

“It's your call, Don. If you aren't sure, you should call Jesse and ask him.”

At that moment Officer Collins entered the living room with Mitch beside her. She looked at everyone, then asked, “I think the neighbors heard the shouting.” She directed her look right at Kate. “With all that's been going on, nothing can be that bad.”

Kate pinched her lips together.

“Thanks for bringing Mitch in.” Lydia stooped to hug the German shepherd.

Kate gave Don a huge smile and turned her back on Lydia. “Please let Connor stay. I need help with our homework. Promise.”

Don withdrew his cell phone. “I'm calling the sergeant.”

Kate's shoulder sagged forward.

When Don clicked off, he looked up. “He isn't answering.” His forehead crinkled. “I guess since you're here you can stay at least until he comes home.”

Kate grabbed Connor's hand and pulled him toward the dining room so quickly Lydia almost laughed.

She straightened and moved toward Don, lowering her voice, “I think she's afraid you'll change your mind. I'm surprised Jesse didn't answer.”

“So am I. Maybe they've got a good lead with Mr. Jacobs.”

Lydia hoped that was the case. Before the Laughing Bomber totally turned this town—her life—upside down.

* * *

Against the backdrop of hideous laughter, Jesse ran behind Thomas and Brutus off the porch. A blast exploded behind him. Its force flung Jesse through the air and crashing against the hard ground. Air rushed from his lungs. His ears rang. Stunned, he tried to lift his head, but the world spun around. He collapsed back onto the grass.

Brutus. Thomas
.

They were ahead of him. Maybe they were all right. Jesse drew on a reserve buried deep inside him and pushed himself up, supporting his weight as he scanned the yard. Brutus lay still a few feet from him. As Jesse crawled toward his dog, he scanned the area for Thomas. He couldn't lose either one.

To the left Thomas rolled over, shock reflected in his expression. His mouth moved, but Jesse couldn't hear what he was saying. The sound of Jesse's heartbeat thundering in his ears overpowered every other noise. He pointed to his ears. Thomas nodded his head once and removed his phone from his pocket.

Jesse continued toward Brutus and stopped next to him. His hand shook as he reached out and touched him. A movement under his palm sent a wave of relief flowing through him.

“Take it easy, Brutus,” Jesse said the words, but he could barely hear himself.

His Rottweiler shook his head and tried to stand but wobbled and fell down.

Seeing his dog struggling, Jesse gathered Brutus to him and held him. “We're alive because of you. We'll be okay.” Jesse didn't know if his K-9 heard him or not, but Brutus could feel Jesse's support as he stroked him. He thought of Mitch and what happened. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Brutus.

Not another loss. Please, Lord
.

* * *

Five minutes after Officer Williams called Jesse, Lydia tried his number, surprised again that he didn't answer her call or Don's. Did something happen?

When the doorbell rang, she was nearest the door and hurried to see who it was. She looked out the peephole and saw Chance. She started to open the door when Don's hand clasped her arm.

“Let me answer the door. You know the drill.”

“It's Chance, your replacement.”

“He's early.” The police officer gently pushed her back and put his body between her and the opening of the door. “Is something wrong?” Don looked around the state trooper.

“I was told to come here. There's been another bombing. A house this time.”

Lydia stepped around Don. “Where?”

Chance told her the address she'd given for Mr. Jacobs.

The strength flowed from her legs, and she sank back against the police officer, who clasped her arms to hold her up. “Who's injured?”
Not Jesse. Please, Lord. I can't lose him
.

“I don't know much. Thomas and Jesse got out before it exploded but were thrown from the blast.”

“How about Brutus?” Lydia asked.

“Jesse called but said he couldn't hear me. He said he and Thomas were rallying, but Brutus was bleeding. He told me to come here and make sure you and Kate were okay.”

Lydia pivoted and headed for her bedroom. “I'll be right back.” When she brought her belongings from her house, she included her medical bag she kept for emergencies. She grabbed it and headed back to the foyer.

“Where do you think you're going?” Chance asked.

“You're going to take me to the bomb site while these two officers stay here with Kate.”

“No, I'm not.”

She stared at Chance. “If you don't take me, I'm going by any means. Brutus needs medical help.” And she needed to see with her own eyes that Jesse and Thomas were all right.

His eyes cut through her.

She tilted up her chin. “My car is in Jesse's garage. I'll drive myself. You can't force me to stay here.”

Chance started to say something.

“Please,” Lydia added.

“Okay. It won't be the first time Jesse and me have argued about something. The bomb site is probably the safest place in town by now.”

Kate came into the foyer. “You can't go. He's after you.”

“We don't know what this man's agenda is. Why did he rig the house? I never take animals to their owners.”

“I think this madman did this to taunt the police.” Officer Collins leaned against the entrance into the living room next to Kate. “He knew if anyone would go into the house it would be police.”

Kate gasped.

Lydia ground her teeth, thinking about how close she'd been to Mr. Jacobs or whatever his name really was. “None of this adds up, but I can't stand around talking about it. I need to get to Brutus. I'm his vet.” She thought about how Jesse would feel if he lost his dog.

“Let's go.” Chance turned toward the door. “Stay here with Kate.”

As he escorted Lydia to his cruiser, he kept sweeping the area as though he expected the bomber to appear suddenly.

She wouldn't put anything past this maniac. Once she knew that everyone was all right, she had to remember what happened at the bistro. If she could recall a few details, then she could somehow recreate the whole time she was in the restaurant. Lives depended on her.

On the drive to the new bomb site, Chance said, “I know this is tough on you.”

“Which part, not remembering what I saw or my past with Jesse?”

“Both. I've seen you two together. And I can imagine how hard it is on you to not be able to recall the bombing. But not surprising. Our minds have a way of protecting us against trauma.”

“And remembering would be traumatic, not a relief?”

“Again, both.” Chance turned onto a street with fire trucks and police cars, their red lights flashing.

The sight that riveted Lydia was the ambulance and two paramedics rolling a gurney with a body on it, covered by a white sheet. “Who died?” she asked in a breathless voice that quavered.

Chance parked and glanced at her. “I don't know, but Jesse called me. He's okay, Lydia.”

Inhaling and exhaling deep breaths, she grasped her bag and opened the door. “Then what about Thomas?”

Chance scowled and strode next to her as they weaved their way through the crowd forming. When they neared the half-bombed house, Lydia saw Jesse by Brutus on the ground with Thomas talking with the fire captain. They were both okay. She spied the Rottweiler trying to get up and Jesse calming him with his hand. Relief trembled through her as she hurried to them.

Jesse looked up, his eyebrows slashing downward. “How did you get here?”

Pointing to Chance, Lydia knelt next to Brutus, seeing the blood matting his fur with a shard of glass stuck in him. “And don't be mad at him. I would have come one way or another. Brutus needs my help. And I had to see that you were okay.”

“You need to speak up. My ears are still ringing. I was calming him down so I could pull the piece out.”

She knew about the hearing problems and still had a little tinnitus since the blast last week. Lydia dug into her bag, prepared a tranquilizer and gave Brutus the shot. “This will calm him and then I can remove the glass and tend to the wound. Did you see any other wounds?” She glanced up at Jesse.

His brow knitted, Jesse locked gazes with her. “You shouldn't be here, but I'm glad you are. He tried to get up and collapsed.”

Lydia touched one of Jesse's ears. “Like you, he could be experiencing hearing loss, dizziness.”

“Yeah, that's what I thought.”

Jesse kept stroking Brutus while Lydia pulled the shard out and tended to the wound. “I'll need to stitch this up. We'll have to take him to the animal hospital. Everyone's picked up their pets except Calvin. I'd like to bring him home with us and keep monitoring him. It's obvious Mr. Jacobs won't.”

Jesse withdrew his pad. “I didn't catch all of that.”

Lydia applied a thick bandage to Brutus's injury, then wrote on Jesse's pad and signaled Chance.

The state trooper approached. “I found out who was on the gurney. The young man who rented the house. Mr. Sims identified him.”

“I need to take Brutus to the hospital and check him out more thoroughly as well as stitch up his wound.” She looked at Jesse's SUV with its windows blown out. “Will you take us in your car?”

“Yes.” Chance stooped and slid his arms under the Rottweiler.

While he lifted him, she decided to write on Jesse's pad what she was going to do. He nodded and began to stand. He wobbled. She wrapped her arm around him and guided him toward the cruiser. Whether Jesse liked it or not, she was going to have Chance take him to the ER after he saw that Brutus would be all right and was settled back at his house.

* * *

Later that night, Lydia finally sank onto the couch and sighed. She was so tired she didn't know if she could get up to go to bed. She wouldn't until Chance returned with Jesse from the ER. He hadn't wanted to go, but they'd finally persuaded him. Lydia suspected the adrenaline that sometimes kept pain at bay had finally subsided. While she'd taken care of Brutus at the animal hospital, Chance had picked bits and pieces of debris from Jesse's back. Not anything large like his dog's, but the back of Jesse's shirt was bloodied.

Both Brutus and Calvin were curled up on the floor in the living room, much better and sound asleep. Connor left right after they returned home per Jesse's order. Now Lydia waited for Chance to either call or bring Jesse home. She'd managed to chew one thumbnail down to the quick and was working on the other when the front door opened.

She shoved to her feet while Don came in the foyer from the back of the house. Mary Collins, at the other end of the couch, stood. Both were alert, but Don immediately relaxed, which meant Jesse was home. Lydia hurried toward the entry, needing to see he was okay.

Moving stiffly, Jesse stepped through the entrance with Chance right behind him. Even Kate appeared from the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

No one said anything for half a minute. Jesse's left side of his face was starting to bruise, probably where his face hit the ground. His left arm had a bandage around it and no doubt his back was a patchwork of tended wounds. He had on his short-sleeve black uniform shirt, untucked and bedraggled.