Читать книгу Blind Trust - Laura Scott - Страница 15

Shaken by her second attack in less than a couple of hours, Eva longed to step into Finn’s broad arms, soaking up his strength. What in the world was going on? She had no idea, other than she knew the man had almost got away with dragging her into the car. If not for her cry for help, and the way Finn had announced he was a cop and called her by name, she was certain she’d already be a hostage in the car being taken to who knows where.

She shivered, realizing how stupid she had been to leave the police station alone. Especially since her motivation was nothing more than wounded pride.

“This has to be related to the incident from this morning.” Finn’s voice broke into her thoughts. “And from what I could tell, the guy was dressed in black and wearing a ball cap, the same as how you described the man from this morning. If we can get the camera footage, we may catch a glimpse of his face or the license plate of the car.”

“That’s fine, but it wasn’t the same man,” she insisted, battling a wave of frustration. She tried to think of a way to make him understand. “This guy was slighter in build and sounded—different. His voice was raspy and he smelled kind of dusty.”

“Raspy and dusty?” His voice held a note of skepticism. “Okay, then, did you notice anything different about the voice or scent from the guy who took Cocoa from the training center?”

“He smelled stinky, like he needed a shower, not dusty.” She thought back for a moment. “And there was a twang in his voice, as if he may have been from somewhere else. A hint of the South, maybe.” When Finn’s eyebrows levered upward she felt defensive all over again. “Never mind. I know this may seem crazy to you as a cop, but that’s the only way I can describe the difference between the two men. Thanks again for coming to my rescue.”

“Hold on, Eva.” Finn reached out and caught her hand. Ridiculous that she liked the feel of his warm fingers cradling hers. “I’m sorry. Sounds and smells are important, so I appreciate the extra clues. We’ll get this guy, and the one who took Cocoa, too. But right now, I’m going to take you home.”

The word home brought an image of Mikey. Mikey! What if her presence put the child in danger? For the first time in years, she was tempted to pray, to ask God to watch over her young nephew. “Okay, but can we please hurry? I’d like to pick up my nephew from preschool. My brother-in-law is out of town for the week at a training conference in Atlanta, so I’m taking care of his son. It’s a bit early to pick him up, but I’ll feel better once he’s with me.”

“Not a problem. Let’s head back to the station, where I left my SUV.” Finn put his arm around her waist and, despite her determination to remain independent, she was grateful for his support. Abernathy walked along Finn’s other side, and she couldn’t help thinking about Cocoa.

Why had the pup been taken by the stinky Southern-twang guy? And why had the raspy-voiced man tried to drag her into the car? None of it made any sense.

Worst of all, she feared for her nephew.

“Do you think Mikey will be in danger?” she asked as they made their way toward his SUV. “Maybe I should move to a hotel temporarily.”

“Where do you live?” Finn asked.

“I’m staying at my brother-in-law’s for now, while I take care of Mikey. He has a small house in Forest Hills, not far from the training center.”

“What about when you’re not staying at Pete’s place?” Finn asked. His tone was casual, but she sensed he really wanted to know.

“I rent a room in a three-bedroom house owned by one of my college roommates. Her parents are doctors at the hospital and bought it for her. The house is only about five miles from Pete’s. I can walk to the training facility or take a short subway ride if the weather is bad.”

“Okay, let’s pick up Mikey and head back to the house. We’ll figure out the next steps later.” Finn steered her toward the SUV and opened the passenger door for her, then the back hatch for Abernathy.

Traffic was always a challenge, especially getting from Jackson Heights over to Forest Hills. Eva could feel her nerves fraying with every stoplight and every bumper-to-bumper slowdown. Logically she knew the two men in black had been after her and Cocoa, not Mikey, but she wouldn’t rest easy until she had the little boy safe at home.

The preschool wasn’t far, and when Finn pulled up beside it, she told him she’d be right back, shoved open her door and jumped out. Quickly, she went inside, then paused, waiting for her eyes to adjust from the bright sunlight to the dim interior of the building.

“Auntie Eva!” She heard Mikey before she saw him running toward her.

“Mikey!” She swept the little boy into her arms, cuddling him close. His blond hair was so much like hers that people often assumed she was the boy’s mother. “I’m here to take you home.”

“You’re early.” Peggy Harris, Mikey’s preschool teacher, came over to stand beside her. “We were in the middle of a Father’s Day art project.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Eva didn’t want to go into the events of her morning, so she simply offered a wan smile. “Tomorrow he’ll be here for the full day.”

“That’s fine.” Peggy reached out to smooth Mikey’s hair. “You can finish your art project tomorrow, Mikey. Be a good boy today for your aunt Eva, okay?”

“’Kay,” Mikey said agreeably.

Eva held her nephew in her arms as she turned to head back to the doorway, assuming Finn was waiting outside in the SUV. It occurred to her that she didn’t have Mikey’s car seat, and the thought of walking back to Pete’s house, the way she normally did, wasn’t very appealing. Being outside made her feel vulnerable, and she refused to risk anything happening to Mikey.

She turned around and went back to find Peggy. “Do you have a car seat I can use temporarily?”

“Sure, you can borrow this one.” She pulled a bulky car seat from the supply closet. “We have a few extras, but try to remember to bring it back as soon as you can.”

“I will. Thanks, Peggy.” Eva carried the car seat with one hand while holding Mikey’s hand with the other.

Finn and Abernathy were coming into the building as she and Mikey came out. “Next time, wait for me,” Finn chided without heat. “Parking is a nightmare around here.”

“Doggy!” Mikey tugged on her hand, reaching out toward Abernathy. “I wanna pet the doggy!”

Finn laughed, a hearty sound that sent shivers of awareness down her spine. She had no idea why on earth she had this strong reaction to the sound of his laugher, but she found herself smiling as she released her nephew.

Finn crouched next to Mikey, placing his hand on Mikey’s shoulder. “Friend, Abernathy,” Finn said.

“Good doggy,” Mikey said, stroking Abernathy’s silky fur. “Nice doggy.”

“His name is Abernathy,” Finn explained, then cocked his head to the side. “That seems like a mouthful for such a little guy like you. Maybe you can call him Abe.”

“Abe,” Mikey repeated.

“And I’m Officer Finn,” he added.

Abernathy attempted to lick Mikey’s face, which sent the little boy into gales of laughter. Finn chuckled, and for a moment she could easily imagine the K-9 cop with a child of his own.

It was enough to snap her out of her reverie. Having a child—a family of her own—wasn’t part of her future.

Losing her eyesight would make it difficult enough to take care for herself, much less a child.

The sooner she accepted that reality, the better.

* * *

Finn loved watching Mikey and Abernathy together. Boys and dogs went together like peanut butter and jelly. But it was time to get going, so he called Abernathy over.

“Come,” he commanded.

Abernathy instantly wheeled around and came to sit beside Finn, looking up at him expectantly. “Time to go.” He led the way down the street to the parking spot he’d managed to find. When they reached the vehicle, he opened the back. Abernathy jumped inside with lithe grace.

Finn came around to help Eva with the car seat. Once she had it secure, she set Mikey inside, buckling him in. He opened the front passenger-side door for her, and she hesitated for a moment before climbing in.

After sliding in behind the wheel, Finn glanced over at her. “I was thinking once you’re safe at home, I could go out and grab something for lunch.”

She hesitated, then nodded, seemingly relived. “That would be great. I’m still too shaken up to cook.”

“Any particular food Mikey likes best?” NYC was well-known for its variety of restaurants, but he had no clue what three-year-old kids preferred to eat.

“Pizza!” Mikey said excitedly. “I love pizza!”

“I know you do,” Eva said, glancing back at her nephew. “It’s your favorite, right? We’ll eat as soon as we’re home.”

“Speaking of which, I’ll need directions.”

“Keep heading north, then turn left at the next intersection.”

Eva continued to give him directions until he pulled into a narrow driveway in front of an older-model brown brick home wedged in between two others. It was a nice place to raise a child, he thought as he slid the gearshift into Park. He thought there might even be a little sliver of a fenced-in backyard for Mikey to play in.

“We’re home,” Eva said, as she carried Mikey out of the SUV. Finn went around to the back to let Abernathy out, grabbing the dog’s water dish and tucking it under his arm as he followed Eva and Mikey inside.

Eva hesitated for a moment in the doorway, and he wondered if she’d noticed something out of place. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing.” She flushed as if she were embarrassed, then moved farther inside. The small kitchen was crowded with two adults, a little boy and a dog, but Eva acted as if she didn’t notice.

“Okay, what’s for lunch?” he asked, filling Abernathy’s water dish and setting it in the corner of the kitchen.

“Ordering pepperoni pizza would be easiest, then you don’t have to leave.” There was an underlying note of fear in Eva’s voice and he understood she was loath to be alone.

“Not a problem.” He caught a glimpse of a local pizza flyer on the fridge. Using his cell, he dialed the number and ordered a cheese-and-pepperoni pizza. When that was done, he took Abernathy’s vest off, giving him a bit of freedom to explore. Abernathy lapped at the water, then began sniffing around the edges of the room.

Finn’s phone rang and he quickly answered it. “Gallagher.”

“We got the video feed you requested,” Danielle Abbott, their technical guru said. “But it’s not a lot of help. The camera angle isn’t great. The cars are too close together to get a view of the license plate, and the crowds of people on the sidewalk obscure the view of the perp’s face. I’ll keep trying to clear up the video, but I can’t make any promises.”

Finn battled a wave of frustration. “Okay. Thanks, Danielle.”

“What?” Eva asked.

“We haven’t got anything off the subway camera. At least, not yet.”

Eva shook her head. “It figures.”

The pizza arrived twenty minutes later. Eva opened her purse, but he shooed her away to take care of the bill himself. Eva set the table, and he opened the pizza box, then picked up Mikey to place him in his booster seat. Eva took out a small slice of pizza and placed it on Mikey’s plate, giving it a chance to cool off. He took the seat across from Eva’s and, when she finished, he clasped his hands together and bowed his head to say grace.

“Dear Lord, we thank You for this food we are about to eat. We also thank You for keeping Eva safe in Your care. Please provide us the wisdom and guidance to find Cocoa, too. Amen.”

There was a brief pause before Eva murmured, “Amen.”

Mikey had already taken a bite of pizza, completely oblivious to the prayer. Finn smiled and made a mental note to include the boy next time.

Whoa, wait a minute. Next time? There wasn’t going to be a next time! He was only here because Eva had been attacked twice in one day.

This might look like a nice cozy scene, but Eva wasn’t his woman and Mikey wasn’t his son.

“Finn?”

He looked up from his food, belatedly realizing he was staring at it without making the slightest effort to eat. “What is it?”

“Do you think we’ll be okay here?”

“I think so, yes.” He picked up a slice of pizza and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. He didn’t want to say too much in front of the boy. “It’s probably better for you to be here than at your own place.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “I hope so.”

“How many people know that your brother-in-law is out of town?”

“My roommates know, of course. So does my boss.” She nibbled at her pizza.

“How long will he be gone?”

“About six more days, he left yesterday. He’s a paramedic and firefighter, stationed not far from Mercy Medical Center here in Queens. He’s their trainer, and there’s some new strategies about caring for patients in the field he has to learn, so they sent him to Atlanta.” She was silent for a moment before adding, “It wasn’t easy for him to leave so soon after...” Her voice trailed off.

Finn nodded his understanding. He couldn’t imagine losing your wife and then leaving your son behind as you went off on a business trip. “It’s great that you’re able to be here for Mikey.”

“Yes.” Her smile held a hint of sadness. “Between the two of us, we’ll help him through this.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask about God and faith, but then remembered how she hadn’t immediately joined him in saying grace. Maybe that was part of his role here. Not just to protect her, but to help Eva understand God’s grace and the power of prayer.

Mikey played with his food, pretending his slice of pizza was a plane and dive-bombing his silverware. Crumbs from the pizza crust were falling everywhere, and he noticed that Abernathy had taken up residence next to Mikey’s chair, gobbling up every morsel the kid dropped.

Finn tried not to wince. Normally Abernathy wouldn’t eat from anyone other than him, but with his vest off, he obviously thought Mikey’s crumbs were fair game.

“Don’t play with your food,” Eva said, putting her hand on Mikey’s arm. “Are you full? Or do you want to eat some more?”

“Eat,” Mikey said, popping what was left of his pizza into his mouth. “Can I visit Cocoa?”

Eva froze, her gaze locking onto his. She drew in a shaky breath, then told the little boy the truth, “I’m sorry to say Cocoa is lost, Mikey, so you can’t visit now. But Officer Finn is going to work really hard to find him.”

“Yes, I will.” Finn wasn’t exactly sure how he would accomplish that feat since he didn’t have a clue where to start. Earlier, he’d taken Eva’s keys with him back to the station and had asked Ilona, the lab tech, to run the DNA. Once those results came back, they’d know if the perp who’d hit Eva was in the system or not. But how long would that take? Despite what was portrayed on TV, fast turnaround times for DNA happened only in rare circumstances. A puppy-napping wouldn’t be high on the list.

“I’m sorry about what happened this morning,” he said. He couldn’t imagine what he’d do if someone took Abernathy from him. The dog was more than just his partner.

Abernathy was the only family Finn had since his father had passed away last year. The other K-9 officers were like his brothers, but Abernathy was more than that. The K-9 was his best friend.

“I know.” She offered a lopsided smile. He knew she was worried about more than just Cocoa’s fate.

“I’ll take a look around the place when we’re finished,” Finn offered. “See if there are any extra security measures I can add.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Eva said gratefully. “I know we’re probably fine here, but I don’t want to take any chances.”

He wanted to offer to stay there with her but knew he shouldn’t get too emotionally involved. Bad enough that he was tempted to ask her out for dinner and maybe a movie. What was it about her that made him want to toss his two-date, nothing-serious dating rules out the window?

Five minutes later it was clear Mikey was finished eating. Eva washed tomato sauce off his face and his hands, then lifted him down to the floor. Finn finished his meal so he could help clean up.

“I’ll take care of it,” she said, shooing him away with a wave of her hand. “Do me a favor and check things out, would you? I know I’m being paranoid, but I want to be sure we’re safe.”

“No problem.” Finn moved through the house, taking note of the layout. A living room was located through the doorway from the kitchen, along with a small bathroom and a bedroom. From what he could tell, the bedroom was used as a playroom, toys strewed everywhere.

There were steps leading up to the second floor, where he surmised the other bedrooms were located.

Sure enough, he found two bedrooms separated by a full bathroom. The master suite didn’t look frilly, and he wondered if Pete had already got rid of things that reminded him of his dead wife. Crossing the room, he looked out the window. Just as he’d suspected, there was a narrow fenced-in area containing a patio in which a turtle-shaped sandbox was located. There was a grill out there, too, perfect for spending summer evenings outside.

He did the same routine in Mikey’s room. A look out the window revealed a wooden trellis from beneath his window to the ground. The window had a sturdy lock, but he wondered if there was something more he could do to prevent anyone from using the trellis to gain access inside. It might not hold a man’s weight, but he didn’t want to take any chances.

Finn made his way back downstairs to the main level. He found Mikey in the playroom. Abernathy was stretched out on the floor, his tail thumping against the linoleum.

Eva joined him a few minutes later. “Any thoughts?”

Finn glanced at her. “Just the trellis against the wall outside Mikey’s window.” He kept his voice low so the little boy wouldn’t overhear.

Her blue eyes clouded with fear. “Maybe I’ll have him sleep in the master suite for the rest of the week.”

“Not a bad idea,” he agreed. “I’ll call the 110th Precinct and ask for cops to drive by on a regular basis.”

“That would be nice.” Once again her smile was sad, and Finn found himself wishing there was a way he could lighten the burden she seemed to be carrying around with her.

“Auntie Eva, look!” Mikey picked up the small furry stuffed replica of Cocoa she’d given to him the day she started working with the puppy. “Here’s my Cocoa. I wanna play with your Cocoa.”

Finn knew that a missing puppy was a difficult concept for a three-year-old boy to understand, and Eva glanced at him as if she wasn’t sure how much to tell her nephew.

Since he was hardly an expert on little kids, he had no clue, either.

“I already told you, sweetie, Cocoa is missing,” Eva said gently. “He’s lost, but Officer Finn and Abernathy here are going to find him.”

Mikey’s expression clouded, and Finn was afraid the little boy was about to burst into tears. “Maybe the bad man has him.”

What? Finn glanced at Eva, wondering if he’d heard the child correctly.

Eva had gone pale. She dropped to her knees beside Mikey so she could look him in the eye. “What bad man, sweetie? Did you see a bad man?”

Mikey dropped his stuffed Cocoa and picked up two plastic dinosaurs, slamming them together with glee.

“What do you think?” Finn asked in a soft voice. “Do you think he saw something?”

“I don’t know.” Eva’s expression was full of concern. “He’s only three years old. Maybe he just heard something on TV.”

“He watches cop shows?” Finn asked wryly.

“No, but have you seen some of the cartoons? Several have bad guys in them.”

“Bad guy,” Mikey repeated. “Mommy said the bad guy is real, not make-believe.”

“Mommy said that?” Eva asked in horror. She swayed as if she might go down, so Finn put his arm around her waist.

“Easy,” he murmured near her ear. “If Mikey sees that you’re upset, he’ll cry.”

“I don’t understand,” she whispered. “What does he mean? Why would Malina tell him the bad man is real?”

Finn had no clue, but he remembered seeing her sister’s name on the list of people who had been fired from the training center. Something Eva didn’t seem to know.

He wondered if there had been more going on in Malina’s life than Eva was aware of.