Читать книгу Explosive Secrets - Valerie Hansen - Страница 13

THREE

Nicolette tried to breathe shallowly as she entered the crowded, overheated kitchen. Steam rose from stainless-steel pots simmering on the stove, and filled the air with pungent odors.

A tall, thin guy she didn’t recognize was standing at the grill, flipping burgers. Judging by how stained his apron was, he’d been there for some time.

Grabbing a clean, white apron from a waiting stack, she slipped the top loop over her head, crossed the strings in the back and tied them in front at her waist.

Her eyes met Lou’s. She nodded toward the man at the grill. “Who’s that?”

“My sister’s boy.” His graying eyebrows arched as he gave her the once-over through rheumy eyes. “Had to get him to fill in for you a couple of nights ago and he worked out real good. What’s wrong with you, anyways? You look kinda peaked.”

“I’m fine,” Nicki insisted. “Just had a really rough morning.” She swallowed hard, fighting the stomach upset that kept sneaking up on her. Pregnancy wasn’t predictable the way she’d assumed it would be. There seemed to be no way to avoid occasional waves of nausea, yet at other times her mood might soar for no apparent reason.

“Life ain’t easy for any of us, missy. You man the grill while my nephew takes his break,” Lou ordered.

“Okay. No problem.” Nicki said it automatically. Only she was not okay. Not even close. Her stomach was roiling, and she wondered how long she was going to be able to control herself.

The new cook started to pass her the spatula.

Nicki reached for it, noticed it was dripping with yellowed, half-congealed grease. Uh-oh.

Spinning, she raced for the ladies’ room.

Lou was waiting in the hallway when she finally emerged. His hairy, tattooed forearms were folded across his chest and he was glaring at her. “Well?”

“I just needed a quick break, myself, that’s all.”

“Tell you what,” he drawled. “You can have a long break. A permanent one, starting now. You’re fired.”

“But...”

The man already had his back to her.

“Wait, please, Lou. I need this job.”

He turned and gave her a once-over. “Yeah? So why were you late again today?”

“There was trouble in my neighborhood this morning. I had to stay until the cops said I could leave.”

“Okay...suppose I buy that. How come you keep complaining you’re sick all the time?”

“Not all the time. Honest. I just can’t help it.” Hoping the truth about her pregnancy would soften his heart she blurted out, “I’m going to have a baby.”

“Uh-huh. That’s what I figured. Like I said, you’re done here. Pick up your final check on Friday.”

“No, please. How am I going to survive?”

“Should of thought of that before you messed around and got caught.”

Left alone in the dingy hallway, Nicki leaned against the wall. She felt as drained as if she’d just run a marathon. What was she going to do now? Her bills were already steep, thanks to her conniving former fiancé, Bobby Lee Crawford, and his liberal use of her credit cards without her knowledge. She was behind in the rent, too. Not to mention how expensive it was going to be to repair the damage she imagined had been done to her apartment and her furniture. Those repairs were likely to cost a lot more than she had in the bank, which was pretty much nothing.

Untying the apron, she wadded it into a ball and threw it onto a chair as she stomped out of the truck stop. What a day this had already been. She could hardly wait to see what other disheartening surprises awaited her.

This was not how life was supposed to be when a person became a Christian, was it? She had no idea but she was certainly going to ask Pastor Eaton the next time she saw him. Instead of life getting easier, it seemed as if her problems had become a lot more complicated since she’d turned to Jesus for help, asked for forgiveness and surrendered to the Lord a month ago.

So, now what? Nicki wondered. What, indeed? She was without a job, had no savings and was still two months in arrears on her rent because she’d believed Bobby Lee when he’d taken the cash from her and lied about paying the landlord. What a blind fool she’d been where that smooth-talking Romeo was concerned.

Her hand rested at her waist and she sighed. “Poor little baby. You sure picked a mama with her share of problems, didn’t you?”

Now that she was outside in the fresh south Texas air and sunshine, she took a few deeper breaths and began to feel better. Yes, she was in a pickle because she’d trusted the wrong man with her heart, but she was strong and smart and resilient. She’d had to be to have survived thus far. There were other jobs, other cafés.

She’d never consider applying at Arianna’s place, even if her cousin were still alive to give her a job, but there was the Sagebrush Diner and even the Youth Center. They might need a good cook or kitchen assistant. As long as she could ventilate the work area, she should be fine. She wasn’t trained for any other decent-paying jobs, and as soon as her pregnancy started to show, she knew she’d have an even harder time finding steady work.

Determined to start looking immediately, Nicolette rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. Shading her eyes, she squinted in disbelief.

There sat her car, her only means of transportation, with all four tires totally flattened!

* * *

Jackson’s pager went off just as he got back to the station and reclaimed Titan.

With the dog trotting happily at his side, he headed for Slade McNeal’s office to find out what was up.

“You wanted to see me, Captain?”

“Yeah. What kind of shape was the Johnson woman in when you left her?”

“Pretty good, considering.” Jackson’s hand rested on Titan’s silky black head and he absently ruffled the dog’s ears as he continued. “She thought she’d seen somebody coming after her behind the truck stop, but I didn’t find anything odd when I checked that area. Why?”

“Because she just called to report that her tires had been flattened. I asked her if they’d been slashed but she didn’t know. She apparently took one look and hightailed it down the road before she used her phone.” He cleared his throat. “Says most of her personal belongings are still locked in the car, and she’s not going back there for any reason until you show up to keep her company.”

“Me?” Jackson could tell he was coloring but chose to pretend otherwise. “Why me? Was there another bomb threat?”

“No. Apparently you impressed her, Detective. She said she’d promised you she’d call.”

Jackson scowled. “Hold on. She works nights. She shouldn’t have even looked at her car ’til almost dawn. What was she doing out there now?”

“Guess you can ask her that when you see her.” He checked a note on his desk, then handed it over. “You’ll find her at the Jiffy-Suds car wash on Highway 20, down the block from where she works.”

Jackson turned to leave, Titan at his side, when the captain added, “Give your dog a break and let him sniff around there if he wants. I know he’s not a tracking dog like my Rio or Austin Black’s bloodhound, Justice, but he has a good nose. A little cross-training might prove useful.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I suspect the Johnson woman is more scared than anything. Since she’s apparently taken with you, I’ll expect you to continue to cultivate her confidence and get us some answers.”

“You still believe it’s all connected? The murders, the drugs, the bomb, everything that’s been happening in Sagebrush these past few months?”

The captain’s jaw clenched. “It’s entirely possible. Remember, one of our primary objectives is still to find my Rio and bring him home. Soon. Before the syndicate that kidnapped him decides to put a bullet in him—if they haven’t already.” He sighed heavily. “Caleb would never understand losing his best buddy for good. You can’t explain things like that to a five-year-old. The poor kid’s been a nervous wreck ever since Rio was dognapped.”

“I’ll do my best, sir,” Jackson said. “How’s your father doing? Any lasting effects from the beating he took back then?”

“Some. Dad’s not himself, that’s for sure. He still has to have nursing care at home. I wish I knew if the dognappers beat him because he tried to do the right thing and stop them from stealing Rio, or if they acted from plain meanness. Guess it really doesn’t matter.” He paused, pensive, before ordering, “Get going, Worth. Find out what the Johnson woman knows.”

“Yes, sir,” Jackson said, saluting as he took his leave.

The whole K-9 team had been searching for Rio—McNeal’s multipurpose, elite German shepherd—since January, with little result. Whoever had taken the dog had obviously known exactly when to strike, assaulting the captain’s elderly father, as well, and putting him in the hospital in a coma. Their K-9 unit had managed to rescue a neighborhood child who had been snatched after seeing Rio abducted, but as far as finding the dog went, they’d drawn a series of blanks.

Jackson gave his black Lab an additional pat as he loaded him into one of the unit’s special SUVs. Losing a beloved partner like Titan the way McNeal had lost Rio would be devastating.

The search for Rio had had one unexpected benefit, however. It had given the police more leads to a crime syndicate operating in and around Sagebrush. Unfortunately, that discovery had also resulted in a string of violent deaths, the last being that of Arianna Munson—aka “the Serpent.”

“So, what do you know about all this, Ms. Johnson?” Jackson muttered to himself. “And why won’t you tell us?”

Maybe a better question would be, How can I convince you to trust me? If Nicolette didn’t realize she held the key to the puzzle that had gotten her cousin into so much trouble, perhaps he could still succeed. All he’d have to do is get her talking, and listen very carefully to everything she revealed.

If the answer was there, he prayed he’d recognize it quickly. Before it was too late to save Rio and before something else happened to the Johnson woman.

There was no doubt in his mind. Someone was out to get her. And they had nearly succeeded at least twice, maybe more.

* * *

Nicki paced, perspiring more from anxiety than from the warm Texas evening temperature. She scanned passing traffic. She could see the truck stop far in the distance, but figured as long as she stayed near the activity at the car wash she’d be safe enough, at least for the time being.

The approach of the distinctively lettered K-9 unit elated her so much, she couldn’t help grinning. In seconds, she was standing beside the driver’s-side window.

Jackson rolled it down and leaned a bent arm on the sill. “I hear you have another problem.”

“You could say that. Somebody flattened all my tires.”

“Good thing you discovered it before dark,” he said. “Why did you?”

“Why did I what?”

“Go outside. I didn’t expect you to venture into the parking lot until you were off work. I don’t suppose whoever messed with your car did, either. So, why were you out there now?”

“I was trying to go home,” she replied with a grimace. “Right after you left, I started to feel sick. I told Lou why and he fired me.”

“That’s against the law. You can’t be fired for being pregnant.”

“No, but I can if I’m no longer able to work around food, and that’s the only job I know. Besides, he’s got his nephew working there now, and I have a feeling he was looking for a good excuse to let me go.” She shrugged. “If it hadn’t been that it would have been something else, like my being late for work again.”

“Do you want me to have a talk with him? Explain the other problems you’ve been having and what held you up today?”

“Don’t bother. I told him enough. Besides, it’s none of Lou’s business.” She started to circle the black-and-white. “You can give me a lift back to my car, though, so I can show you what happened to it.”

Jackson unlocked the passenger door with the flick of a switch. “Okay. Climb in.”

Titan stuck his head over the back of the seat and panted in her ear while she fastened her seat belt.

“I’m glad you brought your buddy,” Nicki said, tickling the dog under the chin. “I know he’s not a protection dog, but I still feel safer when he’s around.”

“So do I. We’ve been partners since we were deployed in Afghanistan. Actually, Titan outranks me. It’s customary for all the working dogs to hold a higher rank than their handlers.”

“Really? How did you manage to bring him home with you when he was trained for the battlefield?”

“It’s a long story.” In her peripheral vision she saw the man glance lovingly at the dog before he added, “Have you ever heard of PTSD?”

“Freaking out from stress? Sure.”

“Well, dogs can get it, too. Titan and I were traveling in a convoy when the vehicle directly ahead of us was blown up by an improvised explosive device. After that, he was never the same. He still works okay, but he’s just too jumpy for military service. That’s how I was able to keep him after my discharge.”

Suddenly, a lot of things made sense to her. “I get it. And you came here to Sagebrush because of that old explosion the lowlife on the phone was bragging about.”

“That’s part of the reason. My boss, Captain McNeal, lost his wife in that attack. When Titan and I applied for a job with the K-9 unit, he had a strong personal reason to convince the commissioners to hire us.”

“That is so sad.” She pointed toward her car as they drove closer. “There. See it? All four tires are flat.”

“You stay here with Titan, and I’ll go have a look. Since there’s no hurry getting you back on the road, I want to examine the scene carefully.”

“It could be just vandalism.”

She watched him hesitate long enough to report his location to dispatch, then open the door and put one foot outside before saying, “I don’t think this is any more random than the attacks at your apartment, Ms. Johnson. If you’re smart, you won’t get complacent.”

Nicki knew he was right. Like it or not, she had become the target of some shady characters who apparently had ties to Arianna.

The biggest question was how in the world could she hope to convince them—and the police—that she was innocent. Clueless. Not worth bothering with.

Except for this particular officer, she added silently. Given a choice, she would just as soon have him hanging around a little while longer, at least until the threats stopped.

It wasn’t sensible.

It wasn’t logical.

But it was true. She felt a lot safer when he and his big, black dog were close by.

Like right now.

* * *

As far as Jackson was concerned, the pretty cook had dodged a theoretical bullet once again. If she hadn’t been fired and, therefore, left work before nightfall, she could easily have become a crime statistic.

He swept the general area, checked inside her car and retrieved her personal belongings, then returned to Nicolette and Titan. They both seemed very glad to see him.

“Looks like somebody let the air out of the tires instead of slashing them, so you should be good to go as soon as we get them inflated.”

“But...why would someone do this?”

“You really don’t see the possibilities?”

“No.”

He turned sideways in the seat to partially face her. “Okay. Here’s what I think... I think somebody still believes your cousin told you something important, and they’re determined to get the secret from you.”

“By letting the air out of my tires? That’s crazy.”

“Not if it meant you’d be stranded at night, all alone, behind a building that provides plenty of cover from passing witnesses.”

He could see that his frankness was making an impression with her. Judging by the paleness of her cheeks, he wondered if he’d gone too far.

Instinct told him to reach out to her, to squeeze her hand, to offer comfort. Training and experience warned against getting too friendly. Before Jackson could decide which concept to employ, his dog settled the question for him.

Titan stretched his big head over the seat and gave the frightened young woman a kiss on the cheek. The slurp was audible.

If she’d looked the least bit upset, Jackson wouldn’t have laughed. However, when she squealed, “Eww,” and swiped at her damp cheek with her palm, he had to chuckle. “Sorry. I think he wants you to know you’re safe with us.”

“Safe, maybe. Wet, too. Is he always this slobbery when he wants to show affection?”

“As a matter of fact, no,” Jackson told her. “I guess he remembers you hugging him after the blast.”

“It’s a good thing I didn’t give him any treats, too, or he’d have drowned me!”

Pointing at the dog Jackson ordered, “Down. Stay.” And Titan plopped onto the backseat as if he’d had that pose in mind all along.

“He really is amazing,” Nicki said. “I’ve never seen such a well-trained animal. Do you get to take him home with you at night?”

“Yes. I have a little ranch east of here where he can run around and unwind.” He smiled. “Me, too.”

“That’s nice.” Nicki paused and sighed. “So, what shall I do about my car? I’ll need it if I’m going to go job hunting.”

“I’ll radio Arnie’s Garage for a service truck. If the driver can’t take care of your tires on the spot, I’ll have the car delivered to you later. In the meantime, suppose you let me buy you a cup of coffee and maybe a bite to eat?”

“Not here,” Nicki said quickly, eyeing The Truck Stop Diner. “Any place but here.”

“Fine.” He used his radio to order the roadside assistance, then started the SUV. “All set. How does the Sagebrush Diner sound?”

She smiled. “Wonderful.”

“Good.” And while we’re there, Jackson mused, we’ll relax and talk about a lot of things, including what your crooked cousin may have told you.

It didn’t matter how much he happened to like this woman or how smitten his dog was with her, there was no way he could believe she didn’t know more than she was willing to admit. Nobody her age could still be this naive, this innocent. Nobody.

This woman was hiding something. Something that was liable to get her killed if she didn’t confess soon.