Top Secret Target Read online

  Remember that, Ethan? You thought Jillian was your missing piece, too. You were an idiot then, giving your heart away without the consent of your brain. And what had it cost him? Everything, his pride, his self-confidence, his future. He wasn’t ready for a relationship with Kendra, or anyone else. Period.

  Titus completed his perimeter check and they moved onto the yard. There were very few places a person might hide, but Titus checked every inch anyway, behind the shed, along the fence line, stopping at the back gate. He whined, pawing at the metal gate. Ethan’s adrenaline went through the roof.

  “Go back in the house, Kendra. Wait for my text. If you don’t hear from me in twenty, call the cops.” He pushed the gate open, Titus barreling through.

  “I’m coming.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “You’re not facing Andy alone if he’s out there.”

  “Kendra,” he snapped.

  She lifted her chin, eyes blazing. “Unless you’re going to handcuff me to the fence, get moving, Lieutenant.”

  Smothering an angry retort, he pushed out into the woods, fuming. If Titus was alerting to Andy, he would take care of it without risking Kendra’s life. He was an MP, after all. Did she think he needed her to back him up? Think him a pushover like Jillian had?

  Titus yanked and pulled and Ethan worked to keep up and not trip over any fallen branches or rocks. Kendra shadowed them easily.

  Ethan was puzzled. Titus did not seem to be latching onto a scent and following it to a potential intruder’s hiding place, as he did in his patrol duties. Something about the dog’s erratic behavior was atypical. He thought about stopping him and resetting, but Titus was wired, filled with frantic energy. Trust your dog, his gut told him.

  “What is it, boy?” Titus did not acknowledge Ethan, his nose glued to the ground, the hair on his back raised.

  “What’s he after?” Kendra whispered.

  “I don’t know,” he whispered back. “Titus, if you’re dragging me around these woods looking for a squirrel, you’re grounded forever.”

  The dog whined, swiveling from one side of a grassy basin to another. The area was clear of trees, a jumble of rocks off to one side, glittering with moisture. Titus beelined to the rocks. He pawed, sniffed, pawed again. To Ethan’s utter shock, the dog turned a circle and lay down, head on his paws.

  Ethan gaped.

  “What?” Kendra said. “What is he alerting on? Nobody’s here.”

  The words seemed to come from far away. “Nobody alive,” Ethan said.

  Her eyes widened. “Are you saying...”

  “That’s the signal he’s supposed to use to tell me he’s discovered human remains.” Her shock mirrored his own.

  Almost imperceptibly at first, the rain began to fall, cold droplets that he did not feel. Titus put his head on his paws and let out a long, mournful whine.

  TWENTY

  The morning finally dawned, poking feebly through the rain clouds. Kendra was chilled, both inside and out, from the night in the woods as Carpenter led his team to clear the rocks to reveal whatever Titus had detected.

  Ethan’s words circled in her memory. Nobody alive.

  She prayed the dog was mistaken, but deep down she knew he wasn’t.

  The county coroner was leading the proceedings, a yellow slicker keeping the rain off. She and Ethan watched from under the cover of pine trees, Titus whining and bumping Ethan’s leg.

  “Easy, boy,” Ethan said. “He’s never alerted on a cadaver before except for our drills. I’m not sure why he’s so agitated.”

  It wasn’t a stretch for Kendra. Her nerves were strung to the breaking point, too, as the police dug, photographed, dug some more, brushed the debris away and repeated the process. It was time-consuming and laborious but Kendra was touched at the respect the officers showed to the victim.

  When the remains were finally exhumed from the hole, Kendra gasped.

  “It isn’t... I mean, that didn’t happen recently.”

  Ethan looped an arm around her. “No. Looks like the body has been there for a while, a couple of months at least.”

  “More than eight months, I would speculate,” the coroner piped up. He talked into a tape recorder as he took samples and made measurements. Using the tip of a pen, he lifted something off the female victim and held it to the light. A filigree earring that glittered in the beam.

  “I...I thought it was Andy’s work,” Kendra said, “but he was in prison. But it couldn’t be Sullivan either could it? He was in jail too until his escape two months ago.”

  Ethan grimaced. “Right.”

  “What is going on?”

  They turned to find Mindy, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, one curler still clinging to her hair, an umbrella over her head. “I heard all the noise.” Her gaze went to the grisly bundle. “Is that...?”

  “A body,” said Officer Carpenter. “And we need to keep this area clear, okay? Ms. Zeppler, isn’t it? I’ll be asking you some questions later, but for now, I’d like to ask you to return to your house and not alert anyone. We need to finish our work here.”

  Mindy took a faltering step back, her palm pressed to her heart. When Ethan reached out to steady her, Titus yanked the leash from his grip and bolted.

  “Titus,” Ethan roared, but the dog flew over the carpet of pine needles.

  “Dog, you’re in such bad trouble I can’t even begin to describe it,” Ethan hollered as he ran.

  “Where’s he going?” Mindy blurted. “Is someone out there? A killer?”

  Kendra reassured her neighbor. “Everything’s okay, Mindy. The police have it all under control. Go straight home, like they said, okay?”

  “I’ll send an officer to escort you,” Carpenter said.

  Her mouth pinched, Mindy hugged herself and walked quickly back in the direction of her house with an officer. As soon as Kendra was sure Mindy was headed away from the horrible scene, she took off in pursuit of Ethan and Titus.

  The woods seemed to close around her, shutting off the sound of the police activity. Dripping leaves and rustling branches played havoc with her nerves. How long had the woods kept the secret of the dead woman? Who was she? There must have been someone looking for her, wondering and mourning, praying each day that she would be discovered. Bile rose in her throat.

  Forcing in some air to combat the nausea, she took a path up, pushing by shrubs that reached out to snag at her.

  “Ethan?” she called.

  The chilled air held no reply. Branches snapped to her left and her hand went to her gun. She backed against a tree trunk, heart pounding, until she caught Titus’s bark. Blowing out a breath, she followed the sound. Slipping on the debris, she lost them for a moment until she heard another shout from Ethan to her right.

  She scooted down a hillock, mostly on her bottom due to the thick layer of wet leaves. In a crevice sheltered by a cluster of tall pines, she found Ethan standing over yet another pile of rocks. Ethan’s expression was unreadable. To her horror, she saw Titus lying down, staring intently at Ethan, a posture that said everything.

  Surely it could not be. Her eyes must be deceiving her. Titus must be confused about his new training. “That isn’t...”

  Ethan bent slightly, as if he’d been punched in the gut. “He beelined right here, no question about it. Circled three times and lay down, just like I trained him.” He crouched by the dog, absently praising him and rubbing his ears. “I...I think he alerted earlier. Remember when we were training before with the fake scent? But I pulled him off to go help Mindy after she fell off her bike.” He grimaced. “I should have let him do his thing then. He was trying to do his job and I got in his way.”

  The moan of the wind accelerated, driving rain into her face with stinging lashes. She forced the question out. “So there’s another body?”

  The
shock rippled across his face. “Yes,” he said. “A second one.”

  Cold forced its way down deep inside her, past the disbelief. “Ethan, what is going on here? We know it wasn’t Andy, and it couldn’t have been Sullivan. Who has been killing people and burying them in the woods?”

  “Right behind Jillian’s house,” he finished.

  She stared at him. It had not occurred to her. Two bodies buried virtually in Jillian’s backyard.

  “Get her on the phone, will you?” Ethan said, standing. “I want to talk to her before the police come calling.”

  She thought as she dialed, What could Jillian possibly know about two dead bodies?

  * * *

  In his office, Colonel Masters paced in front of his wall of photos, Ethan, Titus and Kendra squeezed into the corner chairs.

  “Why do you have to bring that hound in here?” Masters snapped.

  “K-9 training, Sir. We’re a team, all the time, not just when we’re at Canyon.”

  Masters appeared too agitated to note the smile on Ethan’s face, so Ethan sent Kendra a sly wink. She didn’t exactly smile, but he thought she might have relaxed a fraction.

  Jillian joined them and this time he did not feel a jolt at the sight of her. But he did notice the worry lines carved around her mouth.

  “These bodies,” she said, hands on hips. “I can’t believe it. Right behind my house.”

  “Two women,” Ethan said, “and according to the coroner’s unofficial findings, buried within days or weeks of each other.”

  “I’ve got more unofficial intel,” Masters barked. “The first body you found looks to be a twenty-year-old female named Elizabeth Carver. She was a local, worked at a bar across town called Oasis.”

  “How’d they get the ID so quickly?” Kendra asked.

  “She was buried along with her purse and wallet. And some money and gold jewelry, so the motive wasn’t robbery. She didn’t show up for work about eight months ago, but the bartender assumed she skipped out. No family came looking or filed a report. As I said, this is all unofficial until the coroner does a complete analysis, but it’s probably Elizabeth Carver.” He looked at Jillian. “That name mean anything to you?”

  Jillian folded her arms. “No, and in answer to your next question, I’m not a ‘hang out in a bar’ kind of woman. I’ve never been to Oasis. I mean, since I started renting that house two years ago, I’ve barely been home at all. When I’m not deployed, I’m training and when I’m not training...” She shrugged.

  You have plenty of other places to stay, Ethan thought ruefully.

  “The other body is also a female of similar age. No ID so that’s going to take longer. These are complications, slowing our progress.” Masters glowered at Ethan and Kendra. “You two. What have you accomplished on the Sullivan case?”

  Ethan related their findings about Lara Dennis. “We’re also looking again at the list of prison visitors.” He did not care to share specifics about the Chase McLear investigation. Until he had evidence on the guy besides a name suddenly appearing where it hadn’t been, he wasn’t going to smear McLear’s reputation.

  “So in other words, you have nothing, only some vague idea that he’s got a female accomplice but no further proof about whom. And now,” Masters said, his face purpling as he looked at Kendra, “you’ve brought in another complication. Andy Bleakman and your twisted love life.”

  As Kendra tensed beside him, Ethan stood. “Don’t talk to her like that. She didn’t bring anyone in. Bleakman tracked her here after he was released from prison.”

  “I know the details,” Masters snapped, “because I ran them down, since neither of you bothered to brief me. Kendra, I’ve half a mind to fire you.”

  Kendra stood and gazed calmly at Masters, though Ethan saw her cheeks blossom with color. “If that is what you feel is best, go ahead. I am still going to continue tracking Sullivan until Jillian is safe whether I’m employed by you or not.”

  “With a stalker at your heels?” Masters asked.

  “I will deal with that, too.”

  The colonel’s nostrils flared. “Bleakman is your problem and these bodies are the cops’ burden to handle. All I care about is Sullivan. He, or his accomplice, has taken a couple of whacks at killing you, so we’re close.”

  Ethan’s hands fisted at the cavalier way he tossed Kendra’s safety around, but Kendra only smiled.

  “There’s a sunny point,” she said, and he could not help but chuckle at her droll humor. What spirit she had.

  “But we need to speed things up, force his hand,” Masters continued.

  Ethan’s gut tightened. “How?”

  “I’ve made some calls. Jillian’s going to deploy to Afghanistan.”

  Ethan shot a look at Jillian. She did not show surprise. “You okay with that?”

  She brushed the hair from her eyes. “Yeah. I think it’s for the best. You know how I love the rush.”

  He did, but he also knew she did not like the feeling that she was running away from a threat. It wasn’t in her makeup. Then again, noting the uncertainty he saw in her eyes, perhaps she was changing.

  Maybe he was, too. He found that though he’d never love her again, he could hope good things for her. “When do you leave?”

  “This afternoon,” Jillian said. “Vans depart at sixteen hundred hours for Fort Levine, where we get final briefings.”

  Ethan remembered an earlier conversation. “So you’re flying out with Bill Madding’s unit?”

  Her face sparked some emotion. “Yes, but I told you. We’re over.”

  Ethan waited for the rush of anger or suspicion, but it did not come. “Good,” Ethan found himself saying. “You can do better than Madding.”

  Her mouth quirked in surprise. “Thanks.”

  Masters continued, “We’ll make Jillian’s deployment very public. Sullivan will want to take her out here before she leaves the base so you’ll be standing in, Kendra. Jillian will secretly take an earlier flight to Fort Levine, right after she leaves this meeting.” He handed Kendra a garment bag. “Here’s your flight suit and a duffel so you look the part. You’re dismissed.”

  Jillian followed them into the hallway. “I don’t like to be leaving it like this. Be careful, you two.”

  “We will,” Kendra nodded, hugging her.

  Ethan shook her hand. “Watch your back, Lieutenant.”

  “I will. And you do the same.” Her mouth crimped in thought. “You two make a good team,” she said. “Better than we ever did, Ethan.”

  There was no malice there, no caustic undertone to the remark. He accepted it with a semi-puzzled nod.

  She walked down the hallway without a backward glance.

  Ethan touched Kendra on the shoulder as they walked to his truck. “You don’t have to do this. You can quit.”

  She fired a plucky smile. “What? And miss the exciting finale?”

  “Figured you’d had enough excitement to last you a lifetime.”

  “To be honest, I think you’re right, but I made a promise and I’m going to see it through.”

  “Duty to Masters?”

  “No, to Jillian.”

  “She doesn’t realize what kind of a friend she has in you.”

  “No matter what she’s done, she saved my life. Besides, I think she’s changed just a bit, don’t you?”

  Ethan took a deep breath. “Yes, and maybe I have, too.”

  “Not drinking your own poison?”

  He knew it was true, finally. Thank You, God. And thank you, Kendra. She’d given him the gift of listening, understanding and a loyal friendship he’d never known with a woman before. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, awed. “I believe you might be correct.”

  “Aren’t I always?” she said, poking him with an elbow.

  “You’re beginning to sound li
ke me.”

  She put on her best Southern accent. “Then let’s get busy, partner.”

  With a massive eye roll, he led the way outside.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Kendra felt even more like an impostor in her flight suit when they reported to the assigned area on the base. The number of people crowding around the assembled military vans made her nervous. Wives stood close to their husbands, cradling children. Girlfriends clung to their young pilots, trying to keep from crying. Though no one said it, they all felt the dangerous reality of deploying to a war zone.

  But at the moment, civilian life was a deadly game as well.

  Kendra thought about the two twentysomethings buried and forgotten in the woods. Had they dated marines? Likely, in a town set smack up next to Baylor. Her heart throbbed thinking of the people who would mourn them when they were officially identified. So many lives destroyed and they hadn’t a single clue as to why. No answers, only more and more questions.

  Ethan touched her hand. “You all right?”

  She nodded. “Head in the game, right?”

  He glanced at the gathering. “Best case would be to spot and apprehend Sullivan before he makes his move.”

  Everyone within her line of sight had the appropriate visitor tags on, or base identification. But Boyd Sullivan had his own ID, acquired from the marine he’d murdered. In spite of the heightened security, with a uniform and an ID he could probably sneak into a lot of places on base without a second look.

  Ethan’s expression was pleasant, but his eyes were intense, scanning everyone who got close, Titus tethered to him by a short lead. Ethan was in ABUs, no rifle, only a handgun tucked under his top, since he was supposed to be playing the part of her soon-to-be spouse, an airman on a Marine Corps base.