Battle Tested

He hadn’t realized the depth of what she’d been going through over the past few months. “That’s a tough break, but I’m a witness to the attack who will exonerate you once and for all.”

She lightly rubbed her neck, wincing at the tenderness. “Pictures of the bruises likely to be visible by morning should help, right?”

The thought of her golden skin marred by bruises infuriated him. If he’d been a minute later... He clenched his jaw, unwilling to think about how he may have stumbled across Vanessa’s dead body.

The level of hatred Boyd was carrying around with him was inconceivable. Must be that Boyd wanted more from Vanessa, a personal relationship of some kind. No other explanation made sense. She must have done something, or said something, that dented his fragile ego.

No point rehashing it now. She needed protection, and he intended to make sure Captain Blackwood provided it to her. Isaac wasn’t going to leave her alone, not until a Security Forces cop was stationed outside her house.

They walked the next block in silence.

At the corner, Vanessa took a left, heading past a thick hedge separating two front yards. A movement in the shrubbery caught his eye at the same time that Tango made a whining sound in the back of his throat.

Not a growl, but still a sound of distress.

Vanessa stopped dead in her tracks, reaching out to tightly grab his arm. “Did you hear that?” she whispered.

“Yes.” Isaac’s pulse kicked up and he instinctively pushed Vanessa behind him in an effort to protect her. “Call the police.”

The movement in the bushes increased and Tango strained on his leash as if desperate to rush over.

Was Boyd hiding in there? Did he right now have a gun trained on them?

For a split second, his mind went back to the moment his chopper had been hit by enemy fire, spinning helplessly out of control. Temporarily lost in the past, he let go of Tango’s leash and the dog took off straight toward the bushes.

No! Stay focused on the here and now!

“Tango!” His voice came out in a strangled cry, but the golden retriever didn’t listen. The dog disappeared into the bushes.

Leaving Isaac as the only protector for Vanessa.

TWO

Vanessa wasted several precious minutes fumbling in her bag for her phone. When she finally found it, she punched in the emergency number for the base police. “This is Lieutenant Gomez and I’m with Captain Isaac Goddard. We’re on the corner of Webster and Viking and have reason to believe Boyd Sullivan is hiding in the bushes. Hurry!”

“I’ll send someone over,” the Security Forces dispatcher promised.

She kept the phone in one hand and gripped the back of Isaac’s uniform with the other. Her entire body began to shake, and she abruptly understood a small part of what Aiden and Isaac went through while battling their illness.

The thought of coming face-to-face with Boyd Sullivan made her break out in a cold sweat. She’d never felt helpless and vulnerable like this, until tonight. First the attack, and now this.

“The cops from the south gate are closest,” she said in a low voice. “I’m sure they’ll be here soon.”

“I know.” Isaac’s hands were fisted, his elbows flexed at his side, as if he were expecting a physical fight.

Tango emerged from the bushes, tail wagging. He stood looking at them for a moment, then turned to duck back between the branches.

She frowned. “What was that about?”

“I’m not sure. Tango is a therapy dog, but he’s still trained well enough to know when danger is near.”

“So, Boyd isn’t hiding in there?”

“Probably not. Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Isaac took a step forward, but she didn’t let go of his uniform, choosing to go with him rather than remain on the street alone.

“Vanessa, you should stay here.” Frustration was audible in his tone.

She shook her head. “Better to stick together.”

Tango came out of the bushes again, gave a sharp bark and wheeled around to return to the brush. She relaxed her grip on Isaac’s uniform, sensing the dog wanted them to follow.

Surely, the golden wouldn’t lead them into harm’s way.

“Call off the cops,” Isaac said, parting the branches with one hand and using his flashlight app on his phone to illuminate the darkness. “False alarm.”

She inwardly debated letting the police come anyway, since she needed to report her attack, but she would rather talk to Justin personally. Decision made, she called the dispatcher back, confirming there was no immediate danger and that the call could be canceled. She slipped the phone back into her bag, then crept closer, hearing the rustling and odd whimpering sounds before her eyes landed on a cluster of puppies.

“Did we find some of the lost dogs?” Six months ago, Boyd Sullivan or his accomplice had sneaked onto base and let nearly every single K-9 in the Working Dog Program out of their kennels, a little over two hundred of them. Over time many of the lost animals had been found, but there were still several missing, including three extremely valuable German shepherds named Glory, Scout and Liberty.

“I’m not sure. There are four pups here, but it’s odd because there’s no sign of the mother. I doubt the mother is one of the lost dogs or we would have found her by now. The puppies appear healthy and well cared for, so I don’t think she abandoned them without a good reason.”

“She must be one of the training dogs, don’t you think? Maybe she was attacked by a coyote?” It was horrible to think of a pack of coyotes ganging up on the mom, who likely would have attempted to lure the predator away from her babies. “We have to try to find her.”

“Agreed, although we need to get these pups to safety first.” He gestured to the puppies. “These look to be a few weeks old—not that I’m an expert. And they’re snuggled together to stay warm.”

“My house is at the end of this block. Let’s bring the puppies there and get them warmed up, then let the cops know what happened.” Vanessa wondered how Aiden would like the puppies. Her brother tolerated Eagle, her Doberman, but didn’t find any comfort in the animal. And while she was hopeful he’d connect with a therapy dog such as Tango, he’d already failed in the first attempt to match him up. Ruby, the first dog who’d been assigned to him, had been a loving Irish setter, but Aiden hadn’t connected with Ruby on any level. Perhaps the adorable puppies might have a better chance of getting through to him.

Not that there was any guarantee that Master Sergeant Westley James, the lead trainer at the K-9 training center, would allow her and Aiden to care for them. Although if the mother wasn’t one of the missing dogs, maybe he wouldn’t mind?

She sent up a quick prayer, asking for God’s grace and mercy in keeping the puppies and the lost mother safe.

“You take two, and I’ll take two,” Isaac said, gathering a couple of the puppies in his broad hands and handing them over. She cradled them against her chest, marveling at the softness of their fur and their adorable faces.

“When we get the puppies settled and you’re safe, I’ll come back and search for the mother,” Isaac said. “I’ll also check with the veterinary clinic. They might have an injured dog that may belong to these pups.”

“All right.” As her small ranch home came into view, Vanessa picked up the pace, suddenly desperate to see her brother. She’d been gone far longer than her normal twelve-hour shift, and Aiden didn’t always handle being on his own very well.

The house was mostly dark except for a lone light in the corner of the living room. Awash with guilt, she shifted the puppies to one arm, and fished for her keys to unlock the door. Using her hip, she pushed the front door open and stepped inside.

“Aiden? It’s me, Vanessa. I’m home.”

Isaac followed her inside, but remained near the doorway, instinctively giving her brother time to adjust to the presence of a stranger.

“Aiden?” She swept her gaze over the living room, then noticed her brother sitting on the floor in a corner of the room, his face buried in his hands. “I’m sorry I’m late,” she said in a low voice. “But look what I found. Puppies!”

Aiden lifted his head, his gaze darting anxiously around the room, and instantly zeroing in on Isaac and Tango standing near the door. “Who is he?” Aiden asked harshly, his expression contorted in a mask of anger. “Why is he here?”

Her heart sank as she realized how Aiden had struggled in her absence. Eagle came out of the kitchen to greet her, but with her hands full, she couldn’t give her canine protector the attention he deserved.

She stayed focused on Aiden. “This is Captain Isaac Goddard, and he helped me bring the puppies home. Maybe you could hold them while I find a box to put them in?”

Aiden’s gaze remained fixed on Isaac for a long moment before he finally noticed the squirming animals in her arms. Her brother’s expression softened and he rose to his feet.

“Where did you find them?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“In the bushes near Webster and Viking,” Isaac said from the doorway. “Four pups. I’m sad to say their mother seems to be missing. We’re hoping she’s getting care at the vet.”

She wished Isaac would have remained silent, concerned that Aiden would become upset again from simply hearing his deep voice, but she needn’t have worried. Aiden’s gaze locked on the puppies and he came over to take one of them from her hands, bringing him up to his cheek.

“They’re so soft,” Aiden whispered. He met her gaze. “There’s really four of them?”

“Yes.” She handed him the second pup and then stepped back, subtly swiping at her damp eyes. The way her brother responded so positively to the puppies was more than she could have hoped for. “I’ll find a box.”

“There’s one full of old movies next to my bed,” Aiden said. “Just dump them on the floor.”

She took a moment to give Eagle a welcoming rub between the ears before hurrying into Aiden’s bedroom to empty the box of movies. When she returned, she was shocked to see that Isaac had come farther into the room and was standing less than three feet from Aiden.

What was he thinking? Shouldn’t he have stayed near the door? What if Aiden freaked out again?

“Found it,” she said as she rejoined them. Isaac set his two puppies in the box first, then her brother did the same. When she realized she’d been holding her breath, she let it out in a soundless sigh.

Tango and Eagle sniffed at each other curiously, but both dogs were trained well enough not to growl. Tango in particular was a calm, sensitive dog, the kind she’d hoped to get for Aiden one day.

“The pups might be hungry.” Aiden’s expression was full of concern.

“You’re right,” Isaac said in a low, nonthreatening tone. “They’ll need warm milk for starters, but I’m not sure if cow milk is good for them. Vanessa, why don’t you call the training center to see what you’ll need to do in order to care for the puppies?”

“Good idea.” She picked up her bag and dug out her phone. The call to the training center was immediately picked up by Master Sergeant Westley James, the training center operations director.

“This is Lieutenant Vanessa Gomez. Captain Isaac Goddard and I found four puppies, without any sign of the mother. We’re not sure what breed they are, maybe a cross between a Lab and a rottweiler. We’d like to foster them, if you’ll allow it.”

“Found them where?”

“Less than a block from my house on Webster.” She glanced at Isaac, then added, “Captain Goddard is going to head out to find the mother, see if she’s somewhere close by. In the meantime, would you like us to bring the puppies into the vet?”

“That would be good. I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay, but if you don’t mind, Aiden would really like to help foster the puppies.” She knew Westley was aware of Aiden’s need for a therapy dog and how miserably her brother had failed with Ruby. “It would be a great experience for us. Please? Just tell us what you’d like us to do.”

There was a pause then a sigh. “Okay, you and Aiden can foster them for now. But I’m warning you, it’s a time-consuming process. Any idea how old the puppies are?”

“We’re not sure,” she admitted. “But they’re bigger than newborns. Maybe a few weeks?”

“I hope you’re right, because we have a better chance of success if they’re at least three to four weeks old. Once we determine how old they are, you can get the appropriate commercially prepared puppy formula and instructions on how to start solid foods, along with how to housebreak them.”

“We can do that. Thank you.” The wave of relief was overwhelming. She disconnected the call and smiled at Aiden. “Westley gave us permission to foster, but warned me it’s a lot of work.”

“I don’t mind.” Aiden held the cardboard box in his arms as if he wasn’t ever going to let it go, the expression on his face full of wonder and joy.

“Great. Then we’ve been ordered to bring them to the vet, and they’ll provide everything we need.”

“Okay.” To her surprise, Aiden looked at Isaac. “We should probably take my sister’s car, right?”

“Good idea.”

Vanessa blinked the sting of tears away at Aiden’s tentative acceptance of Isaac. Already they were bonded by the puppies and with that as a foundation, it was possible that Isaac’s willingness to talk to Aiden would also help him learn better coping strategies.

Being attacked by Boyd Sullivan may have been the worst part of her day, but finding the puppies turned out to be the absolute best thing to have happened.

There was no doubt in her mind that these four tiny balls of fur were exactly what Aiden needed to help battle his illness.

And she’d do anything in her power to see her tormented brother relax and smile again.

Anything.

Isaac easily saw himself in Aiden’s demeanor, from the tense anxiety emanating from the young man’s very being, to the fear and anger darkening his brown eyes, replicas of his older sister’s.

The kid was young, barely twenty from his estimation, and suddenly Isaac wished that the minimum age to enter the military was older than a mere eighteen.

Not that he wasn’t proud to serve his country, because he was. After all, he’d gone straight into the Air Force Academy in Colorado, and from there to flight school to become an Air Force combat pilot. By the time he’d served his first tour overseas, he’d been twenty-three.

Now that he was thirty, his first tour seemed a lifetime ago.

There was no way to prepare for being deployed, although the various branches of the military did their best. Logically, he knew it wasn’t as if every airman, soldier, marine or seaman experienced combat, but still, the exposure to violence certainly took its toll.

Which was why he still hadn’t signed the paperwork to reenlist. Returning to the air as a pilot wasn’t an option now. He’d never risk other lives by flying with PTSD. Which left a huge question mark on his future.

But that was not a problem to solve tonight.

As they stepped outside to Vanessa’s car, he did a quick sweep of the neighborhood, looking for any sign of the puppies’ mother. Tango helped, but he came up empty-handed.

He climbed into the car beside Vanessa, and she drove directly to the veterinary clinic. The vet, Captain Kyle Roark, greeted them when they arrived.

“Westley called me about the puppies. I think I may have the injured mother inside. Someone turned her in a few hours ago. She suffered a rather serious animal bite that required surgery to repair. I think she’ll be fine, but I’ll need to watch her closely for the next few days for signs of infection.”

“Is she one of the training dogs?” Isaac asked.

Kyle shook his head. “No microchip. But I’m concerned there may be a link between this dog and the person who let the others go.”

Isaac didn’t like the sound of that.

Kyle took the puppies into an examination room to assess their condition. He returned a short while later with good news.

“They’re all surprisingly healthy, and they look to be about four weeks old.” He glanced at Vanessa and Aiden as he continued, “I’ll give you some supplies you’ll need to foster them, okay?”

“That would be great,” Vanessa agreed.

Isaac had noticed how protective Aiden was of the puppies, and hoped Vanessa was making the right decision allowing him to help foster them. Not that he thought Aiden would hurt them in any way, but Isaac knew how horrible it was to be separated from an animal you’d bonded with.

He missed Beacon with an all-consuming intensity. For several days, after Beacon had saved his life in Afghanistan by dragging him by the back of his flight suit away from the burning chopper, he and the dog had hidden together in enemy territory while waiting to be rescued. Losing his best friend and Beacon’s handler, Jake Burke, had been horrible. During those endless hours after the crash, Beacon had been his only source of comfort. Although even Beacon’s reassuring presence couldn’t keep his guilt at bay.

Then the USAF search-and-rescue chopper had arrived. The pilot had done a routine flyby, then circled around to land on a small level spot close to where he and Beacon had holed up. Getting into the chopper hadn’t been easy, but by the time the rebels had begun firing at them, the pilot had gotten them airborne.

At first, he’d been overjoyed at being rescued, but when they’d landed in Kabul and he was separated from Beacon, his whole world had come crumbling down.

Not only had he failed Jake by crashing the chopper that caused his buddy’s death, but he’d failed in keeping Jake’s K-9 as he’d promised when they’d first begun flying together. Six months of red tape and politics and he still didn’t have Beacon home.

But tomorrow was the day. Less than twenty-four hours and he’d have Beacon home where he belonged.

I’m trying, Jake. Just like I promised. I’ll bring Beacon home!

Before the crash that had taken his buddy’s life, he might have reached out to God for solace. But not anymore. These days, he didn’t feel much like talking to God.

“We’re ready to go,” Vanessa said, pulling him from his troubling thoughts. “Isaac? Is everything okay?”

He nodded and cleared his throat. “Yep. All set.”

Aiden had obviously delegated himself the primary caregiver as he picked up the box of puppies again and waited for Vanessa to get the door.

Vanessa’s SUV had plenty of room for the three of them and the two dogs Eagle and Tango, not to mention the box of squirming puppies. Aiden kept the box on his lap the entire time, unwilling to let the puppies out of his sight.

Interesting how the Doberman stayed close to Vanessa’s side, obviously trained to protect her. If that was the case, why hadn’t she brought the dog to the hospital with her? Granted, an intensive care unit probably wasn’t an appropriate place for a dog, but surely under the circumstances an exception could be made for Vanessa’s safety.

Aiden took the puppies inside and began feeding them, using the commercial formula provided by Kyle. He’d barely gotten settled when there was a sharp knock at the door. Vanessa answered it, looking surprised to see the head of the Security Forces standing there, his tall male Malinois named Quinn at his side.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Captain Justin Blackwood asked as he shouldered his way inside. Quinn stayed close, well trained enough not to react to the other dogs.

“Oh, I left my bag in the car while we were at the vet’s office,” she said with a guilty wince. “Sorry about that.”

Justin scowled, glancing between Isaac and Vanessa. “Tell me what happened at the hospital.”

Vanessa glanced over her shoulder, then gestured for the men to come into the living room. “I don’t want my brother to hear this.”

“Fine, but I need details,” Justin insisted.

Isaac crossed his arms over his chest as Vanessa explained how she took a shortcut out of the hospital, going through the hallway containing offices to get to the other side of the building closest to the front entrance when the lights went out and strong hands grasped her around the neck.

Hearing her talk about the attack she’d suffered made Isaac angry all over again. Justin’s expression turned grim as he inspected the red marks around her throat, already beginning to bruise.

“Did he say anything?” Justin asked.

Vanessa nodded. “I asked why and he said, ‘Because you’re in my way.’”

“In the way?” Isaac repeated. “Doesn’t make sense. In the way of what?”

She shrugged her shoulder. “I don’t know. In the way of his mission to eliminate the people who wronged him?”

“Then what happened?” Justin asked, looking at Isaac.

He and Justin knew each other from when they’d attended the Air Force Academy, but at the moment, he understood his friend was in charge of the ongoing investigation.

“I heard what sounded like a scuffle in the darkness and called out to see what was going on,” Isaac said, relating his side of the story. “I found the light switch and turned it on in time to see Vanessa fall to the floor and a guy wearing black disappear down the stairwell. I made sure she was all right and left Tango with her, before going after him. Unfortunately, he was long gone.”

“No description?” Justin asked, his blue eyes intense.

“Medium height and build. He wore a ski mask that covered his head so I can’t tell you his hair color.” Isaac shrugged. “I wish I could be more help.”

Justin raked his hand across his short blond hair and let out a heavy sigh. “No proof that Sullivan is the assailant.”

Vanessa bristled. “Boyd sent me a red rose. Who else has a grudge against me?”

Justin lifted a brow. “You were the one who said that you helped Boyd by providing first aid to him. Why would he have a score to settle with you?”

Vanessa’s dark eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t know, but I didn’t attack myself, Captain.”

“Come on, Justin, you know she didn’t,” Isaac added. “I saw him. And if I hadn’t shown up, she’d be dead.”

Justin let out a heavy sigh. “You’re right. The marks on her neck are for real, so that means somewhere deep in Boyd’s twisted mind, he’s decided to come after her.”

“And nearly killed her,” Isaac added.

“I know, I know.” Justin sounded tense.

Isaac arched an eyebrow at his friend. “Can you offer her round-the-clock protection?”

“I can have someone stationed outside the house at night, but we’re short staffed so I don’t have someone available to follow her around all day.”

“I can protect her during the day.” The offer popped out of his mouth before he had a chance to consider the consequences.

“I’m not sure that’s necessary,” Vanessa protested.

“I’ll take whatever help you can give us,” Justin said, ignoring her protest. “I’ll keep someone stationed outside the house from nineteen hundred hours until zero seven hundred.” He turned toward Vanessa. “You’re probably safe enough here at home with Eagle during the day, but don’t go anywhere alone, and keep Eagle close, too. Dobermans are instinctively protective.”

“Nessa?” Aiden’s voice from the doorway drew their attention. The young man cradled a puppy in his arms and stared at his sister with fear in his eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing to worry about, Aiden.” Vanessa crossed over to give her brother a hug. “Just extra protection for a while, no big deal.”

Aiden didn’t look as if he believed her, and Isaac didn’t blame the kid. Vanessa was a lousy liar.

It was clear that Vanessa’s life being in jeopardy impacted her brother in a big way. Isaac suspected if anything happened to her, Aiden wouldn’t be able to handle it.

And even though he’d only just met Vanessa tonight, Isaac wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle it, either.

THREE

“How are the puppies doing?” Vanessa crossed the living room to stand next to her brother. “We have to think of names for them.”