The Only Witness

Paige thought back to when she’d heard the tablet drop on the floor, the way her daughter had been hiding under the bed, clutching her stuffed elephant with teary eyes, moments before Paige heard the sound of gunfire.

And she knew something was terribly wrong. More than just the gunfire they’d experienced had caused such a drastic change in her daughter.

But what?

TWO

Miles kept an eye on the road behind him, making sure there wasn’t anyone following them as he drove through the night. The hour wasn’t that late, so there was more traffic than he would have liked, forcing him to make several turns, heading in a zigzag pattern to the Ravenswood Motel, a place he’d learned about a few months ago when his older brother, Marc, had hidden out there with a witness. A witness that he’d ended up marrying just a month ago.

As happy as he was for Marc, no way was he going down that same path. Serious relationships were not for him.

Pulling his thoughts back to the situation at hand, Miles tried to put the puzzle pieces of his case together. Jason’s body had been found in a Dumpster a few minutes before three o’clock in the morning, after succumbing to injuries from a gunshot wound to the chest. The only person Jason had seemed to have issues with was his boss, Travis Olson. Miles had gone to Sci-Tech first, but had been told that Travis wasn’t there. He’d gone to Olson’s condo, but he hadn’t been there, either. So he’d dug into Travis Olson’s background, finding out about his ex-wife, Paige, and their daughter, Abigail. So he’d headed over, only to find Travis’s ex caught in the middle of an ambush.

Coincidence? Not likely, although it would be nice to have ballistics prove a connection. Maybe the slugs they’d find in Paige’s house would match the type that had been used on Jason.

But why shoot at the woman and child in the first place? That was another link he couldn’t ignore.

He wasn’t going to allow anything to happen to an innocent woman and her child, so if that meant bypassing normal police procedures, then fine. Their safety had to come first.

“Miles?” Paige’s voice was soft, tentative.

“Yes?” He met her gaze in the rearview mirror.

“When do you think I’ll be able to take Abby home?”

He grimaced and shook his head. “Not anytime soon, unfortunately. Once the crime scene techs have finished gathering evidence, you can authorize the repairs to the windows, but that’s it. You can’t return until we know who’s after you and why.”

“Don’t you think it might be a mistake? That maybe some other house was the real target?” There was a thin thread of hope in her voice, one that he didn’t like having to destroy with the blunt truth.

“No, I don’t.” He wished there was something to say to make her feel better. “How much do you know about your husband’s work at Sci-Tech?”

“Ex-husband,” she corrected tersely. “Not a lot. I know he’s involved in artificial intelligence, but he didn’t confide in me about the specifics. In fact, he always made a point to remind me that his work is highly confidential.”

Highly confidential? That’s exactly what Jason Whitfield had told him when he’d asked about what he was working on. Was it possible Sci-Tech was doing classified work for the government?

“How long have you been divorced?”

“Three years.” He caught a glimpse of her pale hand as she smoothed her palm over her daughter’s back.

“A lot can change in three years. Do you think his work is still considered highly confidential?”

She nodded, her lips pressing together in a thin line. “The last time we spoke, he said things were stressful at work because they were trying to solve a technical glitch in some sort of software that could revolutionize the artificial intelligence used to create artificial limbs and other medically necessary devices.”

Interesting. So, what had gone wrong? Why had Jason been murdered? His friend had mentioned stress at work, too, but Miles thought he was speaking about his issues with his boss, not the actual work itself. Miles needed more information on Sci-Tech, but so far all his efforts to glean more had been in vain. He’d spent hours calling around the company, asking to speak to various team leaders, only to be completely stonewalled.

So far, Travis Olson and Sci-Tech were the only two links between Jason’s murder and the gunshots at Paige’s house.

“Why do you keep asking about my ex-husband?”

He swallowed hard, trying to think of how much to tell her. “Have you heard the name Jason Whitfield?”

Paige frowned. “It sounds familiar, but I can’t be sure.”

He wasn’t surprised. Since she’d been divorced from Travis for three years, he doubted they spoke about things related to his job anymore. “He worked for your ex-husband at Sci-Tech.”

“Worked?” She’d picked up on his use of past tense. “Did he quit?”

“Jason was found shot to death early this morning. I’m a homicide detective investigating his murder.”

She sucked in a harsh breath. “And you think the same gunman came to my house looking for Travis?”

He didn’t answer right away, because she had a point. Just because Travis and Jason hadn’t gotten along didn’t mean that Olson killed his buddy. Paige could have nailed the truth that someone else was after both Jason and Travis. Either way, something strange was obviously going on.

“I’m not sure,” he answered truthfully. “I was hoping your ex-husband would be able to give me more information. How’s Abby?” he asked, changing the subject. He turned right and caught a glimpse of the sign for the Ravenswood Motel.

“Sleeping.” Her brow furrowed. “I’m worried about her, though.”

He didn’t know anything about kids, had avoided serious entanglements after watching his girlfriend, Dawn Ebbe, die of leukemia right after college. She’d suffered for a long time, dying far too young. His heart had ached for her, wishing there was more he could do to help, but she’d slipped away in her sleep, leaving him feeling sad, frustrated, angry and alone.

From that moment on, he’d decided to live his life to the fullest, the way Dawn had tried to do before she became so sick and weak she couldn’t move around on her own. His goal was to enjoy life, without getting seriously involved.

His phone rang, and he used the hands-free function to answer it. “Callahan.”

“Miles? This is Detective Lisa Krantz.”

He tried to place her in his memory. Oh, yeah, he remembered now, she was a tall blonde, with a brand-new gold shield. “Detective, what’s up?”

“There’s been a break-in at your house. The place has been tossed, as if someone was looking for something.”

“When?”

“One of the neighbors called it in about fifteen minutes ago, and there happened to be a uniform in the area. I stopped by to take a look, but I have another call so I’m heading across town now. I figured you’d want to know.”

“I do, thanks. I’ll head over there now to see for myself.” He disconnected, his thoughts whirling.

Was this break-in related to Jason’s murder? Had the killer discovered they were friends? That Jason had called Miles several times in the past few weeks?

Or was the break-in related to something else entirely?

* * *

Paige frowned when Miles executed a sharp U-turn, heading back the way they’d come. “Do you think it’s smart to go there? What if there’s a gunman waiting for you, too?”

“There are officers on the scene, and I’ll protect you. Besides, we won’t stay long.”

She didn’t like being dependent on Miles, but what other choice did she have? Being left at a motel room with Abby and no vehicle to get away if needed didn’t sound like a good option, either.

It didn’t take Miles long to pull into the driveway of a small red-brick house with black shutters and white trim. Abby curled against her, still clinging to her neck as if she’d never let go.

“Sit tight. I’ll be right back.” Miles pushed open the driver’s door as a short, stocky uniformed officer came out to meet him.

The car seemed empty without his reassuring presence. She listened as the two of them spoke.

“Fair amount of damage,” the cop said. “Everything’s a mess. It’s obvious they were looking for something.”

“Check for fingerprints, maybe we’ll get a hit,” Miles told him. “I want to take a look. Will you stay out here and keep an eye on my passengers?”

The uniformed officer nodded. “Sure. No problem.”

“Hey, Abby,” Paige said in an effort to reassure her daughter. “There’s another policeman here, do you see him?” She wanted the little girl to know they were safe, but Abby didn’t lift her head to look around.

The sick feeling crept over her again, warning her that something was seriously wrong. Paige continued talking to Abby in soft, gentle tones, telling her that the policemen would put the bad men with guns away and keep them safe.

When that didn’t work, she offered a quick prayer.

“Dear Lord, please keep us safe and help Abby feel better, Amen.”

Normally her daughter would join in to say Amen, but not this time. Paige knew she couldn’t push, that Abby would speak when she was ready.

But the continued silence bothered her. A lot.

Miles returned a few minutes later, his expression grim. He carried a small duffel bag that he tossed into the trunk.

“Call me if you get a hit from any fingerprints,” he said to the officer.

“Will do.”

He slid behind the wheel and backed out of the driveway. He didn’t speak until they were back on the highway headed to the motel.

“Do you think the officer is right? That someone was looking for something inside your home?”

“Yeah, that’s the only thing that makes sense,” he said in a clipped tone.

“Something related to your case?”

“That’s exactly what I need to figure out.” He used his hands-free function to make another phone call. “Captain?” he said when a gruff voice answered. “This is Callahan.”

“I can’t believe you left the scene of the crime!” Captain O’Dell’s tone was hoarse, as if he’d been yelling all day long and was losing his voice.

“I need 24/7 protection for Paige Olson and her daughter. Will you free up a couple of uniforms?”

“With our budget cuts? No way. We’re already short-handed as it is. Find a safe place to stash her, then report in, understand?”

“Yeah. Got it.”

Paige swallowed hard and tried not to let her fear show. “Thanks for trying. I’m sure we’ll be fine at the motel. I’d just—feel better if I had a car, or a way to get to safety in case something happens.” She didn’t love Travis anymore, but he was still her daughter’s father and she was worried about him, as well.

Miles let out a heavy sigh. “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you at the motel alone.”

He wasn’t? “But your boss, your captain said...”

“I know what he said, but I’m not abandoning you. I’ll check in with him tomorrow.”

The wave of relief caught her off guard. Since when did she trust a man? Never in the years since her divorce.

Logically, she knew this was different. Miles wasn’t interested in her on a personal level. He was just being kind. And protective.

She told herself she was glad there was only a professional courtesy between them. Sure, he was handsome with his dark brown hair, chiseled features and big, muscular physique. And yes, maybe he smelled good, too. But after spending the last three years piecing her life back together, taking on an accounting job at a firm that allowed her to work at home so she could remain independent yet support her daughter, she finally felt as if she had her life back on track.

No way was she willing to risk changing anything now.

* * *

“Number twelve is our room.” Miles wasn’t happy that there hadn’t been connecting rooms available, but at least this one had two double beds.

Paige pursed her lips, but didn’t argue. “Okay.”

He parked the car in front of their Ravenswood Motel room and shut off the engine. “Do you need help with Abby?”

“No, I have her.” He came around to open her passenger-side door, grimacing at the bullet hole he found in the back fender. Any closer and the gunman might have taken out a tire, making escape impossible.

She took his outstretched hand, and a jolt of awareness tingled up his arm. He scowled, not liking his inadvertent response to her. Paige was the type of woman who had serious relationship written all over her.

Besides, he was responsible for her safety.

“Thanks,” she whispered, releasing his hand once she was out of the car and steady on her feet. Abby was still draped over her mother, but her limbs were lax as she slept.

He was glad the child was able to get some rest, and hoped she’d feel better in the morning.

After unlocking the door, he held it open so Paige could go through first. He turned on one lamp, casting a warm glow over the interior of the room.

Choosing the bed closest to the bathroom, Paige bent down and awkwardly pulled the polyester bedspread and blanket out of the way with one hand, so she could set Abby down on the mattress. The child squirmed a bit, before relaxing against the pillows.

Paige stared down at her daughter for a long moment before turning toward him. “I’ll share this bed with Abby, I want to be close by in case she has nightmares.”

“Understood.” Exhaustion weighed him down, but he shoved it away, trying to focus on what still needed to be done. After setting one of the room key cards on the table between the double beds, he tucked the other one into his pocket. “I’m going outside for a couple minutes to make a quick call. You’ll be okay?”

Paige nodded, then slipped out of his jacket. “Here you can have this back.”

He wanted to tell her to keep it, but since he had no idea how long he’d be outside, he decided he might need it to stay warm. However, it wasn’t easy to ignore her lemony scent clinging to the fabric as he drew on the jacket.

When he turned toward the door, she called out to him. “Miles?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

“I accidentally left Abby’s stuffed elephant in the backseat. Will you bring it in with you?”

He hadn’t even noticed the child clutching a toy, but for some reason, the idea that she had something from her home to comfort her made him smile. “Sure, no problem.”

“Thanks.” The expression on her lovely face was strained, as if she was hanging on by a thread. Understandable, since it wasn’t every day that a woman was forced to flee from a gunman with her young daughter in tow.

The air outside seemed colder after the warm interior of the motel room. Hunching his shoulders against the brisk wind, he opened the back door and found the pink elephant. He took it around to the front seat so he wouldn’t forget to take it back inside with him.

Miles dialed his brother Mitch, who thankfully answered on the second ring. “Miles? What’s up?”

“Someone trashed my place.” Remembering the mess ticked him off all over again. “Do you have time to head over there, make sure things are locked up once they’re finished processing the evidence?”

Mitch whistled beneath his breath. “Is the break-in related to something you’re currently working on?”

“Maybe.” Either his current case, or a cold one. Miles didn’t want to mention the fact that he’d also been working on his father’s murder investigation in his spare time. Nine months ago, Max Callahan had been the Milwaukee chief of police. He’d gone out to the scene of an officer-involved shooting as a sign of support for his colleagues, when someone had gunned him down. The entire Callahan clan still mourned his passing, and Miles wanted nothing more than to find the perpetrator who’d killed their father.

He’d discovered that the bullet responsible for his father’s death had been retained in the evidence room, but now it was missing, which made him suspicious about what was going on related to his dad’s case.

But right now, he had more urgent issues to worry about. “I’d join you, but I need to keep watch over a victim and her daughter.”

“Yeah, okay. Anything else?”

Miles was grateful that he had his family to fall back on. He was the second oldest, behind Marc. Mitch was born two years after him. Michael was fourth in line and the twins, Matthew and Madison, Maddy for short, were the youngest.

“Nothing right now, but I’ll be in touch.”

“Keep your head down, bro, you hear?”

Miles placed a second call to the dispatch center, asking for the officers who’d been sent to the Olson residence. He was given the name and number of Bernie Nowak. Nowak picked up after several rings and sounded grumpy about it.

“What? I’m busy.”

“Hey, Bernie, this is Miles Callahan. What did you find so far?”

“Where are you?” Bernie demanded. He’d been on the force for twenty-four years and was literally counting the days till he could retire. “You weren’t supposed to leave the scene.”

“The shooter kept coming, even managed to nick my car with a bullet, so I decided saving lives was more important than waiting for you guys.”

Bernie grunted. “Yeah, well, we found two slugs, both from a twenty-two-caliber rifle. Not the weapon of choice for your average punk crook.”

Maybe not, but it was the same caliber bullet found at the scene of Jason’s murder. “Anything else?”

“Got several broken windows and a busted-up tablet in the kid’s room, but that’s about it. We won’t know if anything is missing until the owner comes in and does a walk-through.”

“I’ll pass that along, thanks.” Miles disconnected and stared thoughtfully out the window.

Robbery was not the motive here. The reason the shooter used a twenty-two rifle was so they could stay several yards back, shooting at Paige from a distance. Easier to kill people that way, than getting up close and personal with a handgun.

More accurate, too.

The twenty-two caliber bullet was one link between the two crimes, not counting the break-in at his place. But he still had more questions than answers. What did it all mean? Miles was glad he had his laptop with him, or the guys who’d tossed his house would have taken it. At least he could still work Jason’s case.

With a flick of his wrist, he started the car and drove away from their room, choosing to park around the corner of the building. With the stuffed elephant under his arm, he slid out from behind the wheel, then grabbed the computer case and his duffel out of the trunk.

After entering the motel room as quietly as possible, he wasn’t surprised to find that Paige was still awake, watching the doorway with wide eyes. She was stretched out beside her daughter, but didn’t look at all relaxed, her expression troubled.

“Are you all right?” he asked, closing the door softly behind him.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep.”

“I know it’s not easy, but you need to try and get some rest.” He was a fine one to talk, since he’d been up for eighteen hours straight. He set the computer and duffel bag down, then took the stuffed elephant over to her. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Paige tucked the elephant next to Abby, keeping the toy close at hand for when she woke up.

The little girl’s brow was furrowed, as if she was remembering bad things even in sleep. He stood for a moment, wishing there was something he could do to ease the child’s burden. It wasn’t right that an innocent little girl had to be caught in the middle of this mess.

“Every time I close my eyes, I hear gunshots.”

He slid his hands into his pockets, to prevent himself from offering comfort. “Try to think of something nice and soothing, like lying in a hammock or listening to the ocean.”

“Good advice. I’ll try praying.”

Miles lifted a brow, but didn’t comment. He and his siblings had been raised to have faith in God, but watching Dawn get sicker and sicker until she was nothing more than skin and bones had put a severe dent in his faith. Their church pastor had said it was part of God’s plan, but he didn’t understand that at all. Dawn was barely twenty-five years old, what was so important in God’s plan that she had to die? To never fall in love, get married, have children...

He abruptly pulled himself back from that train of thought and took a step back. Watching Paige interact with her daughter was bringing back memories better left buried. “Good idea.”

Miles stripped off his jacket and washed up in the bathroom. When he emerged, Paige’s eyes were closed, although he sensed she wasn’t asleep.

He left the light on in the bathroom for the child’s sake, but closed the door so it wouldn’t disturb them. Crossing over to the desk, he booted up the computer.

The sooner he found Travis Olson, the better. The man was either part of the reason Jason had died, or he was a target, as well.

So far Miles hadn’t found much to go on, but he was determined to keep trying. He wished he’d asked Jason more about what was bothering him at work, but then again, he hadn’t counted on his friend being murdered.

Miles had barely started his search when he heard the covers rustling on the bed.

Abby? Or Paige? He turned in his seat and saw that Abby was sitting bolt upright, staring at him as if he were some sort of monster.

Then she let out a shrill scream.

THREE

“Abby, I’m right here. Mommy is right here.” Paige cradled her daughter in her arms, trying to cut through the haze of Abby’s nightmare. “It’s okay, we’re safe. Shh...everything is okay.”

“Am I scaring her?” Miles asked softly. He shut the laptop and turned on the lamp so that Abby could see him more clearly.

Paige wasn’t sure what had set her daughter off, but Abby’s screaming abruptly stopped and she turned, burrowing her face against Paige’s chest, tears soaking through her shirt.

“It’s okay,” Paige repeated, feeling helpless as she stroked her hand down the child’s back. “We’re safe here. Miles will protect us from harm.”

“Maybe the glow of the computer made me look scary,” Miles offered in an apologetic tone.

“It was more likely a nightmare,” Paige whispered with a wan smile.

Abby abruptly shook her head, causing Paige to frown and look down at her.

“No? It wasn’t a nightmare?” she asked.

Head shake. No.

“Did you think Miles was a bad guy?” Paige asked, trying to understand what was going on in her daughter’s tortured mind.

Another head shake.

“What frightened you?” Paige looked around the room in confusion. It was your average motel room, nothing unique or strange about it.

“Was it the computer?” Miles asked. “Did the computer screen frighten you, Abby?”

Head nod.

Paige blinked, and lifted her gaze to meet his. “How did you know?”

“The tablet.”

Before Paige could say anything, Abby nodded again, then turned her head so that she could see Miles. Paige had the impression her daughter wanted Miles to figure out what was bothering her, that she was looking to him for help. But why wouldn’t Abby just tell them?

“You saw something scary on the tablet, didn’t you, Abby?” Miles’s voice was gentle. “That’s why you dropped it.”

Head nod, up and down.

“Oh, no,” Paige whispered. “Was it your daddy?”

Abby nodded, her face scrunching up as if she didn’t want to remember.

Paige’s stomach clenched with fear. “Why won’t you talk to me, Abby? Will you please tell us what you saw?”

Her daughter shook her head as two fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

“It’s all right, Abby,” Miles said in a soft, reassuring voice. “You’ve been a big help already. Don’t be scared. I’ll keep you and your mom safe.”

Paige swallowed past the hard lump in her throat, trying to imagine what her daughter might have seen. Obviously something through the ChatTime link that she’d had with her father, but what?

Or who?

A shiver ran down Paige’s spine, an icy coldness pooling in the small of her back. Was it possible Abby had seen something she shouldn’t have? Was that the reason gunmen had come to the house?