Twilight Warrior

“Having a guy around made her feel wanted and important,” Laura said. “When you’re dirt-poor, you grasp at anything that makes you feel you matter. The real problem was that the guys our friend chose were usually creeps who played on that.”

Travis said nothing, remembering that Laura’s mother had fit that profile, too. A single mother with little education and big dreams, she’d never stopped hoping that Mr. Right would come along to save her. Her search had led to endless gossip that had also cast a shadow over Laura. She’d fought back in the only way she could—placing her emotions where no one could reach them.

This case clearly touched Laura on a variety of levels, and he was certain that, sooner or later, that was going to lead to big trouble. “You’re a pro. You know that you’re too close to this. There’s no way you’re going to stay objective.”

“I can’t back off even if I wanted to. But I’m counting on you to help me keep the proper perspective,” Laura said.

He led the way across to the living-room area, and using his laptop and passwords, logged in to the Three Rivers police-department network. “This is all we have,” he said moments later, leaning back so she could see the screen.

She read the report. “The M.O. is nearly identical. All the victims let the suspect get close. Sex was apparently consensual. That suggests they knew and trusted him. Also, he didn’t kill them immediately afterward. My guess is that he likes the feeling of power waiting gives him.” She studied the screen. “Those reports are very brief. Can you get more?”

“That’ll require the cooperation of the Navajo Tribal Police Department,” he said, turning to look at her.

“And that’s beyond your authority,” she said with a nod.

“See if you can get Chief Wright to open some doors for you.”

He got ready so they could leave, and picked up his gun and badge before heading out the door. As they walked side by side, he was aware of everything about Laura. Though her gaze was on Crusher, his eyes were on her. Laura had the perfect hourglass figure with curves that begged for a man’s touch, but what made her special went beyond that sweet package. Her directness was rooted in honesty, and her fighting spirit appealed to him even though it also spelled trouble. Laura was here on a mission, and that stubbornness and sense of determination was bound to bring a slew of problems in their wake.

“You’re so quiet. What’s up?”

“I’m still getting used to the idea that you’re here.” It was the truth, but there was a lot more to it than that. Although they’d both changed, the special kinship they’d shared once was still there. Only now it carried a powerful sexual punch that went far beyond that rush of hormones they’d experienced as kids.

Crusher, who’d gone up the path ahead of them, suddenly stopped. He began to growl, a low and menacing rumble that instantly caught their attention.

Laura looked at Travis, then at the road ahead where her rental car and his pickup were parked. “A coyote, maybe?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “Crusher only growls at human strangers,” he said, hurrying along.

The gravel path led into a low drainage area that formed a half circle around the higher roadbed. Crusher stood at the crest of the embankment, looking at something off in the distance.

Travis looked at his pickup parked just ahead and at the generic sedan with a rental-agency sticker on the front bumper. “That yours?”

“Yeah. I picked it up at the Three Rivers airport,” Laura answered. “So what’s the deal?”

“Don’t know yet,” Travis whispered as the dog came to stand by his side.

Travis patted the dog on the head, then crossed the roadbed and examined his truck up close.

The big dog stayed beside him at heel but continued growling and looking off into the distance. Travis followed his gaze, searching for movement, but saw nothing.

“Maybe somebody came up the wrong road, turned and Crusher saw them driving away. There’s a trace of dust in the air,” Laura said, walking over to her car and taking her keys out of her pocket.

As Travis glanced in her direction, he noticed something strange on the ground behind the driver’s side front tire. Memories of Afghanistan, IEDs and insurgents came rushing back. His heart rate suddenly soared, adrenaline pumping through his system.

“Step away from the car,” he snapped. “There are drag marks on the ground. Did you crawl under there for any reason after you parked?”

Laura looked down at the ground. “No. What…”

Travis glanced back at the spot Crusher was watching down the road and saw a flash of light. In a heartbeat, he grabbed Laura’s arm and shoved her down the embankment into the ditch, calling Crusher as he did. Something popped and Travis felt the flash of heat that came milliseconds before the blast.

Travis rolled on top of Laura, shielding her with his body as hot metal, gravel and shards of glass rained down on them. Seconds later, everything grew silent.

Travis got up slowly, chunks of glass, rocks and dust tumbling from his neck and shoulders. Crusher also stood and shook, casting off debris from his back and head.

“You okay?” Travis asked, offering Laura a hand-up.

“Yeah. Thanks. I never saw that coming,” she said, dusting her face off carefully then brushing debris from her hair.

As she glanced up she saw columns of flame rising ten feet into the air. A thick cloud of billowing black smoke also drifted skyward; fortunately, not in their direction.

She shook her head. “I’m sure glad I bought the total insurance package,” she muttered.

“Hang on,” he said, picking off a large chunk of glass caught in a strand of hair above her left eye.

“Thanks.”

Travis then checked Crusher over to make sure he wasn’t injured. Assured that the dog was okay, he stared ahead, his expression hard and set. “This isn’t just your fight anymore. Neither one of us started this but we’re sure as hell going to finish it.”

Chapter Two

Laura followed him back to what was now a crime scene. “You knew the bomb was there, and it wasn’t just because of the marks on the ground. What tipped you off?”

“It was a combination of things. The drag marks played a part, but it was also the reflection in the distance. I knew we were being watched by someone wearing glasses or using optics—binoculars or a rifle scope. It was like that in Afghanistan. IEDs were everywhere,” he said. “Most of the time they were triggered by someone keeping watch, waiting for just the right moment.”

Travis reached for the phone he normally kept on his belt, then realized he hadn’t brought it with him. “I need to use your phone to call this in.”

After making the call, he focused on what was left of Laura’s rental. The engine compartment was still burning, but the flames had died down. Beyond the fire wall, the driver’s seat was shredded and smoking with a foul stench. The roof had been peeled back like a half-opened can of Spam. The backseat was blackened and peppered with shrapnel.

“Normally I’m aware of everything around me, but this came out of nowhere,” she said, biting her lip, then forcing herself to stop. “He obviously knew where I was going or followed me somehow. But checking for a tail is second nature to me. I don’t know how I could have missed him.”

“Maybe he didn’t physically tail you. There are plenty of other ways,” he said.

Going to his truck, Travis studied the caved-in windshield. The driver’s side had sustained the most damage, pummeled by gravel and chunks of metal. With luck, it would still run.

Travis studied the myriad of jagged holes that covered the driver’s side door. Shrapnel—that killed more marines than bullets. He’d thought he’d seen the last of it when he’d returned stateside.

He turned to Laura and held her gaze. “You wanted our P.D.’s help tracking the killer? Well, you’ve got it now.”

“I can be an asset to you. I’ve done a lot of homework on this guy and I can share observations that aren’t in most police reports. From the emails my friend sent me before she died, I have some insight on how he works, too. He’s charismatic, charming and nonthreatening. He insinuates himself into his victim’s life, becomes exactly what she’s always wanted in a man, then kills her.”

“No photo?”

“No, she never sent me one. She said she wanted me to see in person first, that there was just something about him. What that told me was that although the guy wasn’t classically handsome, he had presence.”

They backed away from the site, not wanting to risk contaminating the crime scene in any way. Nearly twenty minutes passed before Travis spotted a dust trail in the distance where the road turned from asphalt to gravel.

“Here comes the crime-scene team,” Travis said, pointing.

“Once they secure things here and examine my vehicle for evidence, we’ll go to the station. I’ll have to get rid of the smashed windshield before we travel, but my truck looks operable.”

“What about Crusher?” she asked, glancing down at the dog, who was also being kept from the scene.

“He rides in with us. I’ll leave him in the bullpen. Chief Wright likes Crusher—better than he does me, I think.”

She was glad the dog would go with them. Somehow she didn’t think anyone, including Crusher, would be safe alone here anymore.

AN HOUR LATER LAURA entered Police Chief Wright’s office. Travis had been instructed to wait outside.

Laura made her case, answering several questions along the way, then waited for Wright’s response.

“I know you want in on this, Ms. Perry, and your credentials speak for themselves. I ran a quick check on you and know you specialized in crimes against women back in your days with the Bureau. You broke several high-profile cases. Now you’re with a top agency. But you’re off the clock. This isn’t part of an NSI assignment, right?”

“I’ve taken a leave of absence.”

“Which means they refused to let you work the case,” Wright observed shrewdly.

“I’d have had to have been my own client. But no matter, I never asked.”

“There’s more to this than you’re telling me,” Wright pressed. “The Arizona victim was an old friend of yours, and you let her killer get away. Now you want to settle a score. Am I right?”

“No, sir, not in the way you mean,” she answered without hesitation. “What’s at stake goes beyond any personal connection. This guy’s not going to stop killing until he’s caught. What he did this morning is just his way of thumbing his nose at me. He allowed Travis and me to escape that blast. We’re not his targets. His real victims will continue to fit the profile he prefers.”

“And you’re sure he’s a local?”

“The fact that two of the three victims came from this area of New Mexico indicates that this is his comfort zone. He’s familiar with the Four Corners. He’ll kill again. To catch him, you’re going to need an edge—someone who knows exactly what you’re dealing with. Let me help—officially. I can be a strong asset to your investigation.”

“The way I see it, you brought him to Three Rivers and now you want field support so you can cowboy up. Tell me I’m wrong,” Wright said.

“He didn’t follow me here. He was probably here already. Yet the fact that he knew where I was opens up all kinds of possibilities. This guy has evaded other departments before. I can help you make sure that doesn’t happen here.”

“And you say you saw him?”

“The circumstances were in his favor and I wasn’t able to make out his face, but I heard his voice.” She swallowed hard.

“There was no guilt there just…an absence of humanity.” She took a deep breath. “The man is evil, and he enjoys what he’s doing. To catch him, you’ll have to be able to predict his moves.”

“What exactly are you proposing?”

“Since I joined NSI, I’ve been called in as a consultant to help departments all over the Southwest solve cold cases. I’ve continued to specialize in crimes against women and my success rate is second to none. This killer is now focused on me, at least for the moment. Let’s use that to reel him in.”

“My people have to follow procedure,” Wright said flatly.

“You went into private investigations to get away from the restrictions of police work. Convince me that you’ll follow our protocols now.”

“I don’t like playing by the rules, that’s true, but my cases always hold up in court,” she said. “I won’t do anything to jeopardize this case, sir. There’s too much at stake.”

Laura could see the chief still wasn’t convinced. “You’ve got trouble brewing here. If it turns out that the suspect has been operating right under your nose for months and you’ve failed to use every resource you have to close the case…” She allowed the sentence to trail off and waited.

Wright regarded her thoughtfully. “I want to check out some things first. Then I’ll make my decision.”

Laura reached into her wallet and pulled out a card. “That’s my supervisor at NSI. He was the Special-Agent-in-Charge of the D.C. Bureau office for seven years before leaving the FBI. He’s got more commendations than most of us get in a lifetime of service. His name is Charles Westin.”

“I know who he is.”

“He’ll vouch for me. My methods aren’t conventional, Chief Wright, but that’s exactly what you’ll need to catch this creep. He’s around here, whether you like it or not, and may even consider Three Rivers his home.”

“Wait in the bullpen,” Wright snapped. He stepped into the hall and called Travis.

Travis came into the office, sat down and waited.

Wright rested his elbows on the desk and leaned forward. “Let’s say I accept her offer. Is there anything between you and Laura Perry that could compromise the case or this department?”

Travis met his boss’s gaze. “We were friends once, but I haven’t seen her since high school. Our lives haven’t intersected since—not until she showed up at my home this morning.”

Wright leaned back, his expression revealing nothing. “All right. I’m going to do some more checking on Ms. Perry, then we’ll talk.”

Travis met Laura in the bullpen and saw that she’d struck up a conversation with their computer tech, Lester Crosley. The man came in periodically to update their security and backup systems. Despite the heat outside, the guy was impeccably dressed in a white shirt and tie and his company’s bright yellow jacket.

Travis walked over and joined them. “What’s up, guys?”

“Ms. Perry speaks my language,” Lester said.

“I love computers, and I’m always interested in security features. These days a good firewall is an absolute necessity. The problem is finding the best one for each system,” she said.

Travis glanced at Crosley. His head was shaved bald, a tough-guy look Travis had seen a lot in the marines, and he looked fit, as if he worked out. Only the paleness of his skin marked him as the proverbial computer geek.

Although Lester had been servicing the city’s computer networks for months, this was the first time Travis had seen him do more than grunt when spoken to. Laura had worked her usual magic. The woman had a way about her, not to mention a smile that could melt an iceberg.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around here,” Crosley said, giving Laura a wide smile.

“I’m new in town,” she answered. “I’m here on business.”

“Computer related? IT consultant, maybe?”

“No, don’t worry. I’m not competition,” she said, chuckling.

“I can hold my own when it comes to computers but I’m no programmer.”

“If you’re going to be here for a few days, how about letting me show you around, and maybe take you to dinner?” he asked.

Laura smiled. “Thanks for the offer, but my schedule’s pretty tight. I’ll be putting in long hours before I head back home.”

“Maybe on your next trip then,” he said, rolling his shoulder and bending his neck to the left then to the right, as if working out the cricks. “Just in case you find a break in your schedule,” he added, handing her his business card.

“Thanks,” she said, taking the card and putting it in her pocket.

Travis gave her a nudge. “Come on. It’s time for us to put our heads together and get some work done on this case.”

As they moved over to his desk, she glanced around. “Where’s Crusher?”

“My guess is that he’s in the break room with Sergeant Miller. She buys him tortilla chips—baked, not fried. He loves those—and her.”

As Travis finished speaking, Laura saw the big dog walking down the hall in their direction. Next to him was a sturdy-looking uniformed officer with a touch of gray in her cropped hair.

“I borrowed your dog, Detective Blacksheep. I needed him to help me track down some missing chips.”

Travis laughed as the sergeant walked away. “Crusher, down,” he ordered, pointing beneath the desk. The dog, still licking his chops, lay down with a contented sigh.

Laura waited for Travis to tell her what aspect of the case he wanted to discuss, but Travis didn’t say anything.

“I thought you wanted to compare notes,” she said. Then, with a mischievous grin, she added, “Or were you just jealous?”

Travis looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “I think you’re having a high-school flashback. Did somebody slip a note into your locker after homeroom?”

“Nice deflection, but you didn’t answer the question, did you?” she challenged with a tiny smile.

“Chief Wright’s instincts are right on target. You’re trouble,” he grumbled.

“Let’s focus on our suspect,” she said, growing somber. “When it comes to bad guys, he’s one of the worst I’ve ever seen.”

“Just between you and me,” he asked in quiet voice, “how sure are you that you weren’t followed to my place?”

“From Albuquerque, a hundred percent. Think about it. The guy would have had to follow me to the airport, get a ticket on my flight at the last minute, deplane, rent a car and keep up—all without me knowing about it.”

“Maybe he found out when you were arriving, then followed you from the airport, or your motel, over to my place. Think hard. Did anyone know you were coming to see me?” Travis asked. Then, eyes narrowing, he added, “Come to think about it, how did you know where I live?”

“I confess,” she answered with a tiny smile, “I used NSI’s assets. That type of information is out there if you know where to look.”

He nodded, lost in thought. “Okay, let’s get back to the problem. The suspect knew your whereabouts, but you’re pretty sure he didn’t tail you. Maybe he planted a tracking device in your vehicle.”

“Unlikely. My car was a rental, remember? He would have had to have known which car I’d be given, and considering I waited till the last second to rent, that would have been nearly impossible,” she answered. “But once he knew I was in Three Rivers, following me to your place wouldn’t have been that hard. He could have tailed me with his lights off after I turned off the main highway. There’s only one route from town to your place. Right?”

He nodded slowly. “Unless you’re on foot or take a helicopter. We’ll just have to wait and see what the crime-scene team finds in the wreckage before we go any further.”

“Of course, there could be other possibilities we haven’t thought of yet,” she said slowly.

He nodded, considering it silently. At long last he looked up and met her gaze.

She felt the impact of that one look all through her. She’d never met anyone who could spark her senses to life like Travis could. She looked away, knowing this wasn’t the time or place for romantic notions. Yet something inside warned her that some temptations weren’t easily dismissed or ignored.

“Blacksheep!” Wright called from down the hall. “My office.”

Laura stood, too, but Chief Wright shook his head. “I need a word with my detective first.”

Laura sat back down and gave Travis a smile of encouragement. “Looks like you’re up. Remember, don’t lead with your chin,” she said, remembering Nick’s advice to his little brother one afternoon long ago when she’d watched him teach Travis how to fight. Funny how some images from the past popped so easily into her head now that she was back.

Travis laughed, also remembering the incident. “I’ve learned a few things since then.”

She watched him walk away confidently, each stride filled with purpose. He wasn’t a kid anymore. He was his own man now, and a very appealing one at that. Those shoulders—not to mention those world-class buns—could add a real spark to anyone’s daydreams.

Laura looked down at Crusher, who was watching her curiously. “Okay, busted. You caught me checking out your owner. So let me bribe you into staying silent,” she said, petting the dog, who gave her a panting grin. “Want to go outside for some fresh air?”

His ears perked up and he stood.

“Mister C., you and I need to get to know each other a little better,” she said, reaching for the leash on Travis’s desk. “I have a feeling we’re going to be spending a lot of time together.”

Chapter Three

Wright sat behind his desk, staring in the general direction of the trophy case on the north wall.

Travis waited. Trying to rush the boss was never a good idea. He did things on his own time.

“I spoke to Ms. Perry’s supervisor at the agency. Overall, he speaks highly of her. She’s competent and has a very high completion rate with her job assignments. But he also warned me that she tends to be overly proactive and often puts herself in danger by confronting troublemakers without proper backup,” Wright said.

Travis nodded. None of this came as a surprise to him.

“On the other hand, she’s also the only person we know who has encountered the suspect and walked away. She also has experience dealing with these types of crimes. That might help us catch and ID this individual somewhere down the line. That’s why I’m assigning her to you, Detective. You take time to think things through and that might cancel out her impulsiveness.”

“What exactly will her job include?” he asked, not liking the sound of it already.

“Ms. Perry will accompany you as a civilian observer. She’s not a police officer with our department, so she’s not going to carry a weapon while in the company of an on-duty officer. I don’t care if she’s got the permits.”

“What’s my assignment?”

“The serial killer isn’t our business—not officially anyway. You’ll be investigating the bombing incident.”

“Understood.”

“One more thing,” Wright said. “Ms. Perry has a reputation for playing things close to her chest. You can bet she’s got other information she hasn’t shared with us. Keep that in mind while you’re working with her.” Wright walked to the door, saw Laura detaching Crusher’s leash and signaled her to come in.

After she sat down, Wright continued, “Ms. Perry, you’ll be assigned to Detective Blacksheep. You’ll ride along with him, but you’ll have no authority or jurisdiction. For that reason you will not be armed whenever you accompany Detective Blacksheep.” He leaned back in his chair and gave her a level look. “I’ll expect you to follow Detective Blacksheep’s orders, and should you encounter the suspect you came here to find, Detective Blacksheep will take the lead.”

“To help you catch this killer, I’m going to need a little more leeway, sir,” she began.

“You have none,” he said flatly. “You heard my conditions.”

“Yes, sir,” she said.

Laura walked out of Chief Wright’s office moments later, Travis by her side. “He’s convinced that rules are everything.”

“Without rules, there’s only chaos, no progress.”

“The Travis I knew once was the patient sort but he also had his cowboy moments. I remember one night after a basketball game when some guys from Cliffside High jumped one of our pep-band members behind the gym. You ran right into the thick of it and took on six guys.”

“I wasn’t the one violating the rules—they were. I also didn’t have a choice. John was on the ground and the other guys were kicking him.”