Shit.
“I’m on my way.”
Alice wasn’t at her desk, so he scribbled on a sticky note, and left it on the computer screen.
As he approached his vehicle, he saw an envelope under the wiper blade. Forehead creased, he scanned the adjacent area but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He carefully extracted the unsealed packet, lifted the flap, and peeked inside.
“Sonofabitch!” He spun around to check the area again, but saw no one. No traffic in sight in either direction in front of the courthouse. The only people around were two shopkeepers on the opposite side of the square sweeping the sidewalk.
He inspected the contents again. A lock of hair. Sam’s hair. He was sure of it. But why? A taunt? The killer’s way of saying you can’t catch me?
Lips pressed in a tight line, he turned toward the courthouse, then stopped. Whoever left it was long gone. The security cameras only covered the entrances. He placed the packet on the hood and donned latex gloves from behind the seat. After carefully securing it in an evidence bag, he stowed it in the glove box. He’d get it to the lab today. The only thing he expected to find out was the hair belonged to Sam. The killer had left no trace up to this point, so he didn’t expect a change now.
When he entered the clinic a few minutes later, he heard Jack’s unmistakable howl coming from the back. “I’m here to pick up Jack,” he told the young man at the counter.
“Thank God,” he mumbled. “I hope you can quiet him down.”
He followed the kid down the hall and out to the kennel area in the back.
“When he started coming around last night we put him out here so he’d have room to roam around. As soon as he woke up, he started this.”
Jack jumped against the fence as though trying to break out, all the while barking and howling as if he wanted to tear someone up. The moment he saw Coop, he ran to the gate, tail wagging so hard he shook.
“Easy big guy, easy,” he crooned as he squatted down at the fence. “We’ll get you out of here, just calm down.”
The young man handed Coop the muzzle and leash, then stepped to the side of the gate. “I’m only going to open this enough for you to go in. You have to move quick, so he doesn’t get out.”
A few minutes later, a docile Jack led the way to Coop’s vehicle. As soon as the door opened, he jumped up in the front seat, looking around as though searching for someone, then nosed the glove box.
“She’s not here, boy.” He removed the muzzle the vet insisted on and rubbed the mutt’s head. “But don’t worry, she’ll be home soon.”
Jack nudged Coop’s chin with his nose and whined.
“I know, I know. I’m sorry I had to leave you there, but I had to make sure you were gonna be okay.”
Another whine and a sloppy lick to the face suggested Coop was forgiven.
“Come on. Let’s get you home.”
Thoughts scattered, he concentrated on the task at hand. Get Jack home, then back to the office.
Instinct said the lock was a taunt, but why?
You know him.
The ghost’s pronouncement bounced around his head, as worry twisted his gut. Could Billy really be responsible for this? He tamped down personal feelings, as he let the cop side take control.
Everything he knew about his friend was at odds with the evidence. He would do what he must to find Sam and bring a killer to justice. Regardless of who it was.
A few minutes later, Coop arrived home. Jason hadn’t left for the hospital yet, so he took over getting the dog situated inside.
Back on the road, he took a deep breath and pulled out his cell phone.
JD answered on the third ring. “Morning, Coop.”
“Where are you?” His supply of patience being non-existent at this point, his voice came out gruff.
“Headed in. Something wrong?”
“No. We’ll talk when you get here.”
Fifteen minutes later, JD sat in the chair across from Coop’s desk.
“You don’t think Anson’s our guy?”
Coop rubbed his unshaven jaw. “No. Verified the deposition lasted till noon. He spent the afternoon with a judge’s wife, then had dinner with them.”
JD’s right knee bobbed up and down. “Ballsy ain’t he?” His knee bobbed faster. “Could he have gotten someone else to do it?”
“Not his style.” Coop shook his head. “He’s not our guy.”
“What now?”
Before he could reply, the ringtone assigned to Jason interrupted. “Let me take this. Jason’s at the hospital with Eva. Everything all right, Son?”
“Yes sir. They took her back for more tests. Something about some labs that didn’t look right.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can get loose.”
