“I have to agree,” Justin said thoughtfully. “In speaking with Gretchen Hill, the newest trainer on Westley’s staff, she thinks it’s possible the Olio Crime Organization may be involved with the dognapping. Three dogs are still missing, but when Patriot was returned, her collar had the letters POCO engraved on it. It’s probably not a coincidence that the last three letters stand for Olio Crime Organization. Maybe even Property of Olio Crime Organization. I wonder if the injured chocolate Lab belonged to them at some point.”
Vanessa’s stomach clenched. “We assumed she was attacked by an animal, like a coyote, and Captain Roark agreed based on her wounds. Besides, how would someone from the Olio Crime Organization get on base? Fake ID? Or help from someone inside?”
“Anything is possible,” Justin admitted. “A stretch, but possible. After all, it’s looking more and more like the missing dogs were taken off base.” He shrugged. “Right now, I can’t see how the injured Lab would be linked, but I need to keep an open mind. There could be a connection.”
She shivered at the horrible thought. “I’m sure it’s a coincidence. We know coyotes have gotten on base, so it’s likely she was injured protecting her pups. I doubt her presence on base is the result of foul play.”
“Yeah, you could be right.” Justin’s tone lacked conviction.
There was a moment of silence before Isaac glanced at his watch. “It’s late, we should go.”
Justin nodded. “Don’t forget, Vanessa, you’ll have a cop stationed outside your house at night, and don’t go anywhere alone. I placed a call while you were speaking with Aiden, and someone should be arriving any minute now.”
“Understood.” She walked the two men and their respective K-9s to the front door, Eagle staying close at her side. “Thanks,” she said, glancing at Isaac. “For everything you did for me tonight. If there’s ever anything I can do for you, just let me know.”
A hint of a smile played at the corner of Isaac’s mouth. “You’re welcome.” He paused, then added, “If you’re not working tomorrow, maybe you’d be willing to go with me to meet Beacon’s flight. It’s due to arrive at fourteen hundred hours.”
“I’m off tomorrow and would love to go. The idea of sitting around my house all day isn’t at all appealing.” She was touched that he’d asked, although she told herself not to read more into the offer than what it was at face value. A friend inviting a friend along to meet a plane, nothing more.
“Great, I’ll stop by to pick you up.” Isaac smiled again, then turned and followed Justin out to the street, jumping into Justin’s jeep beside him.
She stood in the doorway for a long moment, her hand resting on Eagle’s silky head, watching as the red taillights of the jeep vanished into the darkness. She gave Eagle a few minutes out in the yard to do his business, then called him back inside.
A tall man with a Security Forces badge on his chest and navy blue beret on his head stepped up beside the doorway, offering a quick salute. “Everything okay, ma’am?”
“Of course. Good night.” She returned the salute and ducked back inside. When Eagle joined her, she closed and locked the door behind her.
Aiden was still in the kitchen with the puppies, calling them by name as he worked on potty training. He took them out of the box and placed them on a spread of newspaper, praising them as they did their business.
“Good boy, Bryce. Denali, you’re doing great, too. Shenandoah, stay on the paper, please. Smoky, you’re a rock star. Nice job.”
Watching her brother interacting positively with the pups filled her with hope and encouragement for his future.
Thank You, Lord, for answering my prayers!
“Are you going to keep them in the kitchen for the rest of the night?” she asked, when all four pups had been cared for and the newspaper mess cleaned up.
“I’ll stretch out on the sofa for a while, keep the box nearby.” Aiden didn’t meet her gaze and she knew that he often slept in the living room with the light on in an effort to minimize the nightmares.
“Let me know if you need help,” she said. “Otherwise I’ll see you in the morning.”
Aiden nodded. She turned toward her bedroom when he called out, “Nessa?”
She looked over her shoulder. “What?”
“That guy, Isaac, is he going to be hanging around often?”
She hesitated, unsure how to respond. “We’re just acquaintances, that’s all. I only just met him today. Isaac has been suffering from nightmares and flashbacks, too, Aiden, just like you. We’re not going to get involved, if that’s what you’re asking. Tomorrow the dog who saved his life will be returning to base, so I’m going along to support him while he picks Beacon up. I hope you don’t mind, especially since Isaac seems determined to protect me.”
Aiden shrugged. “I’m glad you won’t be alone, but I don’t want him to hurt you, the way that Leo guy did.”
She was surprised to realize Aiden had heard about her brief, misguided relationship with Leo Turner, an Air Force captain and one of the physicians she worked with at the hospital. She must have mentioned him during their FaceTime sessions while Aiden was overseas.
It bothered her that now that Aiden was back on base, he’d probably heard the rumors about Leo’s multiple affairs. Her brother had enough to worry about without adding her welfare to the mix.
“Isaac and I are barely friends,” she repeated firmly, for her brother’s sake and her own. “He just wants to help keep me safe, that’s all.”
Bad enough she’d become the laughingstock of the ICU because she’d been oblivious to Leo’s antics, until she’d seen the evidence for herself.
She didn’t know if Isaac was the kind of guy to cheat on his girlfriend. What did it matter? She wasn’t interested in a relationship. And Isaac had enough going on in his life, between Beacon’s delayed homecoming and getting better.
Anything more than friendship would only get in the way.
Isaac had thought for sure he’d have trouble sleeping, considering the way he’d witnessed the attack on Vanessa, but surprisingly, he slept the entire night through.
He scrubbed a hand over his sandpaper-rough jaw and marveled at how many times he’d slept through the night without being awoken from a nightmare. Months ago, they plagued him nightly. Now he only had them once a week, maybe less.
Logically, he knew that his issues weren’t just because of Jake’s death and the horrible experience of being shot out of the sky, but a culmination of several treacherous flights over enemy territory, always under fire, yet somehow managing to escape.
Until that last flight had killed Jake and his copilot, Kevin, leaving only him and Beacon.
He took several deep calming breaths to keep the memories at bay. Maybe he’d slept well because today was the day Beacon was coming home. The thought made him smile and he bolted out of bed to let Tango outside, then to shower, shave and dress.
As always, he took care of Tango first, providing the dog food and water, before grabbing a quick bite to eat. As he nursed a cup of coffee, his gaze fell on the reenlistment paperwork sitting in the center of the kitchen table. He pulled it toward him.
For several long seconds, he stared at the spot where he was supposed to sign his name. He’d have to pass a medical and psychological exam no matter what job he decided to do if he stayed in the Air Force, so why bother filling the stupid thing out? Maybe this was his time to get out of the military.
And do what?
He had no idea.
With a rough gesture, he shoved the paperwork aside. He still had several weeks yet