Outrunning Danger, page 11
Tara wondered if Chief Seever would let her return home before she had to leave for Virginia. All she had left of Michael was still there, as well as evidence Michael had hidden for her to find. Dan Cramer knew about it, but now that he’d been shot, she wasn’t sure if the marshals were aware of it.
The nurse bustled about for a few minutes, taking Tucker’s blood pressure and checking his sutures before giving him a warning look as she left. Tara walked to his bed. “I’m the one who should be asking how you’re doing.” She smiled. “You look better than you did yesterday.”
“That wouldn’t take much I’m sure,” he chuckled. “I’m sore, and breathing isn’t enjoyable because it pulls at the stitches, but that won’t stop me. Not after what this guy’s put you through.”
A sharp knock sounded on the door and Marcus Seever peered around the corner. “The guard out here just said you’re setting off alarms trying to escape, Officer Dawson.”
“Is that what it’s going to take for me to get out of here?” Tucker asked as Marcus stepped into the room.
“I’ve seen you look better, Tucker. Be thankful they’re letting you out today.”
Marcus walked over to Tara. “You’re a sight for sore eyes too. I can’t believe this madman found you on that stretch of highway. I’ve got Luca working overtime going through all our systems, searching for any way he could be tracking you.” Marcus looked at Tucker. “I’ve ruled out that it’s any of our K9 officers. Only you and I knew the route you were taking yesterday.”
Tucker scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. “That confirms what I’ve believed all along.”
Marcus nodded. “Until we figure out how this guy is shadowing you, we have to consider every possibility.”
“It would help if we knew who he was,” Tara said.
“We know he’s involved with Gideon Platt.” The chief’s eyes glinted. “That weapon you two found yesterday is a ghost gun. We have no way to trace it. And there weren’t any prints except yours and Tara’s.”
“Was his red truck still at the scene?” Tara asked
The chief shook his head. “There was no sign of it. We put out an APB, and it was found in the far corner of a grocery store parking lot outside of Houston. The front grille had extensive damage.”
“I’m sure it did, given how hard he rammed us…twice,” Tucker said.
“Surveillance cameras in the parking lot show a man exiting the truck and walking off on foot. He had a baseball cap on and was wearing a mask, so his features weren’t identifiable. There were no prints anywhere in or on the truck except for those of the owner he stole it from.”
Tucker scowled. “He’s going to make a mistake, and I plan to be there.”
“We did catch a small break,” Marcus said. “There were a couple drops of blood on the floorboard of the truck. Maybe from a bullet wound or from Scout’s teeth when he attacked. We’re going to run it through our database and see if anything turns up.”
“Scout earned his kibble yesterday,” Tara informed the chief. “If it wasn’t for him going after Ski Mask Man, we might not be here now.”
The chief nodded. “Scout’s one of the best K9 officers we have. He didn’t attack on command though. Once this is all over, he may need some retraining.”
“How’s my partner doing?” Tucker asked.
“He’s being checked out at Happy Tails. They sutured that laceration to his ear from the bullet wound. It also appears the perp kicked him in the chest.”
Tucker’s face turned red. “If I ever get my hands on this guy…”
“There’s some bruising,” the chief continued, “but Dr. Moore said Scout seems fine. They’re keeping him overnight but then he should be ready to return to duty.”
“I’m so thankful to hear it. I have a soft spot for that dog,” Tara said. She glanced at Tucker and felt heat creep into her cheeks at the warmth in his eyes.
“I’ll see you two at headquarters later today once the doctor releases you,” Marcus informed Tucker. “I’ve invited Luca to join us. We’re going to brainstorm and see if we can figure out what trick that gunman is using to shadow your movements.”
“What’s the plan to get us there?” Tucker asked.
“I would’ve liked an armored tank to transport you,” he said with a sigh, “but had to settle for an escort of five patrol cars, with sirens and lights.” Tucker’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “Covert means haven’t helped so far, so I’m erring on the side of protection and firepower.”
“Chief,” Tara said. He turned, eyebrows raised. “This may be a big ask, but I need to get back to my duplex in Ivy, Texas.”
The chief shook his head. “I don’t think that’s possible. Especially since we don’t know how this guy’s tailing you. Keeping you safe is the priority right now.”
“What’s at your place, Tara?” Tucker asked. His eyes were gentle, but she saw the resolve in their depths. He would be a tough sell as well.
She took a deep breath. “There are some of my brother’s things there.”
Marcus rubbed a hand over his bald head and sighed. “I understand, but I still can’t give this a go-ahead. Not with this perp who seems to know what we’re doing before we do.”
She cleared her throat. “There’s also a piece of evidence from Michael I need to retrieve for the authorities.” The chief’s eyebrows skyrocketed, and Tara rushed on. “I found it a couple weeks ago. I told Dan and he said he’d get it. I planned to give it to him when he arrived to take me to Virginia. Except—” she chewed at her lip “—he never got there, and then this awful nightmare started.”
“I’ll contact the US Marshals’ office,” Marcus said. “They’ll want that evidence. Until then, for your safety, I can’t give the go-ahead for you to return.”
“Understood, Chief,” Tucker said.
“I’ll see you back at headquarters, Dawson. Get back there in one piece.” He shot Tucker a stern look as the door closed behind him.
Tara felt Tucker’s eyes on her. He reached up and placed a warm palm against her cheek. “What else is at your place that you need? We’ll make sure you get it back.”
Kindness softened the intensity of his blue eyes, and Tara swallowed back the sob that tried to escape her throat. “Just some personal items that aren’t important to anyone but me. Birthday cards Michael sent during those years I didn’t see him, some pictures of the two of us with our parents. I probably should have stored them somewhere safe, but I always wanted them with me.” A tear leaked out the corner of her eye, and Tucker brushed it away with his thumb.
“Assignment accepted,” he said with a smile. “For the moment, let’s just concentrate on keeping you alive.”
* * *
After the peril of the past few days, Tucker wasn’t sure how to react when he and Tara got back to headquarters without incident. He knew his fellow officers would think it odd if he kissed the ground in relief when he walked in, so he made do with handshakes and claps on the back from the rest of the team.
Tucker kept Tara close at his side until Stella wrapped her arms around the woman’s shoulders and pulled her away. He was relieved to see Tara laugh at something his fellow officer said, and he appreciated Stella’s care and encouragement. She led Tara to a chair beside Tucker’s in the team room and got her settled in with a soda and a pack of crackers.
Marcus Seever walked in and headed straight for Tara. “No word yet from the Marshals’ office about the evidence at your home.”
Luca entered and everyone found a seat. Luca placed his computer on the table and began typing rapidly. Images appeared on the smart board.
Tucker appreciated Luca’s contributions to their team. The IT specialist preferred to be in the background, but his assistance was invaluable, and his expertise was second to none. His dark eyes flicked from the computer screen to the board on the wall, then landed on Tucker. Luca gave him a small smile, which was an exuberant greeting from this quiet, brilliant member of the K9 unit.
Marcus started by giving everyone a rundown of the events of the past several days.
“Are we sure there haven’t been any tracking devices on your vehicles?” Katie asked. “Could he have planted them when you weren’t aware?”
“I don’t see how,” Tucker responded. “I checked the electric company van and it was clean. He would have had to know where we were in the first place in order to plant anything after that.”
“Are we dealing with a single suspect or more than one?” Stella asked.
“We know there are more than one, right?’ Cade said. “The guys we have in custody, plus the man in the blue jeep, who I believe was the same one at the cabin and in the red truck.”
Tucker nodded. “We call him Ski Mask Man. The assailant in Galveston doesn’t seem like a hired thug. There’s a ruthlessness about him. And in that note he left under the windshield wiper he identifies himself as Michael’s killer.”
“Given that it was a ghost gun he dropped, I think we can all agree he’s part of Platt’s organization,” the chief said.
“Tucker,” Luca interjected. “You said there were no tracking devices on the vehicle. Did you double-check things like your shoes, handbags, backpacks?”
Tucker glanced at Tara and nodded. “No bugs anywhere that we could find.”
Tara’s phone pinged and she jumped. “Sorry, let me silence it.” She glanced at the device and frowned, then let out a sharp gasp. Her face flushed red.
“What is it?” Stella asked.
“It’s a text from my landlord. He’s been trying to reach me. Someone broke into my home. Mr. Garcia got a call that my front door was standing open and went to check on me. The place has been turned upside down…” Her voice dwindled to a whisper.
“Tara, how well was that evidence hidden?” Marcus asked.
Cade’s eyes popped. “Evidence?”
Tara nodded. “Yes, something I found a couple weeks ago. A list of some of the key players in Platt’s organization. Michael put it where he knew I’d come across it…in between the pages of my Bible at the location of my favorite verse. I notified Dan when I found it but he didn’t want me emailing or texting the information to him for security reasons. He said he’d pick it up personally when he met with me next week to discuss some aspects of Platt’s trial.”
Tucker rubbed his temples. This was intensifying the pounding in his head. “I don’t understand it. This doesn’t make sense. Why is he tossing your place now? How did he even know about this evidence? Did you tell anyone besides Dan?”
Tara shook her head.
“We know there was a leak,” Marcus reminded everyone. “I need to find out who Dan reported it to.”
Luca turned his attention to Tara. “Ms. Piper, something’s occurred to me. Those dog tags you wear. They were your brother’s?”
Tara nodded, reaching up and rubbing her thumb over the smooth plastic surface of the case.
“May I see them, please?” Luca asked.
Tara’s brows drew together, confusion shining in her eyes, but she nodded and lifted the chain over her head, passing the dog tags to Luca. “Here you go.”
Luca nodded, then turned his attention to the dog tags. The room was so quiet Tucker could hear himself breathing. Every officer sat with their arms crossed on the table, laser focused on the IT expert.
Luca pried open the plastic case and the dog tags swung free. He turned each one over, examining them individually.
“Tara,” Luca said, “where did you get these? Who gave them to you after your brother was killed?”
Tara’s gaze darted from Luca to Tucker and then back. “Dan Cramer brought them to me. They were in a box with several of Michael’s possessions. I guess they were all items that were found in his apartment, where he was shot.”
Luca nodded. “There’s a tracking device attached to this dog tag,” he said, holding the piece of metal and twisting it back and forth.
“What?” Tara, Tucker and the chief said in unison.
Luca nodded. “PlattTech has been experimenting with highly sensitive tracking devices specifically for military use that are super thin and almost invisible. They’re made to attach to soldiers’ dog tags and can aid in search and rescue if a soldier goes missing, or provide information on troop movements on a battlefield, to name just a couple benefits.”
The officers sat in stunned silence, and Tara shook her head. Tucker could see the shock in her eyes, and he reached for her hand, giving her fingers a squeeze.
“Would Michael have been aware this tracking device was on his dog tags?” Stella said.
Luca shook his head. “I doubt it. Tara, did he take them off, leave them lying around where anyone could get to them to attach a tracking device?”
Tara shook her head. “I don’t think so. I can’t imagine a scenario where he would just take them off, or hand them over to someone and forget about it.”
Luca continued. “I believe the tracker was added to the dog tags after Michael’s death and given to Tara with his personal effects, with the purpose of using it to track her movements. Gideon Platt’s organization has the technology, and he knows she’s testifying at his trial.”
“That makes sense,” Beckett said, “but how did they guarantee she’d wear the dog tags?”
“It was a gamble,” Tucker said. “Maybe someone knew the dog tags were important to her. What else was in that box? I wonder if everything has a tracking device on it.”
“No wonder they’ve been in lockstep with every move you’ve made,” Cade said.
“I don’t understand.” Tara frowned. “I’ve been in witness protection for over three months. Why has this just started? If he’s known where I’ve been all along, why wait until now to try anything?”
“That’s an answer we may not have until we can get our hands on him,” Marcus replied. “In the meantime, Luca, can we disconnect the tracking device?”
“Yes.” Luca nodded. “I can take care of that.”
“Wait.” Tara glanced around the table at the officers. “If we know what he’s doing, we can lead this guy into a trap.”
Tucker’s blood pressure spiked. As much as he wanted to see this guy behind bars, he didn’t like the sound of setting a trap unless Tara was safely out of the picture.
All the officers began speaking at once, and Marcus elevated the sound of his voice. “Our instructions from the US Marshals’ office are to keep Ms. Piper safe in protective custody until they’re able to determine next steps. Not try and trap a member of Platt’s organization.”
“Until this perp is behind bars, Tara isn’t going to be safe,” Cade replied. “The man is vicious. He may have other means of locating her we aren’t aware of. I think we need to seize this opportunity while we can.”
“How can we be sure Tara stays safe?” Tucker asked. “If we can’t guarantee that, this doesn’t have my vote.”
“I have an idea that might work.” Tara darted a quick glance at him, and Tucker recognized the determination in her eyes.
“What’s your plan?” Stella asked.
“Lead him back to my house. My neighbor on the other side of the duplex won’t be there. Mrs. Gray’s an older lady and goes north to Maine over the summer to visit her son.”
“Once we get everything in place, Tucker, Cade and I can travel there with the dog tags,” Stella added.
“I’m going too,” Tara announced. Before Seever could object she continued. “I’m the only one who knows where the evidence is hidden.”
Marcus sighed in frustration. “I’m not risking Tara getting attacked on the highway again,” he stated.
“I have deep reservations about this, but if we’re seriously considering it, I can take Tara in the chopper,” Tucker suggested. “Stella and Cade can bring the dog tags with them.”
“Work out all the details and let me see what you come up with,” Marcus said. “I’ll consider it. Right now, I’m in Tucker’s corner. This could be a big risk.”
Tucker’s stomach twisted like a snake at the thought of leading that maniac right to Tara. The plan would have to go off without a hitch, because any mistake could be fatal.
Thirteen
Tara had a white-knuckle grip on her seat in the police helicopter. The flight to the hospital in the medevac chopper had been a blur. She had been exhausted and hadn’t taken her eyes off Tucker the entire trip. She was living this flight today in vivid clarity.
Tucker turned to her with a grin. “Enjoying the view?” His voice sounded hollow coming through the headset directly into her ear.
“Eyes on the controls please, mister,” she instructed, and he laughed.
“This is an easy ride,” he said. “We’ll be there in no time.”
Her entire body hummed and tilted with the slight vibration and maneuvering of the chopper. That, and nervous energy made her feel like she was going to jump out of her skin.
The ground zipped beneath them in a blur of browns and greens and the occasional stretch of narrow roadway. Before she knew it, Tucker was notifying the chief they’d be at the landing site in moments.
She spied her house, and it was surprising to see how small it looked tucked in among the trees. Mr. Yost’s farm was recognizable in a clearing on the other side of the woods. He mostly kept to himself but he had brought her tomatoes once, she thought fondly.
Tucker maneuvered the helicopter over an open field where several police cars were waiting. The helicopter hovered briefly, then descended straight down like a carnival ride as her stomach climbed to the back of her throat. There was a slight bump as they touched the ground.
For a moment Tara marveled at the skills Tucker had. God had picked the ideal man for the job in her situation.
Tucker removed his headphones and motioned for her to do the same. The sound of the rotor blades wound down, but Tara’s body thrummed as if she was still moving.
“Easy as pie,” he said. “Wait right there.” Tucker jumped down and came around to her side. He reached up and grabbed her around the waist, lowering her to the ground. Warmth shot through her as he held her close, just for a moment, then stepped back.
