Jina, page 4
part #1 of Oath of Honor Series
Cole didn’t respond to that. After a moment, she noticed he’d taken the Peabody exit. A flash of alarm hit hard.
“What are you doing? I’m cooperating, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but you can’t go back to your place, the gunman knows where you live.” His voice was calm. “You can sleep on my couch if you like. Or you can go to a hotel.”
“How about none of the above?” She resisted the urge to punch him in the arm. “I can take care of myself. Besides, the shooter probably won’t try again tonight. For all he knows, I’m still stranded out in the farm field.”
“Oh really?” He scowled. “You think he’s satisfied having missed you twice now? Or is it three times?”
“I’m not sure he was the same one outside my place, so that doesn’t count.” Why was she arguing with him? It was bad enough he’d derailed her plan to go to Madison; under no circumstances was she going to sleep on his sofa. Or anywhere else for that matter. “Drop me off at my place. Or I’ll just grab a rideshare to get home. I won’t use any lights, which should convince the perp I’m not there.”
There was still the possible threat to Mr. Glen, but it was late enough now that she hoped she wouldn’t have to worry about that until morning. Especially if she was able to sneak into the house in the dark.
The events of the past few hours were catching up to her. Every muscle in her body ached with a vengeance. Her soreness from the three kickboxing matches had been aggravated by rolling the Jeep. Her left shoulder throbbed from where the seatbelt had held her in place while she hung upside down.
Taking a hot bath in the dark wouldn’t be so bad. All she had to do was avoid falling asleep.
“I’m going on record in saying this is a bad idea,” Cole said, interrupting her thoughts. “But if you insist, I’ll take you home.”
“I insist.” She rested her head back on the cushion, belatedly adding, “Thanks.”
They traveled the rest of the way in silence. Only when he pulled up to the curb, a full block from her duplex, did he ask, “Do you want me to pick you up in the morning?”
“For what?” Then she realized what he meant. “You’re still going to Madison to interview my sister?”
“Yes. As a courtesy, I’ll take you with me as long as you don’t get in my way.” He turned to face her. “I’m not the bad guy here. I’m just trying to find answers to who this dead guy is and how he got buried on your old family farm. Bradley Crow might not be your stalker, but I still need to do my job.”
He was going out of his way to be nice, and most cops would not allow her to tag along on an interview. Biting back a sharp retort, she nodded and forced a smile. “That would be great. Thanks.”
“It’s past two in the morning now, so we won’t hit the road until nine. If that works for you?”
“I’ll be ready.” She pushed open her passenger-side door. “Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome.”
Sliding out of the vehicle, she looked around, then made her way swiftly to the duplex, keeping in the shadows as much as possible. As she silently entered the house, she realized she hadn’t called for a tow truck. Swallowing a groan, she decided to wait until tomorrow morning.
Confessing her role in shooting the stalker hadn’t been as bad as she’d feared. Yes, Cole had been annoyed with her actions, but he hadn’t hammered her over the head about her decision not to go to the authorities.
Yet as she crawled into bed, foregoing the soak in the tub, she knew there would be more to come. Cole might be understanding, but she doubted the rest of the Peabody Police Department would feel the same way.
She forced herself to relax her sore muscles, doing her best not to fixate on the sick feeling in her gut that the mistakes of her past were coming back to bite her in the butt.
The following morning, Cole rubbed his eyes, waiting for the coffee to brew wondering why on earth he’d agreed to bring Jina along while he interviewed her sister, Shelly Strom.
If his boss found out, he’d be toast. Especially if it turned out Jina’s stalker was the dead guy.
He didn’t think she’d lie about not being the one who’d bashed the dead guy’s head in. After all, she was a cop too. Sworn to uphold the law and protect the public. He believed she’d fired her father’s gun to scare him off, and really, it was a miracle she hadn’t killed the guy considering the close range.
Mike Pulaski, the MMA gym manager, had told him about Jina’s role as a sharpshooter for the tactical team. Apparently, she’d honed those skills after the stalker incident. After being a victim twice in a matter of years, he completely understood why she’d chosen the path of becoming a cop.
He even admired her for overcoming her past, but that didn’t mean her role in his investigation didn’t complicate things.
And who was this shooter anyway? He’d dug into Rory Glick’s past, found the guy on the sexual offender registry, and had read the police report. It had given him a surge of satisfaction to learn Glick had suffered a minor concussion from being struck with the laptop.
Score one for Jina.
There was no indication that Glick was in Wisconsin, but he would place a call to the Tulsa PD later to see if they’d had any trouble with the guy. He didn’t think there was enough evidence leaning toward Glick being the shooter to justify a search warrant for his phone or credit card records.
Had Jina’s old stalker returned? But much like suspecting Glick of being the shooter, why would the hoodie stalker show up to tail Jina after all this time? Twelve long years after the fact?
Especially since she hadn’t called the police to have him arrested? In Cole’s mind, the guy had gotten off easy with a minor injury. Why seek revenge now?
Belatedly realizing the coffee was finished, he poured himself a cup and returned to his kitchen table. He jiggled the mouse to bring the computer to life.
Maybe the motive was simple rather than complicated. Jina was stunningly beautiful, probably the most gorgeous woman he’d ever met. Certainly, she’d turned every guy’s head at the MMA gym. Maybe one of those two guys, Glick or the stalker, was just angry that she’d jilted them—shooting one and clubbing the other with a computer.
Anger and resentment could fester over the years.
Maybe one or both had been in jail for a while. And it was only once they’d been released that they’d come after her.
There was also a third possible scenario. That one of Jina’s more recent arrests had gotten out of jail and was seeking payback.
Lots of suspects with few leads to go on. He didn’t think the perp was a fellow cop because as Jina had pointed out, he was a lousy shot. She’d been standing by her Jeep in plain view when he’d fired his weapon.
No, more likely it was someone with a personal vendetta against her. Did that include any of the guys she ruthlessly put down on the mat at the gym? He hated to admit that these attacks against Jina were more likely to have stemmed from a more recent incident rather than something that had transpired years ago.
Thinking back, he hadn’t noticed any of the gym rats mouthing off about her. At least, not while he was around. He sent a quick text to Mike, briefly explaining the danger to Jina in case he was missing something.
Funny how he was driving himself crazy over a case that technically wasn’t his. Better for him to stay focused on the skeletal remains that had been unearthed on the former Wheeler farm. Having an ID for their vic was the first step. Hopefully, he’d hear from the ME’s office very soon. They had the fractured skull, and he had already asked for the jawbone and teeth to be compared with the missing Bradley Crow’s dental records.
Glancing at his watch, he decided it was well past time to hit the shower. As a peace offering, he’d stop for breakfast sandwiches and more coffee on the way to Jina’s. Despite knowing he shouldn’t be bringing her along to his interview of her sister, he was looking forward to seeing her again.
As soon as the thought formed, he winced. Not good. Was he out of his mind? He’d lost his wife, Renee, three years ago and had no intention of going down that path again. So why was he suddenly interested in Jina? She might be pretty, but she was pricklier than a cactus.
Besides, beauty was only skin deep.
Yet there was no denying he was intrigued by the beauty queen who could hold her own against a bunch of gym rats.
Enough. He wasn’t interested in Jina aside from getting information from her early years of living in Peabody. He’d grown up in Milwaukee, but Renee had lived in Peabody, so he’d transferred to the smaller and admittedly safer Peabody Police Department in part to make his wife happy. But now that he was working a cold case, he felt at a disadvantage. He hadn’t lived in Peabody twelve years ago. Any input Jina and Shelly could provide, especially regarding the people who’d lived in the area back then, would be great.
The two sisters might be close, but they lived their own lives. Despite Jina’s insistence to the contrary, he was banking on the possibility that Shelly would recognize Bradley Crow.
He dressed in what he considered his detective uniform—dress slacks, short-sleeved shirt, and a sport coat. The worst part about having a gold shield was dressing up. Give him the starchy police uniform any day.
After clipping his badge on his belt and sliding his .38 into the holster, he headed for the door. He’d sold the house he’d shared with Renee and bought this smaller place. At the time, he’d thought that moving would help him deal with the memories of their time together, but it hadn’t.
Renee had remained in his heart. It was only within the past ten months or so that he’d realized she hadn’t occupied his thoughts as much as she used to.
Giving himself a mental shake, he drove to the fast-food restaurant closest to Jina’s duplex for their breakfast. Then he navigated the six blocks to reach her driveway.
Seeing the house in daylight, he noted the property was well maintained. He slid out from behind the wheel, leaving the food and coffee in the car. He headed to the side entrance, only to stop abruptly as Jina appeared. The same overnight bag from last night hung from her shoulder.
“Hey.” She didn’t smile, and from the weariness in her features, he guessed she hadn’t slept well. “I saw you pull up.”
“No worries.” He tried not to be suspicious of her unwillingness to allow him into her personal space. “I stopped for breakfast sandwiches and coffee.”
“You did?” Her blue eyes brightened as she smiled. “Thanks.”
Ridiculously pleased by her response, and somewhat rattled over how striking she was when she smiled, he stepped back so she could come down the sidewalk. In contrast to his being on duty, she was dressed casually in blue jeans and a yellow T-shirt beneath a denim jacket. She wore her long hair down rather than in the usual ponytail. She also had her weapon clipped to her belt, and he assumed she didn’t go anywhere without it.
He went around to open her passenger door. She arched a brow but didn’t point out that she was perfectly capable of opening her own door. She dropped the bag on the floor and slid inside.
“The coffee smells great.” She reached for the cup.
“Cream and sugar packets are in the door if you need them.” He gestured to the side pocket.
“Nope. I’m good.”
He couldn’t help but smile as he closed her door and headed to the driver’s seat. The pleasant interlude would only last until they reached Madison, as he assumed she would turn into a mamma bear protecting her cub once he started to interview Shelly.
He shifted into gear and backed out of the driveway. “Who owns the building?”
“Mr. Glen. He’s a sweetheart.” She sipped her coffee, then set it aside. “What’s for breakfast?”
Before he could answer, his phone rang. He hesitated, then answered the call from Mike Pulaski. “Hey, Mike. I’m here with Jina.”
“Really?” The gym owner sounded shocked. “I got your text and just wanted to assure you that I have not heard anyone mouthing off about Jina. But that may be because I made it clear for the guys to keep their thoughts to themselves. That if they didn’t like getting their butt kicked by a woman, they should join another gym.”
Jina turned to look at him with annoyance, then spoke. “Thanks, Mike, but to be clear, I never thought any of the guys at the gym would be angry enough to shoot me.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I don’t think so either,” Mike said earnestly. “But I’m happy to help. Just let me know what you need.”
“I will,” Cole said. “Thanks again.” He ended the call, prepared for Jina to snap at him. But when he glanced at her, she was frowning while rifling through the overnight bag. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re going to think I’m an idiot, but I forgot my phone.” She shot him a chagrined look. “I left it on the charger in my kitchen. Sorry, but can we head back to the duplex?”
“Of course.” He made a quick U-turn to retrace their path. “I’m glad to know you’re human and not a Terminator.”
“Haha, very funny. That Terminator movie is older than dirt.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Normally, I’m not this scattered.”
“Like I said, it’s nice to know you’re human.” He frowned as he noticed dark smoke trailing up to the sky. “Do you see that? Something is on fire.”
“I see it.” She craned her neck to get a better look. “It is autumn, could be someone burning leaves.”
“Maybe, but the smoke is darker than I’d expect for that.” He quickly turned left, heading to the duplex. The cloud of smoke grew larger and darker as they drove. A sliver of apprehension slid down his spine.
“Not leaves,” Jina said in a terse tone, mirroring his thoughts. “Either a garage or a house is on fire.”
Silently agreeing with her assessment, he pressed the call button on his steering wheel and spoke. “Call 911.”
Seconds later, a woman answered the phone. “This is the 911 operator, please state your emergency.”
“I’d like to report a fire. We’re heading north on 120th Street.” He glanced at the house numbers and rattled them off too.
“Yes, we have received several reports of a house fire in that area,” the dispatcher said. “Please stay away from the property. I have dispatched fire responders who will be arriving shortly.”
He ended the call without saying anything more. Two minutes later, he turned onto the street where Jina lived. His stomach clenched when he saw the two-story brown and tan duplex had black smoke pouring from the lower-level windows.
“Stop the car! Mr. Glen!” Jina pushed her car door open before he’d come to a complete stop. Then she sprinted toward the house.
“Wait! You can’t go in there!” He killed the engine, then quickly followed her to the house, the thick black smoke already obscuring his vision. “Jina!”
She had stripped out of her denim jacket and wrapped it around her fist as she punched through a window that wasn’t oozing smoke. After knocking all the shards of glass out of the way, she poked her head through the opening. “Mr. Glen! Mr. Glen, can you hear me?”
He lunged for her, grabbing her arm to prevent her from climbing into the house. The smoke made them cough. “Wait for the fire department,” he urged between hacking breaths.
“No! I need to find Mr. Glen!” With a quick move, she twisted out of his grip and crawled in through the broken window.
He glanced over his shoulder. The wailing sirens said help was on the way, but there was no sign of the fire trucks yet. Muttering about stubborn women, he followed her inside, praying God would spare their lives, especially her landlord, Mr. Glen.
Chapter Four
Coughs racking her body, Jina was horrified she couldn’t see anything through the thick haze of smoke. Stumbling through the living room, she called out to Mr. Glen until nothing more than a hoarse croak emerged.
“Jina!” She turned blindly when Cole grabbed her arm. “There’s an older guy outside walking with a cane!”
Mr. Glen used a cane, but there were several older residents in this neighborhood. She didn’t want to leave but somehow found herself back at the broken window with Cole at her side. Filling her lungs with fresh air, or at least somewhat fresher air than what was inside the house, she peered at the older man standing on the sidewalk.
Mr. Glen! He was safe! And for the first time in her life, she silently added, Thank You, God.
“Jina? What’s going on?” She heard Mr. Glen’s confused voice as Cole pushed her through the window.
Still coughing, she tumbled out of the house, then ran toward her landlord. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, wrapping her arms around the older man.
“I’m glad you are too,” he said, patting her back. “How did the fire start? Did you burn something in the kitchen?”
“Not me. I wasn’t here.” She glanced briefly at Cole who’d come to stand beside them. “I was with Cole; we were coming back for my phone.” She coughed again, then added, “I was worried you were still inside.”
“We’re glad you’re not hurt,” Cole added.
“I went out for my usual walk,” Mr. Glen said, staring in shock at the burning home. “I don’t understand how this happened.”
She had a very bad feeling this was no accident. And if she hadn’t come back for her phone, she wouldn’t have known anything about it. Before she could ask Mr. Glen more questions, the sirens grew louder. Soon a long fire truck lumbered up the road toward the duplex, pulling to a stop along the curb.
She took Mr. Glen’s arm and led him farther down the street from the burning building, so they were out of the way. She hadn’t been in the house for long, but even that much exposure made her lungs feel like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together with each breath.
“I don’t like this,” Cole muttered beside her. “It’s almost as if the arsonist waited for Mr. Glen to leave before starting the place on fire.”
