The Military K-9 Unit Collection. Valerie Hansen
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held open the door to base command for Felicity to enter before him. Carrying her camera bag over her shoulder, she smiled her thanks to him as she passed to enter the building. She had a great smile that reached her blue-green eyes. Something he’d tried hard in the past not to notice because he’d been her commanding officer.
Right now, though, he let himself take all of her in, including the vanilla scent wafting from her hair. This morning when she’d come downstairs for breakfast she’d worn the long strands loose and swinging before she’d braided it and tucked up under her beret. He liked that she wore a minimal amount of makeup, just enough to highlight her already pretty features.
He gave himself a mental shake as they were ushered into the conference room. He needed to keep his head in the game and ignore the attraction and affection for Felicity building in his chest. He couldn’t believe he’d confessed he’d been in foster care. Revealing such intimate details of his past hadn’t been intentional, yet talking about the woman who’d taught him to cook to Felicity had come easily. It distressed him how easy a lot of things were with Felicity.
The conference room was filled, every chair at the table taken. Ian leaned against the wall and nodded in greeting as Westley and Felicity took positions beside him. Base commander Lieutenant General Hall seated at the head of the long table, held up a hand to gain the room’s attention.
To the right of the lieutenant general sat FBI agent Oliver Davison and to the lieutenant general’s left was Justin. Also seated at the table were Linc, Ethan and several other members of the Security Forces.
Westley was surprised to see Ethan Webb’s ex-wife, Jillian Masters, seated at the table as well. She wore her US Marine dress uniform and a scowl on her face. Apparently, she wasn’t on base by choice. Westley met Ethan’s gaze. The tension in his friend’s eyes was palpable.
Also at the table, seated next to Justin, was a pretty redhead dressed in civilian clothes and clearly very pregnant, while a tall, imposing man, also a civilian by the looks of his Western-style jeans and button-down shirt, stood behind her with his hands on the back of her chair.
“Let’s get this briefing going,” Lieutenant General Hall said. “I’d like to introduce Deputy Sheriff Serena Hargrove and her husband, Jason Hargrove, former Dallas PD. Together with Deputy Hargrove’s K-9, they brought down Boyd Sullivan the first go-round.”
A murmur rippled through the room. Westley had read the news reports of how the deputy and her K-9 partner, an English springer spaniel trained in wilderness air search, had tracked Boyd to a remote cabin in the Texas Hill Country. He’d like to talk to the officer about her canine and look in to adding the specialized work to the training center. But that would have to wait until life returned to normal. As long as Sullivan was on the loose, Westley’s focus was to protect Felicity.
“Deputy, what can you tell us about Boyd?” Lieutenant General Hall asked.
The woman’s lips twisted. “He has a sick mind, but make no mistake, he is intelligent and sly. He doesn’t do anything without careful planning. And his ego is as big as the State of Texas.”
Lieutenant Preston Flanigan, one of the Security Forces members, leaned forward. “How did you manage to catch him?”
Preston had been in the last K-9 training session. Westley thought the young cop was a bit too impatient, but hoped the guy would chill eventually. He’d have to if he hoped to be a K-9 handler.
Serena spared him a glance then focused back on Lieutenant General Hall. “Boyd hadn’t expected my partner, Ginger. She’s small, but mighty. She caught him by surprise and distracted him long enough for me to apprehend him.”
“I was there,” Oliver said. “I can vouch that Serena and her little dog acted bravely. The arrest was a good one.”
“Do you think that’s why he messed with the kennels and released all the dogs? Hoped we’d be too busy recovering them to search for him?” Linc said.
Jason Hargrove spoke up. “Having spent more time with Sullivan than I care to ever repeat, I can tell you he believes he can outsmart anyone. I have no doubt he thought the chaos would afford him time and opportunity to move freely.”
“Which it did,” Justin stated. “Did Boyd have a partner in Dill?”
Serena shook her head. “Not that we know of. There was no indication of one.”
Lieutenant General Hall’s gaze zeroed on Ian. “What about the cook?”
“The medical examiner says cause of death was strangulation,” Ian replied.
“Stephen Butler’s ID badge was used to gain access at the south gate at oh-four-hundred,” Justin explained. “We’re still working on how Boyd got off the base after the attacks.”
“Are we sure he left?” Ethan asked. “Just because the news reported sightings of him, we can’t know for sure if he’s off base or not.” His gaze slid to his ex-wife and then away.
Jillian’s lips twisted, but the woman made no comment.
Justin nodded. “That’s true. Which is why the base is on high alert with extra security at the gates. And Baylor Marine Base is also coordinating their effort with ours to find the escaped prisoner before he hurts anyone else.”
Lieutenant General Hall rose. “I want Sullivan found. And the person who is helping him. Am I clear?”
A chorus of “Yes, sir” filled the room.
“Dismissed,” Lieutenant General Hall said. He turned to the two civilians. “Thank you for coming all this way.”
“I wish we could be more help,” the deputy said as her husband helped her to her feet.
Felicity leaned close to whisper in Westley’s ear. “We should talk to her about wilderness air-search training.”
Having her echo his earlier thought made him grin. “Good idea.”
She held his gaze for a moment. Something flared in her eyes before she quickly looked away. A slight pink tinged her cheeks. He wasn’t sure what he’d seen. Approval? Attraction? Disconcerted, he pushed aside the thought and followed the Hargroves out of the conference room.
After introducing himself and Felicity, he said, “I would love to hear about the wilderness air-search training you did with your K-9 partner.”
“If you give me your contact info, I can put you in touch with the trainer that we used,” Serena said.
“I’d appreciate that.” He gave her his cell-phone number and email address then bid them goodbye.
Westley escorted Felicity to the photo lab for her new assignment.
“Deputy Hargrove looked like she was uncomfortable,” Felicity said. “She has to be close to her due date.”
Westley made a noncommittal noise. He didn’t know anything about due dates or pregnancies in humans. Dog gestation periods he understood.
Setting her camera bag on an empty desk, Felicity peered at him with curiosity shining in her eyes. “Do you ever think you’ll have your own kids?”
“Me?” He nearly choked on the word. “No. What about you?”
She shrugged. “Maybe. If I find the right man to share my life with.”
He told himself to forget it. It was none of his business but the words flowed off his tongue before he could stop himself. “Ever been close to walking down the aisle?”
She let out a laugh that was half bitter and half self-effacing. “Hardly.” A flicker of hurt crossed her face before she turned away to busy herself unpacking her bag. He didn’t like to think some guy had caused her pain.
“Why do you say it like that?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t found anyone I click with, I guess. The men I’ve dated were disappointing.”