The Military K-9 Unit Collection. Valerie Hansen
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the captain’s canine partner, a Belgian Malinois named Quinn. Felicity sat in the back, Westley in front. She sat forward, putting her hand on Westley’s shoulder. “Let me explain.”
Westley nodded.
“We believe my father was murdered,” Felicity informed the captain as he drove. She told him everything Ian had told her and all they knew so far.
Justin glanced sharply at her in his rearview mirror. “So the break-in and the poisoning—those weren’t Boyd?”
“No, I—we—believe the man responsible for my father’s death was looking for the evidence my father collected during the investigation he was conducting at the time of his death.”
“We found an electronic tablet hidden in Felicity’s bedroom,” Westley told him. “It’s what the bomb perp is after.”
Not the key they’d found in the desk, just as Ian had predicted.
“How did he know we have it?” Felicity asked. “We haven’t told anyone, not even Ian.”
“He had to have bugged your house,” Justin said.
“We need to do an electronic sweep of the place,” Westley said.
“Don’t we have an electronics-sniffing dog?” Justin asked.
“We do. She’s in training.” Felicity couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice. “Senior Airman Chase McLear and Queenie, the cutest little beagle ever, have been in training only a couple months in this new specialty, electronic detection.”
“I’ll talk to Chase,” Westley said.
Justin nodded. “Report back to me tomorrow,” he ordered when he pulled over at the training center.
“We will, sir,” Westley said as he opened the door. He let Dakota out of the back seat, while Felicity stepped out of the car.
Westley held open the training-center door for Felicity to enter. “You must be exhausted,” he said. The warmth in his tone soothed her more than her favorite chocolate melting on the back of her tongue.
“It’s been a trying day,” she said. “But you must be just as tired.”
“I won’t lie, I didn’t get much sleep,” he told her.
“Then I should bite the bullet and ask my uncle if I can stay with him, or rather, if we can stay with him,” she said.
He brushed back her hair from her face. “I have the feeling that will be hard for you.”
She shrugged. “I don’t like asking for help. But I have to get over myself.”
He smiled and his approval warmed her heart.
“That’s my girl.”
His words thrilled her. Was that how he saw her? His girl? She arched an eyebrow. “Girl?”
He made a face. “Please don’t take offense.”
“I’m teasing you,” she said with a grin. “I don’t mind being your girl.”
Westley’s eyes widened and a slow smile spread across his face. “Duly noted.”
Heat infused her cheeks. A niggling little voice reminded her that even though he wasn’t currently her superior, one day they would go back to the training center and resume their positions within the working-dog program, which meant this thing between them had nowhere to go. Even knowing that, she couldn’t muster up regret for the flirty words.
“Let’s see if we can find Chase and Queenie,” Westley said. “If they have time now, let’s go over to the house.”
They found Chase, a tall, gentle giant of a man, and his comparatively small beagle in the center of the training ring working with the specialized trainer, Special Agent Denise Logan, on loan from the FBI K-9 Unit. Agent Logan had helped successfully train the FBI’s electronics sniffer dogs.
Westley explained what they needed.
“We’re game,” Chase said, his gaze going to Denise.
The stocky brunette considered the idea as she twisted her wedding ring. “All right. Let’s see what Queenie can sniff out. But don’t get your hopes up too high. We haven’t attempted a listening device.”
Felicity sent up a prayer that Queenie and Chase would come through for them. She didn’t like the idea that someone had been listening to her every word. The invasion of privacy was somehow worse than having her home ransacked.
Accompanied by Dakota, Westley and Felicity led the way to her house. They went by foot because the evening air had cooled off and she only lived a few blocks away. As they approached, the door of the adjacent house opened and reporter Heidi Jenks stepped out. She waved and hurried down the walkway.
Westley groaned.
“It’s fine,” Felicity told him and quickened her pace to head off Heidi.
“What’s going on?” Heidi asked. She obviously was in for the evening because she had on yoga pants and a T-shirt. But her sharp-eyed gaze took everything in.
“Out for a stroll,” Felicity said, skirting the truth. Westley hustled Chase, Denise and the dogs past at a fast clip.
“Looks like something serious is going on,” Heidi countered.
“Nothing worth mentioning,” Felicity assured her, hoping she’d take the hint.
Heidi pressed her lips together. “I thought we were friends.”
Felicity’s heart sank. She didn’t want to hurt Heidi’s feelings. “We are. It’s just some things are not for public consumption.”
“Not you, too.” Heidi huffed. “I did not post the blog.”
It took a second for Felicity to connect what Heidi meant, then she remembered that an anonymous blogger had leaked the information about Zoe Sullivan visiting her half brother, Boyd, in prison. “I know you didn’t.” At least Felicity hoped not.
Westley caught her attention with a wave from the porch of her house, where he and Dakota kept watch. Her heart did a little jig in her chest. She had to admit she didn’t mind having the two males worry over her.
“Look, I’ve got to go.” She strode away, aware of Heidi’s gaze.
When she reached the porch, Westley slipped his hand around her elbow. “Was she fishing for information?”
Wanting to protect her friend, she said, “She’s curious. Wouldn’t you be if you saw all of us coming down the street?”
“I don’t know if I trust her,” Westley said. “She could be Boyd’s accomplice for all we know.”
“I highly doubt it,” Felicity said. “Heidi may be ambitious, but she’s not corrupt.”
He lifted a shoulder. “You never know.”
She didn’t like the doubt he’d planted in her mind. She glanced across the side yard separating the two houses. Heidi remained on her porch watching them, but Felicity refused to believe ill of her neighbor.
Wanting to redirect their focus, Felicity said, “Let’s see how Chase and Queenie are doing.”
Inside the house, Denise put her finger to her lips, indicating they were to remain silent while Chase and Queenie worked. As the dog sniffed around the couch and coffee table, Westley and Felicity stood back with Dakota sitting in front of them, his dark eyes watching the other dog.
Queenie sat by the end table, her tail wagging. Chase gave the dog a treat, then kneeled down and felt the underside of the small table. He smiled and peeled away a small, round device and held it up.
Felicity couldn’t believe it. She had actually been bugged. Westley’s grim expression told her