THIRTEEN

      Linc had no trouble locating First Lieutenant Vanessa Gomez in the critical-care unit of the base hospital. The insignia on his beret and his telltale sidearm and other official gear allowed them to pass through locked doors without delay.

      A nod and salute were his reintroduction when he spotted Vanessa. Seeing the petite dark-haired nurse in her element gave him a more favorable opinion of her inner strength.

      Vanessa stripped off latex gloves, disposed of them and quickly joined him. “Good to see you again, Sergeant Colson. I hope you’ve come to tell me the danger is over.”

      “Sorry, no,” Linc replied. He inclined his head to Zoe. “This is Staff Sergeant Sullivan. Zoe, Lieutenant Vanessa Gomez.”

      The nurse froze. “Sullivan? You’re the sister I’ve been hearing about?”

      “Unfortunately,” Zoe said with a huff. She offered her hand and Linc was relieved to see the nurse accept and shake it.

      “Sorry.” Vanessa was frowning when she looked back at Linc. “Okay. If it’s not good news, then give me the bad.”

      “Actually, in regard to Boyd, there’s really nothing new. I came to ask more about blood.”

      “Blood?” The scowl deepened.

      “Yes.” Zoe explained, “Somebody sneaked into my apartment this morning and poured fake blood on my floor.”

      “Fake? That’s not a surprise. Getting your hands on the real thing can be harder than robbing Fort Knox.”

      Linc asked her to go over the details for them.

      “Sure. It’s a real pain. First, we have to log every drop that comes in and goes out, and there’s computer cross-checking. Even after the doctor orders a transfusion and a patient signs a consent form, it takes two of us to access supplies. Before blood is administered, everything is rescanned with the patient’s records to prevent errors and verified electronically.”

      “That basically agrees with the info we got from hospital administration, only you provided more details. Thanks.” Linc scanned the quiet unit. The air smelled like antiseptic. Privacy curtains were pulled between each bed and patients were eerily quiet while machinery hummed and beeped. The scenario reminded him of the hospital where he and his injured comrades had been taken after the ambush. Lives were on the line here, too. It wasn’t fair. Dedicated men who gave their all for a just cause should never be buried under beeping, flashing machines, tubes, wires and white sheets.

      He felt a light brush as Zoe slipped her fingers between his and clasped his hand. Hers was tiny compared to his and her grasp was gentle, yet it wasn’t just her skin he felt—it was her emotional support. Had his morose thoughts been that evident? Apparently. And as opposed to shunning him as so many other women had when he’d acted depressed, she had reached out. Lifted him with a mere touch. The simple gesture hit him so hard he wanted to weep.

      Instead he gave her hand a squeeze and squared his shoulders, reminding himself that he was on duty and the nurse was a target of the Red Rose Killer. This was not the time to let his mind wander or allow painful memories to take over his thought processes. He had a job to do.

      There had been a time, years ago, when Linc would have followed that internal affirmation with a short appeal to a higher power for the ability to triumph. He’d stopped doing that when so many prayers had gone unanswered. Like the time he’d prayed for the welfare of his buddies before and after the ambush.

      I should have suspected, he insisted for the thousandth time. Should have had some inkling that it was a trap.

      Ideas swirled in the back of his mind like a tornado of dust rising from the desert. Had he wondered? Doubted? It was not his practice to accept intel without checking its validity. But they’d been ordered to complete their mission ASAP, and there hadn’t been time for many precautions.

      And since then? Linc asked himself. Since returning stateside and becoming a member of the Security Forces, he’d occasionally wished he had someone close who understood him, who could empathize without pity.

      A shiver shot up his spine. His fingers tightened on Zoe’s and he realized she was returning the pressure. They should not even be touching let alone holding hands, so what was wrong with him? Nothing that letting go of her wouldn’t cure. The moment he loosened his grip, so did she.

      While Linc was lost in thought, Zoe gave Vanessa a smile and filled the silence. “I’m truly sorry you’re involved, Lieutenant Gomez.”

      “So am I. I hope they catch Boyd before anything bad happens to anyone else.”

      Zoe nodded. “We all do. He’s the last person I want to see, but I promise, if he gets in touch with me, I’ll turn him over to the authorities in a heartbeat.”

      Vanessa reached for Zoe and patted her forearm. “I understand what you’re going through. I have a brother who needs help, too. It’s tough.”

      Linc could tell that the nurse’s compassion had deeply affected his companion, because she sniffled and fell silent. He saluted. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Stay safe, okay?”

      “I’ll do my best. You, too, Sergeants. Both of you.”

      Rather than draw out their leave-taking and put more pressure on Zoe, Linc turned, placed his hand at the small of her back and ushered her through the double doors and into the hallway.

      “You okay?” he asked her.

      All she did was nod.

      “Come on. Let’s grab some lunch at the Winged Java and relax while we go over your list.”

      “I think we should get it to go and stop back at the vet hospital to spend time with Star,” Zoe said as she swiped at her tearstained cheeks.

      “Really? You want to do that? Thanks.”

      Another nod. “Yes. And after I’m done eating, I may want a session of puppy therapy—unless the captain was joking.”

      “I think I can arrange something,” Linc replied. His poignant words of thanks were for more than just her offer to spend time with Star. It was also for her moral support and understanding, for Zoe merely being herself.

      In retrospect, Linc wondered if perhaps he didn’t also owe his heavenly Father thanks for arranging their meeting and forcing him to get to know her. The more that wild notion bounced around in his brain, the more he began to accept it as probable. It was certainly plausible.

      * * *

      Zoe carried a cardboard holder with their drinks while Linc handled their food and the door when they arrived at the training complex. This time they entered the facility from the rear and slipped through the connecting doors into the animal hospital.

      When she saw Star notice Linc, rise and begin wagging her stub of a tail, Zoe grinned. “Whoa. She’s up. And she looks much better.”

      “Sure does.” He set the bag of burgers and fries atop a storage bin and opened the door to his K-9’s kennel, bending to greet her with a tousle of her ears and a pat on the head. “How you doing, girl? Feeling good again?”

      Wiggling from head to toe, the rottweiler circled Linc once, then returned to face him. Rapid panting made her look as if she was grinning as widely as the tech sergeant was. Star did everything except speak English to reassure him.

      “I’d say she’s telling you she’s fine,” Zoe said, with laughter underlying the comment. “Where shall we go to eat? I have a feeling that sitting on the floor with her might make lunch