Deadly Chase - Chapter 2
Police Chief Doug Walters eyed Alex up and down, almost as if trying to picture him as the scrawny ten-year-old who’d once followed him around, eager to find out all that he could about being a policeman.
“You’re looking good, but I assume this isn’t a social visit,” the chief said and gestured for him to sit.
Alex displayed his DEA badge. “It’s official business,” he replied and provided the information they had on the Boise drug ring and the possible connection to Jasper’s veterinarian.
The chief tilted his head of receding gray hair to the side and scrutinized him, his brown-eyed gaze assessing. “I know Marie well. She’s doctored quite a few of our K-9 officers. I doubt she’s involved in anything like this.”
With a shrug, and mindful of his own past, Alex said, “Sometimes it’s the people you least expect.”
The chief’s gaze grew pained with that pointed reminder. “Sometimes it is. What is it that you need from Jasper PD?”
“An officer to work with me and smooth the way if there’s any trouble.” There were many in Jasper who might not be so helpful once they realized who he was.
A moment’s hesitation followed and then the chief nodded. “An officer will meet you at the vet’s office in an hour.”
“Thanks,” he said and held out his hand to seal the agreement.
The chief hesitated, but then warmly clasped Alex’s hand in both of his.
“It’s good to see you, son. Welcome back to Jasper.”
“Just visiting,” Alex said and rushed out the door, ignoring the prying eyes that followed him out of the stationhouse.
*
“You can’t be serious, Chief,” Officer Miriam Reyes said as her boss explained her latest assignment.
“Serious about Marie or about Alex?” he challenged with the sharp rise of a hairy eyebrow.
“Both. Marie is as good as one of us. There’s no way she’s involved and Alex…there’s history there,” she reminded the chief, not that he probably needed reminding.
“Alex was an innocent in what happened,” the chief said.
He was, but that couldn’t change how he’d broken her heart when he’d left Jasper. Or that he’d been gone when she had needed him the most.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” she said, but the chief would have none of it.
He glanced at his wristwatch. “Time’s a-wasting.”
She shot to her feet. “Is this an order?”
“It is an order,” he said, making it clear refusal was not an option.
“I guess it’s as good a time as any to take Lily for a walk.” With a nod, she stormed from his office and grabbed her service weapon and uniform baseball cap from her desk.
Her pit bull K-9 partner Lily jumped to her feet from where she’d been lying by her desk, tail wagging happily since she knew they’d be leaving the stationhouse.
“You’re a good girl,” she said and clipped the leash onto Lily’s collar. She stroked the soft, short fur and smiled, because it was impossible not to at the sight of her pittie’s joyful gray and white face.
They hurried toward the veterinarian’s office that was only a short distance away. As she arrived, she noticed the man standing by the door. His back was to her, but she intuitively knew who it was.
When he turned and his hazel-gold gaze locked on hers, her heart skipped a beat.
Alex Peterson in the flesh. How many times had she imagined just this moment?
Sucking in a deep breath, she held it and slowly walked toward him, Lily tucked close to her side, bracing herself for their unexpected and totally unwelcome reunion.