Page 24 of Unseen Danger
Nevaeh’s pulse pounded as her throat started to close again. “I hope not. You know he freaks me out.”
“I know.” The humor left Jazz’s green eyes as she pressed her lips together. “But I don’t think there’s a reason to be afraid. He seems very nice. Maybe you can give him a chance.”
Just the suggestion was enough to send her heart rate soaring and make her next breath hard to find.
Jazz backed away, Flash turning to follow her. “Maybe at least speak more than five words to him next time? I’ve never seen you so quiet and shy in my life.”
Nevaeh snorted as Jazz spun around and cut across the lawn with Flash. If only shyness were the real problem.
“Come on, Al. Let’s check this fence. We’re looking for entry points. Any sign of somebody going over or through.” The rottweiler mix walked close to the fence while Nevaeh kept pace on his other side, her thoughts returning to what Jazz had said.
No reason to be afraid. As if PTSD cared about reasons.
But Jazz was right about one thing. She’d have to get control and stop being so skittish around Aaberg if she wanted to keep this job. She needed to keep it. Her family would want her to do this for D-Chop, to repay him for what he did for Jordy.
“We’re so proud of you.” Cora’s smile filtered through her memory along with her words from that morning’s meeting.
So maybe there was another reason Nevaeh didn’t want to lose this job. Or have Phoenix take her off duty completely. Which she would if she knew how much Nevaeh was slipping, how her PTSD was slowly taking over again.
Alvarez let out a low growl and pulled against his leash.
“What’ve you got, Al?” Nevaeh’s pulse accelerated as she sped up to let Alvarez follow whatever scent or instinct called him forward.
As she trotted behind him, she scanned the ten-foot-high fence with an angled top. It’d be a challenge to climb.
She spotted the odd-looking links of the fence just as Alvarez slowed to a stop. She stepped closer.
The perp hadn’t climbed at all. He’d slashed the fence and curled the two cut sides back, creating a hole large enough for a grown man to crawl through.
Had he had the guts to cut the fence in broad daylight?
Nevaeh crouched, looking for anything the perp might’ve dropped.
Nothing. Except footprints in the thin grass that had given way to dirt under the pressure of someone crawling and scrambling to stand. A heavy, male someone, judging from the prints.
The footprints went in and went out.
At least that meant the attacker was gone. But when would he come back?
Branson leaned forward in the steno chair and peered at the screen as he reviewed the security footage.
Everything was exactly as James had described to Branson and the police when they’d arrived right after the paramedics.
The car, a dark blue sedan, pulled up to the gate at ten minutes after one. The driver was impossible to identify under his cap and sunglasses, especially in the shadowed interior of the car. All Branson could make out was the guy was heavyset, dark-skinned, and wore what looked like a black canvas jacket.
The two cameras, angled to capture only the drivers and vehicles trying to enter through the gate, caught James’s hands from the wider angle, but not his attacker. Not even a shadow or reflection.
The driver gunned the engine, screeching his tires as he backed out and headed north. Probably after or during the attack.
Was the driver in on the attack? The decoy? Seemed likely, given the car didn’t have a front license plate. Not that it mattered either way.
Branson didn’t have a plate number and couldn’t ID the guy or the off-screen attacker. He grunted and pushed hard against the edge of the desk, sending the chair rolling backward.
A gasp sounded behind him.
He flew out of the chair and spun to—
Rich brown eyes and a cloud of black curls grabbed his gaze.