Page 74 of Unseen Danger
Jazz shook her head. “I don’t think so. But I didn’t get the tags. I’m sorry. It was empty and dark like all the other vehicles in the lot when I checked. And Flash didn’t notice anything.” Vertical lines bunched between her eyebrows.
“Don’t worry about it.” Nevaeh gave her a smile. “You’re a smart girl, but I don’t expect you to go around memorizing fifteen tags every time I get spooked.”
“So why didn’t you guys mention any of this earlier?” Bris asked the question everyone probably wanted to. The woman had softened a lot since she’d gotten religion, but she was still painfully blunt sometimes.
Jazz looked at Nevaeh, letting her decide how much she wanted to say.
“I’ve been…” Nevaeh glanced toward Bris. “I haven’t been myself lately.” She inwardly scoffed at that. Maybe she was herself, but not the one she wanted to be. “I thought I might be imagining things because of being…stressed. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of something that wasn’t real. I couldn’t be sure about any of it. Until last night.”
“That makes sense.” Cora nodded.
Warmth filled Nevaeh at the understanding in her gaze and the lack of judgment in the others’ eyes.
“Back to Bristol’s first question.” Sof glanced at the brunette before bringing her attention to Nevaeh. “Who would want to scare or hurt you?”
The face of the most obvious choice flew in front of her eyes, filling the screen of her mind.
Panic rose in her chest, her heart rate elevating.
A touch on her arm paused the fear racing through her veins. Jazz. But she didn’t look at Nevaeh as she spoke to the team. “I wondered if it could be the person who’s bothering D-Chop.”
Bless Jazz’s loyal heart. She always had Nevaeh’s back. But the PK-9 team was family now, too. And these girls always had Nevaeh’s back, like she had theirs. Maybe she should tell them about Walter.
“It’s a possibility.” Sof apparently thought Jazz’s suggestion was a good one anyway. Maybe they wouldn’t have to talk about him.
“Do you mean because she’s helping to protect D-Chop?” Cora reached for her notebook computer on the coffee table and moved it to her lap.
“But if that’s the reason, why would they go after Nevaeh?” Bris’s gaze switched between Cora and Sof. “Why not Jazz, too, or you?” She landed her focus on Sof.
“Your senses told you someone was watching you the night of the PowerSource concert.” Sof looked at Nevaeh as if wanting confirmation.
She lifted a shoulder, still uncertain if she’d really sensed it or just imagined it. “I guess.”
“And Jazz saw the pickup that night.”
“Correct.” Jazz tucked her wavy red hair behind her ear.
“The three of us were all there, but we had different assignments. Jazz and I were on the front entry points and crowd control.”
“But Nevaeh was backstage.” Jazz angled her head toward Nevaeh, her eyes widening as if she’d realized what Sof was getting at.
“So?” Nevaeh looked at the women.
“You could’ve seen something we didn’t.” Sof’s dark eyes trained on her.
“Something the perp didn’t want seen?” Bris turned her attention to Nevaeh as if to puzzle out what she didn’t know she knew. “Maybe you saw the perp himself. Or herself. Whoever messed with the pyrotechnics and started the fire.”
“He could be afraid you can ID him.” Worry colored Jazz’s eyes again. “Or she, I guess.”
“Phoenix?” Cora looked at the boss, and they all waited to hear the one-word question answered. Nevaeh wasn’t even sure what Cora was asking, but good things usually came of the pair’s secret way of communicating.
“We’ll investigate the D-Chop case.”
The PK-9 team members exchanged surprised glances. All except Cora, who immediately opened her computer as if she’d expected Phoenix’s decision and was already getting to work.
“The theory that the same person behind the attacks may be the one stalking Nevaeh is viable.” Phoenix turned her gaze toward Nevaeh.
Stalking. The word sent a shiver down Nevaeh’s spine. As if she didn’t have enough to be afraid of.