Page 88 of Target Acquired
He blew out a low breath. “Yeah. I can’t believe all of the caretakers were bad, but it seems like patients were really low priority.”
“Overcrowding, experimental treatment. The stuff nightmares are made of.”
They hurried through the shelter until they came upon the motorcycle leaning against the wall. A crude exit had been dug through the wall, slanting up, then with a ladder leading to the top, allowing the shooter to climb out. “Well, that’s not original to the structure,” Cowboy said from behind.
“Nope, but maybe Otis can track him down now that the guy’s on foot?”
Greene nodded. “The bike can be the scent article.” He pointed and Otis’s ears pricked. “Otis, scent.”
The dog went to the bike and did what he did best. He barked once, then padded to the ladder, his nose up and quivering.
“All right, everyone,” Greene said, “guess we’re going up.” Man and dog climbed.
Once Otis and Greene were up top, Kenzie turned to Cole. “I guess we are too.”
“After you.”
Kenzie climbed and pulled herself out of the shelter to find herself on the other side of the fence and next to a road.
Otis was pacing, sniffing, and searching. He took off east and Greene followed behind him. “Guy’s on foot,” Greene said through the comms. “I don’t know if we’ll catch him, but I’ll follow as far as Otis’ll take me.”
“We’re right behind you,” Cole said. They all trailed Otis down the road, loping along while the dog zigzagged his way into the old cemetery across the street from the hospital. The dog finally stopped and sat, looking at Greene for his next command.
“The guy’s gone,” Greene said. “He must have had transportation stashed around here. Another bike or a car.”
“Or a driver waiting to pick him up.”
Butler raked a hand over his head. “I’ve about had enough of this guy.”
Kenzie looked at him and raised a brow. “I know the feeling.”
COLE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO THINK. Obviously Butler wasn’t the shooter in this instance, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t working with someone.
Like Oscar Woodruff?
They finished up at the scene and headed back to HQ. While Kenzie’s home was a fine place to wait for a call or to work on a current case, HQ was more convenient if they could use it.
But all the way back, Cole couldn’t get the thought out of his head. Butler and Woodruff working together to get Kenzie off the team?
It made sense, unfortunately, but he had no proof, and a lunch meeting between two men known as friends didn’t a killer make.
With his thoughts still spinning, he walked into the kitchen to find Butler, Cowboy, and Greene sitting at the table, snacking on chips and sucking down water. “Everything okay?”
“She’s got to go, Garrison,” Butler said, thumping his water bottle onto the table. “Can’t you see that? Her first day back and we’re dodging bullets at another fake call. All because she won’t back down.”
“Would you?” Kenzie asked, stepping into the kitchen.
The room went silent.
Butler flushed, but his eyes glittered. “Yeah. Yes, I would if it meant my leaving was for the good of the team.”
Cowboy choked and Greene snorted. Butler turned his glare on each of them, then back to Kenzie.
Kenzie studied him. “No,” she said, her voice low, “you wouldn’t.”
He stood up, stepped forward, and jabbed a finger at her. “Now, look here—”
She swatted his hand away and planted her fists on her hips. “No, you look here. You’re many things, Butler, but you’re not a coward. And you’re not a quitter. You have the support of this team and they’d make sure you didn’t have to quit.”