Fulfilling Promises (Red Starr, Book Five) (24 page)

“Done.”

Doc took off at a fast clip, still surveying the area for any risk. The rain had subsided and was now coming down in a light mist. Trigger concentrated on not jarring Diesel too much as he set up a rhythm in his pace. The Shepherd leaned his head against Trigger’s shoulder in such a manner that it conveyed complete trust.

“You did a real good job back there, buddy,” Trigger said soothingly, doing his best to distract Diesel from the pain. “Somehow you heard Devyn crying out for help and didn’t hesitate to protect her. She’s ours and you know that. We protect what’s ours and I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

Trigger hit the rock road behind the bar when he spotted Devyn running toward them. She was still in the same drenched clothes she had been in previously, hinting that Gunny hadn’t been able to convince her to go back inside the bar. Her face was dry and she’d run her hands through her hair, but she was still quite pale and there was a slight tremor in her hands when she reached for Diesel.

“I got him,” Trigger reassured her, giving her a moment to press her forehead to Diesel’s. The Shepherd returned her affection with a nuzzle before resting back against Trigger’s chest. “He was cut pretty bad, but nothing a few stitches won’t fix. He’ll be okay, Dev, I promise. Are you?”

Devyn nodded somewhat jerkily and led the way into the bar, which was now quiet. There was no music, heavy conversation, or the sounds of glasses clinking together. Trigger was surprised to see that the patrons had cleaned off a table and had it covered with blankets for Diesel. He was being carried with his injured side out, so Gunny and Doc went around the other side and helped lift the Shepherd so that he wasn’t lying on his wound, which had already bled through the makeshift bandages.

Gunny and Doc stepped aside so Devyn could pull up a chair and stroke Diesel’s neck while murmuring reassuring words to him. Doc informed him that the retired vet was on his way while Gunny said he’d been in contact with Chaisson. The detective would be here shortly for statements and the officer assigned was now out looking for an average height male wearing a black raincoat. Devyn hadn’t gotten a clear look at her attacker, but the security feed had caught his cloaked image. That still left one major roadblock they were facing.

What had changed for this killer to target Devyn?

‡

D
evyn really wasn’t
any good at being smothered, but she wouldn’t turn aside Gail Dixon’s attempts at pampering everyone who’d been through hell tonight. Diesel was resting comfortably on the couch with a good twenty stitches in his hindquarters, Detective Chaisson had interviewed every single person inside The Laughing Griffin before Isaac closed up the bar, and there were two officers now positioned outside Micah and Dalton’s residences…regardless that they claimed they could look out for themselves.

“Are you sure they’re both taken?” Jenna asked, still trying to lighten the mood and make Devyn laugh. She hadn’t really noticed when Jenna had become a true friend, but it really wasn’t so bad. The woman was eccentric and really did care for her. “I mean, have you looked at them? The heat outside is nothing compared to the temperature in here, girlfriend.”

Jenna fanned herself with her fingers, causing her bracelets to clink together as she stared at Gunny and Doc, who were going over a hybrid satellite map of the town with Trigger. He was currently sitting on the couch with Diesel and it hit Devyn that he’d never really left his partner’s side. The two were inseparable with the exception of when Trigger had pulled Devyn into his arms and simply held her in front of everyone. She wasn’t going to complain, seeing as being in his arms made her feel completely safe.

“I’m absolutely positive they’re both taken,” Devyn replied with a small smile, not able to laugh the way Jenna wanted. Believing that a killer could have so easily succeeded in taking her life wasn’t a feeling that would fade away like a paper cut. The terror she’d experienced was unlike anything she’d ever faced and she truly understood what Joey had gone through in his last minutes of life. As if she needed reminding, she winced when Gail finished taping gauze to the lower part of her palm. “Besides, they’ll be going back to San Diego soon enough.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to marry either one,” Jenna said with a bright smile, although her eyes dimmed in worry when she saw the pained expression on Devyn’s face. “Can I do anything for you?”

“No,” Devyn responded softly, knowing she wasn’t going to get what she really wanted any time soon. The killer was still out there and somehow she’d ended up on his hit list along with John. Did that mean anyone she was associated with too? Isaac had already left for his home, but maybe he should have just slept downstairs in her office. “I’m thinking maybe you should stay here tonight.”

“There’s only one thing that could make me stay, and I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Jenna gave a dramatic sigh as she stood up and walked around Gail’s chair before leaning down and giving Devyn a hug. She wasn’t much of a hugger, but she returned the embrace anyway, grateful that Jenna had stayed. “Mrs. Dixon, I’ll leave Devyn in your capable hands.”

“You be careful,” Gail warned worriedly, glancing over to where the men were surrounding the coffee table.

Doc was already standing, waiting to walk Jenna down to her car in the lot. She wiggled her eyebrows at Devyn, but she wasn’t worried that her friend would do something she’d regret. She respected marriage boundaries and Doc’s ring on his finger, let alone his air of loyalty, had already made a line in the sand.

“Can I get you anything else?” Gail asked after Jenna and Doc had exited the apartment. “Coffee, tea, water?”

“No, thank you,” Devyn replied, leaning back in her chair and finally looking at the bandages on her hands. She held them up and then gave a small smile of gratitude. “I truly appreciate everything you’ve done.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else, dear.” Gail still went about making them a pot of tea, using Devyn’s old teakettle that was used more for a stovetop decoration than anything else. She turned the burner on high and then joined Devyn back at the table. “I told Katie to stay at home with the children since Jay was out of town on business. The boys don’t need to see Diesel this way and they’d just worry all night long.”

Devyn’s door swung open to reveal Doc and Jack Dixon. She was surprised when Jack didn’t stop to talk to Trigger, with the exception to give Diesel a gentle pat, but instead walked directly over to where she and Gail were seated. He frowned at Devyn’s hands before tenderly taking her wrists and pulling her into a standing position to give her the biggest bear hug she’d ever received…and that was saying something because no one gave better embraces of that comforting kind than Joey.

“I’m glad to hear that you’re all right, Devyn,” Jack said gruffly, pulling away and clasping both of her shoulders. “I’m going to suggest it to Trigger, but I think the two of you would be safer staying at the house. We have—”

“I appreciate the offer, Mr. Dixon,” Devyn started to say before Doc intervened.

“We were actually going to talk to you about that,” Doc said, making himself comfortable by leaning up against the counter and crossing his arms. “Please don’t make up any rooms on our account. Devyn is technically safer here with the new security system that Trigger had installed earlier today. Gunny and I are going to take rotating shifts and stay downstairs monitoring the security feed while Trigger and Devyn get some rest.”

Devyn didn’t want that either, but it wasn’t an option from the look Trigger was giving her. She was well aware this sort of thing was what they did for a living, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. They were all putting their lives on the line for her and she’d honestly never thought of it like that before. Diesel could have easily been killed all because she hadn’t taken precautions when approaching a back door that never should have been left open to begin with. It had been a setup from the start and she’d fallen for it.

“I guess I can see the basis for that, but I don’t have to like it.” Jack frowned as he finally released Devyn to lean down and give Gail a kiss on her cheek. She took the time to rub his hand now settled on her shoulder in a unity that only a marriage could form. How had they remained married for so many years? They were one of the few marriages she was aware of to make a go of it. They were also treating her as if she was family and it was very awkward. She wasn’t quite sure how to react. “This town is on edge, especially after this man targeted Devyn…and in such a public area too. Not to mention hurting Diesel. We need to come together as a community to smoke this son of a bitch out. Someone has to know who it is. Somebody has to have some idea.”

“It’s not that easy, Dad,” Trigger said, turning on the couch so that he was facing everyone in the kitchen. His dark eyes immediately sought out Devyn’s and her heart fluttered at the tenderness he displayed. She was coming to depend on him emotionally and it scared her to think of what her life was going to be like when this was all over. “We believe it
is
someone in this community and that’s why everyone needs to take extra precautions.”

The men started to debate about how to go about finding a killer who apparently thought Devyn was now a threat to his existence. It hadn’t started out that way, so why suddenly did he want her out of the picture? Maybe this entire killing spree hadn’t been about the
Famous Five
. The teakettle started to whistle and Gail stood after giving Devyn’s knee a small pat of reassurance.

“John will keep you safe,” Gail said with every confidence a mother had in her child. It puzzled Devyn that this compassionate and loving woman handled her son’s livelihood in such a collected manner. “Although I don’t doubt that you can take care of yourself.”

“How did you handle it when John went into the military?” Devyn asked before she could stop herself. She winced at the ease in which she probed Gail, knowing it wasn’t the polite thing to do. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you that.”

“Why shouldn’t you be curious?” Gail inquired as she poured the steaming hot water over two tea bags inside the cups she’d set out earlier. “John is a big part of your life now, Devyn. As was Joey in ours. The two of them were inseparable and I will forever be grateful to your brother for the friendship and love he showed John. Every person needs a friendship like that in his or her lives. It broke our hearts to see Joey pull away after John deployed, but that’s also life. Everyone’s path moves in different directions. What’s important is for them to know they always have a place to come home to.”

“Joey loved all of you very much,” Devyn explained, her throat closing off as she tried to get out the rest of the words. Again, the grief of losing her brother came at odd times, bringing tears to her eyes. Would it always be like this? She missed him so much and in her mind she understood she was using this investigation as a means to escape all of her pent-up emotions. Maybe that’s why she was so scared to see John return to San Diego, because it would truly leave her alone to her own devices. “Joey just needed to find himself after John left. He didn’t mean to push all of you away. And he really did enjoy the times you would stop at the bar and talk with him.”

“Do you know that was the highlight of our week?” Gail finally put the teakettle back onto the stove before picking up the two cups and joining Devyn back at the table. “I would go home and email John every detail of our conversations so he wouldn’t feel left out. John may get to travel the world—and love it with all of his being—but his heart will always be here in Amberton, Mississippi.”

“Don’t you worry about John when you can’t reach him?” Devyn asked, already knowing the answer and not even sure why she’d asked it. She reached for the sugar bowl Gail had placed on the table earlier, ignoring the slight burn it caused in the palm of her hand. She was careful to use only her fingers as she held the spoon. “I mean, of course you do. It’s just the not knowing if he’s okay…”

“Don’t you worry about him, too?” Gail gently probed in a manner only a mother could. Devyn had walked into that trap all by herself and she didn’t see a way out. She used the cup of tea in front of her as an excuse not to look up. “I see the way my son looks at you, Devyn. You’ve always kept yourself at a distance, as if we wouldn’t approve. I’d like you to know that we think the world of you, Devyn. We’ve watched you grow up from an adorable little girl in pigtails into a beautiful, independent woman. You’re an intelligent, compassionate, strong-willed individual whom we admire very much. I know I’m speaking out of turn and John will most certainly let me know that when he finds out we’ve had this conversation, but I hope you resolve whatever is holding you back.”

Devyn still didn’t look up from straining the remaining water out of her tea bag. She wasn’t sure what to say. There was a mixture of awe and relief coursing through her and she wasn’t even sure why. Had she honestly cared what Mr. and Mrs. Dixon thought of her? Apparently, or else hearing the approval in Gail’s voice wouldn’t have made such an impact. She even went one step further and caused Devyn’s stomach to twist in knots that she’d just set herself up for failure.