When A Heart Stops Part 11

Did he?

Then again, why not?

Like she said, she wasn't twelve anymore.

He left her in the kitchen and walked to the front door. Out of habit and self-preservation, he stood to the side and peeked out the window.

No one stood on the porch.

Uneasiness tightened his gut.

His hand reached for the weapon that was never too far from his fingertips.

"What is it?" Serena asked from the doorway.

"I'm not sure. Some kids playing around maybe." Dominic reached for the doork.n.o.b, then hesitated. He walked into the den and pulled back the curtain that would allow him to see the front porch.

The porch light illuminated the area. No one stood on his porch.

He looked down and his eyes landed on a package sitting on the top step.

Closing the blinds, Dominic said, "Stay here."

"Why?"

"Someone left a package for me on the step. I'm going out the back door and around the side of the house."

He wasn't about to open the front door and expose himself. Dominic hesitated, his fingers hovering over the speed dial number. Then he looked at Serena. He wasn't going to place her at risk. He called for backup, then said, "I may be jumping the gun here, but right now I only know one person who's been leaving packages that look like that. If he's around here, I want this area searched."

"Do you think he's still out there?"

"One way to find out."

"You're going after him?" Worry creased her forehead.

"Yes."

If the person who left the package wanted to play sneaky, Dominic would oblige him. "You have your phone?"

"Right here." She pulled it from the pocket of her shorts, her eyes troubled, scared, yet determined to help him.

"Call my number."

She did and he answered. "Now stay on the line. Do you mind standing off to the side here and watching the porch? If you see anything that looks suspicious, any movement or whatever, let me know, but don't open the door or move in front of the window."

She took up her position next to the window. "Okay."

Dominic whirled and headed through the kitchen to the back door. After a look through the window, he checked the lock and backtracked, pa.s.sing a curious-and worried, if he was reading her eyes right-Serena to find himself in his bedroom. No way was he using a door right now.

He went to the window, opened it, and climbed out.

He never kept a screen on his bedroom window simply for speed's sake. He never knew when he might need to get out fast. Or quiet. Like now.

Landing on the soft earth, he crouched, weapon ready.

Nerves jumping, Serena peered out the window and kept her eye on the porch and the area illuminated by the light that stretched a few feet beyond.

Where was Dominic's backup?

She saw nothing, but that didn't stop her blood from humming a little faster in her veins. And then a shadow pa.s.sed just on the outer edge of where the light reached.

Serena brought the phone up, her heart thudding a little faster. "Dominic, I think someone's still out front. Beyond the light, back in the shadows."

"Heading that way."

"Be careful," she whispered. "Please be careful."

She kept her eyes on the spot where she thought she'd seen something, then scanned beyond. Nothing else caught her attention. Had it just been her imagination?

Serena bit her lip and said a prayer for Dominic's safety. Then considered her options. Did she stand here in wait-and-see mode? Or did she do something to prepare herself for . . . for what?

For an attack? Was there anything she could do to help Dominic? She s.h.i.+vered as she listened for his voice to come over the line. So far, just quiet stillness echoed in her ear.

Dominic scoured the area, probing the darkness, examining each shadow. And still he had nothing. He'd investigated the area where Serena thought she saw movement, but by the time he arrived, if someone had been there, he was gone, leaving Dominic no way to track him in the dark.

He stopped. Stood completely still, kept his back to a tree, and closed his eyes. And listened.

Night sounds. The flap of a bird's wings?

A branch snapping to his left?

He spun, started toward the sound.

But heard nothing more.

His nerves s.h.i.+vered and the hair on the back of his neck lifted.

Feeling exposed, he stayed in the shadows, but that didn't settle his uneasiness, his belief that someone had been there watching his every move.

The half moon illuminated the area away from the shadows pretty well. Dominic approached the porch, glancing over his shoulder with every step. Through the trees, in the direction of the street that ran behind his backyard, he thought he saw flas.h.i.+ng blue lights headed his way.

Within seconds the first car pulled into the drive. Colton climbed out, weapon drawn. "Heard your call on my radio. Where is he?"

"Out here somewhere." He motioned toward the area. Three more cruisers parked on the curb and Dominic flashed his badge at them. "He could be long gone by now-then again, he might be nearby. Keep your guard up."

The officers dispersed and Dominic waited for the last vehicle. The bomb squad. The dark van crunched to a stop and a large German shepherd led his handler out. Dominic saw Jessica Goode follow, the dog's leash wrapped around her left hand. "Where is it?"

"On the porch."

Jessica led the dog to it and said, "Search, Buddy."

Buddy sniffed, walked around the package and back, but gave no sign that anything was going to explode. Jessica looked at Dominic. "He didn't sit, it's clear."

"Great. Thanks." Jessica and Buddy disappeared back into the van and Dominic walked up the steps to rap on his front door.

Within two seconds, the k.n.o.b turned and the door opened. Dominic told Serena, "Will you grab me a pair of gloves from under my bathroom sink?"

"Sure." She turned and within seconds was back. He took the gloves from her and pulled them on. Then he grabbed the package and slipped inside. Serena shut the door behind him.

Dominic carried the package into the kitchen and set it on the counter.

Serena tilted her head and looked at it. "It's not a bomb, is it?"

He shook his head, studying the package. "No, the dog cleared it. But I didn't really think it was a bomb anyway. I also figured the person who left it here had to carry it a pretty long way, because I didn't hear a vehicle leave." Or footsteps or anything else that indicated someone had been near his front porch.

"Which means the person came in on foot-or bicycle-and left the same way. Why?"

"Because he didn't want to take a chance on being seen in a car. Too easy to identify it." He shrugged. "But who knows?"

Another rap on the door sounded and Dominic opened it to let Colton in. "Ready to join the party again?" he asked.

"You going to open it?" Colton jutted his chin toward the box in Dominic's hands.

"Yep."

"Have at it then. The officers are still searching, but I think your gifter is long gone."

Dominic reached for the edge of the tape on the box and paused. "I know it's not going to explode, but I'd feel better if I knew what was in here before opening it."

"I would too," Serena said.

He looked for a return address.

Blank.

Colton shook his head. "You think it's from the killer?"

"I don't know. Could be some kind of prank, but I'd still like to X-ray it before I open it. Just to be on the safe side."

Serena tilted her head, still studying the small box. "It looks just like the one left by Leslie's killer."

A s.h.i.+ver crept up his spine even though she was only confirming what he'd already observed. "Yeah, I'd noticed that. It's a different color, but it's the same style and material. A smooth, almost plastic feel. And the corners are rounded."

"We can take it to my office to X-ray or take it straight to Rick and let him do it. Whichever you prefer."

Troubled, he rubbed his head, feeling the stiff curls against his palm. "I could send it off and have it done or call the bomb squad back, but that takes time and I want to know what's in here. Now." He never was very good at waiting. He did it when he had to, but if there was a way around it . . . He nodded. "Okay, let's go."

Colton agreed to stay until the officers were finished and call with a report.

Within minutes, Serena and Dominic were in his car, heading toward the morgue. Once there, Serena used her key and led him to the room containing the X-ray machine. Dominic settled the package where she indicated. In moments, she was finished. "Now, I'll just put these here." She slid the large black slides into place and clicked the backlight on.

The contents appeared in milky white form.

Serena drew in a deep breath. "Another doll."

Dominic's mouth pulled, his gaze still on the picture on the wall. "But why send it to me?" His eyes met hers. "The killer's connected us. Put us together on this."

"But why?"

He went still and lifted a hand to rub his chin. He looked at her. A look that made her uneasy. "What?" she pressed him.

"Somehow he knows we're working together. He knows you're the ME working on the body and he knows I'm the lead investigator. And for some reason, he wants us to know that he knows and that he's watching." A frown pulled his brows down.

Serena gulped. "He followed us today, didn't he?"

"Yes." Dominic nodded. "I'm sure he did. And he waited until everyone left before he put that package on my front porch. I need to warn the others." He reached for his phone.

"Why?"

"Because they were with us tonight. They need to know they might be receiving interesting packages on their front porches."

Serena left him to make the phone calls and turned back to study the X-ray, but it was too hard to tell what the doll looked like, other than long wavy hair.

Curling her fingers into a fist, Serena forced herself to be patient.

For the next few minutes, Dominic made calls and Serena checked her email on her phone. When he hung up, she asked, "Anyone get anything suspicious?"

"Nothing."

"So, you were just the lucky one."

"Hi, guys, what's going on?" Dorie King pushed her cleaning cart into the room. She squinted as she saw Serena and Dominic's serious expressions. "Everything all right?"

"Just working on something," Serena said. "This is Special Agent Dominic Allen with the FBI. Dominic, meet Dorie King, a future medical examiner."

The two exchanged greetings. Dorie started emptying the trash, and Serena asked Dominic, "Should we call Rick?"

He nodded. "I did. He's on his way. Said he'd be about ten minutes. I offered to bring the box over to the lab, but he said he didn't want us handling it any more than necessary."

"So, what's in there?" Dorie eyed the box, a gleam in her eyes.

Serena bit her lip on a smile. Dorie was going to make an excellent ME one day. With her insatiable curiosity and an eye for details, she had a great career ahead of her.

"Evidence for a case, we believe." Serena paused. She exchanged a look with Dominic, who gave a slight shake of his red head. Serena said, "I don't think this is something we can share right now, Dorie. Why don't you give us a few minutes?"

Dorie's face dropped, but she said, "Sure, sure. I understand. I've got the rooms down the hall to take care of." She spun the cart and headed toward the door. Turning back, she asked, "Will thirty or forty-five minutes work?"

"That should be perfect." Serena smiled her thanks and looked at Dominic. "Coffee?"