Dante looked at Joe, astounded. “How the hell did you live through that?”
“One day at a time,” Joe replied thoughtfully. “When I got back from my second tour, I met Ruby, and she changed my life. The love of a good woman can do a lot for a man. I never forgot the friends I lost, but I try to honor them by living a good life. Amesport has been good to me.”
“Are you originally from here?” Dante asked curiously.
“Born and raised. Found Ruby here and she was all grown up when I came back home from Vietnam,” Joe answered with a smile.
They continued to watch the team work silently for a few minutes before Joe looked at Sarah. “You have any idea who would do this, Doc? Considering the circumstances, I think we have to assume that it could have something to do with what happened to you in Chicago.”
Sarah shuddered. “It could have been anyone. Maybe it was drug related, or troubled kids.”
Joe knew all about her history because the case in Chicago was still open. She’d given him the basics about the situation when she’d moved to Amesport.
“Looks like there was plenty of stuff that could have been sold for drug money, but they broke it instead. Sarah, I know it’s a scary possibility, but we need to be prepared. I need to put the force on alert for this guy. After the evidence is gathered, you can see if anything’s missing. But we have to consider the possibility,” Joe told her in a stern but kindly voice.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Dante demanded. “What happened in Chicago?”
“That’s for Sarah to share with you, son. If she hasn’t, then she doesn’t want to.”
Sarah shuddered, and her blood seemed to turn to ice. She didn’t want to think about that possibility at all. Moving to Amesport had been her escape. She was supposed to be safe here. However, her rational brain kicked in, and she knew she had to face facts. “I guess it’s possible.”
“I’ll get in touch with the Chicago police. See if they have anything new and let them know what happened here,” Joe said, his voice emanating regret.
“Will I be able to get back into my house?” Sarah asked, knowing she would probably never sleep a wink after what had happened here.
“No. Not right now. And you shouldn’t be alone,” Joe answered firmly.
“She won’t be. She’ll be with me,” Dante answered forcefully, the tone of his voice unyielding.
“I don’t have anything. No clothing—”
“We’ll get whatever you need. You can’t go in there right now. I don’t know exactly why your house was targeted, or what happened in Chicago, but somebody obviously wants you dead. This looks like something they did in a rage because they didn’t find you here.” Dante looked at Sarah with a pissed-off scowl. “You’re going to fill me in on who wants you dead.”
“You okay with that, Doc?” Joe questioned, looking at Sarah for confirmation.
“For tonight,” Sarah agreed, knowing she couldn’t get back into her house until the team was done collecting evidence and the mess was cleaned up.
Dante shot her a look that guaranteed they would argue later, but Sarah would worry about that once the trauma of seeing her house destroyed had passed. Right now she was still shaken, and she wasn’t able to reason anything out. All she wanted was the comfort of knowing Dante was close.
“Are you carrying, Detective Sinclair?” Joe scanned Dante’s body with his sharp brown eyes.
Dante reached behind him and slowly pulled the gun from his waistband. “In Los Angeles, I’m always carrying. I didn’t think it was necessary here. But I had my Beretta in the truck.” He handed the gun to Joe. “From now on, I’ll always be carrying.”
“So you’re a Beretta man,” Joe said, examining the weapon before handing it back to Dante.
“I have a Glock at home, too. Just so you know,” Dante informed him.
“I have no problem with you carrying, especially now that you’re looking after Sarah. Just watch yourselves and call me if anything out of the ordinary happens,” Joe advised.
The two men exchanged phone numbers before Dante took Sarah’s hand and starting leading her to the truck.
“Coco!” Sarah exclaimed. “I have to take her with me.”
The moment her pup heard her name, she was at Sarah’s feet. Dante leaned down and scooped her up with one hand. “I’ve got her.”
Sarah took Coco from Dante after she clambered into the passenger seat of his truck. The dog cuddled against her and laid her small head on Sarah’s chest, as though the animal knew that Sarah was distressed. She tightened her hold on her pet, feeling like she needed every bit of comfort she could get.
CHAPTER 8
Dante’s rage just kept rising to the surface as he looked through the police records of Sarah’s case. Just a few phone calls had gotten the information delivered to his personal computer. He didn’t give a shit if it was questionable that he was reviewing records while he wasn’t on duty, studying a case that wasn’t anywhere close to his own jurisdiction. He was a goddamn cop twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and this was personal.
Sarah had been silent on the drive home and had spoken to him only to ask for one of his T-shirts to sleep in. She’d showered and retreated to a guest room, barely saying a word. For the first time since he’d met her, she looked fragile and terrified. Dante didn’t like it. He wanted to see her smiling again right fucking now.
Bastard!