Mrs. Tanner obviously didn’t consider hurting an animal to be much of a crime. In fact, she spent the next thirty minutes sitting in the chair, complaining about the disinterest of the police while portraying Billy as the smartest, kindest and most upstanding teenager in California: how he took the bus to school each morning and never skipped a class, how he faithfully was doing court-ordered community service at the police barn, and how he never failed to gather every single chicken egg.

  She went on to praise his older brother Jack in the same manner, glossing over the fact that he’d been picked up last year for running with a gang, and that Child Protective Services had been involved. Mrs. Tanner’s strong opinions might be irritating, but she was obviously loyal to her two grandsons.

  Nikki leaned further back in her chair. The Taylor Agency would not be a good fit for this woman. They probably wouldn’t give her the time of day. It was also unlikely Mrs. Tanner could afford their fee. Her gaze drifted to the corner of the room where Gunner used to lie. He was probably in the infrared room now. With a little luck, she’d be able to take him home in another month.

  “What are you looking at?” Mrs. Tanner demanded, twisting and spotting Gunner’s empty bed. “Do you let dogs in here? I think animals should be kept outside where they belong.” Shaking her head, she straightened, her voice rising. “So you see! Billy wouldn’t run away.”

  “I do see,” Nikki said. “But at this point you might be wasting your money hiring an investigator. I recommend you wait a few more days. Based on your description”—and she didn’t try to keep the coolness from her voice—“a nice kid like Billy will want to come home to help you out.”

  “But that’s my point. If he didn’t come home last Saturday, it means he can’t. I just w-wish someone would believe m-me.”

  Nikki swallowed, affected by the quaver in Mrs. Tanner’s voice. Nikki hadn’t expected that. The woman was wrapped in opinions but for a moment she had shown a vulnerable side. And that moved Nikki far more than the woman’s colored opinions.

  “Mrs. Tanner,” Nikki said, “Billy was doing long hours of community service for maliciously injuring a horse. And his brother has gang contacts. Isn’t it possible the police are correct? And that Billy voluntarily left?”

  Mrs. Tanner jerked forward, slamming her cane against the floor. “You’re just like them! I thought after how long you looked for your sister that you’d understand about family, how it feels when someone disappears. But I was wrong. You’re no better than the cops.”

  She spat out the words as if being compared to the police was the worst thing in the world. And in her experience, maybe it was.

  “I take every disappearance seriously,” Nikki said. “And I do understand. But your other grandson left home many times before and is definitely streetwise. You stated he was picked up while running with a gang. So there is recurring history of one grandson that could affect the other. And please, if you want me to seriously consider taking your case, you need to stop waving that cane.”

  Mrs. Tanner’s knuckles whitened around the handle. For a moment it seemed as if she’d swing it in Nikki’s direction. A moment later though, she hung the cane on the arm of her chair. She harrumphed for several seconds and it was clear apologies were difficult for her.

  “It’s just that I’m the only one looking out for those two boys,” Mrs. Tanner said. “Been that way since their mom died. And this behavior isn’t like Billy. You gotta believe me!” Her voice was gathering strength again. “He wouldn’t run away. Not Billy. He wouldn’t just disappear!”

  “Even though he’d been given probation and two hundred hours of community service?” Nikki asked, her voice not ungentle. “Working at a police stable would be tough for anyone but especially for a teen who—”

  “Who burned a police horse.” Mrs. Tanner gave a grudging nod. “Yes, I know. But he didn’t know that animal was in the trailer. He really didn’t. And the police might hate him for it, but Billy agreed to the service. He wanted to make up for his mistake. He wouldn't quit. Look, I can pay you. Not right now but I’ll pay a little every month. No matter the cost. Please, you gotta find him.”

  Nikki studied Mrs. Tanner but saw no hint of deceit, only a woman who was accustomed to fighting for everything she owned. Her earlier belligerence was gone, replaced by desperation. The woman truly believed her grandson hadn’t chosen to disappear.

  But Nikki wasn’t ready to take on a new case. Her mind wasn’t in the right place. And she could afford to take some time off. Quite likely the kid was sleeping in a park somewhere. Or making more Molotov cocktails.

  She rolled a pen between her fingers. She’d intended to call another agency, make sure Mrs. Tanner found someone who’d look after her. It would be challenging though to find a reputable investigator who’d give this case much time, considering the boys’ history.

  But even if Billy was an unfeeling punk, his grandmother deserved answers. She had sat outside Nikki’s office door for five hours. Dressed up in her Sunday best and, judging by the smell of oil, had polished her worn leather shoes. That effort moved Nikki. She remembered how her mother had applied careful makeup before every police meeting. And if Mrs. Tanner’s grandson really was in trouble...

  Nikki tugged her chair a little closer. “I expect my clients to be totally honest,” she said. “It’s necessary if we’re to have results. So please answer this: Are you sure Billy’s not involved with a gang?”

  “Absolutely sure.” Mrs. Tanner’s voice rang with conviction. “Jack was. But not Billy.”

  “Okay,” Nikki said, pulling out her notepad. “I’ll need a recent picture. And any other details that can help. Names of friends, hobbies and places he might be hanging out, like a favorite park or mall.”

  Mrs. Tanner shook her head even as she plucked a clump of papers from her purse. “I have a recent picture and some media clippings, but nothing else. Like I said, Billy’s a real country boy. Never slept anywhere but his own bed.”

  “What about girlfriends? Cell phone number? Instagram or other social media accounts?” Private investigators didn’t have many more privileges than citizens but Nikki had cultivated contacts in the various police departments, and much of her legwork was simply knowing who to call. And social media accounts were always a wealth of information.

  But Mrs. Tanner gave another headshake. “He didn’t have any close friends, not since our neighbors moved away. And he doesn’t own a cell phone. The service is too spotty where we live. There’s nothing else to tell. Just that he always came home.”

  Her shoulders sagged. She seemed less combative now. More fragile. “Please find him,” she muttered. “Billy means the world to me. He’s a sweet boy.”

  Not so sweet he wouldn’t burn a helpless horse, Nikki thought, still fighting her ambivalence. She knew an officer in the city’s mounted unit and no doubt Lara also found Billy’s actions reprehensible. The police had probably been pushing the kid hard, delighted that the court had assigned community work with their stable. Shoveling shit off the street, cleaning up after their mounted patrols, was no teen’s idea of a good time. Especially when it was in view of his peers.

  Billy was probably sleeping on a bench somewhere, hoping if he stayed away long enough his problems would disappear. Fourteen-year-olds thought like that. She’d been the same way at his age. Had known every nook and cranny of the city parks, and where the police were most likely to leave her alone.

  But Mrs. Tanner was genuinely concerned about her grandson. It probably wouldn’t take long to find him, although at the end of the day, Mrs. Tanner might not see Billy through such rose-colored glasses.

  Nikki shuffled through the well-worn clippings Mrs. Tanner had placed on the desk and pulled out his picture. Billy was a handsome boy—dark hair, brown eyes and a nice smile—but unfortunately his appearance was similar to a lot of teens. Only his clothing was different. Certainly his hunter plaid shirt differed from the typical tee favored by most kids that age. “Does he always dress like this?” she asked. “Is this what he was wearing last Saturday?”

  “Yes, he always wore work shirts and jeans. Billy never cared much about clothes, not like his older brother.” Mrs. Tanner brightened. “So you’ll look? You’ll find him? I have seventy-four dollars in my purse. I’ll give you more later, whatever it costs.”

  “Don’t worry.” Nikki pulled out a contract, already resolved to give Mrs. Tanner the lowest possible rate. “It probably won’t take much time. Just remember that Billy might not be where you expect.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Hi, Nikki,” Sgt. Lara McCullough said, striding up to the steel mesh fence while shading her eyes against the lowering sun. She punched in a security code and opened the gate, all the while peering over Nikki’s shoulder. “Nice to see you again. Is Justin with you?”

  “No,” Nikki said. “I’m working my own investigation.”

  The disappointment on Lara’s face was almost comical but Nikki pretended not to notice. And perhaps she hadn’t been completely open when she’d called Lara, asking to meet about a case. Still, it was Lara’s mistake, to assume that Justin would be with her.

  “I don’t have much time.” Lara spoke a little more crisply now, clicking the gate shut so fast it brushed Nikki’s heels. “I just turned Guinness out for a quick roll and need to take him inside for night feed.”

  “He’s a big boy,” Nikki said, checking out the thick-necked black horse in the sand paddock. He looked vaguely familiar, big boned with feet the size of dinner plates.

  “An Irish Draught,” Lara said. She led the way across the parking area, skirting the lone vehicle in the lot, a silver pickup with a bright parking decal. “You saw Guinness at the K9 center working over his fear of dogs. He’s good now, the perfect temperament for a police horse. Also a great size for crowd control.”

  Nikki remembered the occasion, her first visit to the K9 center. It had been obvious then that Lara and Justin shared some history. In fact, at one time Nikki had been rather worried about Justin’s friendship with the attractive cop.

  “Was Guinness working today?” Nikki asked.

  “Yes, we helped with a parade by City Hall. It went well. Patrolling on horseback is much more fun than being in a vehicle. It’s nice working with a partner who never talks back.” Lara paused, her face shadowing. “I was sorry to hear that your dog took a bullet. Justin said he’s coming along well and might even be able to walk normally again.”

  “Not just walk. He’s going to run.”

  “Let’s hope so,” Lara said.

  Nikki turned away from the skepticism on the woman’s face, watching Guinness roll until the faint saddle marks were coated with a layer of sand. “Your horse looks fit. Barely sweating.”

  “He’s in great shape,” Lara said proudly. “A gentle giant. Everyone loves him. Except maybe the shoplifter we caught yesterday. It helps to see the street from high up and people respect a horse. It took him a while to get used to barking dogs but now he’s the perfect partner.”

  “Do people ever try to scare him? Hurt him?”

  Lara’s eyes flashed with indignation. “Over my dead body,” she said. “And he’s young but not easy to scare. All of our horses are conditioned to stay calm. In chases, fights, all sorts of commotion. Most perps just give up when we get close.”

  “I can imagine the bond that grows between horse and rider,” Nikki said, watching Lara’s expression. “Like human and K9. We do what we can to protect them. And want to retaliate if someone hurts them.”

  Lara’s eyes narrowed. “Is this visit about Billy Tanner? His grandmother said she was hiring an investigator. We really don’t know why the kid ghosted. Sure, we were angry but we didn’t run him off. There are only six mounted officers here and everyone was civil. Admittedly, it took a bit longer for Smitty but even he softened.”

  “Was it Smitty’s horse that Billy burned?”

  “Yes. Smitty had hauled back late after reinforcing security at the fairground. He was inside unpacking his tack while Radar was tied in the trailer. A bunch of teens were hanging outside the gate, catcalling and rattling the mesh. At some point it escalated and they tossed a couple Molotov cocktails over the fence. Nothing hit Smitty’s truck but one landed in the trailer and burned Radar’s back. His screams were horrible. Smitty was as traumatized as the horse.”

  Nikki pivoted, studying the lot. Two surveillance cameras were mounted beside prominent flood lights, along with a six-foot-high mesh fence topped with three strands of imposing wire. A person would need excellent aim, and a strong arm, to chuck a firebomb over the high fence and through the rear of a trailer.

  “Did you replace the horse trailer?” Nikki asked. “Or was it salvageable?”

  “No, we don’t have the budget and the insurance company deemed it fixable. We had new flooring and a paint job. It’s back in service but now we have to park in the patrolled police lot at the corner of Waterloo and Main. It’s a hassle, takes an extra half hour at the beginning and end of each day. Luckily City Hall is in riding distance.”

  “And the lights and cameras were operational that night?”

  “Yes, that’s why we saw Billy’s face. He had to step really close to the fence to make the throw. He came in to the station a couple days later and confessed.”

  Nikki eyed the thick brush around the fence. They were lucky Billy was caught on camera. It would take time to obtain a copy of the police report through regular channels. But she had a contact inside who would help.

  She turned toward the shadowed opening of the barn, imagining Radar’s panic, confined in a horse trailer with fire exploding around him. When she found this cowardly kid, she intended to scare the shit out of him before sending him back to his grandmother’s forgiving arms. “How is Radar doing now?” she asked.

  “He’s healing. Come see.”

  Nikki pulled in a fortifying breath. She was too much of an animal lover to be keen to see an injury, and dealing with Gunner’s rehab had left her hyper sensitive to what four-legged partners risked every day on the job. But she steeled her shoulders and followed Lara inside the barn.

  “There are seven police horses,” Lara said, gesturing at the line of stalls. “Six officers, one spare horse. We do all the work ourselves. Feed, clean, groom plus manage our patrols. At the end of every ride, we go back and pick up manure from any streets with pedestrian traffic. That’s so time consuming. Luckily the court often assigns someone to do that for community service. We’ve had everyone from shoplifters to sports and TV celebrities. Lately, Billy Tanner was working for us on the weekends...up until last Saturday.”

  “Was there anything different about that day?” Nikki asked. “Something that might have made him want to throw down his shovel?”

  “Nothing that came from us,” Lara said with a shrug. “He picked up manure around Main Street Mall. Checked the water troughs in a couple horse friendly alleys. There may have been some heckling, and a couple of the panhandlers can be a bit obnoxious. Nothing unusual though. Billy seemed cool with it all. And Smitty said everything was normal when the kid left for the night.”

  “So Smitty was the last one to see him?”

  “Correct,” Lara said, her voice a bit more crisp. “Smitty was the last officer here on Saturday.”

  The night Billy didn’t return to his grandmother’s house. “How did they get along?” Nikki asked. “It must have been a little tense. Especially for Smitty, considering it was his horse that Billy hurt.”

  “Maybe it was at first,” Lara admitted. “But we all got over it. It was certainly convenient to have someone picking up our manure.”

  “Still, to have to see the teen who deliberately hurt Radar.”

  “I don’t like where you’re going with this,” Lara said, aggressively hiking her gun belt. But she was petite and much shorter than Nikki’s five foot six, so the move just looked amusing, like a kid dressed up as a cowboy struggling to handle a twenty-pound weight.

  “Billy is one of the best workers we ever had,” Lara added, her voice rising. “He saved us a lot of time and always volunteered to do more. Like I told you on the phone, we didn’t run him off.”

  Nikki gave a soothing nod. Antagonizing this woman wouldn’t help. Besides she didn’t doubt Lara’s facts; any friend of Justin’s was trustworthy. But sometimes people formed the wrong impressions and it was Nikki’s job to sift through it, no matter where it took her.

  “We all liked Billy,” Lara muttered, calming somewhat as she turned and continued down the aisle. “Maybe at first we got some digs in. Hazed him a bit. But media reports made Radar’s injury sound like a deliberate murder attempt. And then that animal rights blogger exaggerated it even more. Billy always claimed he didn’t know Radar was tied in the trailer, and after we got to know the kid, we believed him.”

  Nikki remained quiet. Most people liked to fill the silence and Lara was no exception. But Nikki made a mental note to dig up the blogger’s post. Billy may not have a social media presence, but someone seemed to have thrust him into the limelight.

  Lara stopped in front of an airy box stall surrounded by the smell of fresh shavings and the hint of aloe ointment. A tall black horse with a white face poked his head over the door, curious but untroubled.

  “This is Radar,” Lara said. The horse stretched his neck out until his head rested on Lara’s shoulder. She affectionately scratched the underside of his jaw and he grunted, his eyes rolling in pleasure.

  “The vet says he’ll have scars,” Lara said, “and the hair won’t ever grow back around his spine. But he’s going to be okay. Smitty is having a special saddle pad made. Radar might not be happy about walking onto a trailer again though so we’ll have to work around that. Fortunately his lungs weren’t damaged.”