“I heard that on the video call.” Aurora wanted to roll her hands, one over the other, as if tumbling downhill, to hurry him up. Instead, she clasped her fingers together in her lap and waited.

  “There is a shipment of guns due to be moved soon, probably this week, destined for the Badlands. We’re setting up to intercept and hopefully capture what’s left of the gang.” His hesitancy bothered her. She swiveled as far as the seat belt would allow to face him. To see what was so troubling. “And…what else?”

  “If I needed proof of who the shooter on my property was working for, I got it when he was arrested inside the fence. We haven’t gotten a confession but he’s definitely part of the trafficking operation. We have telephoto pictures of him with some of the others.”

  Her mind raced. How could that be? “But, if that’s true, then why did he shoot at Maddie’s car?”

  “It may not have been him,” Daniel said. He was slowly shaking his head. “I know you thought it was the same man you saw drive by but it might not have been.”

  “He looked like the picture you showed me.”

  “I know. But the car was speeding and you were moving at the time, so it’s possible you made a mistake.”

  She pulled a face and folded her arms. “Okay. Go on. What else?”

  “My team suspects that I was the target, not you.”

  “Is that supposed to make me relax? Because if it is, it’s not working.”

  He huffed. “No. It’s supposed to explain why I need to move my family. The local PD has assigned a couple of officers to get your cousin to and from the courthouse for the trial that starts tomorrow.”

  “Maybe you don’t need to protect me at all,” Aurora offered. “If the first shooter was after you, maybe she and I are both safe now.”

  He shook his head. “That doesn’t explain the guys in her apartment.”

  “Hmm. I’d forgotten about them.” She brightened. “Still, not my problem, right?”

  “Except for your ability to identify the drive-by gunman.”

  “You just told me I got that wrong!”

  “I know that and you know that but that’s no guarantee they know it.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re a very exasperating person.”

  Daniel chuckled. “So I’ve been told.”

  “Okay. Let me get this straight. There’s a criminal out to get me, a criminal out to get you, a crazed gunman after my cousin and a big gun bust about to take place. Anything else?”

  “Yes. My team members and their families are all in the crosshairs of the Jones/Murray gang. That’s not supposition, it’s fact. We have info from more than one source that confirms the threats. You, by association at the murder scene of Lila Pierce, have been added to the list. I don’t like it any more than you do, but that’s how it is.”

  Slumping back against the seat, Aurora sighed. What he’d said made a little sense but only assuming he was right. “I’m still not convinced that I should be included,” she argued. “If the prowler at your house was after you and we assume the shooter who damaged Maddie’s car was too, I should be in the clear.”

  “That’s a lot of assumption.”

  “It’s more likely than what you came up with.”

  “You’re a hardheaded woman,” Daniel said, “Know that?”

  Trying not to smile, she made another silly face at him. “What took you so long?”

  “Oh, I knew it before. I’m just a touch amazed to see how unconcerned you seem to be about being shot at.”

  “Well, I don’t have a death wish, if that’s what you’re hinting at. I fully intend to live as long as possible.”

  “That’s comforting to hear.”

  “What I’m trying to say is that I think you’re overreacting. All I have to do is go home and mind my own business and I’ll be fine.”

  “You hope.”

  “Tell you what,” she said, choosing her words carefully, “Run me by my place and at least let me get some more clothes. The stuff Jenna picked isn’t exactly what I like to wear.”

  “We can buy you new stuff.”

  “I need to go feed my goldfish,” Aurora said with a lopsided smile.

  Daniel’s head snapped around. He was scowling. “You have a goldfish?”

  She had to laugh. “No, but I might buy one soon. Come on, Agent Slater, be a pal. Take me to my apartment. Please?”

  Watching varied emotions crossing his face, she could tell when he’d made his decision.

  “Fine. But we go pick up Dakota first. I feel like I’m only half prepared when she’s not by my side.”

  “Works for me. I kind of miss the sweetheart, myself.”

  “She’s not a pet,” Daniel warned.

  Aurora chuckled again. “I’ve seen her relate to Joy. She may be formidable when she’s wearing her K-9 unit vest but take it off and she’s a big hairy teddy bear.”

  “With a tail wag that can knock Joy down if Dakota’s not careful. Get thumped by it and you may get a bruise.”

  “I’ll take my chances,” Aurora said.

  When Daniel replied, “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she knew he was no longer referring to his canine partner. The concept almost made her grin until she realized he may have meant he feared she’d be hurt physically in some other way. While her personal thoughts had been focused on their budding relationship, Daniel was obviously thinking of the deadly aspects surrounding them all and she figured it would be best if she too remembered just how much danger still lurked. Complacency could be as lethal as actual bullets.

  TEN

  There had been no surveillance ordered for Aurora’s apartment building because she was no longer supposed to be in residence, so Daniel approached cautiously with Dakota at his side. He’d picked the K-9 up earlier and told Aurora to wait in his bullet-proof car when he’d parked in front of her building. She did not.

  “You’re determined to give me gray hair, aren’t you?” he said over his shoulder.

  “A little gray will make you look distinguished.”

  “Says you.”

  He stood aside as she keyed in the code to unlock the exterior door, then resumed the lead when she opened it. Dakota seemed as relaxed as she ever got while working so he wasn’t too concerned. Wary, yes, but not worried.

  “I’m on the ground floor. Straight ahead,” Aurora said. “Second door on the right.”

  “Got it.” He paused in front of her apartment. “All right. No more fun and games, lady. Dakota and I will make a sweep before you enter. Understand?” When she nodded, he held out one hand. “Key?”

  Seeing her open her mouth as if to speak, then close it again, Daniel was satisfied she’d forced herself to hold in one of her snappy comebacks. He didn’t take everything seriously in life and could appreciate good banter. He simply knew where to draw the line to preserve a sense of duty and responsibility. For the present, no one else was as responsible for Aurora Martin as he was.

  Letting Dakota take the lead, he unlocked and entered the silent apartment while Aurora waited just outside the doorway. The blinds were open to admit enough daylight to navigate. The K-9’s nose was to the ground, then checking the furniture as they walked past. Because his concentration was on the dog and the task at hand, it took him an extra moment to realize Aurora was calling his name from the hallway.

  “Daniel? Daniel?”

  Rather than answer and reveal his position before Dakota had completed her search, he simply paused to listen.

  Her voice rose to almost a screech. “Daniel!”

  * * *

  When she’d first seen the man in the parka approaching from the opposite end of the hall, Aurora hadn’t sensed anything odd. When he’d raised his head to look at her and she saw his ski mask however, everything changed.

  A gloved hand reached toward her. She lunged toward the doorway and screamed, “Daniel!”

  The stranger grabbed her coat. She twisted and fought. Tried to turn enough to hit or kick him. Her boots slipped on the slick tile and she would have crashed to the floor if her attacker had not been holding onto her.

  Grasping one flailing arm at the wrist, he began to drag her down the hallway, away from her apartment. Her boots slid as she fought for a footing, writhing against his much larger body and trying to wrench free. Making a fist with her free hand she swung wildly, trying for his face and coming up short. “Help! Daniel!”

  Everything was happening so fast that Aurora was disoriented. The assailant slapped her so hard her vision blurred. She began to sag, realized the extra weight was causing him trouble and let herself go limp.

  He flipped her over so he could grasp both arms. Someone was shouting. A tan blur loomed. Dakota! Knocked to the floor and breathless, she curled into the fetal position and covered her head.

  Panic kept Aurora from realizing right away that the strong hands gripping her upper arms now belonged to friend, not foe. Then she recognized a human face. Daniel’s face. He looked angry and relieved at the same time. Dakota had passed them by and stood barking at the exit door.

  Daniel held her firm, forcing her to focus. “Are you hurt?”

  “No…”

  He abruptly set her aside and ran to join his K-9. Aurora saw him open the door, look both ways, then turn back to her.

  “Go get him!” Aurora shouted.

  “No. He might not have been alone. I can’t leave you.”

  Folding her arms and hugging herself, she tried to control the tremors shooting through her. “What would he want with me? I mean, he was trying to drag me away.”

  Although she saw concern and compassion in his expression he nevertheless said, “I told you coming here was a bad idea.”

  “Yeah, well, we’re here now.” She looked toward her once-welcoming apartment and shivered. “If you’re not going to go after the guy, you may as well come with me while I pack a bag.”

  “Well, I’m not about to go chasing a phantom. You didn’t happen to pull off his glove or mask so Dakota can get a clear scent, did you?”

  “No. I was trying to get away from him, not collect souvenirs.” To her chagrin she sounded decidedly unfriendly so she added, “Look, I’m sorry I lost my temper. I know you’re doing your best. Just remember, so am I.”

  She didn’t expect him to agree with her. They had spent hours and hours together lately but really didn’t know each other on a personal basis. Daniel couldn’t help it if their forced nearness had sent her emotions into orbit. Perhaps she was naturally quicker to form bonds than he was. Given his upbringing, that was likely. And, truth be told, she was giving him the best she had to offer, even if it wasn’t coming from professional police training. She didn’t have a gun, nor did she want one, but she did have her wits and the courage to fight when the situation called for action.

  Daniel drew Dakota to his side and man and dog stepped back together. “Go,” he said. “Get your stuff and let’s get out of here. The longer we stay the greater the chance that your mystery attacker will come back with reinforcements.”

  “He was very real,” she insisted.

  “Oh, I know he was,” Daniel replied. “I haven’t seen you that pale since we were shot at next to Maddie’s car.”

  “I have to look the part to convince you?” Merely asking the question shook her confidence in their tenuous relationship.

  “No. I believed you the second I heard you screaming my name. Nobody would sound that scared unless the threat was very real. It’s my fault. I should have kept you with me while I searched your apartment.”

  He was shaking his head slowly and gazing into her eyes with such self-deprecation she instantly wanted to comfort him. “It’s not anybody’s fault,” Aurora said, placing her hand lightly on his upper arm without stopping to think first.

  Daniel glanced down at her touch, then silently placed Dakota in a sit and opened his arms.

  Nobody had to tell Aurora he was offering the same solace she’d been yearning to give him. The merest hesitation might change everything, might cause him to reconsider, and that was the last thing she wanted.

  In two small steps, she was in his arms, her cheek pressed to his chest, listening to the rapid beating of his heart. Her arms slid around his waist and she felt the top of his gun and its holster. That was enough to remind her how serious their current situation was and how unwise it was to delay. Smiling up at him, she eased off.

  “I’ll pack a few things and be back in a flash,” she took a step. “Don’t go away.”

  Daniel returned her smile even though the good humor failed to reach his green eyes. When he said, “Never,” Aurora couldn’t help wishing he was right.

  * * *

  True to her word, Aurora didn’t keep him waiting long. He used the time to report the attempted abduction and advise his team. Nothing else had happened since the bomb scare at the courthouse and Lorelai Danvers had secured a safe temporary dwelling for his grandmother and Joy. They had also placed a guard on Serena’s hospital room just in case the Jones/Murray gang decided to widen their list of targets. Police officers did a good job protecting each other and the citizens they served but unfortunately, while they were off doing that, their families were vulnerable.

  He left Dakota to guard Aurora for the few minutes it took him to inspect his SUV for tampering. When he was certain all was well, he escorted them to the car. While he was loading the dog and wiping icy slush off her paws, Aurora let herself in the passenger door and fastened her seat belt. By the time he slid behind the wheel, she was ready to go.

  “I see you got some warm gloves. Smart,” he said, making casual conversation in the hope she wouldn’t ask anything personal. First, he had no idea why he had embraced her again. And second, he wondered if she’d assumed too much about his feelings. If he had been alone with his K-9, he might have talked it out with Dakota just to sort out his jumbled thoughts. Since he was not, he figured the smartest thing he could do was avoid the subject.

  “Thanks.” She was again rubbing her hands together in front of the heater vent, gloves or no gloves. “Winter tends to sneak up on me sometimes.”

  “November is never that warm.”

  “Right.”

  Daniel knew she was studying his profile as he drove and probably itching to talk about something other than the South Dakota weather, so he provided another safe topic. “My team and I may have to leave Plains City to set up a sting for the traffickers soon.”

  “How soon?”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll—I’ll—make sure you aren’t left without protection. The local PD is very capable.”

  “I know. I’ve worked with them for years.”

  “Not that many years. You’re practically a kid.”

  “And you’re Methuselah. I know. You told me. So, where am I staying tonight? With Catherine or Maddie?”

  “Neither. Catherine and Joy are somewhere away from town so they won’t be spotted easily. If I took you there, we’d be leaving a trail for the gang to follow.”

  “Maddie too?”

  “No. She’s staying put with extra guards. The Derek Carlson trial is a big deal and she’s needed in court.”

  “For how long?”

  “As long as it takes. Murder trials aren’t quick. They shouldn’t be. Justice needs to be served cautiously and thoroughly.”

  Aurora sighed. “I get it. I just wish we could sort out all the vindictive criminals instead of lumping their actions together.”

  “We can. We will,” Daniel promised. “One day, one problem at a time. I’ve had Cheyenne Chen working on the list your cousin gave us. Something will break soon. I know it will.

  “As long as it’s not one of us that breaks,” Aurora gibed. She paused. “It must be very hard.”

  His head snapped around and he frowned. “What?”

  “Being responsible for a whole team of law enforcement professionals and all their K-9 partners while you try to catch criminals.”

  Sighing, he nodded. “It is.” Although he could have said more, wanted to unburden himself to her, he held back. As long as she was taking the multiple threats seriously and following his orders, he saw no reason to frighten her more. Reality was bad enough without imagining all the possible scenarios that criminals might create in their attempts to thwart him and his K-9 team. He’d almost lost Jack Donadio once and had thought Kenyon Graves was gone for good until recently.

  Keeping them and the rest of his team safe until their assignment was complete was the most important assignment of his career, perhaps of his entire life. He didn’t intend to fail. That was not an option.

  ELEVEN

  The last place Aurora expected Daniel to take her was back to his fortified home. Yes, she felt safe there but in view of his opinion about the house being identified, it seemed illogical.

  She peered out at the property as the wrought iron gate swung open. “Color me confused. I thought you weren’t in favor of any of us staying here.”

  “I wasn’t. I’m still not. But unfortunately Plains City is woefully short on available safe houses.”

  “That’s what I was trying to tell you in the first place.”

  “I know, I know. Plains City has two, both occupied.”

  “Nothing else is available?”

  “No. Joy and Nana have been taken to the one on a cul-de-sac not too far from the police station. There was a vegetation fire—an arson—near it a few months back but the trees and shrubs are recovering. The windows are bullet-resistant and the exterior walls reinforced, just in case.”

  “Isn’t that just like your house?”

  “Pretty much, yes,” Daniel said.

  Lost in thought, she let herself drift away from the present and was only slightly aware that Daniel had pulled his SUV around to the rear of the house and was preparing to enter the underground garage again.