Read Online Badge of Honor by Carol Steward - Free Book Online Page B

when it may involve family,” he said gently as she walked past him. “Is it your sister’s?”
    â€œIt looks just like it, but she had a stuffed animal in the back window. A lamb. It was her reminder that God went wherever she went.”
    â€œWe found a stuffed animal a few feet down the alley. It looks like someone or something was dragged out of here. Officer Matthews is following the trail. Garrett…Nick’s brother.”
    Sarah shook her head. “And we have no idea if it was my sister….” The men were looking at her as if she might faint at any moment.
    â€œWhen was the last time you talked to your sister?” Jeremy asked.
    â€œI spoke to her on the phone about forty-nine hours ago. She left a message at one-thirty yesterday morning, when I was writing reports.”
    â€œThat’s pretty precise,” he said suspiciously.
    â€œI just calculated how long it had been as I was waiting in the car. I was trying to figure out if it’s been long enough to file a missing person report.”
    Sergeant Logan looked at her, puzzled. “And did you?”
    â€œNo. Not yet. After her incident, Beth didn’t want to talk or think about it. I was the only person whom she’d told, so I brought back those memories to her, I guess. I wanted to give her space, but I…” She looked at the car again, then took a deep breath. “I shouldn’t have pushed her so hard to talk about it. I pushed her away. I went by her house about eight yesterday morning to try to talk to her, but she wasn’t home. She hasn’t answered any of my phone calls all day today. I checked her house before my shift, and she wasn’t in.”
    â€œIs that unusual for your sister?” Sergeant Logan asked. “To just go away without…”
    Sarah nodded. “She normally tells me if she goes anywhere for any length of time. I moved here to be closer to my sister and brother. Until I went to Washington to work with the FBI, we were all very close.”
    â€œWe tried ringing her doorbell, but no one answered. Do you have a key so we can make sure the house is okay?”
    â€œNo, but I’m good at picking locks. Unless you’d rather…” she said, looking at Jeremy.
    He handed her his pick set. “Be my guest. And where are your parents? Could she have gone to see them? Have they talked to her today?”
    The three of them walked up to the house. “No, they’re in Montana.” Sarah made quick work of unlocking the door, as Jeremy held the flashlight. “I don’t know if they have talked to her.”
    After a rapid inspection revealed no one was home, Sarah glanced over to Nick as she left the house for the officers to investigate. “I guess it’s time I call them, see if they can reach her. Beth didn’t want them to know what happened, but I can’t keep it quiet any longer. I can’t get her to call me, and now her voice mail is full, I guess. It’s not even picking up anymore.”
    â€œGive me her number. I’ll try to reach her,” Nick said.
    â€œNo,” Sarah said hesitantly. “If she hears an unfamiliar man’s voice, it may freak her out, and she won’t call back. Let me try my mom and dad first.” She pulled out her cell phone from the belt clip and dialed, wondering how she could explain calling at three-thirty in the morning, a week after the incident. She didn’t want to worry them, but it was well past time to worry, in her estimation.
    She couldn’t deal with this alone. She’d crumble for sure. She’d already made a mess of her job, her relationship with her training officer. She’d probably already killed her career hopes.
    She needed someone to lean on.
    She found her parents’ number on the contact list and hit Send.
    Just as her father answered, Sarah heard a voice over Sergeant Logan’s radio. “We have the body of the