Read Online Hearts in the Crosshairs by Susan Page Davis - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Page Davis
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and walked up, then ran down the stairwell after he fired. He got away before the first officer responded, about four minutes after Caruthers’s call.”
“Four minutes.” Colonel Smith’s eyebrows drew together in a fuzzy wedge.
Dave nodded regretfully. “Browne or I could probably have gotten there sooner, but our first priority was to get the governor safely into the house. By the time she was secure, two Augusta police officers were on the scene.”
“I don’t suppose there were any fingerprints,” Jillian said.
Dave shook his head. “A partial from the casing, but we haven’t been able to make a match yet.”
They all sat in silence for several seconds. A glance at Dave’s somber face revealed his frustration and disappointment.
Jillian sat forward and addressed the colonel. “Well, sir, it sounds as though the EPU is in high gear. Thank you for coming in person to report to me. I assume the Public Safety Department’s spokesman has briefed the press.”
Smith almost growled. “Did you see the morning news?”
“No, I didn’t. Should I have?”
Smith shrugged. “Mark Payson gave them the basics, but of course all the reporters want more. I’ll have Detective Millbridge talk to them this afternoon, so they’ll have something fresh on the evening news.” He stood, and Dave jumped out of his chair. “I’d best be going. Are you finished, Hutchins?”
Dave hesitated. “The unit needs to know if the governor has changed her schedule for the next twenty-four hours.”
“Absolutely.” Smith stared pointedly at Jillian. “I’d like youto stay in this building today, ma’am. It will make it easier for us to do our work.”
She sighed and rose from her chair. “I suppose I’d better call Mrs. Wheeler back in here to go over the schedule. Perhaps you could stay a moment, Detective?”
“Of course,” Dave said.
Colonel Smith tucked his folder under his arm, nodded at Jillian, and left the room. She let out a pent-up breath. Dave took a step toward her, then stopped. They stood looking at each other for a long moment.
“I’m so sorry this happened,” he said at last.
“Thank you.” She managed a smile. “You need to sleep, Dave.”
“I’ll take the rest of today off. But I’d like to come by again this evening and check on you, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t. I’d appreciate it if you’d update me on what the unit accomplishes today. Oh, and my mother will be here.” She grimaced. “Mom doesn’t take these things lightly. I’m sure it will help if she can get an official word from you.”
“I’d be happy to talk to her.”
Jillian nodded. She wished they were standing closer, without the big walnut desk between them.
A light tap on the door preceded Lettie’s entrance. “Hello again. Ah, Detective Hutchins. I’m told you’ll take a copy of Governor Goff’s schedule back to the EPU office.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dave said. “That will help us plan surveillance for today and tonight.”
As Lettie laid her papers on the desk and pulled up a chair, Dave looked at Jillian. The look in his eyes made her heart lurch against her will. There was no turning back now, and she knew it. She was falling for her protector, which was absolutely the last thing she should be doing. But she could no more change her feelings for him than turn back time.
SEVEN
A week after the second shooting incident, Dave’s ringing phone woke him.
“Can you help me out, Dave? The governor’s determined to slip the leash this morning.”
“Penny?”
“Yeah, I’m at the Blaine House.”
“What’s up?”
“She’s got cabin fever, that’s what. In a twenty-seven-room mansion.”
Dave sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. “What’s she doing?”
“She insists she’s going over to the statehouse. I’ve tried to convince her to wait until Monday, but she’s determined to get back to what she calls ‘normal’ today.”
“Let her.”
A silence of several seconds
“Four minutes.” Colonel Smith’s eyebrows drew together in a fuzzy wedge.
Dave nodded regretfully. “Browne or I could probably have gotten there sooner, but our first priority was to get the governor safely into the house. By the time she was secure, two Augusta police officers were on the scene.”
“I don’t suppose there were any fingerprints,” Jillian said.
Dave shook his head. “A partial from the casing, but we haven’t been able to make a match yet.”
They all sat in silence for several seconds. A glance at Dave’s somber face revealed his frustration and disappointment.
Jillian sat forward and addressed the colonel. “Well, sir, it sounds as though the EPU is in high gear. Thank you for coming in person to report to me. I assume the Public Safety Department’s spokesman has briefed the press.”
Smith almost growled. “Did you see the morning news?”
“No, I didn’t. Should I have?”
Smith shrugged. “Mark Payson gave them the basics, but of course all the reporters want more. I’ll have Detective Millbridge talk to them this afternoon, so they’ll have something fresh on the evening news.” He stood, and Dave jumped out of his chair. “I’d best be going. Are you finished, Hutchins?”
Dave hesitated. “The unit needs to know if the governor has changed her schedule for the next twenty-four hours.”
“Absolutely.” Smith stared pointedly at Jillian. “I’d like youto stay in this building today, ma’am. It will make it easier for us to do our work.”
She sighed and rose from her chair. “I suppose I’d better call Mrs. Wheeler back in here to go over the schedule. Perhaps you could stay a moment, Detective?”
“Of course,” Dave said.
Colonel Smith tucked his folder under his arm, nodded at Jillian, and left the room. She let out a pent-up breath. Dave took a step toward her, then stopped. They stood looking at each other for a long moment.
“I’m so sorry this happened,” he said at last.
“Thank you.” She managed a smile. “You need to sleep, Dave.”
“I’ll take the rest of today off. But I’d like to come by again this evening and check on you, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t. I’d appreciate it if you’d update me on what the unit accomplishes today. Oh, and my mother will be here.” She grimaced. “Mom doesn’t take these things lightly. I’m sure it will help if she can get an official word from you.”
“I’d be happy to talk to her.”
Jillian nodded. She wished they were standing closer, without the big walnut desk between them.
A light tap on the door preceded Lettie’s entrance. “Hello again. Ah, Detective Hutchins. I’m told you’ll take a copy of Governor Goff’s schedule back to the EPU office.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dave said. “That will help us plan surveillance for today and tonight.”
As Lettie laid her papers on the desk and pulled up a chair, Dave looked at Jillian. The look in his eyes made her heart lurch against her will. There was no turning back now, and she knew it. She was falling for her protector, which was absolutely the last thing she should be doing. But she could no more change her feelings for him than turn back time.
SEVEN
A week after the second shooting incident, Dave’s ringing phone woke him.
“Can you help me out, Dave? The governor’s determined to slip the leash this morning.”
“Penny?”
“Yeah, I’m at the Blaine House.”
“What’s up?”
“She’s got cabin fever, that’s what. In a twenty-seven-room mansion.”
Dave sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. “What’s she doing?”
“She insists she’s going over to the statehouse. I’ve tried to convince her to wait until Monday, but she’s determined to get back to what she calls ‘normal’ today.”
“Let her.”
A silence of several seconds
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