Dakota Meltdown

She hesitated, darting another glance at the mirror as she tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear. “No.”

Was the hair-flicking a nervous gesture? Was she not telling the chief something? Nick’s gut said yes. What secrets could a criminal investigator have?

Chief Burkholder continued the questioning without delving into her answer. If Nick had conducted the interview, he’d have questioned her further. But she was a cop and probably didn’t think the information was relevant to the case.

When the interview was over, Brenna stood and gathered her satchel and the copy of her note. “Now can we get on with solving this case?”

“Eager, aren’t we?” The chief patted her shoulder. “Come on, I’ll show you where they’ve set up.”

Nick left the observation room ahead of Brenna and the chief and beat them to the large conference room. It had been converted to a “war room.” Completely covering one wall was a large whiteboard with a time line sketched out in black erasable marker. Three notches were marked with the names of the missing women and the times they’d been reported missing. Another spot was marked Note.

Now that he had Brenna’s statement, she wasn’t necessary to the case and Nick wanted her out of the station and on her way back to Bismarck.

Although she was another key to solving the case, Nick had no intention of allowing her onto his team. He liked to work with people he knew and trusted. Get in, solve the crime, get out and don’t get involved. That was Nick’s policy and he sure as hell didn’t want to be in this godforsaken, frigid country any longer than he had to. He braced himself for the coming clash of wills with Special Agent Jensen.

The woman topmost on his mind breezed into the war room and tossed her satchel onto the conference table as if throwing down the gauntlet.

Chief Burkholder handed Nick the copy of the note he’d already seen on a blurry faxed copy they’d received around four that morning while Jensen had been en route.

Nick laid the paper on the table and walked over to Brenna. No time like the present. “Thank you for your statement, Special Agent Jensen. We no longer need your services. I advise you to return to Bismarck and lock your doors.”

She stared up into his face for a long moment, her rate of breathing increasing until the air she exhaled blew in a sharp stream out her nose. Then she stepped closer to him, until her chest bumped against his. “I’m an experienced investigator assigned to this case by the state of North Dakota. I’m not running from some jerk who thinks he can pull my chain.”

“Agent Tarver,” Chief Burkholder said and then cleared his throat. “Jensen is one of North Dakota’s best.”

“I don’t care.” Tarver’s eyes never left her face, and his expression remained unbending. “She’s a liability. I can’t focus on the case if I’m playing bodyguard.”

Her face flushed red. “I don’t need your protection. I’ve been in law enforcement for six years. I can take care of myself.”

That she hadn’t backed down impressed him at the same time as it annoyed him. “In case you haven’t gotten the picture, the FBI has jurisdiction and is calling the shots now. You’re off the case.”

“Understand this, Agent Tarver. I will be involved fully in this case, with or without the FBI. I have more at stake here than you or any of your agents. This is my hometown, not yours. Nobody gets away with kidnapping or murder in my hometown.”

“Agent Tarver, Special Agent Jensen is assigned from the state level. She won’t be returning to Bismarck. If you don’t include her on the team, she’ll be working by herself to solve this case. You’d better serve the cause by including her.” Chief Burkholder laid a hand on Nick’s shoulder.

Okay, so the girl had the chief’s confidence. He could admire that, but he didn’t like being forced to accept her on his team. He shook off the chief’s hand and stared down his nose into Brenna’s clear blue eyes. “Get this straight, Jensen, I give the orders. Do you understand?”

For a moment, he thought she would spit in his eye and tell him to go to hell. But her shoulders pushed back and she met his gaze head-on. “I do.”

“Good. Then don’t get in my way.”

“So does that mean I’m a part of the team?”

“I’ll let you know.” For a moment, Nick swam in the depths of her stormy blue eyes. Until he remembered how badly he’d been burned by a woman with blue eyes and why he’d never go there again. “Time’s wasting. We’ve got a killer to catch before he does it again.”

Chapter Two

With Nick’s back to her, Brenna took in several deep breaths to help slow her pulse rate. Although she’d rather launch herself at the man and scratch his eyes out, she knew he had the right to toss her from the team. If she wanted to stay, she had to play it his way. But she didn’t have to like it.

“Let’s look at that letter again.” Chief Burkholder crossed the room and leaned over the table to read aloud, “‘The killing’s only just begun. Watch them drop now, one by one.’”

A chill slithered down Brenna’s spine. “Creepy, huh?”

“Doesn’t sound good.” The chief scrubbed a hand over his face. The lines around his eyes and across his forehead seemed so much deeper than the last time Brenna had seen him. Tom Burkholder had been around a long time. He’d taken over as chief five years ago when Brenna’s father had died of a heart attack. Those years hadn’t been so hard on him, but he was ready for retirement, not for a serial killer on his home turf. “Do you know what the spot is in the middle?” he asked.

“I have the crime lab looking at it. It looked like blood.” Brenna drew in a deep breath, her lungs tight in her chest. “I haven’t figured out why he sent me the letter.”

Agent Tarver faced her, his eyes narrowed. “Think he might be a past conviction?”

“Maybe.”

The FBI agent’s attention jerked back to the whiteboard and he pointed a finger at the first mark. “Why now?”

Chief Burkholder offered, “Perhaps he’s freshly out of jail and wants revenge.”

God, she hated to think she was the reason a man was kidnapping and maybe killing other women. Nothing like a load of guilt to weigh her down during this investigation. All the more reason to catch him as soon as possible.

Nick’s gaze caught hers.

Brenna looked away first, with the uncomfortable certainty that Tarver could read her thoughts.

He turned to the chief. “I want a scan on all the criminals Jensen had a hand in putting away, which ones are out on parole and those living in the area.”

With a self-satisfied toss of her hair, she interjected, “I already have a colleague back in Bismarck doing just that. He should fax it any time to this station.”

“So where does that leave us?” Chief Burkholder asked the room.

“Three missing women, no bodies and only speculation on motivation. And a letter that could be a hoax sent to a state criminal investigator.” Nick lifted the letter. “Looks like a typical computer printout. Could be anyone.”

A blond man Brenna didn’t recognize entered the room reading from a clipboard. “Victim one was a psychiatrist. She disappeared sometime between last Wednesday night and Thursday morning, when she didn’t show up for work. Missing person number two disappeared sometime Friday night. Her family notified us Saturday morning when she didn’t make a date with her mother.” When he glanced up, he lit the room with a grin and held out his hand to Brenna. “By the way, I’m Agent Paul Fletcher.”

Brenna couldn’t help but smile; it was a natural reaction to the sparkle in the man’s light gray eyes. “Brenna Jensen.”

His eyebrows rose and he squeezed her hand a little tighter. “Ah, the lady with the psycho pen pal.”

With an uneasy laugh, Brenna pulled her hand from Paul’s. “That’s me. Lucky, huh?” She liked Paul instinctively. Unlike his partner, the dark and brooding Nick, he was warm and personable.

“Hang with us.” He winked. “We’ll keep you safe.”

“Move over, Romeo.” A woman almost as tall as the other two FBI agents pushed through the doorway behind Paul and held out her hand. “Melissa Bradley, part of this motley crew.”

“Nice to meet you.” Before the words completely left Brenna’s mouth, Melissa had dropped her hand, slid another sheet on top of the clipboard Paul held and walked to the whiteboard. “Victim two was identified as Dr. Deborah Gomez, from across the river. Single female, lives alone. Victim three Michelle Carmichael, also single. Does it ever warm up around here? I think Texas is looking pretty good about now.”

“All single women who live alone?” Brenna mused aloud. “Yeah, Texas does sound great.”

“Two were doctors,” Paul added. “The psychiatrist was Dr. Janine Drummond. But I didn’t think you liked Texas, Mel.”

She snorted. “I’m liking it better than the Arctic here!”