Page 50 of Counter Attack

Nathan stayed with Alexis until her CSI team arrived, and when she tried to smother a yawn, he said, “Come on, I’m taking you home.”

She shook her head. “I’m not leaving until they process my SUV, and then I’m driving it home. You”—she tapped his chest—“need to get to the high school and be ready to spy on some drug dealers when they arrive.”

Stubborn woman. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

“Nathan, I’m a sworn officer of the law with twelve years’ training.” She eyed him with a pointed look. “I can handle this.”

“I know you can.” Somewhere down deep, he wanted her to need him, but she never had and probably never would.

“I would come with you, but—”

“No—you’re needed here. I hope they can find a fingerprint ... or something that will give us a clue to whoever did this.”

Alexis glanced toward the SUV. “I wouldn’t count on it. This person is too slick to make that kind of mistake. And it’s most likely the person who’s been killing those poor women.”

His phone chimed with a text. His CI, letting him know the dealers were on their way. Nathan texted back a thumbs-up.

“Your confidential informant?”

He nodded.

“Then go. You might not get another chance to get information like this.”

Still he hesitated. He hated leaving her, not knowing whether there was another interface on her SUV. He opened the screen on his phone and tapped on an icon. “Download the app I just sent you, then accept the invite to share your location with me. That way I’ll know you made it home safely without bothering you. Or at least that your phone made it home.”

For a second he thought she was going to refuse. “Will it allow me to know whereyouare?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, then.” She grinned. “That might be useful information to have.”

Her phone chimed with the name of the app. She downloaded it, then accepted his invite to share her location with him, and he reciprocated.

“I’ll check the app later to see that you made it home okay.”

“Thanks. And you be careful.”

“I will.” Dealing with drug dealers tended to make a person careful. Nathan checked the time. Nine fifteen. Time to get in place. He jogged to his pickup and a few minutes later approached the rendezvous point. His headlights flashed across a Ford Mustang backed into an alley between the gymnasium and school building.

He idled his motor while the lanky J.R. Whittaker unfolded from the car. It never ceased to amaze Nathan when a man well over six foot drove a car the size of the Mustang.

“Where you been?” J.R.’s deep baritone quizzed him as he climbed into the pickup.

“Had a little trouble on another case. Have you seen any action yet?”

“Nah, but I don’t expect anyone until closer to ten. They’re meeting outside the field house. Probably be a good idea to park your truck nearby and walk to the railroad track and hide on the other side.”

“I thought everything was locked up at night.”

J.R. shook his head. “I’m sure it is, but there’s no gate on the road to the field house.”

Nathan pictured the area. The railroad track was built up higher than the surrounding land and ran parallel to the field house road. Less than fifty feet separated the two. The other side of it would be a good place to hide, and they’d be able to see who came and hear what was said.

Nathan sandwiched his truck between two school buses and grabbed his camera before he climbed out. His phone was good for some pictures, but this late, he’d need his telephoto lens. Just as he walked out from the buses, headlights turned in to the school.

It was too late to step back into the shadows. He unsnapped the retention strap on his holster and pulled his Glock just as the SUV rolled to a stop. The passenger door opened, and Alexis stepped out and walked toward him. She’d put her hair in a ponytail and wore a Russell County sheriff’s department cap.

“You almost gave me a heart attack.” He folded his arms over his chest. “What are you doing here?”

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