Page 80 of Rescued Duty

Zack wished he had his weapon on him, but he kept it locked in his glove box when he was at work, and his car was still at the firehouse.

His gut told him to be on guard. The neighborhood was quiet this afternoon, but that didn’t mean something sinister wasn’t going on behind the scenes. The gray clouds still covered the sun, and a light breeze rustled the leaves.

Zack stepped up onto the front porch first and tapped the door with his knuckles.

No answer.

He knocked harder and the front door swung open. “Will?”

He glanced back at Naya, who shrugged.

She cupped her hands around her mouth. “Will, it’s Naya. Ingram’s friend. Are you home?”

Still no reply.

Zack stepped into the dimly lit foyer, Naya on his heels.

They cleared the first room and walked down the hall into the kitchen.

Naya let out a scream.

Zack turned, and his gaze locked on a hand sprawled out on the floor. He raced around the counter to where Will lay in a pool of blood.

Zack crouched down and put a finger to the man’s neck. “He’s dead.”

TWENTY-FOUR

Naya pinched her eyes shut. She would never be able to unsee Will’s body in a heap on the floor—the life of another person taken too soon. Her gaze seemed unable to focus on anything else in the room.

Will was dead.

If she didn’t step away, she was going to hurl. Despite her distrust in the man and how he’d treated Ingram recently, she didn’t wish death on anyone, let alone in this way.

She couldn’t imagine how Ingram would handle the news.

“What happened?” The words came out in a croak, and Naya bit her lip.

“Looks like he was shot. I need to call this in.” Zack grimaced and pulled out his phone. “This is a crime scene.”

“I need a moment.” Without waiting for Zack’s response, she headed out the front door and paced to and fro on the porch, trying to relieve the sick feeling in her stomach.

If someone had murdered Will, that had to mean he’d known information. But the difficult task would be discovering what that knowledge was.

If Will had been killed over the truth, whoever it was wouldn’t stop until everyone who possessed the same information was silenced. That meant no one could be trusted, and Naya hated thinking that way.

It might have saved her in the past, but it was also exhausting believing the worst about people.

Right now, it seemed like this story had led nowhere but to more questions and heartache. Pieces that didn’t fit into an ever-growing puzzle, which only added confusion.

In all her years as an investigative reporter, Naya had never experienced such turmoil. Even when she’d had a stalker on her heels after writing the dance instructor’s story, the police had resolved the issue quickly.

Raindrops began to splash on her head, and Naya ducked under the awning to keep from getting wet. The skies opened up, and a deluge of rain fell to the ground.

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

Lord, we need Your guidance. Another person is dead, and I don’t know how much more I can take.Naya shivered.Everything is so uncertain right now. Hide us in the shadow of Your wing, and bring justice, please.

The police should be here soon.

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