Arctic Witness Page 3

  * * *

  “A foster child,” Ivy said. Sean’s forehead looked like it was doing push-ups with his hairline. She’d seen his face try to mask emotion a million times, but his forehead always revealed that he had opinions. He just wasn’t ready to share them.

  Her heart went into high gear. The pulsating feeling of heat at the back of her head distracted her. She faced forward in the car, trying to keep the gauze in the right place, but it stung too intensely to apply actual pressure.

  Ivy tried to forget the way his jaw pulsed the moment she said the word child. He’d made his position on the matter abundantly clear when they were married. The world was too messed up to bring any children into it, he’d argued. Maybe on her darkest days she could agree to accept his argument, but she’d never truly understood his unwavering stance against fostering or adopting, especially since he was a natural around children.

  “So you can see why I can’t leave Nome,” she finally said after the long silence. “I’ve been fostering for a while now, and I can’t abandon him. There aren’t near enough qualified foster parents around here as it is. They have to ship a lot of children to the lower forty-eight—” She closed her mouth tight. He didn’t need to hear her rant on the subject, no matter how passionately she felt. The details of her life weren’t his business anymore.

  The memory of the man in the shack invaded her thoughts. No. She didn’t want him in her brain ever again. She could barely think straight while her head throbbed.

  Maybe Minnie Harkness, her babysitter, would be willing to let her stay the night. “You’re probably right about tonight, though.” The creep had attacked her at her home. He knew where she lived. “I think I’d feel more comfortable if Dylan and I stayed somewhere else, at least for tonight.” She shifted slightly in her seat. “Can we stop at the mission just for a second? I really don’t want to drive all the way back here after getting checked out of the hospital. I just need the car seat and a few supplies.”

  Thankfully, she was used to living on little and the stockroom below her apartment held everything they’d need. As a last resort, she could take Dylan to the bunker her parents had gifted her, east of town.

  Sean said nothing, but his knuckles were turning white around the steering wheel. This was exactly why they could never work through any disagreement. Whenever he closed up like that, she knew it was better to move on rather than try to get him to open up. Which was exactly what she’d been trying to do in Nome before he’d shown up, wrapped his arms around her and—

  Her shoulders sagged, remembering the relief of being rescued. And by him. Why now, Lord? “Wait. Were you already in town? On a mission? How did you end up finding me?”

  “Someone came to give you a donation and noticed—” he cleared his throat with a cough “—your absence and the blood.”

  She didn’t trust her judgment with the unrelenting pounding in her temples, but it almost seemed like his voice shook. They only sent Sean to the scene if they suspected... She felt her eyes widen as the matter-of-fact nature of his work hit her anew. “The troopers thought I was dead and sent you to find me?”

  “No.” He shook his head frantically. “Lorenza sent me as a personal favor. She wanted Helena and Gabriel to do the heavy lifting. I’m sure she thought I knew you well enough that maybe I could help locate you quickly. We didn’t know about the murder victim at the time.”

  “Oh.” The memories of the dark hair spread over the grass and the fingers that appeared out of the rolled-up rug caused an unbidden shiver up her spine.

  “Did you see the victim?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know who she is.” Her throat throbbed and she barely was able to whisper the answer. There were enough similarities in their appearance that it could’ve been her. “Shoulder-length hair, petite, approximately the same age as the man who attacked me.” The desire to wrap her arms around her baby increased exponentially. The poor little guy probably wondered where she was. She never picked him up this late. Did Minnie have enough baby food for Dylan’s dinner?

  “It can wait for now,” Sean said, his voice kinder, gentler. “We’ll need to ask you for a full statement after you’re treated.”

  The vehicle stopped moving. Ivy realized with a jolt that they were already back at the mission. This home she loved had darker windows than she remembered. Her shoulders hunched forward, hating the new vulnerability she felt. Mere hours had passed, but everything appeared different.

  She was a strong woman, resilient and ready to be a single mother by choice. She couldn’t afford to let a murderer ruin the new life she’d worked so hard to build. Her eyes stung as she continued to stare at the mission.

  Sean rested a hand over hers. “Tell me what you need,” he said softly. “I’ll run in and get it.”

  The warmth and comfort enveloping her brought a different type of pain. She slipped her hand out from under his touch. “It’ll be faster if I go. Sorry, I zoned out for a minute.”

  “You need to be seen.”

  “I will, but I’m sure the doctor is going to say I just need rest. Five more minutes won’t kill me.” Her breath caught at her careless use of the word. A woman had been killed here. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped out of the vehicle and flinched at movement in her peripheral.

  It was only Helena, waving at her from inside the tall grasses. Her hair was longer than the short cut she’d last seen two years ago, but at least Luna looked the same. Sean’s team acted more like family when they worked big cases together. She’d gotten to know many of the troopers at the picnics and barbecues. Ivy’s confidence faltered. Did they hold a grudge against her? Even though they’d mutually agreed that their marriage wasn’t working, friends tended to pick sides in a divorce. They’d obviously side with their teammate, Sean.

  Helena’s kind smile didn’t seem to hold any animosity, though. Luna rushed out of the grasses and her handler followed behind her. “I think I’m done processing the scene. Sean radioed that you need something inside?”

  “I just need to grab some supplies.” Ivy tried to hustle up the stairs, not wanting to think any more about the events of the day. She grabbed the first container on the edge of the shelf. Emergency Survival Supplies, a kit she put together for any women on the run, might prove useful. She also picked a backpack kit made specifically for toddlers, which would hold diapers, wipes and baby food.

  Sean stepped inside the mission with Grace by his side. “I transferred our gear to your Jeep. I figured you might need to take your foster child somewhere after you’re patched up at the hospital. Easier to drive your vehicle than try to put a car seat in the trooper SUV.”

  The man had a servant’s heart. Even once they’d agreed to divorce, when they’d lived the remaining days of their marriage in separate rooms, he still made the coffee the way she liked it and took her Jeep to have the oil changed. Things were wonderful when they were in agreement, but when they weren’t...

  There was so much they could never see eye to eye on. Sometimes she wondered if she’d found Christ before their divorce, would things be different? Christian or not, people still divorced. She couldn’t control his decisions. She turned away from Sean to give the stockroom one last look and refused to let her mind ruminate on what-ifs. “I think that’s all I’ll need for tonight, at least.” Her gaze caught the front door. “The camera,” she said, pointing. “I got an alert that someone had come inside. I don’t usually check it because our internet is so slow out here, but if the attacker or the woman came through the front door, the camera should’ve saved the footage.”

  She reached for her pocket to pull up the camera app. No phone, of course. She glanced at the front counter where she usually kept her personal items, but her phone wasn’t there, either. The murdered woman flashed in her head again. “I had my cell phone with me,” she murmured, the memories becoming clearer. “To call 9-1-1. Did Helena find my phone
in the grasses?”

  “Not that I know of, but I’ll ask.”

  Her stomach soured, and her muscles turned weak and shaky. She couldn’t panic. “Sean, if you can’t find my phone out there...” Her voice shook and she fought to gain control. “That man has it.”

  She remembered the sensation of her fingers moving of their own accord before she woke. Her wrists still showed angry purple marks from the rope. What if he had used her thumb to access her phone? He’d have gained access to photos of Dylan. She needed to get to her baby. Now. She hefted the backpack up on her shoulder. But her muscles refused to cooperate, and her legs gave way. Hands pressed against her back, pushing her upright.

  “Ivy?” Sean’s voice sounded panicked.

  She blinked intentionally, trying to focus, but everything was blurry. His arms cradled her neck and knees, and he lifted her to his chest.

  “Dylan.” The only word she could whisper before her brain flipped a switch and all went black again.

  THREE

  Sean paced the empty waiting room. Grace kept rhythm with him, tapping four staccato beats for each of his strides. She stayed with him for five laps across the twenty-foot room until she flopped down with a harrumph. If she had eyebrows, one would have definitely been raised. He leaned over and ruffled the top of her head. “You’ve had a hard day, too. Sorry I’m not taking this well.”

  A woman in blue scrubs walked out from Ivy’s room, stopped at the nurses’ station and turned to face him. “You’re the husband?”

  “Yes.” Sean gave a flick of his hand, a simple thumbs-up that let Grace know the doctor wasn’t a threat. The Akita sat at attention while he crossed the room to meet the doctor. “Ex-husband, actually.”

  The doctor gave a cursory glance at Grace. Before they’d entered the hospital, Sean had slipped on the dog’s official Alaska State Trooper K-9 Unit vest. Once on, Grace’s uniform usually silenced any questions about a dog being in a hospital.

  “Can you tell me Ivy’s prognosis? She was in and out of consciousness on the way here...and likely hit on the head with a gun by her assailant at one point. Probably out for hours.”

  The doctor’s forehead creased. “It’s never good when someone has blacked out for that long. I can tell you she’s extremely dehydrated. I’m waiting on the scans for any other diagnosis.” She offered a kind smile. “Feel free to wait with her.”

  Grace padded along by his side as they walked down the hallway and into Ivy’s room. Recessed lights glowed over the cabinets lining the wall. Ivy’s head was wrapped in a bandage, and a tube extended from her arm. She waved her right fingers half-heartedly. Grace’s tail flopped against the side of his leg. No doubt about it now—his partner remembered Ivy.

  “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

  “So much better.”

  He grabbed a chair and pulled it to her bedside. “You’ve got some color back.”

  She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath. “When I got knocked out, I hadn’t had lunch yet.”

  Black coffee every morning, he remembered. She rarely ever ate anything before noon. Sean still enjoyed a big breakfast, but he’d appreciated the way she’d sit and sip from her favorite mug, two hands wrapped around the ceramic for warmth no matter the weather. Halfway through the mug, she’d pour in more coffee as a warm-up. She’d continue the routine for several more refills, but always set off to conquer the day with almost a full cup still left in the mug. It used to drive him nuts until he started turning her leftovers into iced coffee for the afternoons.

  “What’s so funny?” She tilted her head to the side. Grace did the same, mimicking her expression.

  “Nothing.” He’d forgotten moments like these. Strange, the small things he missed. He hadn’t gone to the trouble of making iced coffee in almost two years.

  “Can I use your phone? I’m really worried about Dylan.” She glanced at the tube attached to her arm with a grimace.

  “He’s on his way here. I reached out to the foster care folks. Didn’t take long before we found his social worker, and she had your babysitter on file. Helena should be escorting them both here as we speak.”

  Her shoulders relaxed and she sank into the pillow behind her. “Thank you.” She shook her head. “They might not let me take care of him if I’m in danger.”

  “They know you won’t be staying home. Helena assured them we’d be taking charge of your security. For now, they’re fine with it.”

  The way her eyes passed over his face, silently studying him, set the hairs on the back of his neck on edge. What was she thinking?

  “Thank you,” she finally said. “I’m ready to give my statement. I’d rather get it done before Dylan gets here. He’s thirteen months but picks up on everything. He’ll be able to tell I’m upset.” She took a deep breath.

  Sean pressed the voice-record feature on his phone. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

  “It’s like a nightmare. Some parts are more memorable than others. That husky I told you about helped me escape. They’re really loyal animals, and looking back, I think she was trying to get help for her owner...”

  Sean watched Ivy’s forehead tighten and lips purse, fighting off emotion. He leaned forward and gave her hand a squeeze. It was too natural to reach for her. He released her fingers just as fast. “Are you sure you’re up for this? We can wait for Helena and—”

  “Yes, I’d like to get it over with while my memory is fresh. The Siberian husky made me wonder if the murder had something to do with the Iditarod. We have a few teams that train around here. Although, the killer didn’t seem to have the type of fit physique most mushers have, so maybe the woman he killed was the musher. Or the husky was just a pet.” Her eyes focused on the wall across from her as if the day’s events were being projected there. “I think the woman came to the mission because she wanted survival gear from me. Maybe to run away from the killer. But he found her before that could happen.”

  “We’ll investigate all those possibilities. We found your pepper spray. Did he attack you first before he knocked you out?”

  “No. It was like he came out of nowhere. I was about to call 9-1-1.”

  “Maybe he was preparing to transport the body, or he hid in the grasses when he heard you approach.”

  “When I woke up, he said something strange. He wanted to know if she gave me something.” She squeezed her eyes tight. “I can’t remember his exact wording.” She opened her eyes and shrugged. “I had no idea what he was talking about. For all I know, he was out of his mind.”

  “Bye-bye...bye-bye! Bye-bye!” A little boy’s voice was getting louder and louder and rang through the hallway.

  Ivy sat straight up, a smile radiating across her beautiful face. “Dylan? I think that’s him.” She laughed, her eyes bright. “When he starts shouting bye-bye, it means he doesn’t want to be here.”

  An older woman with curly, shoulder-length black hair highlighted with silver streaks stepped inside the room. She was hunched over, holding a little boy’s hand. “Would’ve been here sooner if he’d let me pick him up and carry him. He’s in one of his independent moods today, Ivy. Just like his mama. You doing okay, sweetie?” Helena and Luna stood behind the sitter and child.

  “Thanks, Minnie,” Ivy said. “I think I’m going to be okay. Just a big knock on the head is all.”

  Understatement of the year. His own legs felt weak remembering the moment she pulled her hand away from her head, covered in blood. The boy ran forward in a waddle, tripping over his shoes, hands outstretched, determined to reach Ivy. Sean could see the same determination to reach him in Ivy’s eyes. She sat up and tried to lean over the side of the bed. But she shouldn’t be picking him up before the doctor gave the all clear. The boy froze midrun, blue eyes wide. “Doggy!”

  Grace flopped her tail from side to side but remained in place, as Sean’s splay
ed fingers directed. Most of the Akita Inu breed were only trained and used as guard dogs for law enforcement and not recommended as family dogs, but the troopers had rescued Grace from a shelter as a mixed-breed puppy. While mostly Akita Inu, especially in appearance, her DNA revealed a hearty mix of golden retriever, which probably accounted for her amazing smelling abilities and fondness for little people.

  Sean scooped the boy up. The moment the bundle of energy was in his arms, the striking shade of Dylan’s blue eyes and dark blond hair were hard to ignore. It was like looking at a photo of himself at that age. Sean froze. The toddler stared into his face, as well. Did the boy see the resemblance, too, or was he stunned into silence by the fact a strange man had picked him up?

  Math wasn’t Sean’s strong suit, but they’d been divorced twenty-two months. If Dylan was thirteen months old, was there any possibility that—

  “He’s only been with me six months,” Ivy said softly, reaching her hands out and offering a sweet smile Dylan’s way. “But he’s already got me wrapped around his little finger.”

  His ex-wife knew exactly where his mind had gone in that brief moment, Sean was certain. She’d read his thoughts and attempted to spare him from an embarrassing conversation in front of his coworkers. Whether he should thank her later or not, he hadn’t decided. He preferred to avoid potential triggers that would reopen past disagreements.

  The boy strained in his arms, eager to go to Ivy. Sean, careful to avoid the IV, rested Dylan in her lap. The little hands reached for Ivy’s neck. He wrapped himself around her, while resting his chubby face against her chest. Sean’s heart practically exploded out of his chest in a way he couldn’t understand.

  He’d decided three years ago that children would be out of the question. In his line of work, he didn’t need any new vulnerabilities. At the time that he realized he’d need such strict boundaries, Ivy was already in his life, but his job required everything else of him. He’d turn down any new opportunities to make him susceptible to weakness.