Guarding His Children

Chapter Ten

After finding the photo under Jason's Ford Raptor's windshield wipers in the parking garage, Brittany paced around the car, inspecting it for anything suspicious. Anger welled up inside her. Someone was toying with Jason, playing cat and mouse.

She got down on her hands and knees and used her compact mirror to check out beneath the car. She was tempted to slide under the vehicle when she heard the elevator open. Jason and the police officer emerged and strode toward her.

Standing, she dusted off her jeans and waited. Jason's grim expression screamed the same anger she felt. The culprit was more determined than originally thought, but then she knew never to underestimate an assailant's intent. Anything was possible.

Jason stopped in front of her. "Let me see the photo."

"I haven't touched it. I want Officer Brentwood to treat it as a piece of evidence. It's possible there are fingerprints on the picture. Plus there's a security camera that might have caught our guy on tape." While the young man carefully removed the photo from under the windshield wiper and held the corner of it with gloves on, Brittany continued. "I don't think anything was done to the car, but to be on the safe side, a mechanic should check it over."

"I'll call road assistance to take the vehicle to the garage I use."

"We can use my SUV in the meantime. That is, if Officer Brentwood will take me to the safe house."

"But if it has been compromised, should we stay there?"

"I'd rather be there in a well monitored house than your house or someplace not as secure. Besides, I need you to look at the photo. I don't know that he got very close to the safe house. It's obvious the picture was taken from a distance."

When the police guard approached with the picture, Jason studied it. "It looks like it was taken from outside the community gates."

"Right. We need to see if someone tried to get in and was denied. Go through their security tapes for the time we've been there."

The police officer shook his head. "Ma'am, leave it to Detective Brown. The chief of police assigned him the case. I'll also have them check for fingerprints on the wipers."

Brittany noticed Jason step away and make a call. "Good. Make sure the detective keeps us apprised of the case's progress, especially if they find a picture of the guy who left the photo of the safe house."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Will you take me to the house? Later, I'll need to pick up Jason's daughters at school, and I don't want to leave Debbie, his mom by herself, especially in light of this new development."

"I'll need to make arrangements. I'd like to stay with the vehicle until the crime scene techs get here."

"Fine. I'll call Debbie and let her know I'll be home in an hour or so."

While Jason finished his conversation, probably to his road assistance company, she called Debbie at the safe house. It rang once. Twice. She finally hung up after the seventh ring. Why wasn't Debbie answering?