Page 81 of Target Acquired

“True.”

“Look, I’m not saying it wasn’t him, I just . . .”

“Want to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“Yeah.”

She pursed her lips. “Fine. I get it.” She brushed the debris from her jeans as backup pulled in behind them.

Thirty minutes later, they were in the back of a squad car, heading toward Kenzie’s home. James had promised he and Cowboy would bring Cole a rental—another 4Runner, please. In the meantime, Cole had no plans to let Kenzie out of his sight from now on. “I think you should lay low. Work on your father’s cold case. But stay out of sight.”

She stilled and kept her gaze on the window. Then, when he thought she wasn’t going to answer, she turned. “Would you do that?”

Would he? Probably not.

“He was definitely aiming for me, wasn’t he?”

“I’d say so.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not quitting. At least I don’t want to. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.”

“I get that. Though if you quit, and he knows it, he may have what he wanted and disappear.”

“Never to be heard from again? I don’t think so. I want him. I want to look him in the eye and tell him he doesn’t get to be the killer bully.”

He could see her doing just that.

“And what’s to say that he’ll stop coming after me should I concede? I mean, it’s not like he’s going to keep his word and leave me alone if I quit.”

“Very true.”

“But I don’t want to be a danger to others.” She sighed. “Have you talked to the commander?”

“He said it’s up to you.”

She hesitated with another long silence that lasted until the officer pulled into her drive. Then she turned to Cole. “I want to ask the team what they think.”

“That could really go either way, Kenz.”

“I know, but they have enough to worry about with the job itself. And I know that I can be a distraction all by myself. But if I’m a bigger distraction than usual—simply because they’re afraid each time I’m with them that they’re going to be attacked by the person after me, then . . .” She bit her lip. “I can’t do that to them without running it by them. And I think it needs to come from you. They’ll be honest if they don’t have to look me in the eye.”

He nodded. “All right. Let’s get inside and I’ll give them a call.”

TWENTY

Once they were inside, the officer pulled around to the front of her home and took up guard duty. Kenzie went to the kitchen while Cole went to the den and placed a call to the team. She really didn’t want to hear the conversation and was mentally preparing herself to take an extended leave until the guy was caught.

While he spoke via what sounded like a Zoom call, she put together a snack of cheese and crackers, tuna, ham, turkey, and crostini. It would hold them until they could order in some decent food. Like steak and potatoes.

He stepped into the kitchen just as she put the charcuterie board on the table. “Looks great.”

“I don’t cook a lot, but I can make a mean board.” She shrugged. “I needed something to do while I waited to hear my fate.”

“The guys said they didn’t want you to quit. That you should stay where you are and fight back.”

She stilled, her eyes on his. “And you had no influence over that decision?”

“None. Told them you said it should be up to them.”

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