Page 37 of Chasing Justice

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“Works for me.”

The procession went as well as expected. Juniper behaved for Josh. Maya kept one eye on them as she helped move the casket out to the waiting hearse. After her part was over, she went and took Juniper back from Josh.

“See?” he said. “She does like me.”

“Yeah, well, you survived this time,” Maya said, although a smile crept across her face. She didn’t know what to say. She fidgeted with the leash and then blurted out, “Did you really do agitation work?”

“Yeah. I went through all the training.”

Maya did need to start Juniper back into training and thought she was ready for some light work. “Would you be willing to come to my cabin for a simple training session? Just to see how she does? Maybe tomorrow?”

“That works. What time?”

“How about nine?”

Josh grinned. “I love getting bit by seventy pounds of fur missile first thing in the morning. I’ll see you there.”

“Okay, it’s a plan.” Maya was about ready to turn and walk away when Josh stopped her.

“So, uh, you going to give me your address or do I need to go ask your grandfather?”

“I’ll text you. I think I still have your card,” Maya said. She saw Todd waving at her from his vehicle. “Gotta go. Boss is calling.”

“Okay, but don’t forget to text me,” Josh said. “Or I will ask your grandfather and let you explain that one later. Oh, and I’ll get my windbreaker from you then.”

Maya shrugged, relieved that she wouldn’t have the smell of his cologne permeating her cabin anymore. “Works for me.”

She headed for her vehicle and glanced over her shoulder. Josh was still watching her and waved. She smiled and waved back.Why am I smiling?Maya hated to admit it—while she found Josh annoying, he was nice too...in an annoying way.

Todd pulled his vehicle up by Maya and Juniper. “Thompson, hurry up. There’s some news on the investigation,” he said. “Meet me at the office ASAP.”

Maya and Juniper hurried to the patrol vehicle. As Maya was opening up the door to load Juniper, she glanced off to a side street. Sitting back in the shadows was the black truck. She still couldn’t make out the person, but they appeared to be watching her.

Chapter Twenty-Two

After arriving at the office, Maya and Juniper took the stairs two at a time and rushed in the front door. Agents Coleman and Kessler were there, looking solemn. Todd sat at Maya’s desk.

“So.” Todd took charge. “What’s the news?”

Coleman crossed his arms and sat back more. “We sent crime scene techs to Doug’s house. We couldn’t find the stash of cash.”

“But I know it was there,” Maya blurted out, then added, “Sir,” as an afterthought.

Coleman glared at her and she shut her mouth. She knew from the military when she needed to be quiet. “We did find the space under the kitchen floor,” he explained. “Only there was nothing there. We fingerprinted everything and got back Doug’s prints. There was a print we couldn’t match, and of course your prints, Officer Thompson. Actually, your prints were all over the house. I was wondering why.”

Maya felt herself turning red from the neck up. Not from embarrassment, but from anger that Coleman was suggesting what she thought he was. “I went to pick up Juniper’s things.”

“Well, it appears you were quite nosy then, unless Doug was in the habit of keeping Juniper’s things in his desk, on bookshelves and in the master bath.”

“I stopped to look around. I was remembering Doug.”

“Any idea what happened to the money?”

“No, and if you’re asking if I took it, I didn’t.”

Coleman gave her an icy stare. “I’m not suggesting anything. I just simply want to know where the money might be and why there’s an empty drawer with your fingerprints all over it on Doug’s desk.”

“I didn’t take the money. If I had, I wouldn’t have told you about it. As for the desk, I was looking for some letters I had sent Doug when I was in Afghanistan. I didn’t find them,” Maya said. Coleman didn’t need to read the letters with Doug professing his love for Maya or that he was in a troubled relationship. There was already enough evidence linking him to the bombing.