Page 16 of Barbed Wire and Burglary
“You’re still retired.” Aaron shook his head balefully. “Working in private security isn’t the same thing.”
A.J. agreed wholeheartedly, but he couldn’t resist needling the guy. “In this town, the lines seem to be blurred between the two. I’m being told that Lonestar Security occasionally gets called to assist in crime scene investigations, so feel free to put me to work.” Due to the number of phone cameras aimed their way, he kept his voice low.
Aaron sent an irritated look at a teenager who was shutter-snapping photos. A muscle in his jaw ticked. “How exactly do you plan to help out?” His tone suggested that A.J. would only be in his way. In addition to being a dirty cop, he was apparently full of himself.
For Aurora’s sake, A.J. held on to his temper. “Besides twenty years of conducting police and security operations both domestically and in combat zones,” he drawled, “let’s see. I also have a degree in forensic science that might come in handy.” He gestured lazily. “I’m also pretty handy to have around for coffee runs.”
Aaron’s expression sharpened with undeniable interest over the last item, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from his sister.
“Don’t you dare,” she seethed at him. “You can use the help, and you know it!” It was a not-so-subtle reference to the fact he was still recovering from his bullet wound.
His glare in her direction deepened, though his next question was directed at A.J. “Why did you bring her with you?”
“Two reasons.” A.J. was all too happy to share them. “She asked to come, and I doubt she would’ve taken no for an answer.”
Unless A.J. imagined it, Aaron almost smiled. Though A.J. was surprised by the guy’s momentary lapse into humanity, he capitalized on it by pressing his point. “She has my keys, so she can take off if she needs to.” He angledhis head at the onlookers without breaking eye contact with the guy. “How about we make the evening news doing our jobs instead of standing around jawing?”
Aaron shifted from one boot to the other, then gave a jerky motion for A.J. to follow him.
Success!A.J. kept his expression neutral, tossing a quick wink at Aurora before hurrying after her brother.
Aaron lifted the caution tape to step under it and let it drop back into place before A.J. reached it.
His pettiness was chuckle-worthy.You’re gonna make things as difficult as possible for me. Check.A.J. lifted the caution tape for himself and jogged to catch up with the angry deputy. Only after they were out of the spectators’ earshot did he start talking. “My boss said we’re dealing with a B and E.” B and E was short forbreaking and entering.
“Yep.” Aaron led him around the back of the shop, which was even more dilapidated than the front of it. “Here’s the entry point.” He gestured at a section of the rusty chain-link fence hemming in the tiny yard behind the pawnshop. It had been cut from top to bottom with the sides bent inward.
“Looks like.” A.J. wasn’t sure he agreed. The fence was still curled inward, suggesting that someone had broken in but had left by a different route. The clump of animal fur sticking to a single prong of the protruding fence also struck him as odd. If a bushy dog had passed through the opening, he would’ve left fur on more than a single prong. The crime scene was too clean. A.J.’s guess was that someone had doctored it, and he was pretty sure he knew who that someone was. Did it mean the deputy at his side was involved with the burglary?
“Do you have a different theory?” Aaron squatted down beside him, pulling on a pair of rubber gloves and poppingthem into place, but not before A.J. caught a glimpse of white bandage wrapped around his left wrist. The redness staining it looked fresh.
Interesting.“I’m just observing. No theories yet.” A.J. watched as the deputy produced a plastic bag and a pair of tweezers, which he used to retrieve the sample of fur.
Another thought struck A.J. “Where’s the dog?”
“According to Pumpjack Peters? Missing.” Aaron sealed the plastic bag.
“The owner?” A.J. inquired when his companion fell silent.
“Yep.”
A.J. was betting the Pumpjack part wasn’t the fellow’s legal name. “Did you get a description of the dog?”
“Of course.” Aaron gave him a dirty look. “German Shepherd. Three years old. No chip. He was the only security system on site.”
“Was anything taken?” It appeared that A.J. was going to have to drag the story out of him.
Aaron stood. “Let’s go find out.” As they walked around to the front of the store, he volunteered a few more details. “In case you haven’t guessed, the owner is an oilman. Eighty-year-old widower. Wealthy but doesn’t look like it. Lives above his shop.”
A.J. nodded. “What’s his real name?”
“Jim Peters.”
A quick glance at the curb confirmed that his truck was still parked there, and Aurora was still inside it. She leaned across the console, waving at them through the driver’s window.
A.J. waved back before entering the pawnshop. The bell on the front door jingled to announce his arrival, making a white-haired gentleman in denim overalls glance their way.
“Did you find Trooper?” He sounded forlorn.
