Page 23 of Incomplete
Chapter11
Boden
“Thanks, Cindy, a pleasure as always.”
“Officer Miller, you know you’re a bright spot in my day.”
I smiled and lifted my coffee in a cheers motion before heading out to my cruiser. The last few days had been busier than usual, to say the least, and I was looking forward to this shift ending so I could hopefully coax my beautiful neighbor out of her house during my downtime.
While it’s been a week since her accident, I find myself steering in her direction once I’m home. Checking in on her at the end of my shift had become my new norm, and from our growing friendship, she didn’t appear upset by it, which I’d say was significant progress. And while our conversations haven’t equated to anything deeper past what we shared the night she brought me cookies, all that mattered was day by day; I had the privilege of seeing her coming more and more out of her protective shell and trusting herself with me.
It wasn’t long before I had to park my thoughts on Lakelyn and respond to a call regarding a suspicious U-Haul parked nearby.
The weather was sweltering, just like every other day in mid-June, and made my aviators slide down the bridge of my nose when I pulled up on the scene four minutes later and exited my vehicle.
“Officer Wright.” I tipped my chin. “What do we know so far?”
“A dog walker called it in about half an hour ago. Not sure how long it’s been parked here, but there’s evidence a possible crowbar was used likely before smashing the driver’s side window to gain entry. There’s no glass outside the truck, just inside, so I suspect this is a possible secondary site.”
“Did you open the cargo door?”
“Not yet. I was waiting for backup first.”
I nodded with understanding and walked back to my cruiser to grab my bolt cutters. There had been an unusual amount of motorbike thefts lately involving U-Haul vehicles from neighboring states, so my instincts were already on alert for what we might find.
Once I snapped the padlock like a dead twig on a tree, it dropped to the ground with a clink, and I unholstered my gun. Armed and ready with Officer Wright, I lifted the latch on the liftgate, and the door rattled as I pushed it upward along the rails, only to find the cargo area empty.
Wright climbed inside while I hung back. Just because it was empty didn’t mean anything ominous hadn’t happened here. Rental companies don’t usually rent out vehicles with broken windows.
“I’ve got blood,” he called out.
“Could be from whoever broke the driver’s window.”
“Maybe.”
Gripping my radio near my shoulder, I updated dispatch and set up my workstation with my forensics field kit. I was actively dusting the driver’s door handle for prints when my buddy Jaxon pulled up on the scene.
“Fisher.” I tipped my chin.
“Miller. If you wanted to catch up, you know I prefer McQuade’s.”
“Me too, man, me too.” I set my equipment down on the portable table I’d set up.
“So, bring me up to speed.”
I snapped off the pair of blue latex gloves I was wearing and tucked my hands in the upper portion of my Kevlar vest as we walked toward the back of the truck.
“I’ve already processed the scene back here. A few blood droplets and a partial boot print were in the back right corner. Officer Wright is canvassing for video footage from the surrounding homes.”
“Do we know where the plates are registered?”
“Out of Iowa originally, but tracking down the last known renter of the vehicle will take some time.”
“Keep me apprised of your findings.”
“Copy that.”
“I heard you were on the scene of a crash the other night and refused to leave the driver’s side? Jameson said something was different. He sensed you were—”
