He opened his mouth to plead his case. But a neighbor who'd spotted the security car was watching to see what would happen next, and Luke was reluctant to put on a show. Stil hoping this was a terrible mistake that would be resolved quickly if he cooperated, he ducked back into the house and yanked on the rest of his clothes.
He'd had a feeling Kalyna was bad news, but he'd discounted it. He hadn't realized how much damage she could inflict if she set her mind to it.
He'd never had reason to fear a woman. What could she do to him?
Apparently, he was about to find out.
Chapter 1
Sacramento, California
Three weeks later
Ava Bixby sat behind her desk, watching the large-boned blond woman twist the tissue Ava had just handed her. The blotchiness of her face and the puffiness of her eyes seemed out of place against the battle fatigues she was wearing. But she'd been relating a horrific incident, one that had happened only three weeks ago and would make any woman cry, even a tough military type.
"Take your time," Ava said soothingly. She knew the right tone to use.
She dealt with victims every day. It was her job. They hadn't all suffered rape, of course, but most had been directly affected by violent crime. Her partners, Skye Wil is and Sheridan Granger, had firsthand experience. Ava had experience with it, too--just in a different way.
Kalyna Harter had introduced herself as a staff sergeant E-5 in the air force and looked Ukrainian, as her first name suggested. But she spoke with no accent, leading Ava to believe she'd immigrated to the United States when she was a child. A light dusting of freckles covered her nose and she wore her fine blond hair straight down her back. She would've been beautiful, except that her features were a little large or incongruous or...something. Ava couldn't figure out what made her face such a near miss.
"I'm sorry, it's--" Kalyna sniffed "--difficult to talk about this."
"I understand." Although Ava had never been physically attacked, she'd felt the effects of criminal behavior. She knew from what her mother had done how badly it hurt everyone associated with it, even those who weren't the intended target.
"He--he seemed like a nice guy, you know?" Kalyna was saying. "I mean, I've flown with him for three months. He's never said or done anything that made me think he might be dangerous. Besides, why would any guy with a body like that have to resort to force?"
Ava's mind had wandered, as it always did when she thought of her mother. She was tired, had less control today. It was Monday morning, but she'd spent most of the weekend working, as usual. Sometimes she didn't allow herself enough of a break from all this and she became almost...numb.
Picking up her pen, she focused, trying to shake off the heavy sense of loss and betrayal that weighed her down when she least expected it. She missed her mother--and felt guilty for missing someone who could do what Zelinda had done. "Rape's not about sex, Ms.--"
"Please, call me Kalyna."
"Kalyna. It's about power. And ra**sts come in all shapes and sizes.
But--" she dropped her pen again "--I'm not quite sure how to help you. This is a military matter. You've already mentioned that their investigators are working on it."
"It happened at my apartment, and my apartment is off base. That means the civilian police could prosecute, too."
A sharp knock interrupted.
"Excuse me." Ava lifted a hand. "Come in," she called.
Skye Wil is poked her head into the room. With her golden tan and long, well-toned limbs, she didn't need makeup or fancy clothes, but she always dressed nicely. Today she was wearing a summer dress and had her blond hair pulled back. Sheridan was with her. She wasn't nearly as tall or toned as Skye--she was a little more voluptuous--but every bit as pretty.
Her unusual, almost violet-colored eyes and dark hair drew attention wherever she went.
Ava felt very plain next to her partners. With dishwater-blond hair, eyes that were neither brown nor green--just a murky in-between--and a body that was thin to the point of boniness, she couldn't compare with their kind of beauty. Maybe that was why she settled for boxy business suits.
She accepted what she was, didn't try to compete.
"We're heading over to Starbucks," Skye announced.
"Can we get you two some coffee?" Sheridan chimed in.
Ava glanced questioningly at Kalyna.
"I'm fine," she murmured.
"So am I," Ava told them.
Skye must've noticed Kalyna's blotchy face and realized they were in the middle of a serious conversation because she lowered her voice.
"Okay, sorry for the interruption," she said, and Sheridan waved quickly as they left.
"Those people work here, too?" Kalyna asked.
"They started the charity." Ava had worked at The Last Stand for two years, but Skye, Sheridan and a woman named Jasmine Fornier were the ones who'd conceived of the idea and gotten it up and running. An excellent forensic profiler, Jasmine stil did some consulting--for them and for others--but she'd since married and moved to Louisiana, which was why there'd been a job opening for Ava.
"So it's just the three of you?"
"Yes, plus a bevy of professionals from psychologists to bodyguards, most of whom donate their time. In addition, we have a handful of volunteers."
"I didn't know that. When I called, I was simply given an appointment with you."
"I'm single, so I put in a few more hours each week. And I focus mostly on casework and less on administration and fundraising."
"I see."
In an attempt to guide the conversation back to where they'd left off, Ava looked at her notes. "So...you were saying something about the civilian police."
"I was saying they could prosecute, too," Kalyna responded. "But they don't want to get involved. They don't think it's necessary to spend taxpayers' money to prosecute the captain twice, so they've decided to let the military handle it."
"You don't want the military to handle it?"
"I don't trust the air force. They'd do anything to avoid a scandal, even if it means letting Luke off. He's one of their best pilots, an officer.
That's quite an investment. I'm just an enlisted airman--and a woman at that."
Ava could easily believe the military would rather keep this quiet. But would they really investigate less thoroughly than they should?
As she deliberated, fresh tears welled up in Kalyna's eyes. "That's what you're here for, isn't it? To help people like me--people who have all the cards stacked against them and can't get justice?"