nose from a recent break or just substantial swelling, blackened eyes, bloody nose…maybe.”
Dave raised his brows. Probably he and the others couldn’t believe she could have remembered so much detail when her life was threatened at the time. She would never forget while she trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky, how important noting peoples’ appearances could be.
Six enlisted basic trainees had threatened two of her fellow officer cadets for their money at summer camp. When the military police had questioned them, the cadets only remembered the muggers wore Battle Dress Uniforms. What were the names on their nametags? The cadets had been too scared to notice.
Deidre had never been accosted by a gang while she trained there, but nevertheless, she learned a good lesson. Making a mental note of peoples’ appearances came naturally to her now. Not to mention she had earlier visions of them that helped to warn her what they’d look like before she encountered them.
Even the police officer who now took her statement, she noticed, had stained teeth from drinking coffee or possibly tea. Smoking was ruled out because there was no odor of it hanging about his neatly pressed uniform. He fidgeted, either tapping his pen or his foot in between writing. And his ring finger sported a new wedding band.
Her gaze shifted to Dave’s fingers, and he caught her interest and smiled. Her cheeks warmed as she turned her attention back to the officer.
“Did he say anything to you, Miss Roux?”
“No.”
“What do you think he searched for?” the officer asked.
“He was a thief. I don’t know what he intended to steal.”
“We don’t believe he was a common thief, miss. He was looking for something specific.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You had silver in one of the drawers he opened. He didn’t touch it.”
“I have no idea what he could have been looking for.” She rubbed her hand again. “Maybe he raided the wrong apartment by mistake.”
“Maybe.” He handed her his card. “If you think of anything else that might help with the investigation, just give me a call.”
After the policeman left, Deidre stared at the door leading to the hall. Turning to Dave, she frowned. “How could he have gotten away?”
Dave sat beside her on the couch and took her injured hand in his and considered the cut. “I’m sorry, Deidre. By the time I pulled you from your apartment, then ran to the patio, the man had jumped.”
“But—”
“He injured himself, the neighbor on the other side of your apartment said. He saw the man holding his nose and limping at a run. Then he disappeared beyond the complex in front of us. The police are still searching for him.”
Deidre shook her head. With just the right maneuver, she’d either given him a bloodied nose, or knocked it out of place a tad. Maybe the fall twisted an ankle, too. At least she could always hope. Maybe they’d still catch him.
“Are you sure you don’t know what he was searching for?”
“Sure, as an Assistant G-1 for the headquarters of the 1st Cavalry Division, I had top secret documents at my disposal. Kept them in the bottom drawer under my phone book. Handier that way.” How stupid did he think she was? Besides in her position, she had no access to secret documents. He should have known that, having been in the military before.
Dave sighed deeply. “I want you to stay at my place the rest of the night.”
She realized then she was being hard on him. Yet, she had no intention of staying with him the night. The guy wouldn’t come back tonight, not with the police searching for him and not as injured as he had to be. “But—”
“No, buts. Until your brother returns home to watch over you, you’ll stay here.”
She ran her hand over the sofa. “The couch is too cold.”
He smiled and pulled her from the sofa. “I wouldn’t think of letting my overnight guest sleep out here.”
She tilted her chin up and wrinkled her brow to see his eyes
Dave raised his brows. Probably he and the others couldn’t believe she could have remembered so much detail when her life was threatened at the time. She would never forget while she trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky, how important noting peoples’ appearances could be.
Six enlisted basic trainees had threatened two of her fellow officer cadets for their money at summer camp. When the military police had questioned them, the cadets only remembered the muggers wore Battle Dress Uniforms. What were the names on their nametags? The cadets had been too scared to notice.
Deidre had never been accosted by a gang while she trained there, but nevertheless, she learned a good lesson. Making a mental note of peoples’ appearances came naturally to her now. Not to mention she had earlier visions of them that helped to warn her what they’d look like before she encountered them.
Even the police officer who now took her statement, she noticed, had stained teeth from drinking coffee or possibly tea. Smoking was ruled out because there was no odor of it hanging about his neatly pressed uniform. He fidgeted, either tapping his pen or his foot in between writing. And his ring finger sported a new wedding band.
Her gaze shifted to Dave’s fingers, and he caught her interest and smiled. Her cheeks warmed as she turned her attention back to the officer.
“Did he say anything to you, Miss Roux?”
“No.”
“What do you think he searched for?” the officer asked.
“He was a thief. I don’t know what he intended to steal.”
“We don’t believe he was a common thief, miss. He was looking for something specific.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You had silver in one of the drawers he opened. He didn’t touch it.”
“I have no idea what he could have been looking for.” She rubbed her hand again. “Maybe he raided the wrong apartment by mistake.”
“Maybe.” He handed her his card. “If you think of anything else that might help with the investigation, just give me a call.”
After the policeman left, Deidre stared at the door leading to the hall. Turning to Dave, she frowned. “How could he have gotten away?”
Dave sat beside her on the couch and took her injured hand in his and considered the cut. “I’m sorry, Deidre. By the time I pulled you from your apartment, then ran to the patio, the man had jumped.”
“But—”
“He injured himself, the neighbor on the other side of your apartment said. He saw the man holding his nose and limping at a run. Then he disappeared beyond the complex in front of us. The police are still searching for him.”
Deidre shook her head. With just the right maneuver, she’d either given him a bloodied nose, or knocked it out of place a tad. Maybe the fall twisted an ankle, too. At least she could always hope. Maybe they’d still catch him.
“Are you sure you don’t know what he was searching for?”
“Sure, as an Assistant G-1 for the headquarters of the 1st Cavalry Division, I had top secret documents at my disposal. Kept them in the bottom drawer under my phone book. Handier that way.” How stupid did he think she was? Besides in her position, she had no access to secret documents. He should have known that, having been in the military before.
Dave sighed deeply. “I want you to stay at my place the rest of the night.”
She realized then she was being hard on him. Yet, she had no intention of staying with him the night. The guy wouldn’t come back tonight, not with the police searching for him and not as injured as he had to be. “But—”
“No, buts. Until your brother returns home to watch over you, you’ll stay here.”
She ran her hand over the sofa. “The couch is too cold.”
He smiled and pulled her from the sofa. “I wouldn’t think of letting my overnight guest sleep out here.”
She tilted her chin up and wrinkled her brow to see his eyes
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