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multiple contributors."
"That may be,
but I don't know many animals be yond the two-legged variety that would
take the time to undress their victims." Red shook her head.
"Hell, even her ears were missing."
"Watch your language, young lady."
"Sorry, Grandpa." Red's face heated, but she
continued. "Something out there frightened Lisa more than death. The
crime scene is screaming at me to pay attention." She came to her
feet, resting her fingertips on the edge of his desk. "I
can't let this go."
"Okay." He held his
hands up in surrender. "Before you make any rushed decisions, there's one more point I'd like to bring up."
Red gestured for him to continue.
"Bannon says you suggested
the Others might have done it."
Crap! Red
nearly croaked. "It was just a theory—I was desperate."
she lied. "I couldn't let him dismiss the scene without further consideration."
He tsked . "You know that the Others
don't exist. If they ever lived—and I'm not saying that they did— they'd all be dead by
now."
"Just because their
existence hasn't been proven yet doesn't
mean they don't exist. Some of them had to breed.
That means their grandkids or great-grandkids could still be around."
"If I remember the old stories correctly from
childhood, the Others couldn't conceive," he said, his gaze dropping away
from hers.
Red frowned. She'd never heard
that before, but it didn't matter because
she wasn't the only one who thought the
Others might still be around. "Even Roark Montgomery has hinted at the link between the Others and the unknowns. He believes the Others are assist ing
the unknowns with illegal boundary crossings. They can't do that, if they don't
exist."
"Another good reason not to
endorse him. The last thing
we need is a return to our hate-mongering days." Regret and something else colored his features. For the first time, her grandfather seemed evasive.
"I'd like to believe you. You
know I would, but I'm afraid I am going to have to side with Bannon on this case.
You've presented no facts or DNA
evidence here that would indicate
murder by a human being. Bannon explained his theory on the woman's
missing clothes. You've given me impressions and feelings. The law doesn't recognize those. I can't act on your gut,
Gina." Robert Santiago stood, his gaze filled with compassion.
"I know you understand."
"Yes. sir," she replied reluctantly. Red
understood all too well. He couldn't have the future commander entering reports about the Others. She'd lose
what lit tle credibility she had.
Unfortunately, that logic didn't douse the fiery passion for justice
burning in her stomach or the tightness in
her chest that kept telling her that she had to do something. The
woman's frightened face flashed before Red's eyes. She could not turn her back on Lisa Solomon—even if everyone else did.
"I'll expect your report to concur with Bannon's,"
Robert said, straightening the papers in front of him.
Red stepped back, smoothing a
trembling hand over her
hair. "I understand that you're only doing your job, but now I have to do
mine." she said, feeling the emotions churn inside of her, threatening to
overwhelm. "I have
some break time coming to me, do I not?" The question was a courtesy. She'd never taken
recreational time off, so she had a lot
accrued.
"You're certainly long overdue for a
vacation." He punched a button on his compunit. "You have six weeks
available. The max you can accumulate."
"Good, three days should do it."
He stilled. "You're not thinking about doing
any-thing impetuous, are you?"
"No, of course not, Grandpa."
"Glad to hear it. For a second you had me
worried." He gave her a nervous smile.
She snorted. "You know me."
"Yes, I do." He laughed. "That's why I
asked."
Red reached out and squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"I think I'm going to check out Nuria—in the Republic of Arizona—to see if
they're having any problems. You know how lax those boundary towns are about reporting
incidents."
His laughter faded. "Do
"That may be,
but I don't know many animals be yond the two-legged variety that would
take the time to undress their victims." Red shook her head.
"Hell, even her ears were missing."
"Watch your language, young lady."
"Sorry, Grandpa." Red's face heated, but she
continued. "Something out there frightened Lisa more than death. The
crime scene is screaming at me to pay attention." She came to her
feet, resting her fingertips on the edge of his desk. "I
can't let this go."
"Okay." He held his
hands up in surrender. "Before you make any rushed decisions, there's one more point I'd like to bring up."
Red gestured for him to continue.
"Bannon says you suggested
the Others might have done it."
Crap! Red
nearly croaked. "It was just a theory—I was desperate."
she lied. "I couldn't let him dismiss the scene without further consideration."
He tsked . "You know that the Others
don't exist. If they ever lived—and I'm not saying that they did— they'd all be dead by
now."
"Just because their
existence hasn't been proven yet doesn't
mean they don't exist. Some of them had to breed.
That means their grandkids or great-grandkids could still be around."
"If I remember the old stories correctly from
childhood, the Others couldn't conceive," he said, his gaze dropping away
from hers.
Red frowned. She'd never heard
that before, but it didn't matter because
she wasn't the only one who thought the
Others might still be around. "Even Roark Montgomery has hinted at the link between the Others and the unknowns. He believes the Others are assist ing
the unknowns with illegal boundary crossings. They can't do that, if they don't
exist."
"Another good reason not to
endorse him. The last thing
we need is a return to our hate-mongering days." Regret and something else colored his features. For the first time, her grandfather seemed evasive.
"I'd like to believe you. You
know I would, but I'm afraid I am going to have to side with Bannon on this case.
You've presented no facts or DNA
evidence here that would indicate
murder by a human being. Bannon explained his theory on the woman's
missing clothes. You've given me impressions and feelings. The law doesn't recognize those. I can't act on your gut,
Gina." Robert Santiago stood, his gaze filled with compassion.
"I know you understand."
"Yes. sir," she replied reluctantly. Red
understood all too well. He couldn't have the future commander entering reports about the Others. She'd lose
what lit tle credibility she had.
Unfortunately, that logic didn't douse the fiery passion for justice
burning in her stomach or the tightness in
her chest that kept telling her that she had to do something. The
woman's frightened face flashed before Red's eyes. She could not turn her back on Lisa Solomon—even if everyone else did.
"I'll expect your report to concur with Bannon's,"
Robert said, straightening the papers in front of him.
Red stepped back, smoothing a
trembling hand over her
hair. "I understand that you're only doing your job, but now I have to do
mine." she said, feeling the emotions churn inside of her, threatening to
overwhelm. "I have
some break time coming to me, do I not?" The question was a courtesy. She'd never taken
recreational time off, so she had a lot
accrued.
"You're certainly long overdue for a
vacation." He punched a button on his compunit. "You have six weeks
available. The max you can accumulate."
"Good, three days should do it."
He stilled. "You're not thinking about doing
any-thing impetuous, are you?"
"No, of course not, Grandpa."
"Glad to hear it. For a second you had me
worried." He gave her a nervous smile.
She snorted. "You know me."
"Yes, I do." He laughed. "That's why I
asked."
Red reached out and squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"I think I'm going to check out Nuria—in the Republic of Arizona—to see if
they're having any problems. You know how lax those boundary towns are about reporting
incidents."
His laughter faded. "Do
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