“One of the librarians said he was here less than an hour ago. He returned a book but said he had enough for now. She did say that he left in a hurry and seemed kind of nervous. Maybe the person after him was here.”
“They could have been watching for him.” Shit. He should have kept a closer eye. “Did she give a description?”
“Scruffy, dark hair, buff, and tall, but not too tall.”
“Ruth said he was smarmy with slick black hair, so I’d say that’s our guy.” He had two similar descriptions.
“I’m calling in a description as a person of interest. Then I’ll patrol through town to see if I have any luck. You take your neighborhood.”
“Roger,” Atlas said and walked Evie back to the car. She resisted getting inside but eventually jumped up. He got in and went street by street for the nine blocks around the house, checking each street and alley. As he reached College and South, a man fitting the description from Ruth strode down South Street, walking briskly, looking from side to side as though he were scanning for someone. Atlas called Ruth through the car’s Bluetooth. “Ruth, what was the lurker wearing?”
“Black pants and a gray shirt,” she told him right away.
“Thanks,” he told her and ended the call. The guy he’d see had on jeans and a red shirt, so unless he’d completely changed clothes, that wasn’t him. Damn it all, this was really getting under his skin. Bazel was out there somewhere, probably afraid, and all Atlas could seem to do was worry that whoever was after him hadn’t already found Bazel. “Crap….” He continued patrolling the area near the house, trying to think where Bazel might try to hide.
Carter called, and he punched the button to connect the call. “Anything?”
“A report of our person of interest near Bedford and Pomfret. I’m heading over there to check it out.”
“On my way,” Atlas said, speeding through town before pulling up behind Carter’s car. He had the man on the ground. “What happened?”
“He ran as soon as he saw me,” Carter explained as he patted him down. “You better have a concealed permit for this.”
“Screw you. I haven’t done anything,” the man snapped. Atlas opened the back of the SUV, snapped a leash on Evie, and let her down. She didn’t even get too close before she sat down, watching him intently. The man shook and watched Evie as though she were going to jump him at any second. Atlas urged her forward, and the suspect practically jumped out of his skin.
“He has something else on him.”
“Turn out your pockets,” Carter snapped, and the man glared at him but did as instructed. A few papers fell out. The guy hesitated with his jacket, and Carter told him to take it off and hand it over. He went through the pockets.
“Let her smell it,” Atlas said, and Evie sniffed and pawed at the jacket before sitting down once more. “Bag the jacket as evidence. She indicated that it has drugs in or on it.” Carter turned the man around, cuffed him, and got him in the back of the car. Atlas wanted to ask a bunch of questions about whereBazel was, but at least he didn’t have Bazel, and that meant that Atlas just needed to find him.
Carter closed the squad car door. “Did he have any ID on him?”
“No. Nothing. But the suspicion of drugs should he enough to hold him for a few days until we can get the jacket tested. And when I book him, we’ll get him a jail uniform so we can test the rest of his clothes.”
“At least that helps. But we’re no closer to finding Bazel.”
“Go back to the house. This guy isn’t a threat to him any longer, at least for now.” He took a step toward his car, but Atlas had an idea, following him.
“Open the back door,” he told Carter and urged Evie inside. She jumped in, and the suspect plastered himself against the door.
“Evie, attack,” Atlas said, and she turned to the suspect, growling deeply.
“Get this thing away from me. I don’t want her to tear me apart like Breaker.” He shook like a leaf. Atlas tugged her back, and she jumped out of the car. “You were going to have her kill me.”
Atlas closed the squad car door. “That command means for her to growl and look menacing,” Atlas told Carter. “She has other commands to protect me and herself.” He grinned.
“What was that all about?” Carter snapped.
“The guy Evie went after in my yard, the one who was later found dead, Bazel told us his nickname was Breaker. This piece of crap knows him, so it confirms that he’s from the same organization. Get a statement and interrogate him. Then call Special Agent Wilkins and tell him we have a present for him. One he can actually speak with. He should be thrilled.”
“Sounds good. You know he’ll claim federal jurisdiction.”
“Let him. He’ll take him off our hands, and the FBI can do all the drug testing. We’ll just make sure he gives us a report of everything they find so we can file our own charges if necessary.”
“Will do. You head out and find Bazel,” Carter added, and Atlas got in the SUV and took off toward home, wondering where in the hell Bazel could be.
Chapter 16
