Page 55 of High-Priority Asset

McQueen started barking.

Sickened and terrified, she heard Dutch yelling to her from the phone on the floor. But her mind went blank. She squeezed her eyes shut, staggering back from the box in horrified revulsion, spun toward the sink and retched.

In her entire life, she’d never seen anything more gruesome.

Chapter Fifteen

Twelve minutes. That’s how long it had taken Dutch to reach Isabel and it had felt like a small eternity.

Staring at the obscene foulness in the box, a cold fist clenched his stomach.

Dear God, Almighty. Dutch had seen a lot of awful, sick things in his time in the army, but this still got to him.

Looking away from the mutilated pig’s head, he put the lid on the box. He was outraged someone had sent that to her. The only reason he was able to muster a facade of calm was for Isabel’s sake.

Dutch went to her in the living room. He sat on the coffee table in front of her, so close that his legs brushed the outside of hers, and he held her hands.

Her fingers were ice-cold and her face pale.

McQueen didn’t know what to do. The dog vacillated between barking at the box on the counter and whining beside his owner.

Making sure Isabel was okay was Dutch’s only concern after he’d called the police. His protective instincts had reached an all-time high. After grabbing the throw from the back of the sofa, he wrapped it around her shivering body.

She was in shock.

He put a mug of water with a chamomile tea bag in the microwave and poured her a small cup of pomegranate juice. “Here, drink this. It’ll help.” Once her blood sugar came up, she’d start to feel a little better.

She took the glass with both hands and sipped it. Her face twisted like she might be sick.

“Chug it, all at once.” It was only four ounces and she needed to drink it.

A shudder rippled through her, making the glass shake in her hand, but then she did as he told her. After she swallowed, he noticed a slight lessening of tension in her muscles.

The microwave beeped. He took the glass from her, got the tea and shoved the warm mug in her hands.

“Why would Chad do this? Send me...that.”

First the bees, almost killing Isabel, and now sending her such a disgusting thing. He was a sadistic monster.

Dutch clenched his fists, aching with the need to pound them into Chad’s face.

“The stench.” Fresh tears welled in her eyes. “I can still smell it. I need air. Please, I want to get out of here.”

A loud rap at the door drew their gazes. “Police. We received a call.”

Dutch got up, let the two officers in and showed them the contents of the box. They both gasped, their faces tightening with disgust as they reeled back.

“Damn,” Officer Gibbs said.

Officer Lewis took out a pad and pen. “Ma’am, we’re going to need to get your statement,” she said, gently.

Dutch folded his arms, furious energy buzzing through him. “How long will it take?”

“It might take a while,” Officer Lewis said. “We’re also going to need you both to come down to the station to get your fingerprints to check them against what we find on the box.”

“Can you take her statement at the station? The sooner we change the scenery, the better.”

The female officer nodded. “Sure.”