Page 12 of Kevin's Destiny

The car slowed and Kevin saw they were about five miles from their destination. He looked at her with a smirk. “So, how many more hiding places do you have in the house?”

Karen laughed, and it reminded Kevin of their younger days from decades ago, but there was nothing romantic in the memory. Just a time from the past. “Just the shoes, purses, and Ryan’s insurance money.”

“Tell me again where it is?”

“In the rafters of the attic.” She explained where she thought she had hidden it, and then clammed up when the prison came into view. It took time to get through security, having the guards take Karen’s possessions, then walk away with her. There was nothing more the three detectives could do, and they climbed back into the sedan, and headed back to the station.

“Are you hungry?” Drake asked Kevin at one point, and they decided to stop at a diner, but not before calling into Boggs to let him know of their plans.

Two hours later, they walked into the bullpen, and Kevin shook his head when everyone turned to look at him. He saw the captain wave him forward, and he went.

“What’s up?”

“I’m not going to ask you how you’re holding up, but do you know Sargeant Hammer with the bomb squad?”

“Not really. I’ve heard of him, but never met him.”

Boggs pointed, and Kevin turned to see a man standing there. He stuck out his hand, and they shook.

“I’m going to need your home address,” Hammer said. “Along with your vehicle description.”

“Why?”

“Because from this day forward, until the threat is eliminated, I will be personally going over your vehicle for any explosives that might have been planted during the day, or overnight. I will do it before you leave here after your shift, then before you start it in the morning.”

“Starting tomorrow,” Boggs said from behind his desk. “When you arrive here at work, you will be parking behind the fence where the towed vehicles are stored.”

“Do you think that’s wise? What if someone from the gang has a car in there and tries to get to my truck?”

“Won’t happen, they have to have paperwork for the guard on duty. Then another guard will physically go and look for that particular vehicle. No papers, no match, no entry. No customers are allowed in the lot.”

“Has it always been like that?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” He nodded then gave out the information.

Hammer looked at him with a grin. “I live three blocks from here. I run every morning. It wouldn’t be any problem for me to swing by and check out your vehicle. What time do you leave for the office? Oh, and in case I didn’t mention this before, I’ll be checking out your house also.”

“In three days, you won’t have to do that.”

“What’s happening in three days?”

“Some friends of mine will be coming to protect me.”

“What qualifications do they have that the bomb squad doesn’t?”

Kevin grinned. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because each one has anywhere from twelve to fifteen years’ experience of being a Navy SEAL.”

“Shit, yeah, I’m going to want to meet them.”

“Don’t quote me, but one of them might have munitions experience.”

“Good, I’m still going to want to meet them.” They shook hands again, and Hammer left. Boggs invited Kevin to sit before his desk. He reached over and took a folder off the windowsill behind him, and laid it on the desk in front of Kevin.

“What’s this?”

“I took the liberty of calling HR on my way back from Gig Harbor. They brought this to me when I returned. It’s your retirement package. Take it home, look it over, and then you can proceed with your plans.”