Page 42 of Targeted at Christmas

Cooper took a step toward her and asked, “So, neither man was wearing a ski mask?”

“No,” she said tersely.

Lexi suspected that this was a clever ploy by the home invaders to get Eleanor to let her guard down in opening the door. Only to put on the face coverings when they left to avoid being identified through surveillance cameras.

“Can you describe them to me?” Cooper asked Eleanor. She gave a surprisingly detailed description of each—from approximating their ages to hair and eye color to body size to the type of clothing they wore—which both he and Lexi took note of, before Cooper narrowed his eyes and asked, “Do you recall seeing either of these men before?”

Eleanor shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Okay.” Cooper touched her hand supportively. “I’ll do everything in my power to bring them to justice and get back anything they took from you.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

Mindful that Eleanor’s car was one thing the robbers stole and would hopefully be retrieved, Lexi leaned in and said sincerely, “If you need anything, just let me know.”

“I will,” Eleanor promised, offering her a soft smile.

When the doctor came in, advising them that it was enough questioning for now and Eleanor needed to rest, Lexi and Cooper left her in capable hands.

“It’s great that she appears to be on the mend,” Cooper said as they headed to the elevator.

“Yes, it is,” Lexi concurred, especially when considering that her assailants were also the chief suspects in the murders of Horace and Neal. “As you mentioned to Eleanor, there needs to be justice…so she can feel safe again in her own home.”

Cooper nodded and set his jaw. “We’ll make sure that happens,” he promised.

Lexi believed him, in spite of the suspects remaining on the loose and still posing a threat.

AT THE FIELD OFFICE, Cooper briefed the special agent in charge on the latest twist in the public corruption probe. That included revealing his involvement with Lexi and their mutual friendship with Eleanor as widowed persons.

Amelia, who was sitting behind her desk, leaned forward after he paused and uttered thoughtfully, “I’m glad you found someone to have a relationship with. And a friend in Eleanor, too. So, go on…”

Cooper, who was standing, continued, “There’s a good chance the home invaders are also the unsubs in the Eckhart and Zapponi fatal carjackings. They may have been stalking Lexi in relation to her work as an architect with local real estate developers as clients—and saw breaking into Eleanor’s house as an opportunity too good to pass up and a safer bet than going after Lexi for the short term.”

Amelia arched a brow. “Hmm… Tough break for Lexi and her neighbor.”

“Yeah.” Cooper rubbed his jawline, while wishing neither of them had been put in this position.

Amelia sighed. “Are we any closer to identifying and arresting the perps?”

“Eleanor described the suspects,” he responded. “When she’s up to it, we’ll get a digital sketch artist to work with her. In the meantime, CSI going through her house for evidence—and the police locating Eleanor’s stolen vehicle—may yield some results toward uncovering the unsubs.”

“Okay.” Amelia sat back, pressing her hands together. “It appears that the home invasion may be an unexpected break in the public corruption case that could help us solve it.”

“Yeah, seems that way.” Cooper was inclined to agree. As he weighed this, while headed back to his office, he spotted a thirtysomething brunette female, who was approaching him.

“Are you Agent Reid?” she asked nervously.

“Yes,” he said. “And you are?”

“Brianne Prichard. I’m a civil engineer—and was a friend of Neal Zapponi.” She took a breath. “I think I may have some information about what happened to him—”

Curious, Cooper invited her into his office and offered an armless mesh-back side chair to sit on. He sat on the corner of his desk. Gazing at her, he asked intently, “What do you know about Zapponi’s murder?”

Brianne met his eyes and replied, thoughtful, “I know that Neal was working as your confidential informant—till he wasn’t—”

She paused as Cooper contemplated where this was going. “Both were true,” he conceded. “Then I got a call from Zapponi to arrange for a meeting at a construction site with new info. Someone prevented that from happening…if you have relevant info, I need you to give it to me.”

“All right.” Brianne swallowed. “The day before he was killed, Neal told me that he’d had a change of heart in being your CI—after he became suspicious regarding Horace Eckhart’s murder following a heated conversation Neal had with a developer.”