A Sister's Wish

By Jennis Slaughter

When Navy SEAL Sydney Martin feels her twin sister die, she knows that she has her work cut out for her in finding who murdered her. When she gets a delayed text, asking her to protect something, she vows to do just that.

What she doesn't know is that her investigation will involve her sister's best friend, computer programmer Chance O'Neil, and that they will end up running for their lives in search of the truth while falling in love.

Will they be able to bring the guilty parties to justice before they are caught, or will it all be for naught?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennis Slaughter
• Release date: Mar 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224607587

Book preview

A SISTER’S WISH

A Novella by Jennis Slaughter

E-Book Edition

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Published by:

Jennis Slaughter on E-Book

Copyright © Jennis Slaughter January 2017-2024

A SISTER’S WISH

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Jennis Slaughter is available for comments at [e-mail] as well as on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JennisSlaughterBooksFans, or on Twitter @ [e-mail] or on her blog @ http://sinjenkai.wordpress.com/com if you would like to follow to find out about stories and book’s releases.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

~PREFACE~

The throbbing of her swollen eyes and the sting of her split lip dragged the young woman from her unconscious state with a moan.  She was trying to raise her head when a hand roughly grabbed her hair and yanked it upright.

Hey!  It looks like she’s waking up, a raspy voice came from behind her. 

The brunette tried to protest, but another man walked into view to punch her face again.  You need to tell the man what he wants to know and then we’ll stop hurting you.

As she brought her head back around, the woman spat out a mouthful of blood that landed on the shoe of the perfectly dressed man who was overseeing the beating.  You masterminded the attack on an American Embassy leading to the deaths of American men and women, you turned over governmental secrets, and you had my sister beaten half to death.  Do you honestly think I'm going to tell you what I did with all the evidence?  If you do, you are dumber than you look, and right now, that's pretty damn dumb.  

The man she was speaking to shook his head as he was reaching inside his jacket pocket, It’s too bad.  You were an attractive woman who thought she was pretty smart... now you’re just dead. Pulling out a pistol, he handed it to the other man.  Kill her.

The woman’s eyes went wide for a moment before a shot rang out and then everything went black.

~ CHAPTER 1 ~

There are some places that sand should never be, Chief Petty Officer Sydney Martin complained to herself as she stood underneath a showerhead trying to clean off sand and grime from her recent mission.  In the next breath, she was being thankful they had hot water on base as she would really hate to bathe in ice cold water.

She was rinsing the conditioner from her hair when a sharp pain exploded in her chest causing her to drop to her knees and gasp for air.  Sasha...  Immediately an image of her twin sister in Canada filled her mind.  Something had happened and whatever it was, it was bad.  Still on the floor, she concentrated on catching her breath and easing the ache that remained. 

Slowly, she made her way back up on her feet and finished up.  Turning off the water, she grabbed the towel she had slung over the partition and began to dry herself off.  Going to stand in front of a mirror, she took a critical look at her body.  Standing five foot seven and three quarter inches tall with short brown hair, she had a six-pack abdomen and was in fighting shape, which was a good thing as she was one of very few female SEALs.  Her naturally tanned skin showed some mementos of her close calls in the form of knife scars and bullet and shrapnel wounds.

Rubbing her chest where the pain had emanated from, Sydney closed her eyes and concentrated on her twin.  They had discovered early on that they could pick up on the other’s emotions from about a thousand miles away from each other, but it took something extremely intense to get halfway around the world.  She knew that getting time on the satellite phone would be close to impossible as you had to reserve.

Shaking her head, Sydney finished drying off and got dressed.  Brushing her short hair into order, she headed out.

Petty Officer First Class Gus Warren spotted his fire team partner exiting the shower tent and grinned as he snuck up and ruffled her hair.  Hey, Sweet Pea!  Finally get that sand out?  Took me ages.  I think the Master Chief made us lay on that beach for the night just to fuck with us, he chuckled.

Watch it, Gussie...Master Chief hears you say that and he’ll have you doing sit-ups in the surf again.  You’ll have sand in places no woman has ever experienced before, Sydney joked back to her friend.  She rubbed the tattoo of a pea pod on the inside of her left wrist.  Her teammates had given her the nickname Sweet Pea as soon as they caught a glimpse of it one night when they were doing the rounds at bars.

Gus noticed his partner rubbing her wrist anxiously and put a gentle hand on her arm to pull her to a stop before they walked into the mess tent.  The whole squad was like a small family and they were all aware of the close relationship the woman shared with her sister.  Hey, Syd, everything okay? he asked quietly.

The brunette shook her head, I don’t know, Gus.  I felt something a few minutes ago, that was as painful as anything I have ever felt, and I have the feeling that something is terribly wrong.  Sydney took a deep breath, It’s probably nothing.  I bet that Sasha is trying to work out a problem and hit her hand against the wall again.  It’s a wonder she hasn’t broken bones before, she tried to joke off the uncomfortable feeling.

Sometimes I wonder if that sister of yours should have been a SEAL herself, the way she hunts out answers to those techie problems of hers.  He smiled, knowing that Sydney would open up when she wanted.  Oh!  Master Chief wanted me to tell you that we get to go back to main camp the day after tomorrow.  Thank God!  Six months of almost nightly recon is more than enough.

Lord knows, Gussie, it’s the only action you get at night.  Sydney headed towards the chow line to help herself to some pasta with vegetables.  She had to keep up her energy and carbs with all the training and missions that they had been going on. 

As she reached for some juice, she hoped that whatever was wrong with Sasha was as simple as she hoped.  She hated being so far away, but protecting her country and loved ones was important to her and the loneliness that she put up with was well worth it in her mind.

No thanks to you, by the way, Gus poked back, trying to keep his partner distracted.  He knew whatever she’d picked up was eating at her, but he needed her mind in the now as much as possible.

I have taste, Gussie.  I’ve seen you in your underwear and I still have nightmares about it.  I can’t understand why all the girls at home go wild over you, Sydney laughed as she carried her tray over to a table and sat down to eat.

Plopping himself in the chair across from his fellow SEAL, he let out a loud laugh as he carefully set his tray of steak and potatoes down.  Hitting where it hurts again, I see.

From what I could see, the girls need a magnifying glass.  I’ve heard that size doesn’t matter...it’s how it’s used, but that still confuses me because I’ve also seen you dance, the brunette joked back.  Gus was her closest confidant within their team as he knew of her sexual preference and had even gone the distance to pretend they were lovers to keep the rumors at bay.

Oh, my love, such sharp words, he gasped, clutching his chest, but before he could say more he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Well, hey there, guppies.  Heard you guys had a good time on the beach while us Rangers actually got shit done last night, the tall Ranger laughed.

Yeah, the only reason you got anything done last night is because we took care of the snipers and the group that was coming up on your six.  You didn’t even know they were there until we took them out, Sydney shot back.  This guy had been riding her and her team the entire time they had been at this base and she had lost count of how many times they had pulled his hairy ass out of trouble.  Even his own team members were getting fed up with his actions and attitude.

Maybe if you fucking beach munchers pulled out your tampons and did your recon right, we would have known about them.  You fuck-ups could have gotten us killed like that, the Ranger shot back.

News flash, meat head.  We don’t work for your sorry ass.  Now how about you move along before I lose my temper, Gus warned, shrugging the hand off his shoulder.

Boys, boys.  Don’t get your panties in a wad.  He can’t help it, Gus.  He’s so used to playing with himself that he just can’t get along well with others, Sydney smiled sweetly up at the Ranger.  A part of her was hoping the man would start something.  She had a restless feeling that she wanted to cause someone pain and it might as well be this asshole.

Well, how about you meet up with me tonight and we’ll just see how well I play with others?  Besides, it’s about all you women are hired for...keeping us boys happy while we do the real work, he leered.

You fuck face, Gus muttered as he stood to face the man.  He knew that Syd had worked damn hard to get where she was and he didn’t put up with that kind of talk about her from anyone.

Sydney stood up and got between the two men as the tent grew quiet.  Everyone had been waiting for this Ranger to try something with anybody and they all wanted to watch.  You want a little one on one, Army?  Tell you what, why don’t we go outside, and if you can pin me for a three count, you can have me, and if I pin you, you pay for my team’s tab at the bar until we leave.  Deal?

The Ranger let out a loud laugh and agreed, Sure, but I promise I will go easy on ya.  Wouldn’t wanna hurt a girl.

Neither would I, the brunette shot back.

Gus shook his head, knowing that Sydney’s hand to hand was better than anyone he knew.  Okay, looks like it will be a good night for us, Syd, he laughed, following the two outside.

The rest of the tent quickly followed and bets were flying even before all of them walked out the door. 

Sydney shrugged out of her shirt, leaving her in her dungarees and a t-shirt as she then began rotating her shoulders, loosening up her arms.  Do you want a time limit on this, Army?

I can go all day, but you’ll find that out later tonight.  No time limit, just try and last as long as you can, he grinned, stripping down to his own t-shirt and pants.  Getting into a good stance, he moved forward, hoping to grab the woman around the waist and put her to the ground. 

You’re pretty slow, Army.  No wonder we’re always saving your sorry ass, Sydney taunted as she danced away.  Gussie, what are the odds at? she called out.

Gus looked up from the money he was counting and shook his head.  Sorry, Sweet Pea, it’s about three to one for the meat head.

Put five hundred on me and let’s go for a three-minute time limit.  There are some drinks calling our names.  The SEAL quickly dropped and swept the Ranger off his feet with a leg sweep, then followed up with an elbow to the chest, knocking the air from his lungs.  Score one for me.

Well, I guess it looks like I can try a little harder then, doesn’t it, the Ranger sneered, rubbing his chest.  He moved quickly, rolling and taking Syd to the ground, ending up on top of her.  Now what are you gonna do?  All I have to do is sit here and you can’t go anywhere.

Gus once again shook his head, knowing that whatever came next would be painful.

Bringing her head up quickly, Sydney head butted him on the nose as hard as she could and when he jerked backwards, she brought her legs up and around his shoulders, pulling him to the ground as she followed his movement to end up behind his head, holding his legs against his shoulders.  Wow!  You are flexible.  Are you used to this position? she murmured loud enough for only him to hear.

Fuck you, bitch, he gurgled around the blood pooling from his nose.  He squirmed, trying to dislodge her, but he couldn’t get the leverage he needed.

Doesn’t look like you will get the chance, she shot back before she called out to the crowd, Does anyone want to count to three for me?

Gus started collecting as the whole crowd made the count.  Damn, Syd, you made us a fortune!

As the crowd roared three, the brunette released the man and took a few steps back, wary that he might continue the fight, And the drinks are all on him.

Laughing, Gus gave Sydney a pat on the back and watched the Ranger step forward, but before he got too close, his teammates pulled him away to get his nose checked and try to keep him out of trouble.  Something tells me that isn’t the last we’ll see of him.

Nodding her head, Sydney agreed.  She felt a little bit better because of the physical release, but still there was something there underneath the surface and it was very wrong.  Probably not, but let’s go quench our thirst.  She picked up her shirt and pulled it back on as they headed towards the bar.

Gus let out a long sigh.  They were ten minutes out from the main base and he couldn’t wait to get into a hot shower.  He felt something vibrating against his thigh and realized it was Sydney’s phone.  He gave her a light shake, rousing her from the nap she was having on his shoulder.  Wakey, wakey there, Sweet Pea.  We’re close to home and your phone is vibrating.

Huh...what? Sydney sat up and wiped her face.  Tell me I wasn’t drooling.

Okay, but only if you wipe it from your chin first, he chuckled.  Your phone is going off like crazy and we are about ten minutes from base.

She wiped at her face again with one hand while she fished her phone out of her pocket with the other.  Opening it up, Sydney saw that it was a text from Sasha.  There’s Chance at the university that needs to be protected.  She frowned at the choice of words and read it aloud, I’m not sure what she means.

The university?  Is that the one up in Canada? Gus asked, curiously.  Ask her what she means.

She quickly texted back and waited, but nothing came back, and then she noticed the time stamp on the text as she and her sister had always agreed to include it on every text.  Shit, this was sent two days ago.  There must have been a delay getting here.  I hope everything is all right?

I’m sure it’s fine, Syd.  That school is old.  Maybe they want to tear it down or something? Gus reassured her as they pulled to a stop just outside the gate.

Sydney sighed.  She hadn’t forgotten the pain she felt and realized the text had been sent roughly two hours before it had happened.  She waited as they were cleared to go through the gate and as the truck finally rolled to a stop, she stood up, shouldering her duffle bag.

Let’s get this over with so I can go have a hot shower, shall we? Gus grinned, following his partner and the rest of their squad off the transport.  He frowned when he saw where the vehicle had come to a standstill, knowing that a stop at the CO’s office was never a good thing.  He watched as an officer in a formal uniform approached Sydney.

Chief Martin, you are to report to the CO’s office immediately.

Sighing, Sydney turned to Gus, Betcha Army complained to someone.

What a pussy.  Typical Army.  Well, let’s get this over with.  I’ll wait for you just in case.

Agreeing, Sydney turned to walk up the steps into the office.  Placing her bag on a nearby chair, she removed her cap and quickly smoothed down her hair before knocking three times on the commander’s office door and waiting for permission to enter.

Come in! the commander called, looking up from his desk as the door opened.

Chief Petty Officer Martin reporting as ordered, sir, Sydney stood at attention in front of Commander Black’s desk.  She stared at the awards that were placed on the wall behind his head.

At ease, Martin.  The man stood up to walk around the desk.  His job required that he do some difficult things, but he always felt what he was about to do was the hardest.  Coming to stand next to the SEAL, he took a deep breath before he continued, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but your sister Sasha has been killed.

Sydney’s chest immediately tightened and a lump filled her throat, causing her to swallow a couple of times before she could form any words.  She had paused in her movement to stand at ease and she slowly returned to attention.  Permission to speak, sir?

Granted, he said kindly, knowing this kind of thing was hard on his men and women.

When did she...umm, how did she...go, sir? the SEAL could barely get out the words.

The officer took a deep breath, debating if he should tell the young woman or not.  He had not gotten much detail, but what he did get wasn’t pretty.  Are you sure you want to get into this now, Martin?

Yes, sir.  I need the whole story, or as much as you have.  She stared at the awards once more, not seeing them, but her sister’s face instead.

Two days ago, she was found at her apartment.  They believe she was targeted by a hit man due to the way she was killed.  He hoped this was good enough.  He truly didn’t want to be the one to tell one of his best SEALS that her sister had been found bound to a chair and tortured before being shot once between the eyes.

Closing her eyes, the brunette remembered the pain she had felt, and when she opened them again, she simply stated, How was she killed, sir?  I need to know the details before I deal with what I have to do next.

The older man took a deep breath, steeling himself for how his chief might react, She was found bound to a chair.  Marks indicated torture before she was shot once in the forehead, hence the suspicion of a hired killer.

The only movement the man saw was tightening around the woman’s eyes and the clenching of her jaw.  He watched as she swallowed a couple of times before she spoke, If I may ask, sir, do you know who identified her body?  Our parents are dead and we were each other’s only family.

Her coworker found her when she didn’t show up for work.  I am very sorry for your loss, Martin, he said sincerely.

Thank you, sir.  Permission to take leave to arrange for her funeral and the closing of her apartment?  Sydney refused to cry in front of her commander even though she wanted to scream and beat something, anything, to take away the pain.

Already taken care of.  There is a plane with ground troops returning stateside in a couple hours or one leaving tomorrow, it is your choice, he explained gently, knowing the young woman was doing her best to stay stoic.

If you don’t mind, sir, I’ll take the one leaving tonight.  Is there anything else, sir?  She was fighting to remain upright and professional as her fingernails bit into the palms of her hands.

No, Martin, you are free to go.  Please, if you need anything, let the CO at your home base know.

Yes, sir, thank you, sir.  Sydney did an about-face and walked out of the office, carefully shutting the door before grabbing her bag and heading outside.

Gus knew that something was wrong the moment his fire team partner came through the doors.  Shit, how bad could it have been, Syd?  I mean, at most a fighting charge and extra duties, right?

Sydney stared at him for a moment before she realized that he had spoken.  Huh?  What?  She shook her head, What did you say?

Damn, Syd, must have been bad if you are this out of it.  I asked what he hit you with, extra duties or a fighting charge?

Sasha is dead and I need to go home.  She started to walk past him with the intent of heading to her tent to pack for the trip.

He stood frozen for a few seconds before the information sank in and he jogged to catch up with her strides.  That’s impossible, she just texted you.

It was delayed getting to me, remember?  It was sent before she was murdered.  Now if you will excuse me, I need to get packed and changed for my flight.  Sydney paused for a moment before she turned to her friend, Do you think you could go over to check on my orders?  I only have an hour or so before the plane leaves and that barely gives me enough time to get things in order.

Yeah, sure, Syd.  I’ll be right back.  I’m really sorry, Sydney, he said softly, cupping her cheek and pressing their foreheads together affectionately before turning towards the ops tent.

The woman turned back and continued her walk towards her tent.  Lifting the flap, she walked over to her cot and placed the bag on the floor next to it.  She stood there for a few moments before she mentally shook herself out of her stupor and looked around.  Inhaling deeply, she quickly unpacked her bag and then just as quickly repacked it with what she needed to go home.  Opening her wardrobe, she pulled out two uniforms.  One she used when traveling and the other was her dress uniform.  Folding the latter one carefully, she placed it in her flight bag and zipped it shut before turning to grab her bath essentials to take a shower.

Waiting until he saw Sydney head for the showers, Gus went into the tent to pull out all the things he knew she had forgotten in her dazed state and packed them.  He shook his head sadly, knowing that his friend was devastated.  He couldn’t even imagine what it was like to lose a twin.  He wished he could go back with her for support, but knew it would never be approved so he sat and waited for her to return to brief the chief on her orders.

After bathing and getting dressed without any thought, Sydney went back to her tent, stopping once inside when she saw Gus sitting in a chair.  Thanks for going and for everything else.  I know, as usual, you’ve covered my back.

You forgot your usual things, but don’t worry about it.  You need to report to the airfield in forty-five minutes.  I’m really sorry I can’t go with you to help out, he said, checking over the kit bags one last time.

Putting her toiletries away, Sydney nodded.  No need.  You’re second in command now and the team needs to prepare for the next deployment.  I’m depending on you to make sure that everyone is ready.  Don’t let Jackson get away with anything, she nodded as she cast a critical eye around the tent, satisfied that she and Gus had gotten everything she needed.

You got it.  You know I got things back here, so don’t worry, just concentrate on home.  Gus nodded, pulling Sydney into a hug, Love you.

Love you too.  Now get out of here.  Sydney was still trying not to break down.  She had held it together in the shower because it had been filled with other people and she knew she had to head over to the airfield so she could check in and get a seat.  It was first come, first seated on transport flights.

Gus grabbed her duffle bag while Sydney took her flight bag and then he walked her over to a waiting Jeep.  Once more, he said his goodbyes and this time he walked away before she drove away.  He understood that his friend needed to face this in her own way and needed to see that he had everything under control.

The flight to the States was long, noisy, and uncomfortable.  They stopped in Iceland to refuel before they reached their destination of New York city.

Once they landed, Sydney grabbed her bags and headed to the Air Canada desk to get a flight to Moncton and to Mount Allison University in Sackville.

After waiting an hour for the flight to take off and another four hours of the actual flight, Sydney was standing outside the Moncton International terminal, flagging down a cab.  Getting inside, she asked to be taken to the police department in Sackville.

A forty-five-minute drive later, she finally walked up the concrete steps of the police department.  Once inside, she placed her bags in the chair nearest to the front desk before asking to see the officer in charge of her sister’s case and explaining who she was.

Officer McDonough stepped into the bullpen after getting a page from the front desk.  He spotted the young woman immediately—she was a dead ringer for her sister.  Mrs. Martin, I presume? he asked, holding out his hand.

It’s Ms. Martin, but you are correct, Sydney answered quietly.  She had hardly spoken for the past twelve hours and was exhausted from traveling and controlling her emotions.  She wanted nothing more than to curl up and let the world pass her by, but she knew what she had to do, and the rest of the world be damned, she was going to do it.  What can you tell me about my sister’s murder?  She described what the CO had told her.

I am afraid not much more than that, Ms. Martin.  It is an ongoing investigation.  All I can tell you is that we are doing everything we can, but there don’t appear to be any leads.  Is there anything you can tell us?  Did she mention anything strange to you? he asked, leading her to his office.

She works...she worked as an expert program developer in the engineering department at Mount Allison and the last message that I got from her was that there was a chance that the university might need protecting, but that didn’t make any sense to me.  Sydney sighed as she sat down in an office chair, running her hand wearily through her hair.

It doesn’t make much sense to me either.  I know they have been thinking of making the campus buildings a heritage site due to age.  Has she mentioned anyone?  Boyfriends or girlfriends?  Coworkers even? he asked patiently, knowing the woman in front of him was exhausted.

No, we didn’t get the chance to talk a lot as I’ve been deployed overseas for the past six months, but when we did, she would just talk about work and how exciting her job was to her.  The brunette had gone over every conversation she had had with her sister and couldn’t think of anything out of the ordinary.

Do you think someone would do this to get back at you?  Maybe for things you might have done overseas?

My name is never mentioned in any news reports and I’m sure that if whoever did this wanted to get back at me, they would have left some sort of message for me, Sydney replied, even though the man brought up a good point.  Her team had had their successful missions and had been commended, but they had also had missions where an enemy had seemed to know what they were going to do before they got there and had been waiting for them.

Thank you.  We’ll stop here.  I can see you are tired.  You should get some rest and we will see you tomorrow if we need anything.

Standing up, Sydney reached out to shake the officer’s hand, Is it possible for me to see my sister?

I am not sure that is a good idea.  I can let you see her, but the circumstances of her death were unpleasant, he said carefully.

Sir, I’ve seen war and all the death it brings with it.  I need to know what my sister went through so I can find out...so I can deal with this.  The brunette caught herself as she almost said too much.  She hoped the policeman would just attribute the slip of the tongue to her exhaustion.

Very well, but I will warn you, seeing your enemies lying dead is very different than seeing loved ones.  Right this way please.  He led her to the morgue where Sasha’s body lay covered on the table.  He stood nearby and instructed the technician to lift the sheet when Sydney was ready.

Nodding her head, Sydney took a deep breath and balled her hands into tight fists as the sheet was lifted and she saw her identical twin with cuts and bruises on her face and a tiny bullet hole in the middle of her forehead.  Even with her injuries, Sasha looked like she was sleeping.  It was all Sydney could do not to reach out and shake her awake.

After a moment, she nodded her head once more and turned to Officer McDonough.  Thank you.  Could you tell me the name of a nice hotel?

Just across the street from the campus is the Marshview Inn.  Cheap, clean, and very nice, he said, walking her to the front door of the department.  I promise we will do everything we can to find who did this.

I would appreciate you keeping me up to speed with anything that you find out.  I’ll be here for the next few days for the funeral and taking care of Sasha’s apartment.  She turned back to him, Do you have the keys to her apartment, and if so, may I have them to start cleaning things up?

Yes, here are the personal belongings she had on her, he said, stepping into his office just long enough to retrieve a bag.  He handed them over to the uniformed woman.  If you need anything, please let us know.

Thank you again.  Taking the bag and gathering up her luggage, she walked outside and hailed another cab and asked to be taken to the inn that the officer had suggested. 

Once she got to her room, Sydney dropped her bags on one bed and sat down on the other one.  She stared at the small paper bag that held her sister’s belongings for a long time before she set it aside and stood up to start getting undressed.

After taking a shower, Sydney lay down on the bed farthest from the door and tried to go to sleep.  Instead, she kept seeing Sasha’s face, and when she did finally go to sleep, she saw her sister sit up from the table in the morgue, the sheet slipping to her shoulders and saying, You must protect...you must protect.

~ CHAPTER 2 ~

Waking up in a cold sweat, the SEAL was surprised to see that it was early morning as she got out of bed, groaning with the effort and feeling like she did after a hard mission.

After showering and getting dressed in a pair of well-worn jeans and a black t-shirt, Sydney pulled on a leather jacket and grabbed a muffin from the hotel restaurant before she headed over to a funeral home and arranged for the service and burial.  The management was very understanding and agreed to work with the police to get the body as soon as it was released.

Walking back outside, Sydney reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the paper bag to take out the keys to Sasha’s apartment and the address that Officer McDonough had given her.

After getting directions, the brunette made her way to the address and stood out in front of the building for a few moments before she went in and found the apartment.  Slipping in the key, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The stench of blood was almost overpowering and even though Sydney had seen worse, it almost made her gag before she opened all the windows, letting fresh air in while she stood taking deep breaths.

Taking a quick look around her as she balanced on the thin ledge between the two buildings, the brunette was thankful the window had been left open.  She pushed it up a little more and wiggled her way inside the dark storeroom.  She lowered herself to the floor quietly, knowing it was critical that she retrieve what she was looking for.

B

Looking around, Sydney spied a small closet door off the kitchen and went over to open it and look for cleaning supplies.

The lithe woman froze as she heard footsteps approaching the door.  She grabbed the nearest broom handle, holding it awkwardly in front of her like a weapon.  She shook her head to get the stray locks of dark brown curls off her face as she waited for whoever it was on the other side to open the door.

B

Hearing a movement from inside, Sydney paused as she reached for the door knob, and then, standing off to the side, she quickly turned the knob and flung it open.

Without thinking, she swung the handle wildly, but was surprised when she didn’t connect with anything so she blindly kept swinging, hoping that she could daze whoever was there and make an escape.

Taking a quick step back, Sydney raised an eyebrow and grinned as the young woman kept swinging the broom handle about, not even looking where or at whom she was swinging.  If you open your eyes, you might hit something, she offered with a chuckle.

Hurriedly opening her dark eyes, the young woman darted out of the room into the kitchen, still brandishing the broom.  Then her body went rigid as she got a good look at the person in front of her.  Sydney? she asked hesitantly, an Irish lilt in her voice evident.  Shouldn’t you be overseas?

Excuse me, but I don’t know you.  The SEAL frowned and crossed her arms, Do you mind telling me what you are doing in the closet?

Oh, uh, I’m sorry.  I’m Chance.  I was very close with your sister.  She told me all about you.  You guys are twins so obviously so that’s how I knew you, she explained, pushing her glasses back up from where they had slid during her break-in.

Hearing the name, Sydney stepped forward to grab the woman around her upper arm.  Who are you?  What did you say your name was? she growled out.

The small brunette froze when she felt the strength in the hand around her arm.  She remembered Sasha saying that her sister was Special Forces and she knew that no matter how good shape she was in, her five foot two frame didn’t stand a chance against the woman towering over her.  She began to sweat in the black hoody and sweats she’d worn for the break-in and her dark eyes began to dart around for possible escape routes.  Chance.  My name is Chance O’Neil, she said, the accent in her voice thickening with the surge of fear.

You are who she meant in the text...what exactly are you doing here? the taller brunette pulled the shorter woman closer to her.

Chance took a deep breath at the new proximity of the woman in front of her.  Uhh, I can’t tell you that, she whispered, trying to ignore the scent of the taller woman’s perfume.

You had better, because this is the last text that I received from Sasha.  Sydney reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her cell phone to show Chance the message.  Now tell me why she thought that you needed protecting and if you think that had anything to do with her being tortured and killed.

I came for her second laptop, the one she did her behind-the-scenes work on.  She always kept it hidden if she wasn’t using it.

Girl, you’re starting to get me mad.  What you are saying is not making any sense to me, so why don’t we sit down and you can explain everything to me.  Sydney motioned to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair for the woman to sit on.

Please don’t make me talk here.  We can talk anywhere, but here, she said with a sad glance towards where she’d found her friend’s body a few days earlier.

The SEAL then noticed how pale the woman had turned when she glanced towards the living room.  My, God!  You’re the one who found her, aren’t you?

Yes, Chance said simply, tears threatening.

All right.  Get whatever you came here for and we’ll leave.  Do you know where Sasha kept her important papers?  I need to take them with me.  Sydney took a step back, not wanting to upset the younger woman.

A false floorboard under her bed.  Same with the laptop.  The brunette padded down the hallway, being sure to give the spot in the living room a wide berth as she passed, and went straight to the bed, opening the false floorboard and pulling everything out.  Everything should be here.

Looking around the bedroom, Sydney spotted a satchel, picked it up and dumped out everything inside, and then closed it before slinging it over her shoulder and across her body.  Okay, let’s get out of here and go someplace where we can talk.

Okay, where do you want to go? Chance asked, following the SEAL out of the apartment.

You tell me.  You know the area.  How about your apartment?  Sydney stopped the young woman from going outside before she had a chance to look around.  Now that she knew what Sasha had been talking about, there was no way that she was going to let the woman be harmed.

Uh, sure, um, it’s just a few streets down.  On the left, right before the park, the Irish woman explained, pointing down the road.

Did you drive here or walk?  Keeping her hand on the small of the woman’s back, Sydney’s eyes kept scanning the street.

Walked, she answered, aware of the heat from Sydney’s hand on her back.

Okay, I want us to walk as nonchalantly as possible to your apartment, but I want you to keep a lookout for anything that looks out of the ordinary.  I don’t know what goes for normal here and I need to keep you safe.  Sydney glanced down into scared chocolate-colored eyes and quickly smiled.  Don’t worry.  I’ll keep you safe.

Chance held the dark eyes of the taller woman just a beat longer than appropriate, before glancing shyly away.  Okay.  It’s a sleepy town here.  Not much hustle and bustle and most everyone here is a student or with the university, she explained as they started walking.

So how did you and Sasha meet? the SEAL asked.

Oh, uh, well, we ended up as dormmates freshman year.  I was new to Canada so she helped me adjust to a new place and new people.  We had the same major too so it worked out really well, Chance smiled, remembering those first few weeks.  I am glad she was so patient.  I am told I’m a little too shy.

Well, you swing a pretty good broom stick, so you have something going for you, Sydney joked back.

Oh, God, I am so sorry about that.  You gave me a terrible fright though, Chance chuckled, relaxing ever so slightly.

I wasn’t expecting anyone to be in the closet either, so it was a shock to me too.  Sydney glanced around the neighborhood they were walking through.  The buildings were older, but seemed to be in good repair and the streets were narrower than she was used to, but that also could work for them if need be.  Do you see any unfamiliar cars around here?

Chance glanced around nervously and noticed that most of the cars were unfamiliar.  She stepped closer to the woman next to her unconsciously.  They are all unfamiliar.  It’s the end of the school year and we are very close to campus.  Students are getting ready to return home.  I’m sorry, any one of these cars could be a threat.

Don’t you worry.  Just act normal, but keep your eyes open.  If you see something that you don’t like, tell me and I’ll assess the situation.  You do exactly as I say and we’ll get through this just fine.  As they crossed the street, Sydney put herself closest to the roadway, keeping the younger woman between her and the buildings.  How much farther?

See the big brick building on the corner there?  My apartment is the loft on the top floor.  Just another block, Chance answered, her eyes darting around the street.

Nice place...can you tell me how many entrances and how many apartments there are? the taller woman looked at the three-story building with a critical eye.  The windows were narrow, which limited the vision, and she could not see a fire escape on that side so that was one less way someone could get up to Chance’s floor.

Just two—one on the north side and one on the south.  Ten apartments on the first and second floor, five on the third.  No fire escapes, but low roofs of other buildings nearby if we have to get out fast.

So, the only way to access the third floor is through the stairwell?  Is there only one?  Sydney was impressed with the girl’s assessments so far.

Yes, only one staircase to the third, but my apartment has a cargo elevator that only goes to my place.  My loft used to be storage before it was remodeled and only I have the key to the elevator.  We can use it to go up, Chance explained as they crossed the street and she led them towards the alley at the side of the building.

She pulled the door across and yanked down the gate, inserting her key and unlocking the controls.  Soon enough, they arrived at her apartment where she opened everything up and stepped inside.  It was a large studio loft.  Nothing fancy, but tastefully laid out.  A small bedroom area sat off to one side in an elevated area while the kitchen and living space sat on the lower level.  That last area was obviously a workspace as it was filled with several monitors and computer set-ups.  Make yourself at home.  It’s nothing much, but it works for me, Chance stated, picking up a pile of laundry off the sofa.

I like it.  I can see why you and Sasha were such good friends, Sydney motioned to the computer set-up as she walked deeper into the apartment.  Would you mind telling me something?  Why did you sneak into Sasha’s apartment today?  You obviously have a key to the place since you found...

Because it’s a crime scene.  I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the investigation, but I didn’t want to risk anyone other than me finding her laptop, she clarified, running her fingers over the frame of a picture of her and Sasha together.  Finally, she moved to the open kitchen.  Hungry?  I am sure it’s been a long few days.

The SEAL was in the process of taking off the satchel when she paused for a moment to think.  Come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I ate a real meal.  I had a muffin this morning, but before that, I have no idea.  She shrugged off her jacket and placed it on the back of a chair before she followed Chance into the kitchen.  Is there anything I can do to help?

No, you are a guest.  Just sit back and relax.  The young woman smiled as she started pulling ingredients out of the cupboards and fridge.  If you are okay with waiting a little bit, I can throw together a good Irish stew?

I don’t mind.  Sydney reached into the satchel and took out the laptop computer and papers from her sister’s apartment.  I’ll look through these and see if I can figure anything out.

Tell me what you find.  Maybe I can help you, Chance offered, cutting up potatoes and carrots.  How long is your leave?

Thumbing through the papers, Sydney couldn’t read one word on any of them.  They all looked like they were written in a code or foreign language that she had never seen before.  I don’t understand any of this.  Uh, it’s supposed to be five days at the most.

Supposed to be? the brunette asked with a quirked eyebrow.  Let me see it.  Maybe I can make it out.

Rising from the chair, Sydney carried the papers into