Page 28 of Burning Justice

“We’re taking him inside?” Gemma asked when she’d joined them on the sidewalk.

“Blaze has a side hustle as a therapy dog.”

“You never told me that.”

“You never asked. We volunteer at the North Metro trauma center and stop in every few weeks to see the kids there. Helps get their minds off their injuries. Physical and emotional. This kid’s been through a lot. Maybe Blaze can help.” A therapy dog had once helped Brett out of a deep, dark place, and he planned on paying it forward for the rest of his life. He slipped into his suit jacket, then locked the Expedition. “I’ll put him back up in his kennel before we go into the courtroom.”

Before going inside, Brett had Blaze sit in front of the flagpole. He pointed to the American flag whipping back and forth on the pole. “Salute.”

Blaze lifted his paw and dropped it on top of his nose in front of his eyes.

Gemma laughed. “That’s a neat trick.”

“Kids love stuff like that.” It was the very sort of thing that had hooked Brett on dogs all those years ago. That and a dog’s inherent understanding of when someone was in emotional pain.

While Gemma went through screening, Brett secured his weapon in the security office’s lock box.

Blaze’s nails clicked on the shiny granite floor as they headed for the pretrial services office to meet with Gavin Aldrich and his attorney. They were buzzed in, then admitted into a small room with a table and four chairs.

Already seated were Gavin Aldrich and the same public defender who’d represented him in court, Anthony Manning. Manning looked the same, but Aldrich looked even skinnier than Brett remembered, and the dark circles under his eyes were bigger, darker. His face was completely devoid of emotion.

Brett knew that look, had seen it too many times in the mirror. Setting aside emotions, hurt, pain, and fear, was easier than facing the demons running around in your head.

Manning stood and held out his hand. “Thank you for meeting with us before court, Agent Tanner.” He started to extend his hand to Gemma when she held up her finger.

She tugged out her phone and looked at the screen. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back.” She left the room, closing the door behind her.

“Gavin.” Brett shook hands with the kid. His fingers were long and bony, and he instantly eased up on his grip. “Do you remember me?” He nodded. “This is Blaze.” Brett gave Blaze enough slack in the leash to round the table and sit in front of Gavin. “He won’t hurt you. I promise. He just wants to say hello.”

Blaze held his paw out to Gavin, patiently holding it in the air. Brett understood Gavin’s hesitation. Their last meeting hadn’t been nearly as pleasant. Gavin was probably remembering eighty-five pounds of Chesapeake Bay Retriever chasing him down.

Cautiously, Gavin took Blaze’s paw in his hand. Blaze rested his head in the kid’s lap, looking up at him and uttering a high-pitched whine in the back of his throat that sounded like heroo. That’s when he saw it—the crack in the kid’s armor.

The corner of Gavin’s mouth that Brett could see tipped up, then he began petting Blaze’s head. Blaze uttered a contented groan, then lay down at Gavin’s feet. The kid’s smile broadened. “What kind of dog is he?”

“A Chesapeake Bay Retriever.”

“I never had a dog.” When he spoke again, his voice was tinged with anger. “My father wouldn’t let us get one.”

Brett sat across from Gavin and his attorney. “Maybe someday you can.”

“Maybe.” Gavin looked over Brett’s shoulder. “Who’s she?”

Brett turned just enough to see Gemma through the small rectangular window, the phone still glued to her ear. “Her name’s Gemma. She’s an insurance investigator. We’re working together.”

Still watching her, Gavin made a grunting sound. “She’s pretty.”

Brett had to give the kid credit for having good taste. “That she is.” And she was his partner. Only his partner. But yeah…pretty.

Gemma returned and sat next to Gavin. “Hi. I’m Gemma Scott.”

“I know.” Gavin shook hands with her.

“Perhaps,” Manning said, looking directly at Brett, “Gavin might be more comfortable speaking if Ms. Scott wasn’t here.”

Gemma glared at Manning but kept her cool. Somewhat. Her eyes narrowed a fraction. “And why is that?”

“As I explained to Agent Tanner the other day,” Manning continued, “some of the things we need to talk about are of a very…personal nature for my client.”