Read Online Travis Justice by Colleen Shannon - Free Book Online Page B

the remains of the Taylors to see if there’s a possible weapons match?” Zach asked.
    They all eyed the full-length picture of Kai, appraising the swords he carried. Abby responded, “Yes. Inconclusive, though the head of the lab agreed these swords, as far as cutting angles and splatter pattern, could match the gashes on all four victims.”
    Zach absorbed that. So far, they had no proof linking the Japanese girl to the Buckhorn murders other than the hood that was found. It was identical to the hood he’d ripped off her head the night she broke into their house, the one they used to match her DNA and identify her. But it had been clean of any DNA, as if it had never been worn. A plant, perhaps? But Zach couldn’t voice that gut feeling because he had no proof. Besides, what motivation would the real killers have to try to implicate the Japanese girl?
    All latent DNA residue they’d tested from the murder scene had been male and had not hit any of their many databases, including the one the Japanese authorities had on Yakuza activity in Japan, which they’d been good enough to cross-check. However, the single hair sample recovered showed a strong correlation to Japanese DNA markers around Okinawa. Kai was from Okinawa. The girl had been born in the U.S. Thus, there was only one apparent link between Kai and the girl, and it was literally staring them in the face.
    The katana.
    With a look at his dad, who nodded, Zach stood and walked to the screen, using his pen as a pointer. “I was stationed in Okinawa for a year. The Japanese value swords, especially family samurai swords, beyond anything we can claim as Americans. The oldest ones are tied to their national identity and the clans who hold them. Whoever is strong enough to acquire one revered from the Edo period, has an advantage in any power struggle. Since there’s only one link between the girl who broke into our house and this Kai, other than the obvious fact they’re both Japanese . . .” He traced the outline of the katana blade with his pen. “Follow the sword. I’d bet my Harley they both want the Masamune blade. Let’s use it as bait.”
    * * *
    The next night, Hana was back perched on the Tarrytown fence, once more garbed in black so she could scope out the Travis mansion. She and Ernie had formulated an action plan for the following night, when the sword would arrive in Austin. But just in case, she wanted to investigate the Travis mansion so she’d have a backup plan to snatch the sword if for some reason they failed at the warehouse. She used the expensive night-vision binoculars Kai had supplied her with when they’d made their devil’s bargain, along with a sword and various other weaponry, which so far she’d refused to carry.
    Sparring with swords had always been her favorite part of her training in the ring. She normally trained with bokken , the wooden sword, and was only allowed to use a real katana when Ernie deemed her ready. She’d never used any blade to render harm, and she wouldn’t start now. She only wished Kai had the same compunction but knew he didn’t. That was another reason she didn’t want to leave him with the sword. If there was any other way to get Takeo back, she’d find it.
    Immediately, even without the binoculars, she saw the new security: hired guards in uniform leading dogs around. Not just any dogs, but Belgian Malanois —the favored breed of the armed forces and large police departments because of its intelligence, protective instincts, and loyalty to its trainers. They were much more alert and well trained than the family Rottweilers. She also noted that the upstairs windows were all closed. New motion detectors blinked from all quarters as they moved from side to side.
    Yikes! One arc of movement almost included her position. She vaulted down, she hoped, in time. She ran to her car, her mind moving even faster than her feet.