Shield Of Refuge. Carol Steward

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      “You did all the wrong things for all the right reasons. I admire you for that.” He reached up and touched her hand. “That in itself is enough for me.”

      THREE

      Amber watched in fear as they loaded the officer into the ambulance and drove away. God, take care of Officer Matthews, and help him remember how much I regret hurting him.

      “Ms. Scott, we need to get more information from you about the crime you apparently witnessed.”

      “Apparently?” She knew that tone and it snapped her right out of her pity party. Pretty blonde, just pacify her. “I didn’t ‘apparently’ witness anything,” she said, wishing she could sound more forceful. “I did witness a crime, and somewhere out there a woman’s life is in danger. So are you telling me you let a dozen or more officers stand here and glare at me over an innocent accident and no one was out there looking for the criminal? A police impersonator may have killed someone? That’s just frightening, Officer.”

      “Lieutenant Chavez.” He glared at her, reminding her why she disliked police officers. “If you’d have left the pursuit up to us, we wouldn’t be here now, and one of my officers wouldn’t be headed to the hospital.”

      “I can’t tell you how bad I feel about Officer Matthews. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. Why else would I follow someone that had already hurt one woman?”

      “I don’t know, you tell me why you’d put yourself in danger when it didn’t involve you? Did you recognize either of the people?” The lieutenant seemed as annoyed as Amber was.

      “No. If I did, why wouldn’t I tell you who it was?” She watched them load her van onto the tow truck and drive away, wondering how she was going to get home. She didn’t want to ask. The lieutenant wasn’t as cordial as Officer Matthews. Surely at some point they’d let her know. An officer was sweeping up the glass, but most were finally leaving, getting back onto patrol she hoped.

      The officer motioned to his police cruiser. “Get in and show me where you saw the crime take place. The officers can finish up here.”

      Amber suddenly froze. It wasn’t even intentional, though she was sure the officer wouldn’t see it that way. She knew from past experience, officers didn’t like their authority questioned. She certainly didn’t need another resisting arrest on her record. The first time she’d been sure the plain clothes cop was an imposter, until after he’d caught her and cuffed her. She didn’t need a repeat.

      A female officer joined them. “I’m Samantha Taylor, the victim’s advocate officer. Do you have someone who can pick you up after you’re done tonight?”

      Amber shook her head. “I’m not sure, depends on how long this takes.”

      “I’d guess at least another hour,” Samantha said, pulling a card from her pocket.

      “No, most of my friends are at a wedding shower.”

      “Well then, have one of the officers give me a call when you’re done and I’ll take you home. And here’s my card.”

      “Thanks.”

      “Officer Taylor, could you come with us to the scene please?” The lieutenant gave instructions to another officer and led Amber to his squad car.

      The female officer stepped into pace with them, easing Amber’s concerns about being alone with the grumpy officer. The two officers sat in the front seats of the squad car and put Amber in the back.

      “So, where’d this incident take place?”

      She directed him to the Victorian Inn, going through the incident as he drove. After they got out, she showed him where she’d parked, and where the police car had been. “This is the yellow SUV that the woman was driving, well, not literally driving, but she was inside it. It was in this same place.”

      The officers took a quick look around it, using a gloved hand to try to open any of the doors. They were all locked.

      “When I came out from finishing the cake, I saw the unmarked police car parked in the street behind the yellow SUV, but sort of pulled in at an angle. There, where that black Suburban is now. That’s where I was parked. The cop was parked…” She looked around, pictured herself walking out of the inn, thinking about the scene. “About here.” Amber pointed to the right. “There was a small car between the yellow SUV and me. The door to the SUV was open when I drove off after him, though.”

      “Run the plates on it, Taylor,” the lieutenant ordered while he shone a flashlight both directions along the ground. “You sure this is where it happened?”

      “Yes, I’m sure. I parked in the 15-minute zone because I wasn’t staying much longer than to assemble a two-tier anniversary cake. This space was the only one available, because I thought it was too bad I couldn’t have had the closer spot, so I wouldn’t have to go around the van carrying the heavy cake. When I came out, the spot I wanted,” she pointed to it, “was open. Then next to it was a red Mustang.”

      “I thought you told Officer Matthews you don’t know cars,” he said, interrupting her thought process.

      “I always wanted a Mustang, so I noticed it, candy-apple red. That’s when I heard the man telling her to get out of her truck. I was putting my cake kit into the van and rearranged it a little because I didn’t want the cake to be damaged, since it didn’t fit into a covered box. I thought of asking him to move, but I don’t…I didn’t have a good feeling about him.”

      Amber continued to explain, feeling as if she was repeating herself for nothing, while the officers both took notes and asked more questions.

      Lieutenant Chavez put his flashlight back into his belt. “Did they see or hear you?”

      Amber shrugged, tired of going through all of this. “Not that I’m aware of. Once I realized this wasn’t really a cop, I got in the van and started looking for my phone. I was so scared. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I keep thinking I should have honked the horn or something. I couldn’t think.” She felt her heart sink and tears stung her eyes. “I didn’t know what to do.

      Then all of a sudden, she went limp, and he forced her into the backseat of the car. And I just panicked. I couldn’t believe what I’d just seen. I didn’t know what to do.”

      “You did exactly what you should have done,” the lieutenant said gently. He paused to let her compose herself before continuing the questioning. “And you have no idea if he stabbed her, or what caused her to go limp?”

      “I couldn’t see that well. There were shadows from the trees. It was getting dark. The guy was in the way.” Amber closed her eyes and focused. “She jerked, like someone in pain. Maybe he did stab her?”

      “There’s no sign of a scuffle, no blood, no evidence that I can see.” The female officer raised an eyebrow. “What made you think it was a police car in the first place?”

      “It had one of those little bubble lights on top, like on cop shows, where they stick it up on the roof from out their window.”

      “We don’t use any of those, even on unmarked cars,” the lieutenant explained.

      “I’ve СКАЧАТЬ