Hidden in Shadows. Hope White

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      Luke started around back, the sound of sirens blaring in the distance. He pulled out his shield and clipped it to his jacket pocket. Didn’t want Barney Fife thinking he was the perp.

      He turned the corner.

      The woman was gone.

      “Miss Yates?” he called out.

      “Who are you and what did you do with my cat?”

      He turned toward the house. She was aiming a fire extinguisher at him.

      He raised his hands and bit back a smile at her aggressive stance. “I’m a federal agent, ma’am.” He nodded toward his shield.

      “Oh.” She put down the extinguisher. “Wait, how did you get here so fast? Did you say federal agent?”

      He took a step toward her and stopped. She looked shaken, petrified. He couldn’t blame her.

      “Yes, ma’am. I’m with the DEA.”

      Her green eyes were innocent, yet weary, and a bruise was starting to form on her cheek.

      “You’d better ice your cheek or you’re gonna look like Rocky Balboa after ten rounds in the ring.” Lowering his hands, he started for the house.

      She reached for the fire extinguisher.

      “I’m on your side, remember?” he said.

      “Then fix my lights.”

      “Excuse me?”

      “There’s no light in my house. I went to the garage to check the fuse box and that guy jumped me, I mean jumped over me.” She shook her head in confusion.

      “Go on inside and I’ll check the fuse box.”

      “It’s dark inside.”

      “Okay, then wait on the porch. The cops should be pulling up any second now.”

      She hugged her midsection with one hand and clutched a charm at the base of her neck with the other. Although she acted strong, she looked broken and terrified.

      And way too fragile.

      Luke went into the garage, pulled out his pen flashlight and inspected the fuse box. As he expected, all switches were in the Off position. Luke snapped them on and light beamed from the house onto the back porch.

      “Want me to close the garage door?” he called.

      No answer.

      Luke peered out from the garage. The woman was gone. What the heck? Did the guy come back? Send an accomplice? He started for the house.

      “Police! Freeze!” a female shouted from behind him.

      Luke raised his hands. “I’m a federal officer.”

      “Yeah and I’m Judge Judy. Get down on the ground.”

      “If you’d let me turn around—”

      “Do it!” The woman sounded too young and green to be holding a firearm.

      The guys in Luke’s division would have a field day if the pip-squeak cop shot him in the back due to lack of experience.

      “I’m going, I’m going.” Luke dropped to his knees, interlacing his hands behind his head.

      “All the way down!”

      He hesitated, bitter memories tearing through his chest. Being forced down…

      Held there while his partner, Karl, fought for his life.

      “I said get down!” she ordered.

      “Deanna, what are you doing?” the Yates woman said, coming out of the house.

      “Stay in the house, Krista,” the cop ordered.

      “No, he’s a good guy.”

      Good? Hardly.

      Krista walked up to Luke, removed his shield and flashed it at the cop.

      He doubted the rookie could see past her adrenaline rush.

      Luke heard another car pull up.

      “How do you know that’s real?” the female cop said.

      “It’s real,” a man offered.

      Luke recognized Chief Cunningham’s voice. Luke had spent a good hour with him earlier tonight going over the case.

      “Lower your weapon, Officer West,” the chief said.

      From the concerned look on Krista’s face, Luke sensed the female cop didn’t follow the order. This was probably the most action she’d seen in her entire year on the force. If she’d even been on the force a year.

      “West!” the chief threatened.

      Krista sighed with relief and touched Luke’s shoulder. “You need help getting up?”

      Right, he still hadn’t moved, paralyzed by the dark memories that he couldn’t bury deep enough. Guilt had a way of rising to the surface to mess with your head at the worst possible moments.

      Krista gripped his arm to help him stand. As if he needed help from this fragile thing.

      Fragile. Innocent. Dangerous.

      “I’m fine.” Luke stood and turned to the cop. She looked barely twenty.

      “Sorry about that,” the chief offered.

      “No problem,” Luke said.

      “Yes problem,” Krista countered.

      They all looked at her.

      “Anastasia is missing.” With a shake of her head, she went into the house.

      Luke glanced at the chief. “Who’s Anastasia?”

      “Her cat,” Officer West said.

      Luke glanced at the house. Krista had nearly been taken out by a member of Garcia’s gang and all she could think about was a silly cat?

      “Officer West, continue your patrol and don’t tell anyone about Agent McIntyre’s presence in town,” Chief Cunningham said. “I’ll handle things here.”

      “The guy who jumped Miss Yates was driving a dark green minivan,” Luke said.

      “Okay, thanks.” Officer West walked to her cruiser.

      “These are not teenage pranksters, West. Radio in if you spot the van. That’s an order,” the chief said. “Yes, sir.”

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