Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
The air feels thick and sticky every time I draw a breath. If they break in, they’re going to have to come through me. I psych myself up, needing to find my inner mama bear, because my cub is in danger.
The regular lock flips, leaving just the safety bolt. Forcing myself to be brave, I rush over and relock it. The click sounds almost explosive in the quiet of night, but it gives a clear signal. I am here, and I’m not letting you in.
“The police are on their way!” I yell through the door.
Logan’s door cracks open, and a very sleepy four-year-old comes shuffling down the hall. He walks into the living room clutching Mr. Larson under one arm and his helmet under the other. “Mommy? There was a noise.”
“It was just the TV, Honey. Come on, let’s get you back to bed.” I gently guide him back into his room. Whatever happens, I don’t want him to see it. The police are coming, I keep repeating to myself in my head.
I don’t think Logan really woke up. The moment his head hits the pillow, he’s out again. I stand guard outside his door, running through different scenarios in my head. If they get in, I’ll barricade myself in Logan’s room with him to buy us more time. When is—
Something hits the railing again, this time hard enough for the reverberation to wake the whole building. There’s no siren, but I see the flicker of flashing lights on the living room walls. Oh thank God.
“He’s going out the front!” Someone yells just before the broken front door slams.
There are voices in the hall, doors opening and closing, and after a long minute, a knock at my door. “Ms. Vale? It’s Officer Dillard.”
I’m so relieved to hear a familiar voice that I nearly forgive him for thinking the worst about my sister. I put down the bat and unlock the door. “Oh thank God you made it. Did you see who it was?”
He nods. “My partner is in pursuit. You’re lucky I happened to be close. I’m going to take a few pictures of the damage to the door, then can I come in and get the details for my report?”
“Of course.” I wait in the apartment, thinking a little more clearly now that I’m not quite as panicked.
It was lucky that he was close. Right?
This isn’t the biggest city, but it’s big enough that it’s weird that the same officer who came out to talk to me about my sister just happened to be on patrol in my neighborhood. Or have the police been watching me this whole time? When does paranoia turn into common sense?
The pictures don’t take long. “They really did a number on your door. Have you had any trouble since our last chat?” he asks.
“No.” Which is partly a lie, but nothing that he needs to know about. “Do you think it’s related?”
He taps his pen against his lower lip, thinking. “I think it’s unusual for someone to risk coming into a shared entrance on an upper floor for a random break-in. Were the lights still on?”
“Yeah, I was just getting ready to go to bed.”
“Hm… I’m not trying to alarm you, but this sounds like you were specifically targeted, which is unusual without some sort of criminal connection.”
“I’m a home health aide with a four year old. What could anyone possibly want with me?”
He pulls out a second chair at the kitchen table, and flinches slightly when he sits, like something hurts for a moment. “Ms. Vale, we touched on this at my last visit, but I think it would be a good idea for you to reconsider your involvement with the Outlaw Sons. Those sorts of people can appear very charming, but it can attract the wrong sort of attention.”
“You think they tried to break into my apartment?” I shake my head. “That wouldn’t make sense.” All they’d have to do was knock.
“I’m just speculating. From our investigation, we know that your sister was tangled up in the local criminal network.” He sees the look on my face and changes tactics. “I’m not saying she was a ringleader or anything of the sort, but drugs don’t come from nowhere. I would think you would want to help us figure out if someone can be held responsible. It would give her death some small amount of meaning.”
“I do, I just…”
“Are you being threatened, Ms. Vale? If the Outlaw Sons are forcing you to cooperate with them, you can tell me. You might even be able to help us break their hold on our city.”
Just when I was starting to wonder if maybe I was wrong about my first impressions, he pushed too far. Stiff, Lash and Jackal have done nothing but help me since the moment we met. I give Officer Dillard a thin lipped smile.