Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
“Nah, man, I just don’t want your old ass to come up on more than you can handle.” He tossed the razzing right back.
Samson was cool as shit. My whole staff was. I felt lucky to have a team as driven, hardworking, and compassionate as the one I did. Ensuring our streets and homes were safe from the depravities people could be so inclined to commit. To the immoralities and sins that ran rampant.
Just because Time River was a small town didn’t mean we were immune to those threats.
None of us were.
My chest tightened as thoughts of how those depravities had made their way into my life. Visions of the tragedy warped my mind in a snarl of affliction.
God, the lengths I would go to finally find the monsters who’d spilled innocent blood.
I scrubbed a palm over my face to break up the thoughts. Right then was not the time to be contemplating retribution, not when I needed to focus on the job that was right in front of me.
“Think this old man has it handled.” I forced easiness into my voice.
“Let me know, and I’ll be there.” A true kind of care dripped into his tone.
“I know you’ve always got my back, but I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“All right then. Just be safe out there, brother.”
“Always.”
I scanned out the windshield at the car, searching for any movement.
When I found no indication of anyone around, I unlatched my door and slipped out with the engine still running and the headlights cutting through the darkness. I kept my hand on the handle of my gun as I slowly crept forward, and I pulled out my flashlight with the other as I tromped over exposed roots and pitted ground.
I lifted the flashlight and pointed it toward the car, squinting as I crept below the endless web of stars that spun through the heavens, the moon missing tonight and making them all the brighter.
Unable to make out anything through the windshield, I eased along the side.
My blood pounded an extra beat as I felt a small shift in the air. A sense of awareness that the car hadn’t been abandoned.
Shining my light against the glass, I peered through the driver’s side window. It took me a second to realize the seat was laid all the way back and someone was buried underneath a thick white blanket, completely gone to the world as they slept.
I tapped the glass with the end of my flashlight.
That was all it took to send a commotion of flailing arms and long blonde hair bolting upright, right about the same time as a scream pierced the night. The woman inside scrambled backward even though there was nowhere to go.
Shit.
I’d scared the hell out of her.
I realized she wouldn’t be able to make me out at all, and she had no idea who was outside her window in the middle of nowhere, even though I wasn’t sure that her finding a 6’5” man who was just about as wide as he was tall lurking on the other side any more comforting.
The fact I had a big SHERIFF stamped across my vest was a toss-up, too.
I took a step back from the door and shined the light on myself, my other hand held up in surrender.
Nah, not protocol, but I couldn’t handle the way she kept screaming inside, like she was pretty sure she was about to get chopped to pieces and tossed into the pond.
My movement was enough to clamp off her screams and for the wild clamor on the inside to cease. But her breaths were still so heavy and ragged I thought I could actually hear them through the glass and metal, her fear so profound I could feel it ricocheting across my flesh.
I gave her a whole minute to adjust before I reached out and softly knocked my knuckles against the window. An eternity passed before she finally pushed the button on the locks and popped open the door, so slowly that I had to wonder if she hadn’t been contemplating starting her engine and trying to make a getaway.
It lit the cab, but the light was so dim that I couldn’t make much of her out.
“Are you okay in there?” I asked, keeping my voice as soft as I could.
She inhaled a jagged breath. “Am I okay? You scared the crap out of me. I bet you love it, don’t you? Sneaking up on unsuspecting women? I thought I was going to have to stab you.”
A disbelieving chuckle escaped, unable to believe the little trespasser had just tossed that out there.
“Stab me, huh?” I inclined my head.
She seemed to war before she said, “Um, yeah, I have a knife. I’m supposed to like…disclose that, right? That I have a weapon?”
She lifted her chin like she was warning me she’d use it if I were to make the wrong move.