Page 36 of Race to Save Her

Both detectives hit the ground and crawled closer to the back of the house. Katie could hear the siding flapping in the breeze. There must’ve been some wind to push the pieces to make that noise.

Guns out and lying on their bellies, the detectives took cover and scanned their vision. Katie glanced at the space underneath the residence. She thought they could fit.

McGaven made his way toward the front of the house as another bullet zinged from the corner of the manufactured home, pushing him back toward Katie.

“Can you fit?” she said, motioning to under the house. “It’ll give us more cover and we can safely see where the bullets are coming from.”

“Let’s see, bullet hole in my body or pushing myself under a house… I vote for the house.”

Katie called 911 and gave the address, their badge numbers, and stated that they were under fire from an unknown area.

Several more shots hit the house and fence.

Katie pushed herself into an army crawl, inching along until she saw the opening under the living room ahead. Turning her body, she said, “Gav?”

“I’m right behind you… but I think I need to cut down on those burritos,” he gasped, finding it a tight squeeze underneath the home.

Katie kept moving—not sure if the shooter was after them or Bates. Everything was in a whirlwind and the detectives were deep into the unknown.

Katie made it to the opening—she could feel the underside of the house scraping along her spine. She managed to sit up with her neck crooked slightly and felt for the floor above her head. The secret compartment had been dismantled when the human appendages were discovered. She holstered her weapon and pulled herself up through the floor and was able to sit in the living room catching her breath.

Leaning into the hole, she saw McGaven inching along. “You okay?” she called.

“Define okay…” he said as his voice lowered. He was getting close and would be joining her soon.

Katie crawled to one of the windows and carefully peered outside. She hadn’t heard any more bullets. She looked from every vantage point she could. There was no indication of where the shooter was firing from.

Then there was a loud thud.

Katie looked to the floor and saw McGaven pulling his body through the hatch.

“Anything?” he said.

“Negative.”

He stayed seated on the floor. “Where are they shooting from?”

“No clue.”

“It doesn’t make sense.”

“Nope.”

“Think someone was target shooting and the bullets went rogue?”

“Highly unlikely.”

McGaven joined his partner. “Is it aimed at us—like a warning?”

Katie leaned against the wall, away from windows. “I don’t know…” She felt strange. Her breathing was shallow and her hands felt tingly. She had some slight shakes.

No, not now.

“You okay?” McGaven eased closer to his partner.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look great. You’re pale.”