Page 6 of Race to Save Her

“It was probably just someone wanting attention or maybe even a dare.” She knew she was downplaying it. “We don’t know anything for sure yet. They should be able to get a print and hopefully an ID quickly, and then we can go from there.”

John sighed. “I can get a flight home tomorrow.”

“No. That’s not necessary. John, please don’t cut your conference short.” She walked to the window and saw the police vehicle in place, as her uncle had ordered. “I’m fine. There’s a patrol cruiser out front. I know how important this conference is.”

“Katie.”

“Please, John. I appreciate the thought and would love to see you, but keep your original plans.”

As she sat on the sofa, she heard him sigh. She could tell John was worried.

“Okay,” he finally said.

Cisco jumped up and settled himself next to Katie.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I don’t know why everyone seems to dismiss the fact that I’m a veteran and a police officer… not to mention I have Cisco.”

John chuckled. “Of course you’re capable… but I also know how you are with jumping into things no matter the risk.”

“I know…”

They talked about John’s conference for a bit before saying goodnight.

Katie yawned. The long day had caught up to her. “I need to go to bed.” She thought about how nice it would be to be lying next to John, feeling his warmth, and strong arms around her.

“Love you, babe,” he said.

“Love you.”

“Goodnight.”

Katie made her way to her bedroom with Cisco trailing behind her. Suddenly, there was a crash and what sounded like glass breaking. It was close. Her flagging energy flipped back into cop-mode readiness. She grabbed her Glock and slowly moved down the hallway. Turning her attention to the windows in the kitchen and living room, everything appeared to be exactly the same. Nothing was broken.

Her mind whirred, but there wasn’t anything to indicate where the sound originated.

Katie stopped and stood in the middle of the living room. She waited.

Nothing.

Everything remained silent.

Cisco stood like a statue next to her, his ears alert, body tensed, and breathing slow.

It was as if time had stopped.

She looked to the door that led to the garage, which she mainly used for storage. Slowly moving forward with her weapon at her side, her other hand reached for the lock lever. She pulled the door open. The weather stripping made a strange sucking sound.

Katie’s mind flashed through the entire evening, from the discovery of the severed finger all the way until she spoke to John.

At the threshold to the garage she reached in and turned on the light. The large area lit up with the overhead fluorescent lighting—one bulb tube igniting at a time.

Cisco didn’t leave Katie’s side.

Turning her attention from left to right and then back again, Katie didn’t see anything out of place. The garage was filled with neatly stacked boxes, and old furniture covered in tarps and blankets; things belonging to her parents she hadn’t had the heart to get rid of.

She took a step… then another.

There was the sound of broken glass hitting the concrete.