Page 25 of Cuffed (Everyday Heroes 1)
“Sunnyville Police Department. We’d like to speak with you for a moment,” Nate says.
“About what?”
“Just want to make sure everything is all right in there. Neighbors heard some screaming going on, so we’re going door-to-door around the cul-de-sac checking each house to make sure everything is okay,” Nate lies in perfect good-cop fashion.
“Everything’s fine here. Thanks for your concern.”
“That’s good to hear, sir, but I need you to open up so we can check for ourselves. It’s a procedural thing.”
There’s movement to the right of me that catches my eye. A blonde-haired little girl peeks over the windowsill so all I can see is from her nose up. I smile softly to try to let her know we’re here to help. She stares at me before ducking out from beneath the curtain and disappearing from sight.
“Jesus Christ,” the man on the other side of the door mutters before the deadbolt slides and the door opens about a foot. “Everything’s fine. See? Are you happy?” His voice is loaded with irritation as we get a glimpse of him for the first time. I take a mental rundown: Dark hair, blue eyes, a drip of sweat sliding down his temple. He’s wearing a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and tie loosened around his neck. His shirttail is untucked, and as hard as I try, I can’t get a clear view of his hands so I can see what his knuckles look like.
“Thank you, sir. Your name please?”
“Ren Davis, but people just call me Davis.”
“Thank you, Mr. Davis,” Nate says, taking a step closer and placing a hand on the door to open it a little farther.
The man grunts in disdain. “You think I’m lying?”
“No, sir,” Nate’s smile is broad and disarming. “I’d just hate to lose my job for not crossing all the T’s and dotting all the I’s, if you know what I mean?”
“Goddamn government workers,” he grumbles.
“Exactly.” Nate moves his free hand from the butt of his gun and holds up two fingers behind his back.
There are two other people he can see in the house.
“I didn’t hear any yelling.”
“I didn’t ask if you did,” Nate responds, making sure the man understands he’s on our time; we’re not on his. “May I see the rest of the people in the house?”
The man’s head startles at the request. “I’m home al—”
“I just saw a little girl run by,” Nate interrupts. “I’d like to speak with her.”
Davis exhales loudly, his irritation written all over his face before he steps back to reveal more of the scene behind him. There is a dark stain on the carpet where it looks like the plant sitting on the pony wall at his back had been knocked over and the dirt has yet to be vacuumed. From what I can see of it, the house seems clean, which makes that smear of dirt stick out.
“Keely, get over here,” he yells, feet shifting, jaw clenched. With his movement, I can see one of his knuckles has blood on it and the others look a bit red. Nate notices it as well, and he slides a glance my way as I take a step forward.
“And your wife, too, please.”
“My wife isn’t—”
“There are two cars in the driveway, sir,” Nate explains. “So I’d like to make sure she’s okay, too.”
“Was it that damn lady next door who called?” he asks. “She’s so goddamn nosy. Always getting in our business. Last year, our dog pissed on her begonias and killed them so now she’s out to get me back.”
“No phone call,” Nate says. “Like I said, we’re just going door to door and checking to make sure everyone is okay.”
Davis eyes both of us. His skepticism is etched in the lines of his face, but he shakes his head and calls back into the house. “Amelia. The police are here and want to make sure you’re okay. Can you come down here to show them you are?” He steps back. “You happy?”
“Thank you, sir,” I say, entering the conversation for the first time just as the blonde-haired girl peers out from the corner of the wall behind him. “What’s your name?” I ask softly as I kneel to get on her level.
The poor thing is scared to death. Her eyes flicker to her father and then to me and then back to her father. She waits for him to nod before she responds. “Ke-Keely.”
“Can you come here for a second, Keely?” I ask as her mother comes up behind her and places a protective and trembling hand on her shoulder. Keely looks back to her dad and waits again for him to consent before she slowly approaches the door. She reaches the threshold and just stands her hand clutching the ar
