Her Kind Of Hero

He chuckled. “You think I’m a ski bum? I’m flattered.”

Just like a cop—arrogant. Calli straightened her back and handed his bent pole to him. “I’ll be glad to pay for the damage.”

“Don’t think a thing of it. If this binding had been working properly, none of this would have happened. They could be more careful about training employees, too. I’m not sure that guy even knew how to stop the lift.”

“Are you security?” The rasp in her voice was getting worse. She had to calm down. The crisis was over. Everything was fine. He wasn’t making the connection.

“No, but I’m sure the folks who run this place will trust my credentials.”

An uncomfortable silence was avoided as she cleared her throat and nodded. If Luke Northrup didn’t want to admit to being a law officer, she wouldn’t push.

They bounced along in silence. Minutes later, Calli looked up at the signs telling them to prepare to unload. Reminded of his accident, she assessed the situation. “So how are you going to get down off this mountain with a broken ski?”

“We’ll just ride the lift back down. That ought to get their attention.”

Calli yanked her sunglasses from her face and turned to him. “We?”

“I’ll need you to file a statement…to verify what happened.”

“I thought you said they would trust your credentials. It took me…Well, you can’t imagine what I’ve gone through to arrange this ski trip!”

“Better safe than sorry. And we’d better have your arm checked. You gave it a pretty good yank. I don’t think either of us will be safe on this slope today.” He smiled, then added, “And, I think I at least owe you a cup of coffee for ruining your morning.”

Her arm was sore, but she knew it wasn’t broken. As she considered Luke’s logic, the dismount ramp approached. He wasn’t thinking of himself, but of her safety, as well as the other skiers. She, of all people, should understand his protective nature.

He waited for her answer. “Consider it a peace offering.”

She looked at the glint in Luke’s eyes and felt that crazy magnetism between them. Just one cup of coffee couldn’t hurt. He doesn’t even remember me. “If you insist. But I’ll warn you, I’m not the forgiving type.” A cup of coffee. What could happen over a cup of coffee?

Chapter Four

Luke unlocked the apartment door and hobbled inside, greeted by his son and an overwhelming garlic aroma. Jon must be toasting hoagie buns for his favorite after-school snack.

“Sorry I’m late. How was school?”

“Okay. We’re out of garlic salt, but I added it to the grocery list.” He walked around the corner, carrying a plate overflowing with bread. One glance at Luke and the thirteen-year-old stopped short. He brushed the dark bangs from his eyes. “Wow! What happened to you?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary. A little investigating. Some crisis intervention. Rescuing damsels in distress. Filling out paperwork.” Luke collapsed in the brown recliner nearest the door and took off his boots. During the fifty-minute drive down the mountain, his sprained ankle had swelled and stiffened.

“I thought you were going to use the ski pass I gave you for Christmas today.”

Luke released the footrest and pushed the chair back. “I did.” After asking his son to bring him an ice bag and something for the pain, Luke told him about the excitement, minus the part where he’d struck out with the damsel. He could have sworn that beneath Calli’s cautious exterior, she was interested.

When he awoke two hours later the television was blaring. Jon, seemingly oblivious to the racket, surfed the channels until he found a college basketball game. His son tossed a fringed pillow from the sofa at him. “How’re ya doing?”

Luke stretched, yawning aloud as he folded the chair under him. “Ask me after I shower.” He stood and limped across the room without the pain he’d had earlier. “Your grandma left a casserole in the fridge yesterday. Would you put it in the oven? I’ll be out in a few minutes to finish making dinner.”

Jon was slow to respond. “It’s not that potpie thing, is it?”

“Yeah. Why?” Luke placed his hands on his hips and stopped. “You didn’t throw it out, did you?”

“Not exactly.” His son remained slouched on the sofa, peering at the TV from under the curtain of hair.

Luke waited for a further explanation. “Well?”

Jon raked his hand through his long bangs. “I ate it.”

“You ate the whole thing?” Luke couldn’t believe he bothered to ask such a stupid question. Of course he did. Jon was thirteen. He was supposed to eat them out of house and home.

“Well, I didn’t know it was supper.”

“Do me a favor. Don’t tell me how great it was.” Turning back to the kitchen, Luke rummaged through the freezer, hoping to find a replacement. There was none.

Kneeling in the middle of the kitchen, a pain shot up his leg and into his hip. From the cupboard, he pulled two empty peanut-butter jars and a few nearly empty boxes of crackers. His son was obviously going through a growing spurt. Jon only needed another six inches to reach Luke’s height of six foot three, but the way the boy was eating, that would take less than a couple of months.

Luke settled for an overripe banana on the way to the shower. Between bites, he told Jon to clean up so they could grab dinner on the way to the grocery store.

After showering, Luke and Jon ate, then went to buy groceries. Luke bought double what he figured they needed, hoping there’d be a few crumbs left for his own meals after Jon finished eating.

Halfway through the store Luke found himself thinking of Calli. She’d mentioned that she’d almost completed her teaching degree, but was working at one of the downtown grocery store chains. He paid special attention to the employees as he browsed, certain that she also said she usually worked evenings. When he didn’t see her, he made a note to start shopping in the evenings so he could run into her. A few phone calls should turn up a “Calli” at one of them. It’s not that common a name.

As they were driving home, Jon was unusually quiet. They discussed another Nuggets loss and their tickets to the upcoming Avalanche game against the Red Wings. All the while, Jon barely uttered two words that wasn’t an answer to a direct question. It was twice as tough to keep the conversation going, when all Luke could think about was the gorgeous woman he’d spent two hours trying to charm, only to be ignored when he asked if he could call her sometime. Before he had a chance to ask any more questions, Calli had slipped back into her cautious camouflage and politely excused herself. He drove home, replaying their conversation, trying to figure exactly what they’d been talking about when he’d blown it.

“Dad…did you hear me?”

“I was thinking of something else. Sorry. What did you say?”

“Nate wants me to stay with him Friday night. He’s kind of bummed since his dad left. Can I go?”

“Friday, as in tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I know we were going to the hockey game, but… Well, it’s important.”

Nate lived upstairs, and the two had been friends since preschool. Only a few months earlier, Nate’s dad had left his mother for another woman. The family was devastated. Especially Nate.

Luke thought of Friday’s Avalanche game and how long they’d waited for these tickets. “Sure. Go ahead. Nate’s more important right now.”

“Really? Thanks, Dad. You’re all right.”

Hang on to that thought. It won’t last long. Luke stuffed the disappointment away. He wasn’t ready for his son to choose friends over him. Yet here it was. They unloaded the groceries, Jon finished his homework, then went to bed as Luke got ready for a night at the station. With his leg hurting like this, he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle full duty.

Mrs. Maloney knocked quietly and came in.

“Hi, Marge. Jon has finished his homework and is already in bed. I should be home early tonight.” He limped to the table and loaded his notes in his briefcase. Motioning to his foot, Luke offered an explanation. “Officially I’m off until I see a doctor, but I need to catch up on some paperwork. Shouldn’t take more than a few hours.”

“That’s fine, Luke. I’ll just watch the late shows.”

“Feel free to go to bed. I can wake you when I get home.”

He went to tell Jon good-night, but the room was dark and silent. Luke closed the door, remembering when Jon was a baby and his mother had just walked out on them. Jon had gone to child care when Luke worked the day shift, and had gone to Luke’s parents at night. It became more difficult as Jon got older. Luke and Jon had argued about the neighbor coming to “baby-sit,” but in the end, his son didn’t give either of them any problems. It was a teenager’s obligation to argue, but inside, Luke suspected his son was as relieved as he was that their favorite neighbor was here.

The command sergeant watched Luke try to walk without a limp. “Face it, Northrup, you’re going to be at the front window for a month with that bum leg.”

“Not a chance. A week, maybe two at the most. I’ll do anything, Sarge, but not the front.”

The front window was known as the department “Miracle Cure,” known to heal any ailment twice as quickly when an officer was assigned there. Unlike dispatch’s duties, working the front meant answering the phone, dealing with stupid questions, handling complaints due to “cold calls” that were filed at the bottom of the priority list.

The sergeant tossed a file on his desk. “For now, see if Angel and Dunn need help with their case.”

Luke reviewed the file, looking for anything to tie a white 4 Runner to the case. They too needed their witness to come forward. Angel had asked Luke to listen to the tapes to confirm that it was the anonymous caller.

Luke pressed Play and again listened to the female caller on previous 911 tapes, including the calls from the night of the auto prowls two weeks ago.

He compared the voices one more time.

Tom shrugged. “You must know this by heart, Luke. Let it go. She’ll call again soon.”

Her voice was soft. “Is she whispering, or scared to death?” Luke asked Tom. Sirens wailed and Luke held up a hand, quieting his partner. There was a gasp, a rattle, then a clunk, like the receiver had fallen. The voice was quiet, but urgent. “Turn it up. She said something.”

Tom rewound the recording and pushed Play and raised the volume. The transcription was full of static. “Come on. Start.” He heard more static. Then, “Too close. Get out of here.” Static and her voice saying, “Phone?” The line went dead.

After a quick drive back to the scene to reenact the call, Luke shook his head. “The lady in the 4 Runner was the anonymous caller. We could have had her.” His frustration became more evident as they returned to the station. Tom left the room, seemingly aware that Luke needed time alone. The man knew him too well.

Luke rubbed his rough jaw. This anonymous caller case was getting to him. Of that, there was no doubt. After several minutes, he decided there wasn’t much he could do besides turn it over to a higher power, one with more insight than his.

Tom passed by the desk for the fourth time in ten minutes.

“Would you stop pacing. My ankle hurts just watching you. What is it?”

“You okay?”

The bite of anger subsided. “I’ll be fine. Just checking in with the Boss.” Luke pointed up.

Tom nodded. “We’re going to need it. Captain was just telling me Tiger came to the jail to visit Marlow yesterday. The guard says it looked like there was plenty of tension between them. Money must be getting tight.”

Luke understood Tom’s silent implication. It was time for the Eastsiders “to put in some work.” They were bound to be getting edgy. Luke twirled his pencil, “walking” it from one finger to the next, then back again. “You said it yourself—there’s nothing we can do besides wait for her to call.”

Tom sat down and leaned back, folding his hands behind his head. “She’s digging herself in deep, Luke. If we’re looking for her, you can bet they’re even closer to finding her.”

Friday night Jon and Nate finished supper and went to Nate’s bedroom. Nate’s little brother ran into the room, screeching about not getting to watch his favorite show. The eight-year-old wouldn’t be quiet.

“Mom! Tell James to leave us alone.”

“I sent him to his room. He won’t leave your sister alone, and I can’t take any more of their fighting.”

“And what’re we supposed to do?” Nate argued with his mother as if she had the power to mend all of their problems. Jon felt sorry for her, but he couldn’t tell Nate that. As far as his friend was concerned, he was the only one hurting. Nate felt like no one understood. Jon was trying.

“We’re going to Jon’s.”

Jon didn’t argue, though he knew he should have. His dad had gone ahead to the hockey game with Tom and they wouldn’t be home for hours. He knew his dad didn’t like him having friends over when he wasn’t home. It wasn’t that his dad didn’t trust him, but he knew other kids sometimes didn’t think before doing stupid things. For a dad, his was okay.

“C’mon, Jon. Let’s get outta here.”

Nate led the way down the stairs and out the front door of the building.

“Where are you going?”

“Out. I’m sick of this place.”

“Let’s just go to my apartment like you told your mom, Nate. What if she comes looking for you?”

“She never checks up on me—she’s too tired to think of it. You coming or not?” Nate’s language turned foul more often these days, and nothing anyone did was worthy of his attention. Jon didn’t know what to do to help. But he had to try.

They headed down the street, meeting a couple of kids Jon recognized from school. From the way Nate greeted them, Jon realized this wasn’t the first time his friend had escaped to the streets.

He looked around uncomfortably.

“Daddy on duty tonight, Northrup?”

He shook his head. That didn’t matter. Everyone in the precinct knew him.

“Come on, Nate, let’s split.”

“In a minute.”

Nate continued to talk with the group, which had doubled in size since they arrived. The gang headed down an alley. Jon lagged behind, unsure what was going on, but he knew he didn’t want to be here.

They walked to a park, meeting up with a couple of older guys. After a few minutes, Jon got up the courage to tell Nate he was going home.

“You can’t Your dad’ll ask questions, and if you go to my house, my mom’ll get all uptight”

He pulled Nate away from the gang. “This is stupid, Nate. Let’s go to my apartment. We can play video games, order a pizza, whatever.”

“Time for business.” The guy they called “Tiger” looked at them. “You in or out?”

Jon watched as everyone looked at him, expecting him to chicken out Daring him. He’d heard what happened when they suspected a snitch. If he ditched out now, he’d be in deep trouble. And if his dad found out, it would be even worse.

Chapter Five

Calli picked up her paycheck and rushed past the checkout lanes. She tucked the paper and two videos into her backpack, waving to her boss on the way out.

Ten minutes behind schedule already, she parked the rental car and ran into the recreation center. Hanna met her in the lobby and they rushed to the women’s locker room where Calli changed into her sweats and a T-shirt.

“It’s a class of women.” Calli said, watching Hanna brush her hair then freshen her makeup. “We’re practicing self-defense, Hanna,” she said with a laugh. “There’s no need to primp.”

Her fair-haired cousin was an easy target for muggers. Precise schedule, expensive car, drop-dead attractive. Over the years, Calli had tried telling Hanna to vary her routine, as well as other safety precautions. It wasn’t until a woman had been attacked a block from Hanna’s office that she’d been persuaded to pay attention to Calli’s advice.

“I don’t know, Bart’s kinda cute.”

“And kinda married.” Calli laughed. “Not your type.”

Hanna tossed the brush down. “I didn’t see a wedding ring.” Then as if there’d been no interest at all, she changed the subject. “Do we have to do anything ‘real’ tonight? Like flips or anything?”

“Probably a few moves. You’ll do fine. Let’s go.”

Hanna pulled her hair into a ponytail at the top of her head and they rushed out the door. “Easy for you to say. You’ve been tossing men over your shoulder since you were a kid.”

“I was merely defending myself. If you had brothers you’d know how to take care of yourself, too.” Calli had carefully locked those memories away, and yet with that innocent reminder, they returned. Calli would never forget the first time she successfully flipped her older brother. Her dad took her for an ice-cream cone right before dinner, ignoring her mother’s protests. To this day, Calli never figured out why her mom had been protesting; had it been the nature of the celebration, or the fact that the ice cream would ruin her dinner?

“Did you know that your dad tried to convince my mother to let him teach me self-defense once?” Hanna acted as if this was entertainment.

Calli stared ahead, afraid to open the door to the past any further than a tiny crack. Few people could overlook her father’s tough militaristic exterior, and even fewer saw the loving emotional side that he reserved for his family. She slipped back through that door and slammed it closed. “Dad was a good instructor, but so is Bart. He knows what he’s doing.”

Hanna told her about her latest date, and the two started laughing. Calli didn’t enjoy the dating game like her cousin did. For Hanna, meeting new people was fun, but Calli rarely went out, and only with men she knew well. Calli and Hanna joined the rest of the class on the mats and they began stretching.

Suddenly, hushed voices buzzed around her. She turned just as Luke Northrup introduced himself as their new instructor. Calli’s smile disappeared.

“Bart broke his leg and asked me to take his place. I’m a certified instructor, and have taught personal safety with him before.”

The other women seemed to have the same reaction to the handsome man as she had. Tonight he wore a black tank top and sweats, and as before, his hair looked as if he’d just used his fingers as a comb. His five o’clock shadow wasn’t as pronounced as it had been at the ski resort, but he still had that air of authority which commanded instant attention.

Okay, God, what are you up to? I thought we agreed, no cops. Then she recalled Luke’s gentler side. The care and concern he had shown at the hospital. The way he comforted her when she clung to him after the skiing accident. His tenderness was as startling as an ice cube on a hot summer day.

As they visited over coffee, she had relaxed and temporarily put the past behind her. Luke had never recognized her from their meeting at the hospital. But once again, he teased and tormented the emotions she’d long locked away. Then suddenly she caught herself entertaining the notion of seeing him once more. Before he could ask her for her phone number, she politely thanked him for the coffee and ran.

There wasn’t room for a man in her life. Especially not this one. Not one who made her forget her past, her mission, her mistakes. Not even for a minute.

Luke’s steady gaze bored into hers in silent expectation. Their eyes met—dueling, dancing, laughing. There was that maddening hint of arrogance again.

She found herself studying him as he turned his attention back to the class. Was she imagining it, or had his back straightened, his shoulders become broader and his determination grown stronger?

“We’re going to start with a defensive move. I’m going to need a volunteer to help me demonstrate.” Hands flew into the air, yet he looked right at Calli, as if waiting for her objection. “Miss…?” he teased.

Begrudgingly she stepped forward. “Calli.”

Luke explained the move, then demonstrated the steps in slow motion. He wore the same spicy aftershave as that night in the hospital. She silently searched for a plausible explanation to the shiver that went up her arm as he held her wrist. His hold was firm, challenging her to break loose. Her move was quick and instinctive.

She expected him to call on another volunteer for the next demonstration, but he stepped behind her as she turned to leave and wrapped his arm around her neck, as a mugger would.

Calli braced herself on her left leg. She tugged at his arm, leaned forward, and “swept” at Luke’s legs with her foot. The move was enough to knock him to the floor so she could escape.

The class watched wide-eyed as Luke lay sprawled across the mat, laughing. He rose to one elbow. “A perfect example of the benefits of the element of surprise. Great job…Calli.”

Her heart raced. “Glad to help.” She returned his smile, careful to hide her pleasure at seeing him again. Class resumed, and Calli fought the constant temptation to join in his gentle sparring. He’d explain a move, then the class would pair up to practice. As he made his way to her group, Hanna seemed to enjoy seeing Calli’s discomfort escalate with each step Luke took.

“How’s it going here?” His voice seemed deeper than before.

Hanna spoke first. “I don’t quite understand.” Calli watched Luke go through the steps again, this time, wrapping his arm around Hanna’s neck. She couldn’t explain the crazy longing she had to trade places with her cousin at that moment.

“You kind of elbow the attacker in the stomach as you reach up….” Calli’s eyes met his, and she stopped. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“We’re here to learn, from one another or from me, it really doesn’t matter. Care to try it again? I’m ready this time.”

“I’ll give you a break.”

Luke smiled, then turned to the class. “I’ll be the first to say that one can never underestimate the opponent. That in itself could be a woman’s best defense.” Luke looked at his watch. “That’s it for tonight. Have a good week.”

Several women thanked Luke, then Calli for her “help.” A wave of giggles followed, and he shook his head.

“Calli, I’d be willing to forgive you, if you’d agree to help with the class. We seem to make a good team.”

Despite her laugh, Calli felt an unwelcome reaction to his innuendo. “Think the third time’s a charm, huh?”

“Third time? Unless I’m mistaken, we’ve only met twice.” He crossed his arms and put his back to the wall.

Great, Calli. How’re you going to get out of this one?

When she didn’t answer, he added, “Unless you consider tonight memorable enough to count as twice, which I happen to agree. Can’t remember being knocked off my feet by a more beautiful woman.”

Calli stepped aside, struggling to find an answer to his question before his flirting turned her brains to jelly. “No way,” she said, realizing she was way behind in the conversation. Forget it, Luke Northrup. No way am I going through this blessed torment every week! Enough is enough.

“Hanna, does your friend always back down from a challenge?”

“Cousin,” Hanna corrected.

His eyebrows arched and his mouth fell open. “Cousin?”

Calli watched as he eyed the two of them. Hanna and her long blond hair, blue eyes and robust figure, then Calli’s classic Italian coloring and willowy body.

“Plead the Fifth, Hanna, or you’ll be walking home.” She turned to leave, feeling Luke’s challenging stare.

Hanna leaned close and whispered. “What’s going on here, Calli?”

She couldn’t answer. Couldn’t admit the truth—that she was falling for another police officer.

“Just think about it. It’s one thing to have an instructor who can tell them what to do, but it’s something else altogether to see one of their own succeed. These women could learn a lot from you. I’ll call you this time.”

“Don’t bother. The answer’s no…Officer Northrup.”