Behind the Badge

Dear Lord, please wrap Your arms around Nikki and keep her safe. Help us to rescue her and let no one be harmed in the process.

She breathed out her distress and let God’s peace take over before opening her eyes.

Russ glanced at her, his eyebrow raised.

“What?” she asked.

“What’s with the vest over your shirt?”

She hadn’t expected him to question her, but he had to know from when he held her at the murder scene that she’d had the vest on under her shirt, so she explained her reason for the change. “When we get there, you can wait in the car. I’ll go in after her.”

Russ cocked an eyebrow. “Your logic is full of holes, Syd. Did you take something from Dixon’s house?”

“No.”

“Then this could just be a ploy to get you out in the open to take you out.”

She exhaled sharply. “I’m willing to take that risk to save my sister.”

“This’s exactly what I was warning you about earlier when you followed Dixon. You have an emotional investment in this. You can’t simply bypass everything you’ve learned about safety and act irrationally.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“We follow protocol and stay together. The area outside the pit is so wide-open we’ll be sitting ducks if this guy has a rifle. Our only chance is going in there together and working as a team.”

She peered out the window. “It’s overcast so that’ll help.”

“But we’re too far from the lake to count on fog hiding us.”

“I still think you should stay in the car.”

He snorted. “Not a chance.”

“I told you—he’s not gonna shoot me. He might try to take you out or even Nikki, but not me.”

“I’ll risk it. I’m not letting you go alone.”

She knew by his tight expression that this wasn’t negotiable, so she stopped arguing.

“I’ll need the phone number from that text so I can have Baker run it down,” he said.

She picked up her notebook from the console and jotted it down. She ripped off the paper and gave it to Russ. “We should also check to see if it came from the same phone as the text we received on Dixon’s cell.”

“I’ll have Baker cross-reference it,” he answered then fell silent.

She figured he was thinking about how crafty their killer was. Using Dixon’s cell when he must have had her phone number, just to add a little more emphasis to the message.

Or maybe the killer used Dixon’s cell for another reason?

“You think he sent the message on Dixon’s cell to make sure we found the phone?”

“Maybe. Though I don’t know why the killer would want us to find Dixon’s phone. He might’ve used it to show us how creative he is. Or maybe he didn’t have your cell number yet.”

“We may never know.” She focused on the road as they neared the pit. She took out her gun. “We should go in silent so we don’t scare a bunch of inebriated teens into cars and onto the road.”

He flipped off the lights and siren. As they turned onto the driveway, he killed the headlights and slowly drove them to the far end of the lot. He shifted into Park and faced her, uncertainly filling his eyes. “No cars. You think we were wrong?”

“I hope not.” She tried to sound confident, but her stomach clenched into a tight ball. Because with no cars in sight, it was unlikely that a party was going on.

Concern for Nikki gnawed at her. She looked away from Russ and sent up a prayer.

If they were wrong, Nikki might have set out for a party somewhere else. Or the killer could already have her and she was at his mercy as he tried to recover something from Sydney that she couldn’t possibly produce.

FIVE

Sydney and Russ crept toward the mounds of gravel. As they’d suspected, fog wasn’t a factor and the moon had emerged from heavy cloud cover. If the teens were here, they would congregate in the back area of the pit, ringed on three sides by mounds of soil with only one way out.

Worry for Nikki forced Sydney to up her speed, but her feet faltered in deep ruts, slowing her down. She wished a whole cavalry of officers were advancing with them, but they’d agreed not to call in backup, putting other officers in a potential sniper situation. Once they got Nikki out safely, they’d request other units to break up the party.

Finally at the opening, she heard voices and music drifting into the night.

“They are here,” she whispered to Russ, who stopped next to her.

She peered at a small bonfire casting a flickering light on the group. Approximately twenty-five teens hung in small clusters.

“There’s Nikki.” She pointed to where her sister, cup in hand, stood talking to Emily.

Russ knelt beside her, and she saw him search the landscape. “Looks like we’re alone, but I don’t think we should take any chances.”

Sydney had almost forgotten about the killer. Seeing Nikki alive and laughing had consumed her thoughts. But Russ was right. They weren’t out of the woods yet. Still, she took the time to breathe, slowing her racing pulse. To think this through when all she wanted to do was rush over and throw her arms around her sister. To hold her and plant kisses all over her sweet face.

But that wouldn’t teach her what she’d done was wrong. Besides, there was still the issue of the missing gun. And another episode of drinking. Nikki had to learn her actions had consequences. Plus the killer could still end her life if he lurked in the woods.

“I’m going in after her,” Sydney said, hating the way her voice wobbled from stress. “Watch our backs. I’ll bring her out.”

Russ clamped a hand on her arm. “We never agreed to that. I have more experience. I’ll go.”

Sydney shook off his hand. “We’ve been through this. You have experience, but the killer would be more than happy to plug you. He wants me alive so I have less to lose.”

“I’ll cover you.” His words came out in a grudging tone, but Sydney had no doubt that he’d do his best to keep her safe.

She gave him a smile, got a flat-lipped one from him. She pushed off and crept to the opening. Once inside the area where walls of gravel kept them out of a shooter’s range, she marched into the group.

Nikki’s friends looked up. Anxiety spread across their faces.

Good. They should be apprehensive.

Sydney was so thankful her sister was alive, but a sudden wave of anger over her taking this chance with her life just to grab a beer made Sydney knock the cup out of Nikki’s hand. “You’re coming with me.”

“Seriously, you didn’t come here.”

“Seriously, I did.” She clamped her hand on Nikki’s elbow. “Now come on.”

“Later,” Nikki said to her friends.

Her friends responded with disappointed goodbyes, but also seemed relieved that Sydney had only come for her little sister and not to break up the party. They’d be sorely disappointed when other officers arrived on the scene to arrest them.

Once outside the group’s hearing range, but still in the protective ring of gravel, Sydney took a few deep breaths.

“Where is it?” she demanded.

“Where’s what?”

“I know you took my gun.”

“What?” Nikki screeched. “I don’t have your gun.”

“Are you telling me the truth? You didn’t take it from my backpack when I was having dinner with Russ?”

“Why would I want your stupid old gun?” Nikki rolled her eyes.

She wanted to believe Nikki, but she’d lied too often lately. “I hate to do this, but I have to search you.”

Nikki glared at her. “Why am I not surprised you don’t believe me? You never believe me.”

The hurt in Nikki’s voice cut to Sydney’s core, but she ignored it.

“Lift your arms.” She gritted her teeth as she searched.

Nothing in life had prepared her for this. Sure, the academy had taught her how to properly search a suspect, but her sister? How could she pat down her sister without ruining an already deteriorating relationship?

Russ couldn’t believe his eyes. Sydney was searching her sister like a common criminal before dressing her in the vest and leading her toward him. He could never imagine treating his son like that. No matter what Zack had done. But then, he couldn’t have imagined letting alcohol control his life so he’d lose custody of a child who meant the world to him. So he was in no position to judge Sydney for her actions.

When they reached him, Sydney jerked her head at the car. “I’ll take the lead.”

She didn’t wait for his agreement. He urged Nikki forward with a light hand on her shoulder. She shot him a harsh look but started walking. He saw Sydney check her surroundings. He did the same until they safely reached the car. Sydney grabbed Nikki by the arm and put her into the backseat of the car. She slid into the front and requested units to break up the party.

Russ stood openmouthed and watched.

Was she planning to turn Nikki over to the officers when they arrived? If she wanted Nikki to hate her for life, Sydney was doing the right thing. If not, she was making a colossal mistake. He should know. He was the king of relationship blunders.

But what difference did it make to him? This was her life. Her sister. He was just a fellow officer.

She climbed out of the car and his mind waffled over how he should handle this. Should he tell her what he thought or walk away? Crossing over that professional boundary with Sydney wasn’t a good idea. But could he stand by and watch her ruin her relationship with Nikki if he could help?

He groaned and went to her. He’d probably be sorry for trying to butt in, but he had to step in like he’d want someone to do if he were about to make a huge mistake and arrest his son.

“You’re not arresting Nikki, are you?” he asked.

“She’s lied to me one too many times. Maybe hauling her in for drinking will scare some sense into her.”

“Or not.”

Her eyes zeroed in on him. “Are trying to tell me how to raise my sister?”

“Wouldn’t think of it. Just trying to help you think this through before doing something you might regret later.”

She searched his face before she sighed out a long breath. “So what do I do with her? This’s the second time I caught her partying. It’s got to stop.”

“You’re certain she was drinking tonight?”

Sydney seemed to think about his question. “I don’t know. She had a cup in her hand. We both know she wasn’t here long enough to get drunk and she didn’t act like it, but why else would she be here?”

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