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A car door opens and slams shut outside and heavy boot steps crunch over gravel and ice, making their way toward the roll up door.
I should have closed it once I was inside.
Ducking behind the tractor, I hold my breath and hope whoever it is figures someone just didn't close the door all the way.
"Hello?"
I should have known it wouldn't be just "someone." No way I could get lucky enough for it to just be some good Samaritan checking to make sure things are OK. Nope.
"This is the sheriff. If anyone's in here you need to come out with your hands up now."
Hawkins sounds grumpy tonight. His deep voice reverberating off the sheet metal walls with a warning tone that sounds downright menacing.
I've never heard his voice sound like this. He sounds dangerous.
Okay, I admit it-- it's hot. And a little scary. Which is also kinda hot.
I stay crouched behind the tractor and clench my thighs, holding my breath and willing my heart to stop racing.
The bright beam of a high-powered flashlight sweeps across the space, throwing shadows up on the walls around me.
His boots land with heavy steps as he moves farther into the building and I tense up at the sound as he starts making his way along the wall toward the back.
The slightest movement in here echoes like a shotgun blast. If I try to hide from him, I'll just give myself away. My only hope is that he doesn't come all the way around to the back wall.
* * *
Hawk
It wasthe flash of light inside the shed that caught my attention as I was driving back to town.
When I circled back around to check it out, I noticed the door standing open about eighteen inches off the ground. Just enough for a bear to think it's found a safe place to nap and definitely plenty of room for a family of raccoons to make a home out of our local equipment shed.
But bears don't carry flashlights-- though you never know with raccoons-- so I don't kill the headlights on the SUV when I pull up directly in front of the big building. I also don't raise the door any higher-- I don't want to make it easier for an intruder to escape.
As soon as I'm under the door, I draw my gun and identify myself, hoping the light I saw was just a trick of the eye and I can close up the door and head home.
Seeing as how the only hardened criminals on the Ridge are the raccoons and the old women, and the latter have been accounted for today, drawing my weapon is an act of protocol more than necessity.
My eyes adjust to the shadows inside the shed and I pull my flashlight out of its place on my belt and sweep the high-powered beam around the building.
Nothing looks disturbed. Probably whoever last accessed the shed didn't make sure the door was completely down. It's got a tendency to jump back up if the chains that operate it don't catch just right.
It's been a long day, and while I'm rarely completely off duty up here, I do work a regular shift. One that technically ended hours ago. I'm eager to get home, peel off the damn uniform, and get in a hot shower.
My head hurts and I'm half crazy from the way Terra's been giving me the cold shoulder since telling me off at the cafe.
I see the way her eyes track my movements, watching me walk the main street every day as I make my rounds and check in with the local businesses after stopping by April's cafe for my coffee each morning, damn if my little rebel isn't doing her best to avoid actually talking to me.
As tempted as I am to just call it good here, close the big door and head home, I have a job to do and there's a right way to do it. Years of military service and then more years of law enforcement in the city taught me not to get complacent. Even in a place like Moonshine Ridge.
One sweep around the perimeter of the big shed ought to be plenty enough to reveal any sign of intruders-- human or vermin.
I start a clockwise loop, sweeping the flashlight across anything that might hide something in the shadows.
No one's hiding in the cabs of either tractor. The shelves along the walls are clear. I've just holstered my weapon when I come around the back of the big loader and see the figure huddled behind it.
Their features are completely obscured by the black hoodie but I'm guessing it's a teenager from the smaller stature.
