Page 2 of Keel

As the jerk whipped the gun up, Keel stepped forward, stopping the man’s movements, disarming him in about two seconds. Luckily, the jerk didn’t get a shot off.

Pipsqueak spun, his face red. “Give me back my gun!”

Keel emptied the clip and the chamber as the guy yelled at him. The man in his boxers had stepped back into his condo, which was probably a wise move.

The sound of sirens grew louder, and Keel let out a heavy sigh. This night was going to shit, and all he wanted was some sleep.

The cops pulled up and started their climb up the three flights of stairs. Keel dropped the gun behind him and kicked it hard enough that it skidded about five feet away. The last thing he wanted was for local cops to think he was going to shoot someone.

Pipsqueak didn’t wait for the police to make it to their floor before he started screaming about Keel stealing from him. The two cops looked annoyed, and one of them took Pipsqueak down the hall, where he continued to scream.

“Did you steal from him?” the second officer asked.

Keel grunted. “The kid was pulling a gun on the guy down the hall. I disarmed him, emptied the clip and chamber, then dropped the gun back there.”

The officer looked around Keel, his eyes going wide. A door opened behind Keel, and he turned to see an older lady stick her head out.

“He isn’t lying. I got it on video.” The woman pointed to the security camera above her door.

He’d seen that camera earlier and had just been a little annoyed by it. It wasn’t his place, and he guessed Link wasn’t bothered by having a camera pointed at his door. It made sense to have added security, and now it would help him prove his innocence.

“Can I see the video?” the officer asked.

Keel stepped back and let the officer move to the woman’s door. She held up her phone, showing everything from the minute the jerk had arrived until the cops showed up.

The officer asked the woman to email the video before he turned to Keel and met his gaze. He shook his head.

“Thank you. If you hadn’t disarmed him, we would probably be investigating a murder, or at least a shooting.”

“You’re welcome. I’m going to get some sleep.”

The officer nodded. “Probably a good idea. You here for the week?”

“I am.”

“Could I get your phone number? Just in case we have follow-up questions.”

“Sure. I’m stationed⁠—”

“Let me guess, Fort Bragg?”

“Yes, sir,” Keel said as he wrote down his phone number.

“I was in the Army for four years. It wasn’t a career for me. I’m much older than you, so this was decades ago. I was never stationed at Bragg, but I’ve been there a few times. Big place.”

Keel nodded. “I’ve run all over that sand patch. It’s not a beautiful place, but it’s home.”

“Good luck with it, and I hope you have a great vacation.”

“Thank you.” Keel stepped into the condo and locked his door. It didn’t look like he was going to have a great vacation. He’d shown up thinking he would relax and have fun, but this was not starting off well.

Chapter 2

Keel opened his eyes. The sun shining in was a little surprising, but he’d needed the sleep. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore had been relaxing and probably helped with the sleep. Last night notwithstanding, he was glad he had come. He would enjoy his time here at the beach.

He brushed his teeth and drank some water before strapping on his shoes and heading out for a run. He’d just locked the door when the door next to the condo opened. He flinched, hoping it wasn’t Pipsqueak.

His gaze swung to the door, surprise hitting fast. It wasn’t Pipsqueak at all. A woman stood in the doorway, her head tilted down as if her eyes were on the floor. “Um, thank you.”