Page 38 of Dirty Cops Next Door

All I could hear as I fell to the ground was a loud piercing whine and the muffled sounds of boots hitting the floor as the house was invaded.

I looked around but smoke filled the air, and people were tripping over me.

“Eric! Eric, where are you?” I called out to my brother and realized then the loud piercing noise was my total lack of being able to hear anything. I could barely hear my own voice!

Was it a flash grenade? Was that what had gone off in the house? I felt a warm hand take mine and I squinted in the haze.

“Eric?”

“It’s me, Mark!” The haze cleared and I saw the face of a frightened little boy, tears streaming down his face. “Have you seen my dad?”

I knew the police had stormed the house and was about to tell Mark to help me find Eric when someone grabbed my feet and yanked me out of the room.

“Eric!” I screamed his name, my nails digging into the white carpet as I scrabbled to stay in the room. I wouldn’t leave my brother behind.

“Toni! Toni, it’s me!” I heard the words as if they came from underwater and turned over to see David, terrified, angry, but so relieved.

“I can’t find Eric! I was so close! Why did they do that? Why?” I demanded an answer, my heart breaking because I had yet to see my brother’s face.

Mark was pulled away just as David crushed me in his arms. I felt the smoothness of his bald head against my cheek, and though I didn’t feel comfort, I no longer felt so alone in the whole mess. I had someone to stand with me, to help me.

“Stay here, I’ll find him.” His words sounded like a mutter but I knew he was still shouting. How long was the hearing loss going to last?

David let me go and before I could protest he ran into the now clearing room. I saw Avery being pulled to his feet, his arms behind his back as he was led away. Mark was being helped out of the room by a female police officer.

I still did not see Eric.

“I need help here!” I heard David’s voice shouting, my hearing finally coming back!

My heart lodged itself somewhere in my throat and I ran to David. He was behind that ugly couch, knelt over a body. Eric’s body!