Page 8 of Abandoned

“Excellent.” His smile lit her soul on fire.

“How was b-ball?”

“Cops won.” Will wove his fingers together and laid his hands on his gear.

Logan added, “Isn’t always the case, since those detectives make our average age about ten years older, but it’s always fun.”

Their sergeant walked in and roll call got underway. They heard about current cases and other important information that would affect their shift.

As the sergeant passed out assignments, Zara noticed he had said only Logan’s name, not hers too. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and held them up. “I’d also like to congratulate Officer Grant for completing her probationary period. Grant, here are the keys to your cruiser.”

“Thank you, sir.” Heart elated, she took the keys.

Logan’s grin told her he knew this was coming. “You earned it.”

The sergeant gave her an assignment, and roll call was over.

As they walked out to the parking lot, Will draped his arm across Zara’s shoulders. “Good job.”

She put her arm around his waist. “Thanks.” She gave him a squeeze before she let go. Not that she wanted to. She would much rather stay in his embrace than anything else. She raised her water bottle. “Here’s to a quiet night.”

“Hear, hear.” Will looked her in the eye. “Be safe.”

“You too.” They checked their cars and supplies and headed out.

Once in and settled, Zara checked in with dispatch then rolled.

She was excited to officially have a squad car assigned to her. She quickly missed the company of riding along with Logan, but she was equally glad to have been found fit to handle herself.

The first hour passed in beautiful quietness. Over the radio, she heard Will pull over a speeder and Logan stop to help a motorist with a flat tire. But nothing else.

She drove through a questionable neighborhood, but even that was quiet tonight. It seemed as though the heat had sent everyone to bed early.

But not long after midnight, a call came in from a neighbor reporting a loud altercation in the trailer home next to theirs. Zara wasn’t far from the location, so she responded. Domestic calls required two officers though. Will came across the radio. He was also close.

She pulled into the well-maintained neighborhood that had both single- and double-wides situated close together, many with a carport in between.

Less than two minutes later, Will met Zara outside a single-wide where a distinct argument was going on—although they mostly heard a man’s raised voice.

They walked up the steps to the small deck built out in front of the door.

Standing to either side of the door, Will knocked, and Zara pointed her flashlight at it.

The man replied, “Get lost.”

Will shook his head. “Hazel Hill Police Department. Please open the door, sir.”

Silence on the other side.

Will banged on the door.

It finally opened, and a large man appeared. “What do you want?”

“We wanted to check on you all. We heard some rather loud arguing that had your neighbors concerned. Would you please step outside, sir?”

The man snarled and glared at Zara.

She kept her face unmoved. “Who else is inside?”