Page 16 of Target Acquired
Cole disappeared up the stairs, speaking into his phone, reporting the intruder at the back of the house and ordering officers on the scene to go after him.
Kenzie darted for the window when a gloved hand reappeared holding a weapon. He fired and she dove sideways, crashing into the punching bag. Another bullet slapped into the floor beside her.
“Kenzie!”
Cole’s shout came from above and she rolled behind her exercise bike. “I’m good!”
She peered around the wheel, weapon aimed, but the hand and the gun were gone. Kenzie shot to her feet and darted for the stairs. Cole was already halfway down and she waved him back up. “I’m fine. Go! He’s running!”
Cole went. Kenzie followed him up and stopped in the kitchen long enough to grab a powerful flashlight from the drawer next to her oven, then bolted out of the house. She noted the officers fanning out and beginning their search.
The neighborhood was heavily wooded with mature trees, big yards, a few wooden fences, and tons of places to hide should one be fleeing the scene of a crime. She ran toward the back of her home, her flashlight beam on high. While the others searched for the intruder, she scanned the ground around the window.
It had been trampled, but she couldn’t see any distinguishing footprints. However, she was able to follow the trampled grass to the edge of her property.
Cole came up beside her. “What is it?”
“He hopped the fence.”
“Easy enough to do. It’s a low one.” He listened to the Bluetooth in his ear, then looked at her. “Chopper is on the way. As are the dogs. Officers are going door to door telling residents to stay inside and locked up.”
“It’ll be too late.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right.”
HE HATED THAT SHE WAS RIGHT, but he was coming to find out that she usually was. About a lot of things. He followed her into the house, still thinking about her. She was a natural cop and her medical skills were top-notch. He’d welcomed her into the unit with cool reservation, but he’d admit it hadn’t taken him long to figure out she was special, a real asset to the unit. He just didn’t know how to convince the other guys of that fact without it looking like he was protecting her or giving her special treatment.
Which wouldn’t go over well with Kenzie or the others. Regardless, for the moment, whoever had gotten in her house was gone.
And Kenzie was pacing.
A helicopter roared overhead and a spotlight swept over the house, illuminating everything for a brief moment. She spun to face him. “What the heck is going on, Cole?”
He shook his head. “I wish I had an answer for you.”
She pressed her lips together, then blew out a low breath as she dropped onto the couch and crossed her arms. “I might be able to say the car thing at the hospital was an accident. A reckless driver. But tonight was no accident. Obviously.”
“But are the two incidents connected. That’s what you’re wondering, right?”
“Of course.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
She stood.
“Where you going?”
“To work a crime scene.”
She headed for the basement door and he snagged her bicep in a gentle but firm grasp. “Uh, we’re going to have to let the crime scene unit work the crime scene.”
“We’re trained.”
“This is a conflict of interest, Kenzie, you know that.”
He thought she might explode right there, but after a few seconds, she groaned, pulled from his grip, and stomped back to flop onto the couch.
To pout?