Page 25 of Target Acquired
“Thought this was your day off,” Magic Man said, glancing up at Kenzie from checking his weapon.
“It is.”
The medic raised a brow, then shrugged. “All right then.”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m not treading on your territory. You do you and I’ll do me.” She patted the med sling pouch on her lap. “This is just backup.”
“Works for me.” He hesitated. “If I need help, I’m glad you’ll be there.”
After that exchange, everyone fell silent, doing their best to mentally prepare for what was to come. Most larger cities had more than one SWAT team. In Lake City, they were it—with a few officers they could call for help if needed. Their days off were staggered enough that getting called to a situation was few and far between. And frankly, Cole had to admit he was a little annoyed at the interruption of his day. He’d been enjoying the time with Kenzie.
Then again, this would give him time to really think about what he was doing. Because enjoying time with Kenzie could have consequences he wasn’t sure he was ready to incite.
Dolly swept out of the more affluent area of Lake City and into the less. It was like someone flipped a switch. One moment, you were in a clean, well-kept part of town and the next . . . you weren’t.
The old abandoned mental institution coming up on the right, Lake City State Hospital, never failed to send shivers up his spine. His grandmother had been a patient there, and he always wondered about her whenever he passed by the place. Built in the early 1800s, it was finally shut down in the 1990s after numerous allegations of abuse and an investigation led by a bulldog of a reporter. Almost every native of Lake City had a family member who’d once walked those dark halls. The place had been left to rot, although kids sometimes thought they were being cool by partying in the “psycho house.”
“That place creeps me out,” Mann muttered, as though reading Cole’s thoughts.
Kenzie caught Cole’s gaze. She knew the story of his grandmother, Eliza Crane, as well as he did. From everything he’d heard, the woman hadn’t been mentally ill at all but was the victim of his sociopathic great-grandfather. Kenzie’s paternal grandmother, Betsy King, had been Eliza’s best friend, and Kenzie’s paternal grandfather had been the doctor who’d saved her life.
“Looks like we know where to have Kenzie’s Christmas gifts shipped to once she cracks from the job,” Butler joked. “Right, Buzz?”
“Whatever, man.”
Butler laughed and shook his head. “Oscar Woodruff and I used to sneak out of his house and walk over to the place to party. His dad never did catch us.” He chuckled. “We still laugh at how we outsmarted the chief of police back then.” He looked at Kenzie. “Your dad had resigned by then.”
Kenzie remained silent and Cole wanted to punch Butler. But then Kenzie would punch him, so that wouldn’t help matters. He planned to have a heart-to-heart with Butler in private.
“You and Oscar, huh?” Greene said. “You two still tight?”
“We are. In fact, it should be him on this team, not—”
Cole’s glare cut him off.
“As teenagers, you do stupid things,” James murmured.
Butler rolled his eyes.
Cole rubbed his. Oscar Woodruff was a good man, having served as a medic in Afghanistan. Now he was a detective with the Lake City Police Department and well-liked by all who knew him.
“My grandfather ran that place for a while,” Kenzie said, “implementing changes that offered the residents a better life, like humane treatment, decent food, and a clean place to sleep.” She lifted her chin a notch. “I’m proud of him and the history my family has related to that place, the impact they had on caring for the misunderstood and mentally ill. So, say what you want, it doesn’t bother me.”
“Should have known you’d have ties to the loony bin,” Butler said.
“More than one of us have ties to it, and you know it, so lay off.” Cole’s quiet voice cut through the laughter. “Stay focused, guys.”
Kenzie stiffened and lasered a hard look at Cole. He sighed. She didn’t want him interfering, but the truth was, he would have done it regardless. They all needed to focus.
With the abandoned institution in the rearview mirror, Cole’s thoughts turned once more to the situation. He checked his phone. Nothing new. Police were on scene and working to make contact with the hostage taker.
When Dolly pulled to a stop, Cole was the first one out the door and made his way to the officer in charge, Ryan Hollingsworth. They’d worked together before and Cole shook his hand. “Any word?”
“Nothing.”
“Who’s inside?”
“No idea. That’s what’s so weird. We got a call that it was a domestic violence situation. A husband holding his wife and two kids hostage, but it’s been crickets since we got here. Working on getting eyes in there.”