by Terri Reed
His phone blew up with incoming text messages. He ignored them and concentrated on the road. She had to admire his commitment to no texting and driving. “Should I read your text messages?”
He sped through an intersection. “Yes. Please.”
She plucked his phone from the pocket of his shirt where she’d seen him drop it. Leaning close to him, she got a whiff of his spicy aftershave that momentarily stalled her hand. The scent was something she’d never smelled before. Unusual and very masculine. Giving herself a shake, she looked at the lock screen, thankful he didn’t have a privacy setting. The texts were all from his boss, Sergeant Gavin Sutherland.
Swiping up, she was able to read the furious missives from his boss. “Your sergeant says he’s dispatched a local bomb squad and will meet you there.”
She studied Henry’s profile. His jaw was clenched so tightly she was surprised she didn’t hear his teeth cracking. He didn’t bother to glance away from the road, but gave a sharp nod of his head. “I need you to text my sister again. Tell her to leave now if she hasn’t already and meet us at the corner of West 12th and Bowery. And to stay away from Joey Yums.”
She scrolled through his text contacts until she found his sister Riley’s name. She read the last two texts. The one that had come in at the beginning of the interview and the one he sent back, reprimanding her for not going straight home after her classes, the tone more fatherly than brotherly.
Considering he’d raised his sister alone for the past six years, she wasn’t too surprised, but somehow the idea of this man as a father tugged at her in unexpected ways. Giving herself another mental shake, she quickly sent a text to Riley giving her the information.
No answering text came in. Olivia stared at the device as if she could will the teenager to respond. She sent up a silent plea heavenward for God to prompt Riley to look at her phone. Was this what parenthood would be like? Worrying, waiting and praying?
She needed to talk to her brothers’ wives and ask how they coped with motherhood.
Henry brought the vehicle to a screeching halt at an angle at the curb of West 12th and Bowery. The iconic state park was bursting with activity along the famous boardwalk, the amusement park rides were filled with tourists and locals alike, and the sandy beaches sported sunbathers on blankets or children and adults frolicking in the waves.
He jumped out and slammed the door. Quickly, she followed suit. By the time she made it around to his side of the vehicle, he had Cody already leashed up and was talking to him in a quiet, soft voice. She wouldn’t have deemed him capable of such tenderness, especially in the midst of a bomb threat. Another aspect of him to tuck away for further analysis.
She handed Henry back his phone. “She hasn’t replied.” His distress ratcheted up her own nervousness. “She probably put her phone in her purse and can’t hear it.” She hoped that was the case.
Henry tucked the phone in his pocket.
“Where to now?” she asked.
“Joey Yums.”
She had no idea where that was, or even what it was, for that matter. “I’m coming with you.”
If she stuck close to him, she could observe and record his behavior for her report. Seeing him and his dog in action would help her to better form an opinion of his work habits and ethics.
He hesitated, concern etched on his handsome face, then he said, “Let’s go.” He and Cody took off at a run.
She hurried after them, glad she’d worn her flats today with her suit. She couldn’t imagine running on the planked boardwalk in heels. Huffing with the speed at which she ran to keep up with Henry and Cody, she was thankful when the pair slowed outside of a restaurant.
Two police officers from the local precinct stood nearby. From the fresh face of the younger officer, Olivia guessed him to be a rookie. Protocol was for the first on scene to wait for the supervising agency, in this case the Brooklyn K-9 Unit, to arrive before starting evacuation, because opening doors without having them checked by explosive experts could result in disaster.
Henry halted at the older officer’s side. “Set a perimeter while we evacuate the restaurant.” Henry pointed to the eating establishment then glanced at his watch. “According to the text message we have seven minutes before detonation. We have to clear the place.”
Olivia’s lungs squeezed tight. “You can’t go in there, Henry.”
Had she just called him Henry instead of Detective? The texts from his sister, his worry, the imminent danger made this suddenly more...personal.
He stared at her for a heartbeat. “May I call you Olivia?”
She lifted her chin and then nodded.
“Olivia, we’re trained for this. Waiting will result in destruction.”
He was right. Civilian lives were at stake. “Go.” She prayed she was making the right decision.
Henry and Cody hurried forward. Cody sniffed around the entrance without alerting before they disappeared inside.
Staring after them, worry wormed through her. Within moments, a stream of people rushed out of the restaurant. She and the two officers hustled the crowd away. She was thankful to have something useful to do while Henry and Cody searched for the bomb. And she was just as thankful the smells of Coney Island weren’t causing her stomach to rebel. She was glad to be done with the morning sickness that had plagued her the first trimester of her pregnancy.
More officers arrived. A man in a full explosive ordnance disposal suit headed for the entrance to the restaurant. She quickly ascertained the officer in charge and explained that Henry and Cody had already gone inside. Officers set up a barrier around the restaurant, asking people to vacate the area.
Not knowing what else to do, Olivia joined in. “Please back up. You need to leave the boardwalk.”
Many people moved back but several remained to watch, and some scurried off. Her gaze scanned the growing crowd of onlookers. Was the bomber among the gawkers?
Henry’s boss and his partner arrived on scene. Olivia recognized Sergeant Gavin Sutherland and his dog, Tommy, a brown and white springer spaniel. She rushed to him and brought him up to speed on what was happening.
“He did the right thing, you know,” Gavin said.
She nodded. Even though he’d disobeyed orders, she couldn’t fault him for putting the safety of others ahead of his own interests. Something her late husband would never have thought of, let alone done.
A moment later, Cody and Henry walked out. Henry held up his hands in a gesture of confusion and shaking his head. “Nothing. Cody didn’t alert on anything.”
“We’ll take it from here,” Gavin said. “You cooperate with Lieutenant Vance. We need you back on duty!”
“Yes, sir,” Henry replied, though his troubled gaze scanned their surroundings.
Gavin and Tommy walked back toward the restaurant.
“Has your sister responded?” Olivia asked.
His anxiety obvious in the tightness around his mouth and the concern in his eyes, he shook his head. “Do you mind if we search for her?”
Deciding neither of them would be able to concentrate until they were sure his sister was safe, she nodded. “Let’s find Riley.”
* * *
Figuring Riley had headed for Luna Park, Henry and Cody led Olivia at a fast clip toward the amusement park rides. He kept an eye out for any sign of Riley among the throng of summertime visitors. His phone chimed. Finally. He read the message and his stomach dropped. Same phone number as before. His steps faltered as the words on the phone’s screen registered like a loud clanging in his ears.
Oh, did I say Joey Yums? I meant the garbage can. Kaboom! LOLZ
A fresh wave of panic hit Henry. There were several trash bins on the boardwalk and inside the park. “Cody, seek!”
“What’s going on?” Olivia asked.
“Another bomb threat,” he told her as he and
Cody hustled toward the nearest garbage can. Nose working the ground and the air, the beagle moved past the round metal containers. Then he let out a loud bark and strained against his leash. Clearly he’d picked up a scent.
Running to keep up, Henry let Cody lead him down the boardwalk. Cody’s feet scrabbled on the wooden planks as he neared a garbage can that had been moved from the center aisle and placed beside a bench where a young couple sat kissing.
The dog halted in front of the trash can and stared at it. His signal that he’d found an explosive.
Fearing for his dog, Henry gave a sharp whistle, Cody’s signal to return. The dog immediately responded. Running toward the couple, Henry waved his arms and shouted, “Off the bench! Run. Now!”
The garbage can exploded.
TWO
Muted screams penetrated the ringing in Olivia’s ears. Crouched, she protected her head with her hands. All around, people were taking cover. Trash and sand rained down, stinging her back and hands.
Peeking around her elbows, she watched Henry, a few feet away, scoop up his dog and cradle Cody in his arms. Henry’s back had taken the force of the blast. The young couple who had been sitting on the bench beside the garbage can had heard Henry’s warning and were halfway over the railing separating the boardwalk from the beach when the bomb detonated. Now both were lying in the sand.
The world settled into a stunned silence as the echo of the explosion dissipated. Olivia cautiously rose, assessing any injuries to her person and deemed herself unharmed. The baby moved, the slight sensation reassuring. She rushed forward. “Detective Roarke? Are you hurt?”
Henry set Cody on the ground then straightened and faced her. His dark eyes blazed with anger and concern. “I’m good. You?”
“Fine.” Though her heart raced at a fast clip.
On the beach, the couple sat up and appeared to have minor injuries. Henry headed toward the spot where half of the bench had been ripped away and a charred circle remained on the ground where the garbage can had once stood. Now the can rested on its side a few feet away. There was a ragged hole where the explosive device had ripped through the metal.
“That could have been my sister,” Henry’s horrified whisper tugged at Olivia. “I have to find her.”
“It seems a bit too coincidental that the bomber would contact you at the same time your sister is in the vicinity,” Olivia stated aloud. She hadn’t put the two together until now. Were the Roarkes being targeted?
Pressing a hand over her abdomen where the small round bump pressed against her clothing, protective instincts surged through her so strongly she shivered.
The thought of something happening to the child growing inside of her... Nausea, different from her previous bout of morning sickness, rolled in her stomach. She lifted a silent prayer to God for protection and glanced up to find Henry’s intent gaze locked on her like a laser. She dropped her hand away. At his raised eyebrow, heat infused her cheeks. The man noticed way too much. The last thing she needed was for him to realize she was pregnant. She didn’t want anyone treating her differently because of the baby.
Finding her voice, Olivia said, “How do we find your sister?”
His eyebrows dipped and for a moment she was afraid he was going to ask questions that she’d rather not answer. Then he pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket and typed in a text.
Sirens punctuated the air. The officers who’d converged on Joey Yums now flooded the boardwalk, quick to preserve the area for the crime scene investigators.
An ambulance rolled to a stop nearby and two paramedics jumped out. Olivia met the surprised gaze of her youngest sister, Ally.
After saying something to her partner, Ally grabbed a big red box and jogged to Olivia’s side. “What happened? Are you okay? The baby?”
“Shhhh,” Olivia hissed and shot a quick glance at Henry to see if he’d heard. His gaze was trained on the crowd that had gathered to watch. She prayed he hadn’t been paying attention to her sister’s questions.
Ally was shining a penlight into Olivia’s eyes. “What?”
Batting her sister away, she said, “I’m fine, Ally. It’s those two I’m worried about.” She pointed to the two young people sitting on the sand, now flanked by officers.
“Jake, we’ve got two injured on the beach,” Ally called out to her partner, who nodded and headed in that direction.
Ally turned her brown gaze to Henry. “Whoa, Henry, you have a cut on your head.” She opened her box and pulled out gauze and tape.
Olivia wasn’t surprised that Ally and Henry were familiar with each other. Despite the size of the Brooklyn borough, first responders and law enforcement were a tight-knit community. Except when it came to Internal Affairs.
She’d experienced firsthand the cool disdain most everyone in uniform held for the division that investigated its own. It was uncomfortable, at best, and downright disturbing most of time. Not to mention lonely and isolating. And no matter how much she tried not to let the drawbacks to the job get to her, there were days she regretted the professional track she’d chosen.
Henry put his hand to the back of his head and pulled it away to reveal dark red blood smeared on his palm.
Olivia sucked in a breath. “You are hurt.”
He gave a negative shake of his head. “I barely feel the wound.”
Stubborn man. Of course he wouldn’t admit to any pain. That would be too much like admitting to being human.
“Well, I need you to sit so I can bandage your laceration,” Ally told him.
Olivia pointed to the nearest bench. “Sit.”
Henry’s startled gaze met hers. “Yes, ma’am.”
Henry took a seat so Ally could dress his wound.
“You should make an appointment with your primary doctor to make sure there’s no concussion,” Ally said as she finished up.
“I will,” he promised. “But I have something I need to do first.”
Olivia put her hand on his shoulder, keeping him from rising. “Take a breath.”
Ally rose, gathered her things and said to Olivia, “I’ll let you tell Mom and Dad about this.”
Olivia grimaced. “Thanks. Honestly, they don’t need to know.”
“You really think Dad won’t hear about this incident?” Ally shook her head, her golden-brown ponytail swishing. “I better go help Jake.” Taking her red supply kit with her, she hurried away.
Olivia glanced at Henry, who stared at his phone as if willing it to ding. Cody sat at his feet, waiting patiently for his next job.
Her sister was right. Their father, a captain with the NYPD, would learn that his oldest daughter was at the scene of a bombing. Not a usual day in Internal Affairs. She’d worked hard to make the rank of lieutenant and hoped to make her parents proud. But after the death of her husband, her life had spun out of her control. She wasn’t quite sure how to handle the grief, the betrayal, the anger. Most days it was easiest to pretend she didn’t feel anything at all.
Henry stood, bracing his legs apart for a moment as if to steady himself.
Concern arced through Olivia. She put a hand out to help him then thought better of it, letting her hand drop back to her side. She empathized with his worry and could only imagine the strike to his head hurt, but giving into her natural inclination to support and comfort wouldn’t serve her position as an Internal Affairs investigator well. And that really was a source of irritation that she needed to suppress.
“Henry.” Sergeant Gavin Sutherland jogged to their side.
Henry squared his shoulders and faced his boss. “Sarge.”
“Lieutenant,” Gavin greeted with a nod.
She returned the gesture of respect.
Eyes narrowed on the white bandage on Henry’s scalp, Gavin said, “After you write up the incident report, take the rest of the day off. Visit a doctor. I don’t
want you back at the station until Monday.”
“Yes, sir,” Henry said. “I have to collect my sister and then I’ll stop by the precinct to write up my report. Can you give Lieutenant Vance a ride, sir?”
Olivia gaped at Henry, pretty sure she looked like a fish landing on the dock of her family’s vacation spot. He was trying to get rid of her. Not so fast. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll go with you to find your sister. You took a nasty blow to the head. I wouldn’t want you to collapse on the boardwalk.”
“I’m not—” he protested but she held up a hand.
“I insist.” She smiled sweetly to soften her words. She outranked both of these men. “I still need to interview you.”
A frown pulled his dark eyebrows together. “I’m sorry, can’t that wait?”
“No. Why else do you think I came with you?”
Gavin stared at her a moment before saying, “Do as the Lieutenant wishes, Henry. Someone has to be there in case that hard head of yours decides to explode.”
“Har, har, Sarge,” Henry muttered, tossing his boss a small smile. All the K-9 officers at the Brooklyn K-9 Unit had grown close in a short time, and a little ribbing on one another, even from Sarge, always helped with tension. He turned to Olivia and said, “By all means,” then addressed his dog. “Let’s find Riley.”
Cody gave a sharp yelp as if in agreement.
Olivia nodded to the sergeant, then fell into step with Henry. “You and Cody were very brave back there.”
“We were doing our job,” he said. “Which we’re good at, by the way.”
“I know you find this process arduous but it’s necessary,” she said. “Allegations of police brutality must be taken seriously.”
His jaw firmed but he made no comment as his stride lengthened. The beagle had no trouble staying in step with his handler and it was obvious Cody’s nose was working, sniffing through the various odors permeating the air. She had to move quicker to keep up.
They entered the Luna Park amusement area filled with rides for all ages, a variety of foods, games to play and shopping. All around them, people had gone back to their fun as if the exploding garbage can on the nearby boardwalk hadn’t happened. She didn’t understand it. “Don’t any of these people realize how close they came to disaster?”
