Sheltering Emma (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha): Finding Shelter #1

by Drake, Aspen

  “Oh no. What happened?” I pull my feet up under my thighs so there’s room for Jenna to join me.

  “First, he used a coupon to pay for dinner.” She places both hands on the back of the couch and leans forward to emphasize her shock. “A coupon!”

  I grimace at how awkward that must have been for her.

  “Then, when we walked to the coffee shop down the street, he asked if I wanted to get the coffee since he paid for dinner.”

  I have to bite my lip to hold back a smile. Jenna has had some awful luck with men lately. I feel bad for her, but there is a certain comic relief I appreciate from her stories. “Well, not everybody is wealthy. Maybe he’s a great guy who just doesn’t have a lot of cash at the moment.”

  “That’s fine.” She holds up a hand to appease me. “I don’t care about that. But as soon as we got into the movie, he held my hand for about three seconds before resting it on his hard-on. Can you believe that asshole? Dude wanted me to jerk him off in the damn movie.”

  I finally burst out laughing. “Well, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been the first time in that theater.”

  She rolls her eyes and then comes to join me on the couch. “If he wanted action, he should’ve thought about that before making me buy his damn mochaccino.”

  I peel myself off the couch and stretch my arms and back. “So, you working tomorrow night?”

  “Yep. Is that still fine for you?” She looks nervous as she asks as if I’m going to flake on her.

  “Of course. You know I have no life. I’ll be here by six.” Jenna works as a waitress for diner we’ve been going to since we were in high school. But two nights a week, she works at a bar so she can afford Ollie’s sports classes. He’s always been shy and insecure because of his size, but having him in soccer and karate has made a big difference in his confidence level.

  But it’s also made quite a dent in her checking account. So, on the nights she has to work late, I watch Ollie. “I’ll be here tomorrow. Get some rest while you can.”

  She pulls me into a big hug and kisses my cheek. “Thanks, sweetie. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  “To start, you would miss the chance to get felt up in movie theaters or to buy sleaze balls their girly coffees.”

  “True that!” She forces out a sad laugh as she opens the door for me.

  I give her another quick kiss on the cheek as I head out, eager to climb into my own bed. It’s been calling out to me all night from my bedroom just two doors down the hall. “Night, hon. Tomorrow will be a better day!”

  Six

  Hunter

  My phone rings as soon as I start up my truck. Even over the roar of the diesel engine, the speakers in my cab are clear as day when I answer the call. It’s Abbott, my best friend from high school and the resident pain in my ass. “Hunt, what time are you gonna get here?”

  I glance at my watch and try desperately to come up with an excuse to avoid going to the club tonight. “I’m just getting off work right now. I might bail on tonight.”

  Abbott owns a bar just outside of town with his brother. “No way. We’ve got a new band coming in here tonight that the chicks love. Come by and find yourself a piece of ass. We all know you need it.”

  I roll my eyes. “Maybe Friday. I just started my new job and don’t want to go in looking tore up.”

  “Don’t be a pussy.” He must be lonely if he’s pressing me to come in. “Get your ass in here and have a drink.”

  As much as I want to just crawl into bed, I know I need to make an effort to see my friends now and then. “Yeah, okay. Give me an hour to eat and change.”

  “Good man. I’ll see you then.”

  I disconnect the call and get on the road, anxious to change and get this night over with.

  Abbott spots me as soon as I walk inside and ushers me to his table to have a drink with him. “You’re just in time.” He holds up two shots, handing me one.

  “What’s the occasion?” I take the shot and throw it back without waiting for him to answer…or join me.

  “Tuesday!” He laughs and takes a drink. “No, really. I’m just glad to see you here. You’re becoming a hermit in your old age.”

  Shaking my head, I grab his glass out of his hand and throw back his shot too. “It’s called being a responsible adult. You should try it sometime.”

  “Nah, that’s all you, my friend. My level of adult responsibility extends to keeping plenty of condoms on hand. Beyond that, I’m not interested.”

  Whatever.

  Abbott likes to act like a dumb jock who never matured past his high school football days, but he’s actually a great businessman. He not only developed Abbott’s Ale House into a bustling nightlife spot with three locations, he’s also always looking for ways to help the community and those in need. He was a complicated man and one of the people I trusted most in the world. “Yeah, well, I had my shots. Now show me where the best seat in the house is to people watch for a few minutes before I bail when you aren’t looking.”

  “Don’t even think about it, man.” Abbott put his arm around my shoulder and led me to a roped-off lounge area for VIPs. “You’re gonna sit and enjoy the music while we try to find you some pussy worthy of the hotshot detective you are.”

  * * *

  For the next week, I put together a team to look into the missing women case. Since my team is still small, I assign the bulk of the research to myself, leaving the guys to follow up on leads and interview people close to the victims while I analyze data to look for commonalities and connections.

  Unfortunately, I don’t find much. About 70% of the women are blonde, both naturally and from a bottle. And they are all attractive, in traditional and nontraditional ways. Some are exotic, some fresh-faced, some look like models, and all of them are beautiful.

  Based on the dates the women went missing, there does seem to be a connection to some of the victims. From January 7th to January 20th, six women were immediately reported missing and three others were last seen on those days but not reported for up to a week.

  Then in March, there was another two-week period when seven women disappeared and two others were last seen. With about seven weeks in between those two clusters, I’m considering those cases our priorities and moving the outliers, the women who were last seen outside of those time frames, into a separate file.

  So, that’s where we start.

  I put together a list of names and photos to focus on and begin the arduous task of analyzing those specific cases against each other, looking for anything that might indicate why these women were taken and where they could be.

  Seven

  Emma

  “My feet are killing me.” Jenna’s boots are adorable but just a bit too narrow for my feet, so wearing them all day was a bad decision. I wanted to cry when the elevator was broken on my last delivery, and I had to huff it up three flights of stairs. Fortunately, the office was relatively clean, so I slipped out of them and ran down barefoot after making the delivery. But then shoving my swollen feet back into those damn things when I got to the street was a whole new level of torture. “I can’t go dancing.”

  Jenna balls her fists on her hips and stares me down. “Ollie is at a sleepover, and we never go out together anymore. We’re doing this.”

  I rub a particularly sore spot on the ball of my foot as I consider my options. “I’ll go if I can wear flip-flops.”

  Her stern glare morphs into a huge smile. “Done. I have a super comfy pair that has a slick bottom, so you’ll be fine dancing in them.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure my feet will feel awesome after being stepped on all night by drunk people.” I chuckle as I heave my tired ass off her couch to go get showered. “But after a drink or five, I won’t care.”

  “Be sure to wear something slutty to make up for your footwear.”

  I shuffle to the door, waving goodbye to her with my favorite finger. “If you let me wear sweats and a t-shirt, drinks are on me tonight.”


  She laughs, knowing I’m full of shit but gives me a warning for good measure. “I’ll kill you if you try it…”

  Even though I’d love to curl up on the couch and binge-watch Netflix, I also need to get laid. Like hard and fast and make-me-scream kind of laid. Now that I’m not worried about money, thanks to a certain arrogant but sexy customer, I can focus on my other pressing needs. Like the one I’d like pressed by something other than my vibrator.

  It’s been long enough that I think I might be ready for a one-night stand. It’s not really my style, but my style isn’t working. If I’m going to truly get past Rick, I need to distract myself with other guys.

  * * *

  “The Bubble Room? We haven’t been there in forever,” I say as Jenna walks out of her apartment and meets me in the hall.

  “Well… Don’t get mad, okay?”

  “Dammit, Jenna. What did you do?”

  She gives me her sweet as sugar smile. “It’s actually Hilary’s bachelorette party.”

  “Her bachelorette party! Seriously? I barely know Hilary. She’s not gonna want me there.”

  Jenna wraps her arm around mine, urging me to walk faster. “Of course she does. She loves you, and it’s a party. The more, the merrier.”

  I’ve only met Jenna’s new manager from the restaurant once or twice when I stopped in for deliveries, but she does seem really nice. I put my hand on Jenna’s arm and dig in my heels, making her stop beside me. “Does that mean drinks are free?”

  Jenna’s grin grows even wider as she nods. “The maid of honor is covering bottle service, so we won’t be buying any drinks tonight.”

  “Okay, that changes things.” I start walking again, tugging Jenna along beside me. “Why didn’t you say that to begin with?”

  She rests her head on my shoulder for just a second as she laughs. “I was saving the best for last.”

  The bar isn’t packed when we arrive, but there’s a good crowd. It takes a few minutes just to work our way toward the back where the new section of private lounges are set up. Hilary already looks wasted when we slip past the velvet ropes and squeeze onto the huge leather sectional. Seven other women are already there, so Jenna doesn’t waste any time before fixing us cocktails. The glass she hands me looks like eight ounces of vodka with a splash of cranberry, but that’s okay with me. I like my drinks like I like my men. Strong and scorching hot as they pour down my throat.

  “Thank you for coming.” Hilary almost falls into my lap trying to give me a hug.

  “Yeah, of course. Thanks for letting me tag along. And congratulations on the wedding. He’s a lucky man.”

  Everyone goes silent as Hilary stares at me before busting up in laughter. “Obviously, Jenna didn’t mention that I’m marrying a woman, but thank you. I appreciate the sentiment.”

  I turn to Jenna with my most annoyed face, wishing I could drop her with the daggers shooting from my eyes. She just smiles innocently and takes a gulp of her drink. We both quickly down our first drinks, and Jenna pours us refills. By the time I finish the second one, I’m feeling warm and loose.

  “I’m ready to dance.” I stand up and move in place to the fast beat as it vibrates through my bones.

  Jenna takes the hint and quickly moves to my side, dragging me onto the dance floor.

  The club is a lot busier than usual. People are pressed against me from every direction, and the music has a faster dance beat. I lean into Jenna and whisper, “Why is it so busy tonight?”

  She turns her head to speak into my ear. “There’s a guest D.J. tonight. Guess who it is.”

  I shrug. “No clue. Who?”

  “Remember the host of that TV show we were watching the other night?”

  My jaw drops as I remember who she’s talking about. “The gorgeous blond with those silver eyes?”

  Jenna’s grin grows. “Yep. He’s supposed to start spinning at midnight.”

  “Oh my god. That’s so cool. I love him.”

  Jenna starts dancing again then leans into my ear. “Just keep your hands off my husband, and we won’t have any problems.” She winks and then does a half spin so her back is facing my front as she leans forward and shakes her butt in front of me. I give her what I know she wants and smack her ass a few times, laughing as the people around us hoot and holler.

  I’m definitely not old, but I feel like it sometimes. Spin master XTZ is gorgeous, but he might actually be a little too edgy for me. I don’t know most of the songs he’s playing, and as soon as I do recognize a familiar beat, he cuts in a different song that I’ve never heard before. It’s actually starting to get frustrating. Jenna and Renee are dancing with a couple guys, so I head back to the couch for my second break in almost three hours.

  Hilary looks like she’s about to fall asleep, but as soon as I sit down beside her, she perks up and reaches for her glass.

  “Emma.” She wraps her hands around my arm and tucks her head into my neck. “I’m so glad you came. You’re so much fun.” Her words are slurred as she finds a comfortable position.

  I’ve literally spent three minutes with the woman tonight, so I’m not sure how she knows I’m fun. But I smile and pat her hand gently. “Thanks, Hilary. I’m really glad I came too.”

  She smiles for a second, and then it turns into a frown. “Am I not fun?”

  “No!” I lift the arm she’s clinging to and try to tuck it behind her back in a half hug. “You’re a lot of fun. I’m having a great time.”

  She’s beaming again. “I’m so glad. I don’t have a lot of friends, so I wasn’t sure how this night would go. But it’s been great.”

  “Yeah. It’s great.” God, why do the drunk ones always glom on to me?

  She closes her eyes and snuggles deeper into my side. A few of her friends come back for drink refills or just to sit for a minute. They seem relieved that I’m the designated bachelorette-sitter so they don’t have to be. Several girls snap photos of the bride-to-be curled up in my lap, but I ignore them. I just lean back and settle in to do some people watching. Everyone in the club looks like they’re having a great time. Lots of beautiful people with beautiful smiles.

  As my eyes filter through the faces surrounding me, I’m startled to see a slightly familiar one staring back at me.

  The man who listened to me pour my heart out about my financial woes and then gave me a $5,000 tip for dropping off a sandwich to his office. Although, I’ve been called back to the police department’s administrative building a few times to make deliveries, I’ve managed to avoid running into him each time. And I’m grateful for that because I have no idea what I’d say to him if we were ever face-to-face.

  Like I am right now.

  My only saving grace is that he’s walking with a group of guys, and I’m safely behind a velvet rope with an unconscious lesbian in my lap. My eyes track him as he passes, and whatever buzz I had going is instantly gone.

  I stay with Hilary for a few more minutes before deciding it’s time to head home. The maid of honor is Snapchatting selfies on Hilary’s other side, so I lean forward to get her attention. “Missy, I think I’m gonna head out.”

  She nods but then looks down at Hilary. “Oh.”

  “Yeah, should I just lay her down here?” I gesture to the sofa we’re on.

  Missy looks relieved as she nods. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” She probably thought I was going to shove her best friend into her arms. I probably should have, but she must have realized Hilary is down for the count and wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon.

  I carefully scoot across the cushion and lower Hilary onto the couch as I go. She mumbles something but doesn’t wake up. And although I’m not positive, I think she mentioned something about the room spinning. Which is definitely my cue to get the hell out of here. I give the other girls a quick wave goodbye, and then I go looking for Jenna.

  When I find her, she’s making out with some guy who is just a few inches taller than her. He’s not her usual type, but they look good tog
ether and seem to be having fun. I step beside her for a minute, hoping she’ll feel my presence and come up for air. When she doesn’t, I tap her shoulder to get her attention. She startles before realizing it’s just me.

  “Oh, hey. What’s up?” Her lips are raw and swollen. I’m kinda jealous.

  “I’m gonna call for a ride back home. Are you okay here, or do you want to head back with me?”

  She looks at her new friend for a minute then turns back to me. “Are you sure you can get home by yourself?”

  Yeah, that’s what I thought. “Of course. Text me when you get home, okay?”

  She nods, and I put my hand on her shoulder, giving her a little squeeze. “I mean it. Don’t forget to text me.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Yes, Mom. I promise.”

  I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and then decide to get extra paranoid, pulling out my phone and snapping a picture of her and her new friend. I’m sure he’s not going to drug her and chop her up into bits, but you never know. And at least now I’ll have a photo if I need to give it to the police. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or bad, but he doesn’t even seem surprised when I snap the photo then shove the phone back into my pocket.

  “Be safe,” I say as I wave goodbye and work my way across the dance floor toward the front door. There’s a crowd bunched up around the exit, so I take a step back, looking for a way around the masses. When I feel a tap on my shoulder, I naturally assume I’m in somebody’s way and take a step to the side. But when that tap turns into a large hand closing around my shoulder, I flinch and look to see who’s touching me.

  It’s him. The cop.

  He leans forward so his lips are practically touching my ear. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  It takes a minute for my brain to respond with words instead of just a shocked stare, and when I do, I remember why I’ve been avoiding him. “Thanks, but I’m just trying to leave.”