Courage Under Fire

by Sharon Dunn

  “If only.” Noah snorted a laugh, which made her laugh too.

  He bent his head as well and continued to laugh. They talked through the meal and a cup of tea. Lani loved hearing the stories of the pranks the Jamesons had pulled on each other as kids.

  Once the meal was over, Lani rose to her feet. Zach had repositioned himself on the same side of the street as the bistro. He stood beside a food cart holding a hot dog. Tony still sat at the bar.

  When she turned to step out to the sidewalk, Noah put his hand on her back and leaned close to her. Anyone watching would think they were on a date.

  Noah glanced at the windows of the high-rise and then up the busy street. She turned to face him. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. The kiss, though brief, melted her feet in her shoes. His hand lingered on her neck.

  “So it looks like a real date?” Her voice held a note of bitterness. “That’s what the kiss was about, right?”

  He nodded, and she thought her heart would break. It was all just part of the job. And Martin hadn’t even made an appearance. They both got into the car. No one could see them in here.

  Noah stared at the steering wheel. “Lani?”

  “Yes?”

  He turned to face her, his eyes filled with warmth. He leaned closer to her. His Adam’s apple moved up and down.

  Feeling the pull of his gaze, she leaned toward him.

  He covered her mouth with his. His hand rested on her neck and she scooted even closer to him.

  * * *

  He pulled his hand away from her neck. “You deserve a real kiss, not something for show.” He lowered his head. “Sorry if I crossed a boundary.” His forehead creased, and he leaned toward her, his eyes searching. “Lani, I care about you so much. This is such an impossible situation. The unit needs me as chief.”

  “I know.” She nodded even as the tears warmed her eyes. She was still light-headed from the power of his kiss. She touched her palm to her chest. Her heart was racing. “I suppose we did cross a line. But I don’t regret it.” She was glad she knew what a real kiss from Noah was like. Even if it could only be this one time.

  Noah put the key in the ignition as a faint smile graced his face. “Yeah, me either. But now we have to go back to being just friends.”

  Her stomach twisted into a knot. “Agreed.”

  While Noah healed from his injuries, they spent more time together out in the open at the park and in other high-profile public places with no sign of Martin for days. He sent her no texts or notes. She was beginning to wonder if maybe after injuring Noah, Martin had skipped town. Somehow, she didn’t think he would give up his obsession that easily.

  Once Noah was back to a hundred percent and authorization had been given to put a team in place, they made plans for Lani to ride her bike to a remote part of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The decision was made to set things up in early evening when there would be fewer people in the park and Lani would look more vulnerable.

  The team, which consisted of Reed, Noah, Tony and Lani, met in Noah’s office where Lani was fitted with a wire. Noah brought up a map of the park and pointed out each man’s position in relationship to where Lani would fake an injury on her bike.

  Noah pointed to the spots on the map. “I’ll have visual on her up here from this gazebo. Tony and Reed, you’ll be able to hear her. If we need to shift positions, I will radio you. Wait for my signal before we move in.”

  Reed gave Lani a hug before he and Tony took off to drive to the park and get in position. So there was no chance of Martin knowing what was going on, Lani and Noah would leave in separate vehicles.

  Once Tony and Reed were gone, Noah closed out the program that had the map of the park. “Give us a half hour before you take off.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m not wild about this plan,” he said. “I’m concerned about the level of danger it puts you in. You’re still new to being an officer.”

  “Noah, I want this to be over with. If this doesn’t draw him out, nothing will.” A knot of tension formed at the base of Lani’s neck. Her chest felt tight. She’d be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t afraid. “I could use a hug.”

  He gathered her into his arms. She relished the warmth and safety of his embrace. They lingered for a long moment before he pulled back and gave her a smile that warmed her to the marrow. She’d settle for being Noah’s friend if that was all he could offer.

  Scotty let out a little protest groan from the corner of the room where he rested on his bed.

  Noah laughed. “He hates it when he’s not part of the hug.” Noah kneeled. “Come here, boy.” Scotty trotted over to him and Noah rubbed his ears.

  Lani kneeled as well. “Who’s a good boy?” Scotty licked her face.

  Noah locked her in his gaze. “Take him with you...for my piece of mind. Scotty will protect you until I can get there.”

  Lani continued to stroke Scotty’s square head. She petted his back and he leaned against her. “Okay.”

  Noah opened a drawer and pulled out his shoulder holster with his handgun. He slipped into a jacket. He squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s do this.” He stepped out of the office. She stood at the door and watched him walk past Sophie’s desk and then disappear down a hallway.

  Lani turned her attention back to Scotty. “Okay, I guess it’s just you and me.” Lani left headquarters with Scotty. Her mountain bike was already loaded on top of her car. She drove out to the park. At one point while she switched lanes, she thought she caught a glimpse of a motorcycle several lanes over before a car blocked her view.

  A van without windows was parked on the far end of the lot. The techs were in there listening to all the communication. The other three officers had probably parked in a different lot. Another car with a bike on top of it pulled into the lot. She didn’t have a clear view of the driver. Her heart pounded all the same.

  Lani turned her head sideways speaking into her shoulder where the microphone had been placed. “I’m in place. ETA to the spot on the trail is about ten minutes.” She unloaded her bike. Earlier in the day, she had parked where her car could be seen from the street so that if Martin was watching her, he would know she had plans to go for a bike ride. The trail she would be going on was one she frequented.

  Scotty would run beside. If he was in the habit of doing that with Noah, he’d probably get the idea.

  She stared out at the Unisphere, a giant metal globe which was the central feature of the park, visible from almost anywhere. The park had a museum, zoo and amusement rides for kids, but she would be avoiding those for a quieter spot. Flushing Meadows Corona Park was big, the second largest after Central Park, providing lots of places for Martin to make his move.

  Her heart was pounding from a mixture of excitement and fear by the time she got on her bike and headed toward the trail. She called over her shoulder. “Come on, Scotty.” Scotty ran after her while still on the leash.

  In fading light of day, she encountered only a few other bicyclists and walkers. When she looked over her shoulder, Scotty was bounding behind her. She pedaled, watching the trail up ahead. Other side trails intersected with this one. She came to a crossroads, still seeing no other bicyclists in either direction. When she slowed, she could hear Scotty panting.

  She arrived at the spot where she was to wait to see if Martin showed up. She lay down her bike, gave a little yell as though she were injured and sat down. Scotty came up beside her.

  She listened to the rustling of the fall leaves. A gust of wind pulled some from the trees and sent them swirling through the air. Her heart pounded in her chest.

  She tuned her ears hoping to hear the whirring of bike pedals or the pounding of feet on the trail. She knew that Reed was about fifty yards down the hill and Tony was positioned even closer on the other side in a large grove of trees. Up the hill, the gazebo where Noah waited hi
dden from view was barely visible through the rust-and red-colored bushes.

  Pounding footsteps caused her to turn her head back around. In the twilight, she saw a female jogger with reflective gear on coming toward her.

  When the woman got close to Lani, she stopped, still jogging in place. “You okay?” She was out of breath.

  “Yes, just resting,” said Lani.

  The woman nodded and disappeared down a side trail. Her footsteps fading into silence.

  Scotty hunkered over to her and sat down beside her, pressing his solid muscular body against her side.

  Lani turned her attention back to her surroundings. She glanced back up to the gazebo. Her breath caught in her throat. A shadowy figure was moving toward Noah’s hiding place.

  FIFTEEN

  Noah peered through the lattice of the gazebo using small binoculars. He could see Lani’s bright purple workout suit as well as the reflective gear she wore on her feet and headband. Scotty’s reflective collar was visible as well in the gray light of evening.

  He let out a heavy breath. So far nothing.

  His chest squeezed tight over the anxiety he battled about putting Lani in this kind of danger. He understood her frustration and that she wanted to get on with her life and her training as a K-9 cop. Rookies always felt like they needed to prove themselves. That had to be part of it.

  He could see her blond ponytail bobbing as she petted Scotty who had come to sit beside her. He cared about her so much and wanted more than a friendship with her. He knew it would be out of place for him to ask her to transfer to a different unit in the NYPD. She had her heart set on being a K-9 cop.

  He heard a scuffle behind him. Noah turned just as a huge muscular body came down on him like a ton of bricks. Martin Fisher had found him. Though he was caught off guard, and he was in a kneeling position, Noah managed to angle slightly away so he didn’t take the full impact of Martin falling on him.

  Tech support and the other men couldn’t hear the sound of the fight unless he radioed them. Only Lani was wired.

  Martin placed all his weight on Noah’s shoulder, pinning him in place. He raised a fist to deliver a blow to Noah’s neck.

  Noah gasped for air from the impact.

  Martin grabbed Noah’s hair on the crown of his head and pressed his face close to Noah’s.

  “You stay away from her. She’s mine.”

  Even in the dim light, Noah could make out the arched eyebrows and gaunt features. Martin’s eyes held the glazed quality of a man who was living in his own world.

  Even as he fought for breath, he raised his free hand and managed to get a punch into Martin’s side and then his stomach.

  The man groaned from the pain of impact but remained in place. Martin’s strength was stunning. Martin landed more blows to Noah’s face and then to his solar plexus.

  Again, Noah fought for breath.

  He used his knee to pummel Martin’s back. The move seemed to take Martin by surprise. The weight on Noah’s shoulder lessoned.

  Noah struggled to twist free.

  Martin hit him again. This time in the head. The blows left Noah dazed.

  Martin shifted so both of his knees shoved into Noah’s stomach. Reaching for his gun was not possible. Martin pulled a needle from his back pocket. Uncapped it and held it up.

  Noah fought harder to break free using his knees again to throw Martin off kilter before he could stick the needle in Noah. Jordan had died from a drug injection. More evidence that Noah was in a fight with Jordan’s killer.

  The distant bark of a dog, of his dog, reached the gazebo. The barking grew louder and more intense. Lani must have seen Martin enter the gazebo and was headed up the hill with Scotty.

  Martin’s eyes grew round. He looked one way and then the other.

  “Lani and the dog are on their way,” said Noah.

  “She’s got quite a hike up the hill,” said Martin. The inflection in his words gave away that he was afraid.

  He grabbed Noah’s radio off his shoulder and tore it free. Noah reached for Martin’s shirt collar and yanked hard enough to put Martin off balance. Martin clawed at Noah’s face and then slammed his fist back into Noah’s chest. Noah released his grip on Martin as he wheezed in air. He felt like he was breathing through a straw.

  Martin hit Noah a couple more times. Noah feared he would pass out. Fueled by mental instability, Martin’s strength was almost superhuman.

  In the seconds when Noah was trying to orient himself and regain focus, Martin bolted from the gazebo.

  Still dizzy, Noah leaped to his feet and took off after Martin, who disappeared into some brush. He must have dropped the needle somewhere. It would be too dangerous to hold on to an uncapped needle. He glanced around as he hurried after Martin. Finding the needle would be close to impossible. Now he wished Scotty was with him. The dog would have no trouble tracking Martin.

  Noah ran after him, still not at full strength. Keeping his eyes on the shaking branches that indicated which direction Martin had gone, Noah willed himself to move faster.

  He took in as deep a breath as he dared. His ribs still hurt from his injury.

  Noah saw a flash of color. Martin had veered off the path into the thick of the trees. There was still enough brush and foliage on the trees to conceal him.

  Aware that he risked hitting an innocent bystander if he wasn’t careful, Noah pulled his gun.

  Scotty’s bark persisted, dying off now and then when he must have been sniffing the ground. A fearful person on the run emitted a scent that was easy for dogs to track. Noah dashed into the trees, he turned one way and then another, studying the landscape for any sign of movement. He had to assume that Reed and Tony would move in as well. Lani could communicate with them.

  A squirrel ran up a thick oak tree and he could hear the traffic on the expressway far in the distance. He turned in a half circle, still looking. Martin was dressed in neutral colors, tan and browns, that would make it hard to spot him. He saw a jogger in bright colors on another path.

  Noah stepped deeper into the trees. Though he could not say why, his cop instinct told him that Martin was close. He could feel the weight of a gaze on him. The brush got thicker and more overgrown as he got farther from the trail. His pulse drummed in his ears. He pushed a tree branch out of the way. He had to bend his knees and almost crawl to get through.

  Somewhere off to the side a tree branch broke. A woman on a bicycle dressed in neon colors whizzed by on a parallel trail.

  A weight landed on Noah’s back and pushed down on his shoulders. Noah fell forward when Martin jumped him from behind. He fell on a bush that collapsed beneath him. Branches scratched his face.

  Martin wrapped his hands around Noah’s neck. The move meant Noah’s arms and legs were still free. Martin’s he-man grip around Noah’s neck had the potential to be lethal. Noah’s vision filled with black dots as he tried to twist free. Firing his gun would put innocent people at too great a risk.

  He needed to break free before he lost consciousness or couldn’t breathe anymore. He could feel Martin’s breath on his ear as he stood behind Noah and suctioned even tighter around Noah’s neck. Noah jabbed an elbow into Martin’s stomach.

  The blow didn’t even seem to faze Martin. He continued to cut off Noah’s air. Noah knew the light-headedness meant he was about to pass out. He struggled for breath. With the final bit of energy and focus he had left, he jabbed Martin three times with his elbow. Martin let up on Noah’s neck and stepped back.

  Noah choked and gasped for air even as he lunged at Martin. The attack had left Noah weak.

  The sound of Scotty working his way toward them grew even louder. He heard sirens in the distance. Lani must have called in reinforcements. Tony and Reed must be moving in as well. Martin’s eyes grew round with fear, and he dashed into the underbrush.

  Sti
ll unfocused and stumbling around from nearly being choked to death, Noah spotted the purple of Lani’s outfit moving through the trees. Scotty ran up ahead of her. Reed and Tony were close behind her.

  “Boy am I glad to see you. He went off this way.”

  Scotty had already picked up the scent and was pushing through the underbrush like a four-legged bulldozer. They raced after Scotty as he led them toward a trail. Scotty bolted along with Lani and Noah at his heels. The dog stopped, sniffed the ground and then left the trail. Noah couldn’t see Martin anywhere, but he trusted Scotty’s nose.

  The sirens grew louder. No doubt, officers would be in all the parking lots that surrounded the park. When he glanced through the trees, he saw Reed and Tony searching as well. Martin wasn’t going to get away this time.

  Lani spoke into her hidden radio. “I think we’re in the northeast corner of the park. I’m with Noah.”

  They continued to work their way through the trees. Scotty lost the scent when they came to an open area where there were several sleeping bags stuffed in the brush and evidence that a fire had been built.

  They came toward a busier part of the park where parents watched their children on the carousel. Martin could easily fade into the crowd.

  Scotty continued to sniff the ground. All the human smells were making it hard for him to find Martin’s scent.

  “Let’s keep looking. Uniformed officers are going to be in all the parking lots, so he won’t go back to his car if he parked in one of them.” Noah commanded Scotty to follow him. They searched the area where the crowds were coming to the street that bordered the park.

  The sound of New York coming alive at night reached his ears as they came to the edge of the park. A sea of faces. Martin was smart. He’d stop running and blend in with the crowd.

  Scotty heeled beside Noah while Lani walked on the other side of him.

  They searched up and down several streets before giving up. If Scotty picked up on Martin’s scent at all, he would alert. The dog remained close to Noah, sniffing the air and the ground but not giving any sign that Martin might be close. Noah tried to not give in to the sense of defeat that he felt.