SOLACE: Behind The Shield (Beauty 0f Life Book 2)

by Laura Acton

  Loki and Ray joined Jon in laughing. Loki wished he could’ve pranked the rookie. He never succeeded in sneaking up on him in the locker room, but the whole team just accomplished the feat—what a wasted opportunity.

  The telltale pink on the rookie’s ears revealed Dan’s discomfort to Bram. He slung an arm over his shoulders. “Come on, Dan. Today was rough. You’re coming home with me for dinner. Allie has been asking to see you. Kellie is making enchiladas tonight. You’re gonna love them. She even bought some of the extra spicy hot sauce you like so much.”

  As Bram guided an embarrassed Dan toward the stairs, the others hung back, to avoid overwhelming him. He experienced a dreadful day, and they would allow Bram to handle Dan since Bram’s connection with him appeared to be the most developed.

  Once Bram and Dan entered the stairwell, and the door closed, Jon said, “This is the second time I caught Dan sleeping.”

  “Where did he fall asleep the first time?” Ray asked.

  “Conference room three,” Jon answered.

  After a quick rub of his face, Nick sighed. “I should’ve checked on him sooner.”

  Lexa said, “We all should’ve. He could’ve been hurt in that blast.”

  His countenance becoming reflective, Jon expressed his views. “No. The medic said no sign of concussion. Dan indicated he was fine. Today just took it out of him. Most likely an adrenaline crash like we’ve all experienced.”

  Nick nodded. “Today was rough on us all.” He checked his watch “We’ve only got fifteen minutes left of shift. Echo Team can handle any calls. We’ll finish debriefing tomorrow morning. Everyone can go home a little early.”

  No one argued with Boss. Not often they got off early. Lexa, Ray, and Loki all hurried away, home and rest sounded enticing to all three of them.

  Following Nick, Jon mused out loud, “If this keeps up, I might have to start a list of unacceptable nap locations.”

  Allowing his voice to become stern, Nick said, “Now, Jonny. Even you noticed how much this embarrassed him. You don’t want to repeat that, do you?”

  Jon’s grin grew. “Don’t I now? We all rib each other. Dan might think we don’t care if we don’t tease him. You have to admit this was damned funny.”

  Chuckling Nick responded, “Yes, it was. His deer in the headlights face … priceless. Though I think he might’ve been more disconcerted by the fact we snuck up on him than being found sleeping.”

  “You might be right. Come on. I’ll buy you a soda at the Pond. Jennifer, and the boys won’t be home until later tonight. They are in Scarborough for Kent’s recital.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Nick smiled at the prospect of grabbing dinner with a friend instead of a lonely meal at home.

  As they approached the stairwell, Nick’s mind shifted to Jon’s approach with Dan, glad he began using humor. The change in tactics might work to smooth over things and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment allowing Dan to accept he is part of the team.

  Cake Knife Fight

  19

  January 14

  TRF HQ – Parking Lot – 4:45 a.m.

  Lexa waved to Loki, Ray, Bram, and Jon as she hopped out of her Jeep. She shivered a wee bit when the pre-dawn, winter wind snuck inside her new down jacket forcing her to zip it up a bit higher. As she hurried over to the guys, she wished the heater in her vehicle would warm her all the way into headquarters. She hailed them with a happy smile and good morning, as she stuffed her hands into her pockets.

  After greeting each other, all five started towards the entrance but stopped when the roar of a motorcycle entering the parking area captured their attention. Their heads turned and observed a bright red Ducati Superbike Panigale R glide into the space next to Lexa’s Jeep. Not a single chance of mistaking the helmetless rider. The rookie’s golden-blond hair visibly illuminated by the streetlights.

  Loki’s face broke out into a broad grin as he salivated over the Italian motorcycle. “Sweet ride!” He started forward to take a gander at Dan’s new mode of transportation.

  Moving faster, Jon strode towards Dan, shouting across the lot, “What the hell are you doing, Broderick? It’s against the law to ride without a helmet. You’re a constable and as such should be setting a proper example for the public. Not being a damned fool.”

  Jon realized images of his brother Joe motivated his harsh words, but he couldn’t stop them from coming out. He and his brothers rode motorcycles while camping as teenagers. Joe often forget to wear his protective gear and once crashed without the helmet. Knocked unconscious and his face covered in blood, Jon believed his little brother died. Once he grasped Joe still lived, he lit into him for his recklessness, just like he did to Dan now.

  Shutting off the Ducati, Dan kicked down the stand and eased himself off the bike. He turned to grin at the team. Hearing Jon’s rant, he unhooked the bungee cord holding his go bag and unusable helmet to the rear of the seat to provide a show and tell. “Strap broke when I put on my helmet this morning. Left too late … not enough time to jog here and be on-time. I plan to have this one fixed and pick-up a new helmet during lunch today.”

  “See that you do. I’ll nail your ass to the wall if you ride without a helmet again.” Jon’s ire dissipated a little as he viewed the ripped strap.

  Bram patted Dan’s shoulder and changed the tone of the conversation. “Wow, so you finally bought a mode of transportation. I thought you would buy a car or truck. You know, something to keep you out of the weather.”

  “I like the thrill.” Dan deflected, not wanting to make them aware of the trapped sensation he sometimes experienced in a vehicle. A motorcycle allowed him three-sixty visibility and a cool breeze on his face which calmed him.

  “Man, I always wanted one of these. Too damned expensive, though.” Loki ran his hands over the sleek motorcycle. “How the hell can you afford this on a cop’s pay?”

  Gently shoving Loki, Ray said, “Dude, not your business.” He turned to Dan. “Nice ride. How’s she handle?”

  “Like you’d expect.”

  Lexa eyed the motorcycle. It fit Dan. Powerful, striking, sensual, and dangerous. The thought of riding it brought images of the night she straddled and rode Dan. A vibration ran through her and Lexa had to swiftly turn and head inside before she snapped out a snarky comment to hide the attraction pulling her towards Dan.

  As she hurried away, Lexa overheard Loki ask, “So, now you gonna take all your lady friends out on your sweet Ducati and rev their engines?” However, she didn’t see Ray shove Loki again, and the others shake their heads at Loki’s inappropriate comment. Nor did she catch Dan covertly eyeing her as she sauntered away or read his only thought.

  I’d love to take Sexy Lexie for a ride, not necessarily on the Ducati, a bed would be better suited for the ride I have in mind. Dan shook the thought from his head as others populated it. Lexa is off limits, a teammate and nothing more. She made it abundantly clear there will never be a repeat of July fourteenth.

  He returned his attention the guys, answering all their questions about his new Ducati excepts Loki’s inquiry about how he afforded the bike. He chose not to tell them he didn’t have many chances in his six-year tenure with Special Forces to spend more than a small fraction of his pay. Being in the field continuously didn’t require cash, so his money accumulated in his savings account and the investment accounts Bella helped him establish.

  And if he didn’t have that capital, there was the trust fund his maternal grandfather, Sir Alastair Loving, set up for him when he was an infant. It existed, but Dan had no desire to use any of those assets. He needed to make his way in the world on his merit, not live off unearned resources from a family member who he only vaguely recalled.

  Their scheduled workout time ended up cut in half after the men hung out outside so long talking about motorcycles. During the shortened exercise session, friendly arguments erupted over the best vehicles. Jon teased Bram that he didn’t merit a vote because he owned a minivan
then everyone began joking about the minivan express. Bram only smiled and said if they had four girls they would be driving vans too. Dan enjoyed the banter as it provided a distraction, making the strenuous exertion fun.

  Darby Dock – 3:30 p.m.

  Alpha Team arrived with lights and sirens off. Called to handle a critical situation on the Midnight Magic Party boat. The company double booked the vessel for two evening weddings. When both brides showed up, they went nuts, pulled out their cake-cutting knives, and demanded the other bride leave. A bridezilla standoff at knifepoint ensued.

  As Dan geared up, he shoved down his fear of water. The boat isn’t floating in open water but docked. Strong ropes moor it to the pier. There isn’t any possibility of me or anyone else ending up in the water. Dan had a job to do and needed to master his phobia. He refocused on ensuring his weapon was ready, pushing other thoughts away.

  Lexa grinned at Dan as she hooked her MP5 on her strap. “Nothing like a knife fight at a wedding. I don’t understand why people waste money on extravagant weddings.”

  Dan chuckled. “So, you don’t want a huge wedding?”

  “Nope.” Lexa shook her head. Not ever getting married.

  Nick provided them an update from the first responder. “The brides are on the starboard side on the upper deck. Apparently, several others have joined in the standoff and armed themselves with steak knives.”

  Jon snorted. “Copy. Dan, you’re with me. We’ll come in from the stern. Bram and Ray, you approach from the bow with Boss. Let’s try to disarm the bridezillas peaceably.”

  Everyone chuckled, and the five of them trotted towards the craft.

  Over the headset, Loki said, “Boss, the grooms are on the way.”

  “Copy. I want you and Lexa to talk to them separately. We don’t need another situation erupting with them. Keep them well back from the boat,” Nick instructed.

  As Lexa hurried towards Loki’s position, she stole another glance at Dan. He had been quiet on the ride to the dock. She read something akin to nervousness in his eyes when they received the logistics informing them the situation was at the marina. She wondered why, but for now, she pushed the thought to the back burner, focusing on the call.

  Darby Dock – Midnight Magic Party Boat – 3:40 p.m.

  Five members of Alpha Team, with guns at the ready, approached the crowd surrounding the two brides. Sergeant Pastore called out, gaining the group’s attention. Everyone except the brides dropped their weapons and backed away from the enraged brides who continued to hurl insults and demands at each other. Both women refused to lower their knives.

  Jon aimed at one bride, Dan the other, while Ray and Bram covered Boss. Dan marveled at Boss’ calmness, listening intently to what he said, trying to gain insights for improving his negotiating skills. Lexa and Loki began feeding Boss bits of information from the grooms, and Dan noted Boss employed the details as he structured his comments, striving to connect with the subjects.

  Enthralled watching Boss work, and entirely focused on the job keeping Boss and Bridezilla One safe from Bridezilla Two, Dan forgot his genuine and justified fear of being close to water.

  He went on high alert when Lexa yelled, “Stop! Mr. Hettich, stop! Boss, incoming, Mr. Hettich bolted and is racing to your position. In pursuit.”

  It didn’t take long for the groom to race to the second deck of the boat and begin begging at his fiancée, Giselle, to put the weapon down. The other bride, Zoe, who appeared more aggressive, took advantage of the opportunity to lunge at Giselle as she turned to face her husband-to-be and lowered the knife.

  Dan and Ray reacted simultaneously to parry the attack. Ray went for Giselle, pulling her backward out of Zoe’s reach as the cake knife clattered to the wooden decking. Dan sought to restrain Zoe to prevent her from stabbing Giselle. Both wanted a less lethal outcome to the altercation. Further complicating matters, Mr. Hettich raced forward at the same time.

  Jon switched his gun to Hettich and shouted, “Stop!” as Lexa ran up behind the man and knocked him to the ground. He kept his weapon aimed at Mr. Hettich while Lexa subdued the fighting man and handcuffed him.

  Giselle screamed while Ray held her in a firm grip as she struggled to reach her fiancé, shrieking for the officers to release them.

  Bram maintained his aim on Zoe, who screeched nonstop obscenities at Giselle, as Dan disarmed her. Stronger than she appeared, Zoe continued to thrash about even after Dan confiscated her knife. Nick rushed to assist Dan with cuffing Zoe as the woman fought to escape Dan’s grasp.

  Zoe’s mother and two aunts jumped into the fray. They darted forward swinging their heavy purses, whacking Dan as they hollered at him to uncuff Zoe. The subsequent melee became ugly, loud, and confusing, resulting in one casualty, Dan.

  No one quite knew how it happened, but when Dan bellowed, “Shit! No!” as he fell overboard and splashed into the freezing lake, everyone on the deck suspended all motion and hushed for a second.

  Jon recovered first, rapidly issuing orders, “Lexa, get to the dock. Loki, alert the Coast Guard there’s an officer in the water, grab rappelling gear, and meet Lexa.”

  Lexa tightened the last cuff on Mr. Hettich and responded, “Copy.” She rose and raced off and down the gangplank hoping to find dock workers who might help pull Dan from the frigid water before the rescuers reached him.

  Nick cuffed Zoe as she peered over the railing at the officer floundering in Lake Ontario. She snidely commented, “He really isn’t a good swimmer.”

  Bram, Ray, and Nick were near the rail and stole a quick glance down. They saw their teammate dog-paddling towards the stern. “Definitely not one of his stronger skills,” Ray said, heightening the team’s concern for Dan.

  Nick wanted to jump in and help, but he must concentrate on defusing the still volatile situation on the deck. Lexa and Loki would rescue him.

  Darby Dock – Pier Near Midnight Magic Party Boat – 4:00 p.m.

  Loki and Lexa met at the same time on the pier at the rear of the vessel. “Alerted the Coast Guard, they’re sending a rescue crew to fish him out.” Loki unwound the rappelling rope.

  Lexi caught sight of Dan dog-paddling trying to make it to the dock. Scanning the area below, she found nothing for him to hang on to or a way to pull himself out of the freezing water. Given the amount of energy he appeared to be expending to remain afloat, Dan might drown from cold incapacitation before the crew arrived. Time was of the essence in cold water rescue.

  Realizing the urgency of the situation, she released her MP5, ripped off her vest, and grabbed one end of the rope, securing it around her waist. Dan didn’t have time for her to harness in. “Lower me down. I’ll hold him until the rescue boat arrives.”

  Loki nodded and secured the line around his waist, sat, wedged his feet against the cement curbing, and grasping the static rope tightly in his gloved hands. “Ready.”

  Lowering herself over the edge of the pier, Lexa descended at a steady pace as Loki paid out the nylon line. “Dan, swim to me. I’ll keep you afloat. You can do it. Keep swimming.”

  As Dan had fallen from the deck, all-consuming panic overtook him as flashbacks of another time and place filled his mind. He would drown again. When he plunged into the bitterly cold water, survival instinct, rather than skill or conscious thought, made him kick upward.

  When he surfaced, Dan groped around for something, anything to grab. Finding nothing and shivering with cold he did the only thing he could, he doggy-paddled. His lack of instruction in swimming would be the death of him … again. Somehow he rounded the damned boat as Lexa yelled to him.

  Weighed down with all his tactical gear, and with his MP5 dangling like an anchor beneath him, he struggled to keep his head above water. His extremities numbed, as he shivered violently due to the loss of core temperature. Only a little more to go, he kept telling himself. He dipped under water repeatedly, coming up sputtering, as he made slow progress to Lexa—to salvation.

  Lexa braced her boo
ts on the dock wall and reached out as far as she could to Dan. He continued to slow down and kept submerging. Dan might be a terrible swimmer, but the cold severely affected his abilities too. Only a hands length away from her, his head went below the water again, and when he failed to emerge immediately, she shouted, “More slack, Loki.”

  Instantly, she had more line, and she pushed off the side of the wharf with her feet, diving for Dan. The icy water shocked her, but her hands found Dan’s wrist and latched on. She pulled up until his head broke the surface of the lake. She heard the Coast Guard approaching as her eyes locked on Dan’s.

  “Got you. The boat’s almost here. Hold on,” Lexa said. Witnessing the raw fear in Dan’s eyes, she wanted to reassure him. Switching to humor, attempting to calm him, she said. “Not the best time of year for a swim in the harbor.”

  The humor in Lexa’s voice and her solid grip on his wrist started to quiet his fears. His teeth chattered too much to make a smartass comeback. He could only stare into her hazel eyes, and at the golden flecks which reflected real concern for him and exuded confidence, she wouldn’t let him drown.

  As the zodiac came alongside them, two strong Coastie’s hefted Dan into the rigid bottom inflatable craft. After Loki released the rope which held her, they pulled Lexa in. The constables lay in the bottom of the boat covered with emergency blankets as a guardsman maneuvered the rubber craft towards the mooring where an EMS unit awaited their arrival.

  Through chattering teeth, Dan whispered to Lexa, “Thanks for diving in after me and not letting me drown. That wouldn’t have been fun.”

  Lexa snorted. “No, I don’t think it would be.” Compelled by an unknown force, she reached out and touched his cheek as she did in his hotel room six months ago to the very day. Cold as ice, Dan leaned into the warmth of her hand—just as he did that night.

  Right before Dan’s eyelids closed, Lexa glimpsed a flicker of something deep within his velvety blue eyes. Fear dissipated and replaced by longing or loneliness. A tiny chunk of the wall around her heart tumbled down as she absorbed his pain. Dan had the oddest effect on her, and she could no longer deny her attraction to him.