Shot in the Dark

by Jennifer Conner

  Shot in the Dark

  Jennifer Conner

  Excerpt: Shot in the Dark

  The cracked cement pressed cold against Luci’s face. Sirens screamed outside and voices shouting orders made her head pound. Her shoulder joints ached from having her arms yanked behind her, but the tension eased after the cuffs binding her wrists loosened and dropped off.

  Hands pulled her up to a sitting position. The sudden motion made her stomach clench and her vision swim. Groaning, Luci rubbed her temple and found blood.

  I hit my head?

  Shadowy images of people stared through the window. It was dark where she sat on the floor, but Luci knew they could still see her partially naked body.

  A large warm coat settled around her shoulders and hands guided her arms though the sleeves. The leather smelled familiar— like rain and woodsy cologne.

  “Luci?”

  She forced her mind and her eyes to focus and tried to place the voice. Was it the detective who came in every night to her stand?

  Why is he here?

  He repeated her name. “Luci. It’s me, Detective Burke. Are you hurt? How’s your head?” he asked, as his large fingers deftly buttoned up the coat he’d wrapped around her. She stared at his hands, then back to the floor, before finally meeting his gaze. His brown eyes were almost black and filled with concern.

  The dark stubble of beard across his jaw and the glower on his face gave him a menacing look, but she knew better.

  “Are. You . Okay?” He punctuated each word as he squeezed her arms through the leather sleeves.

  There were coffee grounds imbedded in her cheek; she could feel their coarseness mixed with her blood. Reaching for a clean rag from the counter he pressed it to her head, and then brushed the grounds off her face with the tips of his fingers.

  The lights suddenly blazed on. Luci cried out and cowered back against the counter.

  The detective squeezed her arm. “It’s okay, but they need the lights on.” Then through clenched teeth, he turned to the officer, “Tell Brady to clear those kids away from the window!”

  “The paramedics have arrived,” the first officer said, stepping out the door.

  Detective Burke’s voice softened. “How did this happen?” He shook his head. “I was here five minutes ago.” His rapid breath touched her face. Black hair, so dark it was almost blue in the light, tumbled over his eye.

  “I heard a knock on the back door. I was expecting a milk delivery.” Luci felt her lip tremble. Dammit, she wasn’t going to cry.

  Shot in the Dark

  A Books to Go Now Publication

  Copyright © Jennifer Conner 2012

  Books to Go Now

  For information on the cover illustration and design, contact bookstogonow@gmail.com

  First eBook Edition –December 2012

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.

  If you are interested in purchasing more works of this nature, please stop by

  www.bookstogonow.com

  The Mobile Mistletoe Series

  Love Comes for Halloween Love Comes for Saint Patrick’s Day & Love Comes for Valentine’s Day & Love comes for the 4th of July

  Book 1:The Duke and the Lost Night Book 2:The Reluctant Heir Book 3 The Wounded Nobleman

  Book 4: Redemption for a Rogue

  Please look for Jennifer’s other short stories

  I Hear Angels

  The Light of Christmas

  Brewing up Some Love

  Valentine Surprise

  Cupcakes and Cupids

  Do You Hear What I Hear?

  New Year Resolution

  Christmas with Carol

  Auld Lang Sigh

  Rush of Love

  Fields of Gold

  Christmas Chaos

  The Christmas Horse

  The Music of Christmas

  All I Want for Christmas is You

  Weddings First Chance

  and novel

  Kilt by Love

  Dedication

  My special thanks to Dr. Bob Wakeland

  for his chiropractic knowledge in this book

  and for over 20 years of adjustments and humor.

  Also, thanks to my editors, Ruth and Marilyn and

  my critique group for getting this story whipped into shape.

  Thanks to ECWC and Cleveland RWA for choosing this

  as a contest winner and proving to me that I can write!

  Chapter One

  Devan Burke tapped his finger on the steering wheel and waited for the person in the car in front of him to get his drink order at the drive-thru espresso bar.

  How sad is this? He blew a disgusted snort out his nose. Every night, Dev actually looked forward to coming to the Naughty Latte after his shift at the station. This ritual was as close as he’d gotten to a woman in more months than he’d care to admit.

  The last thing he needed was more caffeine flooding his system, but at this point it didn’t really matter. The whiskey shots he’d take later would combat his caffeine intake.

  He wouldn’t sleep anyway.

  Inching the car forward, he glanced at the reader board of drink choices and pondered which one he’d order. The red taillights of the car in front of him finally moved off, and he edged his car next to the window.

  Smiling, the woman inside leaned her elbow on the ledge and put slender fingers under her chin. “Evening, detective.”

  “Evening, Luci.” He forced what he hoped was a cocky look on his face as he met her gaze. He also fought to keep his eyes from wandering to the glorious cleavage pressed between the triangles of her hot-pink bikini top. God bless whoever dreamed up the idea of bikini espresso stands. Dev couldn’t see what Luci was wearing below his line of sight, but he was sure it was just as tantalizing.

  In the past he’d only dated fancy, high-maintenance, stick-thin women. Luci had a natural look mixed with playful sex appeal and curves that had no end in sight. But his lady-cruising days were all in the past.

  “You’re early tonight,” she commented, wiping her hands on a towel and stretching her back.

  “Only about ten minutes.” It was fun to flirt with her every night… and safe. The most fun he allowed himself anymore on his way home to an empty house. He tried to imagine having someone like Luci waiting at home for him. “Why? You keeping tabs on me?”

  “Should I be?” she tossed back. “You plan on getting in some trouble tonight?” Her eyes were an amazing shade of dark blue, with long, dark lashes that fanned the edges. Full lips smiled over straight white teeth. Her ash blonde hair was pulled up in a fountain tumble on top of her head with pink streaked bangs the same color as her bikini top.

  “I could get into all kinds of trouble with you,” Devan said and widened his lady-killer grin. In these few minutes at Luci’s drive-thru window, he could be his old self again: confident and
sure. Two words that no longer existed in his vocabulary.

  Seated solidly behind the wheel of his car, the cute girl he hit on couldn’t see his half crippled leg or the way he limped when he walked.

  “Promises, promises.” She looked over her shoulder to see if there was a car at the other window. He knew she got these pick-up lines every day. Shit, probably every few minutes. But she was always a good sport, placating him night in and night out for his few minutes of fantasy role-playing.

  It had to be unbearable having hard-up guys like him hitting on her while she was trying to work.

  His gaze drifted to take in the perfect globes of her breasts. How difficult would it be to ask her out for a cup of coffee? Dev almost laughed aloud when his plan played through his brain. Yeah, brilliant, I’ll ask a bikini barista out for coffee. That would be exactly what she’d want after working in an espresso joint all night.

  He had nothing else to offer.

  “Detective, will you be having your usual?” she asked and smiled sweetly.

  He’d planned to order something different. Breaking out of the box. But who the hell was he kidding? He was a box kind of guy. “Yeah, fine. Triple-shot latte, extra hot, two packs of sugar.”

  “You order the same thing every night. Hot and sweet, just like you. I got it, handsome.” She turned toward the espresso machine and thumped the grounds into the disposal, then flipped on the grinder to pulverize the beans for his drink. He could just see the waistband of her pink knit shorts. It made him wish he had a pick-up truck. The view would be much better.

  Handsome. Right. Hot and sweet. Bullshit.

  Women had once referred to his ruddy, shadowy looks as handsome. Now, he knew he looked like he felt— crap. His dark eyes burned and were always red-rimmed. His dreams wouldn’t let him sleep more than a few hours at a time. That’s why he’d gone into work two hours early, and then decided to call it a night ten minutes before eight. He couldn’t sleep. No woman would want to screw him. What else was there to do other than push more paper around his desk?

  He glanced at the cane propped against the front seat, frowned, and knocked it to the floor. The doctors told him his rehab would go smoother if he actually showed up at physical therapy on a regular basis. He’d tried it for a while, but the pain was still there, and the doctors couldn’t tell him why. He’d stick with the whiskey. At least he knew that would work to ease the pain.

  Dev leaned back on the leather seat of his Plymouth GTX 440. He’d owned the car since he was a teenager, fixing it up one piece at a time with any extra cash he earned. People referred to his car as a muscle car. Dev used to think it was cool to drive, but that was before. Now, it just made him feel stupid. The car reflected something he wasn’t.

  He sat listening to the sounds of whirring steam in the pitcher of milk as Luci made his drink. He glanced though the open window. “Hey, where’s your sidekick?”

  “Becky went home about an hour ago. She has a bad cold. It’s only another hour until I close.” Luci poured the steaming milk into the cup and tore off the tops of the sugar packets, stirring them into the drink with a long metal spoon. Tapping the foam from the pitcher, she pushed the white lid down to make sure it was secure.

  The overhead lights lit streaks of gold in her hair. It was starting to get dark earlier every day, and there was a noticeable nip in the air. Fall was just around the corner and that wasn’t good. It meant there would be more of the night for Dev to contend with. It had been six months, but he still had to make it through the dreary, dark days of winter. That is, if he decided to make it at all.

  Leaning forward, he fished his wallet from his back pocket, flipped open the worn leather and pulled out two five-dollar bills. One for his drink and one for Luci. What else did he have to spend money on? It wasn’t as though he was going out on the town to eat lobster and dance the night away.

  Isn’t there a ball game on?

  Instead of handing him the latte, Luci set it on the ledge and crossed her arms. She leaned forward. “You look kind of rough tonight. You okay?”

  “Why?” Her question caught him off guard. He shoved the bill into the tip cup and ran a hand through his short, unruly hair.

  “You just look… sad. You want to talk about it?”

  “No.” He didn’t want someone searching his head. He just wanted his coffee so he could leave. He’d had enough of psychiatrists trying to help him. He didn’t need anyone’s help—especially not a woman wearing a hot-pink bikini.

  “You sure? I’m a good listener,” she said, a look of concern etched her brows.

  If he was the kind of guy to pour his heart out; she had the face of someone who cared. Innocent. Open. Dev had forgotten what that looked like until he started coming to the Naughty Latte every night. Luci was about as far from the likes of him as they came.

  “Only because I’m a good tipper.” He gave her what he hoped was a wicked wink. “There’s only one thing I’d like from you, baby… and it’s not to be psychoanalyzed.” His words were cold, just like the way he felt inside. She’d touched a nerve. He knew it and so did she. She held his gaze with a look of interest, as though she wanted to ask another question. “Can I have my damn coffee?” He gave her his best icy stare and glowered. He’d been practicing it on criminals for years.

  “Sure. I didn’t mean to upset you. I know you come here to look at my boobs. I just thought maybe I could help.” She’d taken his crude comment and matched it. Her eyes flashed a darker shade of blue as she tipped her chin up, waiting for him to answer.

  Dev couldn’t stay mad as he watched her attempt her cute badass attitude. “So you picked tonight to start asking questions? I was having such a good day.” That was a lie. Anymore, he never had a good day. He hated being on light-duty, stuck at a desk. He wanted to be back in the field, but that was his choice—he wasn’t ready.

  “It’s slow. You look like you could use a friend.”

  “I don’t have any friends,” he replied.

  “I’m your friend, aren’t I? You come here every night. I feel like we’re old friends.” Luci slid the cup across the counter before handing it out the window to his waiting grasp. She hadn’t said it like a come-on, and he’d be even more of an ass if he said the first thing he was thinking.

  Dev stifled the sigh of relief that threatened to escape his lips. Back on safe ground. It was back to being flirty. This was much better. He thought for a moment she’d gone off the deep end and he’d have to find a new place to go.

  “Yeah, you’re my friend,” he answered and took a deep drink of the rich, hot coffee that flowed down his throat. “You were right; you’re the best friend I have these days.” He’d finally said something that was completely true.

  Mac, his ex-best friend and now ex-partner, had moved on. Sure, he called a few times a week to check up on him, but Dev made sure to keep the conversations short. He had nothing new to say. No one wanted to be with a keg of nitro and a screw-up who had cost others their lives.

  “You can never have too many friends. You never know when you’re going to need them,” Luci said. When she smiled it lit the smooth silk of her skin to a happy glow.

  Dev wanted to smile back, but he had to think about it before actually doing it. He’d forgotten how.

  He struggled to keep his gaze off her breasts, but they were just so damn good. Perfectly tanned, and one for each hand.

  Safe in his car with one arm braced on the rolled down window, Dev calculated that from her perch she wouldn’t be able to see his erection which had sprung to life. That would be the last thing he needed. He spent his days being humiliated enough. But the thought of all that tight, luscious skin lying underneath him made him wonder: was she was tanned all over?

  “I better get going. I don’t want to take up all your time.” Using his free hand, he tugged the s
eam of his jeans to loosen his hard-on.

  She shrugged. “As I said, it’s slow. With the economy the way it is, people are cutting back, even at this place. I need more regulars like you. People I see on a daily basis.”

  “Yeah. Happy to help the economy.” Just one more second, and he’d ask her out…

  “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep tight.” She waved her fingers and slid the window closed.

  The only thing that was going to be tight tonight was his balls. Dev pulled the car away from the espresso stand and eased out onto the street. When he got home he’d take a long hot shower and imagine what Luci looked like naked.

  Was she a true blonde? Did the rug match the drapes? I’m a pig.

  Lately it had been Luci in his thoughts as he’d stroked himself to a quick sexual release. But he needed a real woman clenched around his shaft, not his own hand. He’d never be able to have a woman like Luci. She was out of his league.

  He’d forgive her for asking so many questions, and tomorrow he’d be back at that tiny drive-thru for his triple-shot, extra hot, and five-minutes of her companionship.

  Dev took a sip of the coffee, licked the foam off his lip and tried to let his mind and body relax. Stretching forward, he flipped on the police scanner under the dash. It wasn’t as though he was ever going to be back on the streets, but he liked to stay in touch with what was happening in the city around him.

  A call came across as soon as he’d flipped the knob.

  “A two-eleven at 6415 Meridian. . .”

  A robbery… at Luci’s coffee stand?

  He cranked the handle and tossed the nearly full cup of coffee out the window.

  “Shit!” He slammed his fist against the steering wheel.