Shot in the Dark

by Jennifer Conner

  He flicked a glance in the rearview mirror and jammed on the brakes. Tires squealed as he spun the car in the opposite direction and punched the accelerator. TheV-8 engine roared to life.

  Impossible. He’d left her five minutes ago. Maybe someone called in the address wrong?

  But how long did it take to commit a crime? He knew the answer to that question all too well.

  His gut tightened and his pulse raced. He jerked the car into the small turnaround as a squad car screamed up beside him.

  Dev opened the car door, grabbed his cane and attempted to run to the coffee stand. He pulled on his leg and stabbed the cane into the pavement. Automatically he unhooked his gun from its shoulder holster and drew his weapon.

  The neon “Open” sign blinked, but inside the brightly-lit stand it was dark. A man stood halfway in the side door.

  “Police!” Dev yelled. “Put your hands where I can see them! Back away from the door.”

  The large man in suspenders put up his hands. “I’m the one who called you guys.”

  Dev flicked his gun for the man to move as Brady, a beat cop he knew from the squad car, pulled the man roughly away.

  Luci was on her knees, her bikini top ripped off and her hands trussed behind her in a pair of cuffs. In the dim light her skin glowed ghostly white as she tried to turn, struggling for balance. Her bare breasts touched the dirty floor beneath her.

  “Jesus,” Dev muttered as his insides turned into coils of barbed wire. Had she been raped? Her shorts were still on. There hadn’t been enough time, had there?

  The world can change in a minute.

  Wallace, Brady’s partner, trailed in after him. “What the hell are you doing here, Burke?”

  Dev couldn’t drag his eyes from Luci. “Get your key and get those fucking cuffs off her.”

  Chapter Two

  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.

  “So you just opened the door?” His sharp words bit at her. He was much larger than he’d looked sitting in his car. He shifted his weight to block as much of the gawkers’ view as possible.

  “I told you. I thought it was the dairy delivery guy. Rigstone Dairy is always changing the night shift drivers.” Luci tried to meet his gaze, but looked back to the floor. She knew she shouldn’t have been at the stand alone. It was against the owner’s rules and dangerous.

  “Guys come here with one thing on their mind. In a place like this, it’s dangerous to open the door when you’re by yourself.”

  Luci frowned. “What kind of place do you think this is?” She watched him for a long moment. “Is that the only thing you have on your mind when you come here every night?”

  When he didn’t speak, she knew his answer. Luci rolled her eyes and groaned. She knew what people thought of the place where she worked, but she needed the money to pay for schooling. She tugged the coat tighter at her neck. The adrenaline was beginning to wear off and her body shook uncontrollably.

  The door swung open and two paramedics stepped through. The woman, Luci’s age, carried a large bag slung over one shoulder and tossed it to the floor as the four of them jockeyed to fit into the small room.

  “It was a robbery.” Burke paused, and then said, “She’s been roughed up. Check her thoroughly.”

  “Burke.” The woman paramedic smiled as she unzipped the bag and pulled out a blood pressure cuff. “Where have you been keeping yourself? I’ve missed your sweet demeanor out here on the streets.”

  “Don’t give me crap, Nancy. You know exactly where I’ve been.” His black eyebrows dropped lower. “She has a head wound.”

  “Thanks, I see that.” Nancy lifted Burke’s hand, which still held the rag tightly against her head. “Why don’t you go outside and give us a little more room? You take up a lot of space.” She motioned with her head for him to leave.

  A quick second of panic washed through Luci. She wanted to grab for his hand. She felt safer when he was there.

  Sliding a cane across the concrete, he grasped it in his fist, struggled to one knee, and pushed up. Pain etched his features as he took a quick look in her direction, before stiffly straightening himself on his right leg. Mumbling a curse under his breath, he leaned on the cane for support.

  A pressure cuff laced around her arm and pumped, but Luci’s attention was drawn to the detective’s struggle as he turned and stepped out the door.

  “We need to take you to the hospital. You have a deep gash on your head and need stitches.” The other paramedic punched a few numbers on a screen in his hand.

  One of the police officers stepped back in with a notepad. “I’m sorry ma’am, but I have to ask, were you sexually assaulted?”

  Tears pricked the backs of Luci’s eyes. She could feel her pulse pound as she shook her head solemnly.

  If the next customer hadn’t shown up? If he’d knocked on the window a minute later…

  The vision of the tall blond man who’d attacked her, flashed in her mind. He’d slapped the restraints on her wrists, yanking them tight. His yellow, stained teeth grinned down at her as he shoved her head lower to rub her face against the erection behind his fly.

  Luci knew what it felt like to be threatened and abused by a man; it had happened with her stepfather. She and her brother ran away before it became violent. But this time there had been nowhere to run.

  “If you’ve been sexually assaulted, we need to know,” the female paramed
ic told her in a calm voice. “We’ll take care of you, but it makes it easier if you tell us.” Her brown eyes filled with concern. “You know none of this was your fault. So don’t go blaming yourself for anything that happened. Am I clear?”

  “No, I wasn’t raped. There wasn’t time.” Luci found her voice and shifted her legs. The lights from the police and ambulance flashed red strobes across the ceiling. She’d always enjoyed the smell of coffee, but tonight it was overwhelming. She needed to get out of there. The walls of the small stand were closing in on her, and the pungent smells choked her. She struggled, pushing the woman away.

  “Wait!” The EMT grabbed for her, but Luci was already stumbling out the door. She pushed open the cracked wood and practically fell into the parking lot. She ran straight into Burke’s chest.

  He grabbed her arm. “Hey, whoa. Where are you going?”

  Luci let him hold her up. He felt solid, safe. He was the only thing in this night that felt real.

  His heavy brows were still pinched with concern. She looked down at his large fingers wrapped around her arm, while the other hand grasped the top of a silver-capped cane. She could feel the warmth of his touch even through the heavy leather of his coat.

  “We’ll treat her here,” Nancy said, moving quickly away. “I don’t want her taking a header.”

  ****

  Dev watched from the far side of the parking lot as Luci was treated and gave her statement to Brady. Nancy found a pair of sweat pants inside the espresso stand and helped Luci into them.

  He should leave and go home. There was nothing more he could do. ‘Useless as tits on a bull,’ his dad used to say.

  Closing his eyes, he leaned against the hood of his Plymouth to take the weight off his left leg. The muscles hurt like a mother. He wasn’t used to standing this long at a stretch. The pain felt like fingers stretching up through his back and shooting down his leg. When he got home, he would add painkillers to the shots of whiskey.

  He wanted to get a look at the report and hear what they were asking. Christ, if they were any slower, they’d need to be watered.

  What if they missed something? He’d worked with Brady and Wallace on other cases. Dev didn’t have much respect for them.

  Were they getting the details? Full descriptions? Something for him— them—to go on, so they could go after the bastard that had done this to her?

  What the hell am I doing here?

  He was on light duty now. The doctors offered to work with him to get him back on active duty. He wasn’t ready. He’d never go back where he could make another mistake like the one he’d made. Sitting behind a desk was fine.

  He’d just check the report after Brady and Wallace finished. There’d never been warm fuzzies between the three of them. Dev had little to no patience for their lazy ways.

  But no one had ever died from Brady and Wallace’s lackluster manner. He was on a legless high horse.

  This wasn’t about him; this was about Luci and catching who’d done this to her. Dev ground his teeth in disgust with himself and breathed through the pain in his leg.

  He’d keep the pain. It helped him focus on the present.

  Brady and Wallace stepped back as Nancy helped Luci stand up from the back of the ambulance. She shook her head firmly, and he heard her thank Nancy over the murmur of the crowd that still mingled on the street. He waited until Luci walked away before he strode toward the two officers.

  “Did she give you a description?” Dev asked. Wallace eyed him speculatively, looking at the cane before meeting his gaze.

  “Yeah,” Wallace handed Dev his notepad. “She gave us a basic description to go by. Blond hair, about five-nine, maybe in his mid-twenties. She didn’t get a good look at him.”

  “Did he take anything but the cash drawer?” he asked, trying not to tap his good foot as he kept an eye on Luci.

  “Ms. Lombart said she’s going to the ER. We got enough for a report.” Brady tossed his hat in the front seat of the black and white and rubbed a hand over his stomach and then yawned.

  “I think this robbery is tied to the same suspect of the other two robberies of espresso stands in the area. I’m working on the other case files and I’ll check over the M.O. tomorrow to see if there’s a connection.” Dev’s mind trailed back over what they’d just said. “What do you mean she’s going to the ER? The ambulance isn’t taking her?”

  “She refuses treatment. Can’t force her. Nancy said she doesn’t have a concussion and checked out well enough to drive.” Wallace blew out a breath, looking bored.

  Brady grinned through gapped teeth and leaned a fat arm on top of his car. “There’s been a few espresso stands hit down here. You seem pretty worked up over this particular robbery. You got a little something something on the side with that cute girl, detective?”

  Don’t hurt him… Don’t hurt him. Dev silently repeated the mantra, feeling the blood pound in his forehead. He imagined using his cane like a home-run batter, planting the silver cap between the eyes of both of them… with one swing.

  “We all want to see this guy caught sooner than later.”

  Both men eyed him through narrowed gazes. He’d sounded sincere, hadn’t he?

  Dev turned and limped as quickly as he could after Luci. “Ms. Lombart? Luci, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  Luci turned, and looked down. “I… ah, I know I’ve still got your coat.” The coat hung loose on her small frame. It was buttoned tightly to the neck and she now wore the black sweats to cover her bare legs with flip-flops on her feet. “I don’t have another shirt. It was in my bag. I can’t find my bag.” Her blue eyes darted to the people staring from the street.

  “Luci.” He stepped closer to block their view. When her eyes didn’t meet his, he reached for her hand and felt it shake as he wrapped his fingers around hers. “Is your bag gone? Do you have your car keys?”

  “I’m sure I put my bag under the counter, but now it’s not there.”

  “Look at me.” He waited until their eyes met. She may not have a concussion, but she sure as hell was still in shock. “If the robber took your bag, how do you have your car keys?”

  Luci gave him a distant smile. “I’m always afraid I’ll lose my keys at work, so I keep them on a ring by the door.” Her brow furrowed. “Why would he take my purse? I only had five dollars. My school books were in there…” her voice trailed off. “I’ll never be able to buy new ones this quarter.” Her eyes brimmed with tears.

  “Let me get Nancy; the ambulance is still here. They’ll take you to the hospital.”

  “No!” Her outburst startled him. “I’ll take myself.” She tried to tip her chin in defiance but it trembled. Her normally tan skin was pale from the harsh overhead streetlights. “Listen, I appreciate all your help. And I know this is hard to understand, but,” she paused, shaking her head, “I don’t have the money to be taken to the hospital. I was going to take myself to the ER, but it looks like I don’t even have my credit card or ID. I’ve never been to the hospital before. I don’t know their rules for payment.”

  It was a matter of money? Jesus.

  “Listen, I couldn’t help but notice that your focus is a little scattered. It would make me feel much better if you let me take you in. The hospital will see you, and the visit will be covered.” He lifted the keys from her hand. “Is your car locked?” She nodded. “Just leave it here. You can pick it up tomorrow. I’ll take you to the hospital.” When she started to protest, he stopped her, raising a hand. “Don’t worry about it.” Seeing Brady and Wallace ready to pull out of the lot, he quickly unlocked the passenger door to his car and said, “Get in.”

  Limping up to their car, he waited until Brady opened his window. “You can add to your report that along with the cash drawer, her purse was stolen. I’ll put a trail on the cards.”

&n
bsp; Brady smiled and looked over at the girl in his car. “That’s awful sweet of you detective. You two have a nice evening. See you tomorrow.”

  Dev straightened, wanting to walk without a gimp back toward his car. Dammit, he’d forgotten his cane propped against the Plymouth. He didn’t want to give these yahoos the satisfaction of seeing him be the town clown. It felt as though his leg would crumble beneath him, but he wasn’t going to fall.

  Take it slow; you’ll make it.

  When he reached his car he threw open the door. He grabbed the cane and tossed it in and then slid across the seat.

  Luci turned to him and smiled distantly. “I don’t even know your first name. I just always call you 'detective.’ ”

  “Devan Burke,” he answered. Luci’s dark blue eyes were red, but she wasn’t crying. After what she’d been through tonight, he knew she was strong.

  “Detective Devan Burke,” she repeated slowly. “Why are you doing this?”

  “You look like you need a friend.”

  “I thought you didn’t have any.”

  “Maybe I have one.” He slammed the door closed and started the engine.

  Chapter Three

  Dev hated hospitals, even Good Samaritan ones. The antiseptic smell, the crying children and the monotonous metallic voice announcements over the intercom wore on his last nerve. He’d spent two weeks earlier in the year in a hospital bed recuperating from the gunshot wound to his leg. That was enough to last him a lifetime.

  He looked down into his cup of coffee. It’d grown cold an hour before. Not wanting to leave in case they released Luci, he hadn’t gone to find food. The black sludge of the vending machine brew was eating away his stomach lining like acid.

  She’s been back there a long time. I should have gone with her. Dev glanced at his watch. Only an hour had passed, but it felt like days.