Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

S amantha raced along the sidewalk, her gun drawn, sticking to as many spots where she could find cover as possible. Up ahead, a lone man walked swiftly along the sidewalk. His shoes clipped the concrete.

He never once turned back, but she didn't trust that her own steps were silent. She had no clue if he was aware of her behind him.

She'd seen him outside at the end of the backyard. Staring at the house from the other side of a chain-link fence. She wasn't sure she could have articulated what it was about him that had her rushing through the house and leaving the front door with only a callout to Julio that she wasn't sure he'd heard.

Did some part of her subconscious remember him?

The EMTs had been pulling down the street at the same time. Julio had help. She could take care of herself. So she'd raced out after this guy.

Just in case.

The man turned down a side street, probably headed for his car or another residence nearby. Was he out walking and he'd seen commotion in the arsonist's son's house? Just some kind of interested bystander with no connection? Mitchell Sylvana had never changed his last name, unlike his grandmother. The question was, why had it taken the arsonist longer to find him? At least, that's who she was banking on had attacked Mitchell in his home.

But why tie him to a chair and interrogate him?

What was he hoping to gain from asking Mitchell questions he didn't want to answer?

She had enough faith to pray Mitchell woke up in the hospital and was able to give them a full statement. Enough to ask for Julio to be safe at the house right now and for herself, that she wouldn't run headlong into danger.

Samantha stopped at the closest front yard, where another street intersected with this one. She moved across the grass to the corner of the house and peered around the siding, sticking to cover.

This side street led to downtown, but that was still half a mile down. An older part of town that had been here far longer than the bustling high-rises in the center of Benson. Once the main part of the city, these buildings were older with historical markers on them. Brown brick structures that might have been standing for a hundred years.

She couldn't see the man ahead of her.

Samantha crept out from behind the house and hurried down the sidewalk. He might have gone into another building or ducked out of sight, where he was now waiting.

She kept her phone in one hand, her gun in the other, taking measured steps. Her heart pounding in her ears, her eyes scanning the streets, buildings, and anywhere she could see. Everything in her was hyperaware of what was happening around her.

Which meant she heard the shuffle as soon as it happened.

Samantha spun back, rotating on the ball of her foot so that her shoe scraped gravel as she turned. He grabbed for the gun. She tightened her grip, punching forward with her phone hand to slam into the guy's sternum.

Breath expelled from his lips, hot and sour.

She pulled back far enough to lift her foot and kicked at him. His grip on her gun didn't loosen, dragging her as he stumbled back a couple of steps. She planted her feet, but he pulled her over and rolled, coming up on top of her. The gun skittered out of reach.

Samantha only had her phone, which she slammed up toward the guy's face. It smashed into his cheek and nose, and she heard the satisfying crack of cartilage.

He cried out, and blood sprayed her shoulder.

She gritted her teeth.

His hands grasped at her neck, banding around her throat where he started to squeeze. Blood stained his teeth, and he breathed hard. Not quite panic but certainly amped up because she had proven more formidable than he expected.

Black spots flickered at the edges of her vision.

She grabbed at his hands around her throat, trying to pry them away from the death grip that felt as if it were crushing her windpipe.

She batted at his arms and pushed at his shoulders. But no matter what she tried, there was no way to push him off her.

Lord, help me.

Her strength began to wane. She could feel the energy she had as if it seeped from her into the ground underneath her. She wanted to study his features to memorize them. But if she was about to lose her life here and now, what would be the point?

He knew she had seen his face. Now, she was going to die.

With her last morsel of strength, Samantha pushed at him. She kicked her legs, but couldn't dislodge him.

A thunder of steps crested the edge of her awareness, growing in volume. "Sammy!"

That was when she knew she was going to die. The only time Julio ever called her that was in the worst moments. The times when it was nearly over.

Julio slammed into the man, tackling him to the side.

Samantha tried to breathe. She fought to inhale, managing only a tiny bit of air.

What was he…

How were they…

She turned her head far enough she could see what was going on.

Julio punched the man in the face, whipping his head to the side. The guy cried out, and Julio flipped him onto his stomach. "I need something to secure him with!"

Samantha had cuffs on the back of her belt.

She closed her eyes and slowly inhaled through her nose, drawing in as much clean air as possible. She lifted her hip just enough to slide her hand to the small of her back and tugged out the cuffs, sending them skittering across the ground.

Which was when she remembered her gun had done the same thing.

Where was it now?

She heard the clink of metal as Julio secured the man, then the thunderous sound of him yelling into his phone. Calling for the police and an ambulance.

And then everything went black.

Samantha awoke to the overly warm sensation of heavy blankets, secured tightly around her. She had an oxygen mask over her nose, tucked behind her head. No one had pulled the hair tie from her ponytail, so the tight material securing her hair back dug into the back of her scalp. She shifted her head from side to side, trying to alleviate the discomfort.

Someone touched her hand. "Hey."

She managed to curl her fingers into his, though there was little strength in her grip. With some effort, she managed to blink her eyes open, and Julio came into focus beside the bed. Sitting in a chair with his arm outstretched so he could hold her hand.

He smiled. "There you are."

She swallowed, which hurt a lot. But she managed to say, "Thanks to you." The sound of her voice low, and broken. She then tugged her hand away from his and signed, What is going on?

Julio sat with his forearms on his knees. "Some cops came and took that guy away. I went with you in the ambulance, but I called your sergeant and filled her in on what happened. You were out for a couple of hours, so the doctors did their full assessment. I should tell them that you're awake."

She shook her head. Who was that guy?

"Sergeant Deerdan was trying to figure it out the last I spoke to her. She called me about fifteen minutes ago and said they had him booked in and they were trying to work out who he was. If he's the arsonist, then we're done because he's in custody and he won't be getting out anytime soon."

Samantha wasn't entirely sure it would be that simple.

"And if he isn't, then someone else dangerous is off the streets." He looked at his phone. "Bristol is on her way up."

Samantha nodded. Her sister was probably frantically rushing from the elevator, and Samantha didn't blame her. If anything happened to Bristol, she would react the same way. She signed, Don't tell her he tried to choke the life out of me.

Julio winced. "With the bruising on your throat, it might be a little obvious that something serious happened. I'm not going to tell her you tripped."

She pulled the oxygen mask off. "Tell her you arrested the guy. Distract her with your heroics." She coughed a little.

Julio got a water cup from the side table and held the straw to her lips. She spotted her gun and her badge beside the bed—where she knew it had been placed in order to help her feel secure. Her things were safe, not in the wrong hands. She might be injured, but she was still a cop.

The ice-cold water didn't feel good at first, but she drank enough to numb her throat.

Julio said, "I should get you some tea."

She stared at him. How long had it been since he had made tea for her? She couldn't even remember, but he drank it often and she usually asked for one as well. Though, with a little sugar in it.

She wondered then if maybe she only drank coffee so much because tea just didn't taste the same when Julio hadn't made it for her.

He squeezed her foot through the blankets. "I'll get you some tea."

And just like that, all the topsy-turvy equilibrium she felt had righted itself, as if everything had clicked back into place. All that had been nothing but dissonant fragments for the last two years moved to where they should be. In perfect alignment.

"Oh, here you go." He handed over her phone, the screen almost completely cracked.

Julio left the door open, and while he was gone, she sent a text message to her sergeant, telling her she was awake and asking who the man was that had attacked her. Then she sent an update to Romeo, not sure what he knew.

Had they really arrested the arsonist?

It would be a good thing if they had. It might even make the pain in her throat worth it, and all the days being irritated that it hurt—right up until it healed. If they hadn't, they'd logged the arrest of a dangerous man at least. One who could have killed her or potentially others as well if Julio hadn't got there in time to save her.

A rap on the door drew her attention. Bristol might not totally be able to hear the knock she made on the wood, but she understood how the hearing world announced their arrival.

Samantha glanced over. Behind Bristol, Romeo appeared.

Samantha's eyes narrowed. Had they arrived at the same time, or had they been together? Romeo was supposed to have been working.

Bristol came over and gave Samantha a hug, her hands a flurry of questions and concerns. Samantha waited until she was finished, and then told her she was fine.

Bristol gave her the most yeah right look Samantha had ever seen on her sister's face. But at least they understood each other well enough that Bristol slumped into the chair and thankfully looked less worried than she had when she first came into the room.

Romeo watched from the door, a look of curious amusement on his face. "I might have no idea what you're saying to each other, but I get the gist from your facial expressions. My sister looks at me like that sometimes as well. Like I exasperate her."

Samantha managed to smile, interpreting what he'd said for her sister. Then she said, "I want to know who this guy is."

Romeo smiled softly at Bristol while Samantha said that, and then said, "I'll call Deerdan and find out." He tugged out his phone and stepped into the hallway.

Samantha turned her head back toward her sister, nudging her ponytail.

Bristol got up and tapped her shoulder, getting Samantha to lean forward so she could pull the hair tie out. Samantha shook her head and signed, Thanks.

Bristol wasn't happy. This case is going to kill you.

"You don't know that." Samantha signed as she spoke. "Neither do I."

The exasperated look returned to her sister's face.