and bolted toward it.
Julie fought to keep pace, pushing her legs until her lungs burned.
They stopped at the sight of an officer’s body lying twisted on the concrete, his radio the only noise breaking through the chilly air.
“Stay right behind me,” Luke instructed as he scanned the alley for a threat, his weapon leading the way. “And watch for any movement around us.”
She looked everywhere but at the officer, who she feared was too quiet to still be alive. She said a silent prayer for him.
When Luke had checked behind garbage cans and gaps in fences, he moved to the injured man. He dropped to the ground, bent over the officer and administered CPR as Julie kept a vigilant watch.
Luke leaned back on his heels after several intervals of compressions. He looked at her again and his horrified expression almost took her breath away.
“What else can we do? We can’t leave him.”
“There’s nothing we can do now. I tried to revive him. He’s gone.” The sadness in his voice was palpable as he called it in. He glanced at the officer’s empty holster and looked around. “His gun is missing.”
A sob broke through before Julie could suppress it.
“We have to go,” he said, then twined their fingers.
She noticed blood on his shirt and arms. She stuck close behind him as they bolted back through her house and toward the front door, his gun drawn.
“Alice is on her way,” she said.
“We’ll call her from my truck and tell her to turn around. I already notified local police. We can’t stay here.”
By the time they got to the front door, the silhouette of a man appeared against the front window.
Luke’s grip tightened on her fingers, and he leveled his weapon at the man’s chest.
Julie didn’t realize she was holding her breath until the squawk of a police radio on the other side of the door broke the silence.
Luke tucked her behind him, placing his body between her and the officer, and opened the door. He pointed to the badge clipped on his belt. “I’m Special Agent Campbell, and I called for backup. Where’d you come from? I didn’t hear your sirens.”
“I received a call of an officer down and was told to proceed with caution until others arrived at the scene. I was nearby.”
“He’s in the alley,” Luke said.
The officer thanked Luke, hopped off the porch and disappeared.
Several squad cars roared up the narrow street, descending on the once-quiet neighborhood in a swarm.
Relief washed over Julie. She glanced up in time to see Alice running toward them, looking panicked.
Julie let go of Luke’s hand and embraced her friend on the stairs.
“What in hell is going on?” Alice demanded.
“He was here.” Another sob broke through.
Alice’s expression dropped in terror. “You don’t mean...? How does he know where you live?”
“I don’t know. He left a note on my window earlier and now a police officer is dead.”
“What note?”
“I was planning to tell you about it when you got here. We weren’t sure it was him before.” Julie caught her friend giving Luke the once-over.
“That who I think he is?” Disdain parted her lips as her gaze stayed trained on Luke.
Julie nodded.
“What’s he doing here?”
“This is his case. He’s been tracking this guy for the past two years. He’s the expert, so he’s in charge.” Julie hoped her friend didn’t pick up on the change in her voice every time she spoke about her ex.
“Well, he isn’t doing a very good job.” Alice spoke loud enough for him to hear.
Julie took her friend arm in arm and turned to face the street, walking down the couple of steps to the sidewalk. “You can’t know how much I appreciate you for coming. I didn’t realize how dangerous this was when I called you earlier. I wasn’t thinking straight. You have to go.”
“Wait a minute. Are you worried about that killer coming after me, too?”
“I don’t know what could happen next. This whole experience is surreal and I don’t want to take any chances.” Julie wished she could wake up from this nightmare. Except a little piece of her felt a sense of peace at seeing Luke again. She told herself it was only because she had to know he was all right. After the way they’d left things, she couldn’t let him go completely.
“I’d feel better if you stayed with me for a few days,” Alice said.
“It’s safer for both of us if I stay with Luke. I’m sure he’ll find this guy, and when he does, I can have my life back.”
“How can you stand to be around him after what he put you through?” Alice asked, incredulous.
“It’s different. This is work and our past is behind us,” Julie lied. One glance in his direction released a thousand butterflies in her stomach. She rationalized the only reason that still happened was because her body remembered the passion between them. Their sex had surpassed earth-shattering, world-exploding-into-a-thousand-flecks-of-light hotness. The physical had never been an issue. She’d even lured him into bed one more time before he left, hoping they could build from there. The sex blazed, but after was all wrong.
They never got closure on their emotional connection, she reasoned. At least she hadn’t. He, on the other hand, looked to be doing just fine.
Maybe a part of him regretted the quick marriage?
Whatever had happened overseas could’ve expedited his realization they were two strangers who had jumped too quickly into a lifetime commitment. Young people were known to be impetuous with their decisions, hearts.
Alice stared intently at Julie for a few seconds that seemed to drag into minutes. Then came “Well, if you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m a big girl,” Alice reassured her.
“Yeah? Well, this guy won’t care what you are,” Julie said. The truth cut like a serrated knife. She looked to Luke for comfort, reassurance. For now, she wouldn’t stress about the fact that one glance at him stopped the invisible band from tightening around her chest. Or that his touch warmed her in places it shouldn’t.
“Tell me you’re not staying here tonight,” Alice said.
“I’m not.”
Luke
