Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) by Kaylie Hunter (novels to read for beginners txt) 📕

out then.” She rolled to the side and pushed herself up. “I like a good mystery.” She reached out a hand to help me up.

When I stood, my knee nearly buckled.

She caught my arm to help me stay upright. “Can you walk?”

“I can limp. That’ll have to be good enough.” I swatted off the worst of the dirt. “Shit! Where’s Beast?”

“He’s over here,” Quille called out.

I hobbled around the corner to find Beast next to Quille who was helping an officer out of the bushes.

“That damn dog saved my life,” the cop said, staring at me. “He tackled me into the bushes right as the bullets started flying.”

“Good boy, Beast,” I called out.

Beast barked three times and hopped around in excitement.

“Did anyone get a location on the shooter,” Maggie asked.

“That open third floor window,” Quille said pointing to a commercial building down the block. “Someone saw a rifle barrel. They’re searching it now.”

“Beast, stay with Quille,” I ordered the dog, pointing at Quille.

Beast barked once, then sat.

“I want your dog,” Maggie said as she jogged next to me down the block.

“Not my dog,” I said as I tried to block out the pain in my knee. “Borrowed him for the day from a friend.”

As we approached the building entrance, I tipped my head in greeting at the two-man team already stationed at the door. Maggie ran past them, flashing her badge.

I pulled my gun. “I need a radio,” I said to one of the officers.

The closest cop unhooked his radio and handed it over. I walked through the door that Maggie held open. “This is Detective Harrison,” I said into the radio. “Report status on building search.”

“We’ve got nothing, Kid,” Ford answered over the radio. “Shooter’s nest is empty. He’s gone.”

“Search the place from rooftop to basement. I’ll work the perimeter.”

“Understood.”

“What are you thinking?” Maggie asked.

“He would’ve left through a side or back door. Let’s check out his options.”

We returned outside and walked down the north side of the building. There were no exits on this side unless he exited through one of the closed windows, which was unlikely because of the busy street running parallel. On the west side, a main exit led into a parking lot.

I called out to a group of cops who were both guarding the rear exit and looking around for any suspicious activity. “Start searching those cars.”

I walked around the building, peering down the narrow alley on the south side of the building. A service exit was partially open a few feet away, like someone hadn’t shut it completely. I walked over and peered inside. The hallway was vacant.

“Detective Harrison,” an officer called out. “Where do you want us?”

Two officers I recognized but couldn’t place their names stood waiting for assignment. “Guard this exit until the building has been cleared. Radio Detective Ford and let him know we’ll need this door dusted for prints.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ugh. Sometimes I hate the South,” Maggie grumbled. “Ma’am this, and ma’am that.”

“Could be worse.” I backstepped so I could peer down the alley. It was more of a walkway than anything, connecting the street and the rear parking lot. I looked back and forth, until out of nowhere, some instinct told me to look up. “Son of a bitch.”

I started for the fire escape, but Maggie pulled me back and grabbed the ladder, starting up first.

“What the hell, Maggie?” I complained as I watched her climb.

“We both know your knee is trashed! Head to the end of the block!”

She was right. I yelled for the officers in the parking lot, sending half up the ladder with Maggie and the other half with me down the block. Five buildings down, there was another alley, with another fire escape. A door to a restaurant kitchen was propped open and I pulled my badge, holding it up as I called out to the staff filled kitchen. “Police. Anyone see or hear anything in the alley?”

“Like a guy coming down the fire escape in a hurry?” one of the women answered robotically, not looking up from stirring something in a large pot.

“Yeah, like that. What’d he look like?”

“Big. White. Dark hair.”

“How long ago?”

“Two, maybe three minutes ago.”

“Which direction?”

“Toward the street,” she said pointing toward the southeast.

The officers who were with me took off running toward the street. I didn’t follow. I knew my knee wouldn’t take it. I radioed in that suspect was spotted leaving the vicinity and his last known location. If we were lucky, we’d find a picture of him on one of the street cameras, but even that felt like a long shot.

I walked out to the alley, and leaned against the other building, taking some of the pressure off my knee.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Maggie called out from the rooftop above.

I shrugged. “I need a beer!” I yelled back at her.

She looked at her phone, before yelling down to me again, “It’s only ten in the morning. I haven’t even had breakfast yet!”

“Oh man, you missed out! Aunt Suzanne cooked this morning!”

Her reply was a single finger. The naughty one.

Chapter Nineteen

CHARLIE

Monday, High Noon

Two hours later, the employees of the detective’s squad followed me into the patrol room, and Ford helped me climb on top of a desk. Protocol dictated that formal memos and announcements were made as necessary to the other officers. My way was faster.

I whistled, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Listen up, this will be brief. Most of you know me, but for those who don’t, I’m Detective Harrison.”

“Go, Kid!” one of the officers yelled.

“Give us a lead, Kid!” another officer yelled.

“This morning was the third time in two days that some asshole tried to take me out. Detective Ford pulled