Read Online In The Arms of a Stranger by Kristen Robinette - Free Book Online Page B

snow.
    â€œBen,” Luke interrupted. “Listen up. I need your help. There’s been an accident on the mountain and a woman’s dead. A passerby was able to pull the dead woman’s baby from the wreckage. The infant and the passerby are fine—they’re with me—but someone took a shot at them.”
    Static crackled on the line. “Did you say someone shot at them?” Ben asked.
    â€œYes. I need a unit to check the scene and the surrounding area as soon as possible.”
    Ben was silent, and Luke knew from experience that the young man had gone chalk-white at the assignment. The cell phone chose that moment to beep and Luke looked at its face. A low-battery light was flashing. Damn it to hell and back.
    â€œLieutenant Allen!” Luke yelled into the phone. “I’m on a cell phone, dammit, and losing battery. Are you there?”
    â€œYes,” Allen answered. “Chief, I hate to tell you this but we can barely get the units out of the station, much less put them on the road. There’s a solid sheet of ice from the South Carolina border to south of Atlanta. The road crews are digging out the downtown area but if you’re sure the accident victim is dead…”
    Luke cursed, but the words were ripped away by a harsh wind. “According to the witness, she’s dead. Forget it. Don’t risk it. I’ve got the woman and baby covered. Just keep your eye out for anything—anyone—out of place. Do you hear?” he yelled above an onslaught of static.
    â€œI hear you. Listen, Chief, we’ll get you out of there. Don’t worry.”
    Luke weighed the offer against the fact that a madman was probably lurking somewhere in his town. But Luke was already where he needed to be—at the scene of the crime and protecting the victims. The baby wasn’t out of formula yet. They probably had at least two days’ worth of powder. He’d think of something rather than ask his men to risk their lives.
    â€œNo, we’re okay for now. There’s a possibility…” He hesitated, despite a second low-battery warning from the cellphone. “There’s a possibility that the person who shot at the woman is Paul Gonzalez. Check with the Atlanta PD. The witness to the auto accident is Dana Langston.”
    â€œThe television reporter?” came the incredulous response on the other end of the line.
    â€œThere’s apparently a connection between the two,” Luke added. “Check it with Atlanta,” Luke yelled as the signal weakened. “I’ve got to switch this unit off. I’m losing battery. I’ll be back in touch.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œAnd Ben—” Luke hesitated, caught in indecision “—do what you can to keep everyone calm. Keep a close eye on any missing-persons reports, but the last thing we need is for word of this fatality to spread.”
    â€œWill do, Chief…” Ben Allen’s voice was lost in a wave of static, and Luke switched off the unit and turned to face the cabin. Apparently Lieutenant Allen was a fan of Dana’s. No wonder. Even under bad circumstances she dripped with sex appeal. He’d never seen her on camera but could imagine that her co-workers paled in comparison. With such a high-visibility job, she was bound to have her share of fans. And no doubt some of them weren’t the type of fans a beautiful woman would want. Luke considered that before his thoughts returned to Gonzalez.
    Apparently he was one of the few who hadn’t known of Dana Langston’s connection to Paul Gonzalez. The wind hit the mountain again, sending ice-coated limbs raining to the ground. He glanced at the cabin and saw the faint outline of Dana standing at the kitchen window, watching him. She’d given him all the details of the accident but little information about Gonzalez.
    He needed to do two things: get the full story on Gonzalesand get a