Chapter Three #2
“Kane, good job. What happened? How did you get involved, since you’re not on duty?”
I fidgeted under his scrutiny. With Simms only taking the post this past year, I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about off-duty deputies showing up to the scene. “Uh, well, I have a scanner in my car, and when I heard there was a robbery going down…”
“Your first instinct was to respond.” Simms nodded with approval.
“That’s what makes a good deputy a leader.
Good work, Kane. You and Starr were on the force in the city.
I haven’t had the time to talk to either of you personally—I’m still buried under all the damn paperwork Gleason left piled up. Did you know each other?”
“We went to high school together and grew up in the same neighborhood.” Without even knowing, I assumed Starr kept his personal life quiet. It wouldn’t be right to reveal what I knew.
“I can always tell the deputies who’ve had previous law-enforcement training. Starr showed no fear taking command of the situation and going in. He told me of your idea to prevent a shooting, and though it didn’t go as planned, it showed initiative. You’re both a credit to the uniform.”
The praise felt damn good. “Thank you, sir. I did what any other deputy would’ve done in the circumstances. I’m going to go to the hospital now and see how Starr is doing.”
“After you make your report. You know the drill. It should be done while fresh in your mind. I’ll see you back at the station.”
That task took almost three hours. I made my report as detailed as possible, as I knew the district attorney would need all the facts. I lifted my hands from the keyboard and watched them tremble.
“Get a grip. You’re fine.”
It was close to six o’clock by the time I drove to the hospital, where I was told Starr had refused medical treatment and checked himself out against medical advice.
“Stubborn asshole.” I slammed the door to my car and drove off toward home.
I had a date with Natalie and didn’t want to be late.
After showering, I sprayed on a bit of aftershave and put on a short-sleeved white linen shirt and a pair of tan slacks.
My summertime date outfit. I was checking out my reflection in the hall mirror before leaving, when my bell rang.
I opened the door and stared. “Wh-what’re you doing here?”
The porch light cast an eerie shadow across Starr’s face. The man was many things—usually arrogant, often obnoxious, and always a pain in my ass. But he was also a damn good deputy, and I’d never seen him anything less than confident.
Until now.
Pale under his evening stubble, he looked…terrible, with only the ghost of his usual smirk. “After my ordeal this afternoon, are you going to keep me standing outside, or can I come in?”
Still stunned he was here, at my house, I nodded and stepped aside. He passed me and stood in the center of my living room.
“What’s up?” I asked, my mind in disarray. “How’re you feeling? I, uh, went to the hospital to see how you were doing, but they said you’d left, against medical advice. Why would you do that?”
“Aww, Kane. You were concerned about me?”
As shocking as his appearance was, his teasing, almost friendly tone confounded me.
“I mean…kind of…yeah. You were hit over the head with the butt of a gun and out cold. You might have a concussion.”
“Nah. My head is harder than that.” His eyes grew distant, as if he were lost in a memory. “It’s not the first time I’ve been whacked.”
“By a forty-five caliber or a woman?”
I thought what I said was funny, but from Starr’s non-reaction, he obviously didn’t. Either that, or he was ignoring me as usual.
“It’s weird, you know? I was on the force in the city, yet I’d never come close to anything like this—I’d never even drawn my weapon. What the fuck is going on? This is a small town. We’re supposed to worry about helping little old ladies across the street and doughnuts. Shit like that.”
I rubbed my chin and sat on the arm of my sofa. “Funny. I was thinking the same earlier. Like, this is Appleton Falls. Things like hostage-taking aren’t supposed to happen here.”
“Exactly.” He grew agitated and started to pace.
“And then when I got knocked out and woke up, you were there.” Paler now, he stopped in front of me and gazed at me, his face filled with fear and something that shockingly looked like hope.
“I-I…” He rubbed his face and started pacing again. “I need to go.”
I should let him. I had a date, and if I didn’t leave now, I’d be late.
Natalie was cute and funny. We’d gone out twice in a week—to the movies and had Italian food first and the next time sushi.
We talked about our lives, and her kisses were sweet.
She’d given me all the signs she was ready to take it to the next level.
And yet…
“Starr, what’s happening? Are you sure you’re all right? Maybe I should take you to the hospital so you can get checked out.”
He ceased his back-and-forth across my living room and stared at me, his eyes haunted by demons I’d only caught a glimpse of years ago. “I shouldn’t have come. I’m fine. Bye.”
“No, wait—”
“Get out of my way. I said I’m fine.”
He rushed by me and was out the door before I could make a move to follow him.
The roar of his motor pierced the silence of the night, and he tore down the block.
He turned the corner with a squeal of brakes and disappeared out of sight.
My first instinct was to take off after him, but my steps faltered.
He’d said he was fine, and I had a date to get to.
I was already going to be late picking up Natalie.
“Why come to me and not his partner?” My watch buzzed with the notification of my reservation. “Dammit. Why am I thinking of Starr instead of Natalie? If the situation were reversed, he’d be laughing at me and definitely not ignoring his date.”
I grabbed my keys and wallet and left. I’d spent too much time on Dominic Starr. I wasn’t about to let him ruin my night.