Hostile Witness (Sanctuary, Inc. #1)
Chapter 1
1
T ia O’Rourke swallowed the dry lump in her throat as she contemplated the precinct doors across the parking lot. It shouldn’t be this hard. She was a thirtysomething woman with a little history here. So what? Her stomach cramped in disagreement. It had been eighteen months since she’d walked through that police station entrance and even longer since she’d done it with her head held high.
Girl... just nod at the fear and start walking . Grabbing her purse and the huge caramel macchiato she’d bought to fortify herself, Tia plodded through the sea of cars with dread settling around her feet like leaden boots. So much for self-talk.
None of this would be happening if she hadn’t bid on the police ride along at her school’s Valentine’s Day silent auction. She’d promised her third-grade students she would win the auction experience that her uncle, the chief of police, had donated. Her extravagant proxy bid had secured the win, and she’d used a personal day for the ride along.
She would stick to the plan because she loved her students, and their curiosity about different professions had her introducing a new workplace every couple of weeks. And today, hopefully she’d ride alongside an older cop who’d enjoy conversation and a few doughnuts. Tia’s stomach pitched at the thought of food, and she gripped the Louis Vuitton cross-body purse her best friend, Mo, had given her.
She stopped within feet of the entrance as the memories clawed at her psyche. The personal questions, the interrogation room, the acrid taste of stale coffee, and the humiliation tore through her in a sprint of panic. She squeezed her caramel macchiato cup so hard that liquid dribbled down the sides. Maybe she’d waited too long to face this place? The memories had won. Perhaps it was best to go home and use the personal day to organize her office or look for an older rescue dog. Absolutely. Those two projects had been on her to-do list for what... six months?
No and no. She’d gotten this far even though her heart pounded like a drummer on a rogue solo. Facing down the terror and proving she was stronger than the urge to run was crucial for her emotional health going forward. It had sounded like an easy fix in the therapy session, and the money she’d spent on the auction supported the PTA. More importantly, she’d promised the kids.
Omigod. She must look like an idiot. How long had she been standing here?
Someone rushed by her in a blur of blue and held the door open. It was an older policeman and one she didn’t recognize. He was probably her ride. “You coming, miss?”
Tia forced her leaden legs to move. “Um, yes, thank you.” The scents of sweat, antiseptic, and coffee slammed her as she approached the information desk. She signed in and sat down in a newish-looking blue-plaid chair. They’d redecorated since her last horrific visit.
“O’Rourke?” the young cadet behind the desk called out.
She raised her hand. “That’s me,” she croaked weakly. What the heck was she doing? This wasn’t school—hand raising not required.
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re the ride along?”
She nodded but turned away when one of the cops she knew walked through the hallway .
The cadet motioned her to the desk and gave her forms to fill out. “Make sure you sign the informed release. You can initial the rest. The guy you’re riding with says to be ready in five minutes.”
Tia hurried through the forms while maintaining a death grip on her purse and ducked out of sight again when a familiar investigator strolled from one office into another. Face the precinct? Sure. But no way in hell was she ready to square off with the prick who’d interrogated her. In the past, she’d happily signed in and waited for an escort to her uncle’s private office for impromptu visits that had brightened his day. But that was a long time ago.
She sipped her coffee and tried to act normal, ambling over to the picture window and inhaling several deep breaths. The new asphalt and parking-space lines looked great in the lot, and a couple of large planters with winter pansies strategically placed near the entrance were welcome additions. I wonder if they finally replaced the broken refrigerator in the break room? And that nasty coffeepot they’d duct-taped together?
Someone close by cleared their throat.
“You’re deep in thought. Are you ready to go?”
Tia wheeled around and looked up. Whoa. This guy would never consider defiling his body with a doughnut. He was a six-foot-plus wall of intimidation, and bulging arm muscles rippled under his tight uniform jacket. Where was the fatherly cop she’d hoped for? Swallowing hard, she rasped, “I’m riding with you?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Appears so.” He stuck out his hand. “Detective Ethan Kelley.”
She regarded his massive paw with caution but slid her palm into his. “Tia O’Rourke.” His warm hand was reassuring enough, but due to her recent past, this gorgeous man was off-limits. Although... there was something vaguely familiar about him. Where had she seen him before?
He jerked a thumb toward the doors. “Got your gear? Let’s go.”
Tia bolted after Detective Kelley in a state of numb disbelief. “I thought detectives didn’t allow ride alongs at this precinct?”
He turned as he reached the cruiser. “You are correct. But we’ve been short-staffed ever since I arrived a year ago. There’ve been a lot of retirements and transfers, and the recruiting has slowed. We cover for each other if we’re even remotely proficient at something. I had a lot of ride alongs when I was a beat cop in Baltimore. I’m filling in today because we’re short on patrol. Thus the uniform.”
Tia halted abruptly at the curb. “Maybe I should let you go alone and do whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing.”
He tossed his duffel bag into the trunk and slipped on a pair of sunglasses. “Why? You don’t want to go now? Or you don’t want to ride with me?”
She squeezed her purse tightly. Both. “I don’t want to be an imposition.” And she had achieved her goal of actually going into the precinct in spite of the memories.
Detective Kelley shrugged a bulky shoulder. “It’s up to you, but Chief Carson assigned me personally. He wants you to have a positive educational experience—his words, not mine.”
Oh yeah. Her uncle had taken the time to donate and arrange this ride. If she backed out now, she’d let him down. More importantly, she’d disappoint herself. Again.
He opened his car door and started issuing orders. “Hop in. You can ride in the front, but don’t touch the computer or any of the equipment in the vehicle.”
In a hurried rush, Tia slid into the seat and set her purse on the floor. The front passenger area wasn’t as roomy as she’d imagined.
“Buckle up. You must remain in the cruiser at all times unless directed otherwise. Do not follow me into a building. Feel free to ask questions when a call or traffic stop has been completed. We’ll break for lunch in the early afternoon.”
His list of instructions and controlled tone mimicked a recitation of her Miranda rights. He left no doubt as to who was in charge. Tia fastened her seat belt and shrank back into the lumpy seat as a wave of relief washed over her. She’d not only gone into the police station but now sat in a police car. These were huge accomplishments.
Aside from the way-too-hot overbearing cop next to her, the rest of the day should be easy, right?