Page 16 of Lightning Strikes

I tilt my face towards the sky as I scent around the area and I only smell human scents. Well, that’s one positive for the day. I don’t smell any recent drug usage… So what the heck were these kids doing?

I stare back down at the kid, placing my fingers on his radial artery, counting his heartbeats for a minute and slowly set his arm back down. He has matted and bloodied blonde hair, pale skin, and is wearing a patched up, dirty, and ripped up black jacket, jeans, and scuffed up, old tennis shoes. I check his pockets for any sort of identification and has not one thing on his person except for a few pennies and a piece of gum.

I hear the sirens heading this way… I lean back on my heels and place my arms against my knees and look around for any cameras. I count his respirations, they’re fourteen per minute, a little lower than average. At least he’s breathing.

“Daniels! What do we have?” The EMT rushes over and I explain what I saw, how he hasn’t woken up. I only moved his arm to count his heart rate and don’t have a med kit on me so I didn’t get any more vitals. “Good, we’ll take it from here.” I nod, stepping back to walk over to my car where I see Bernards, Ortega, and Harris talking in low murmurs about what’s going on with my partner. All of their cruisers are parked behind mine with their lights flashing.

I clear my throat, nodding at them before letting them know the descriptions of the other kids that ran off and which way. They clap my shoulder one after the other and head out to find them. At least they didn’t bring up Szabo to me. This day without her has been a breath of fresh air.

My phone starts to ring and I glance down and see it’s the precinct.

“Daniels.” I grunt out as I drive down the street, heading back to the department so I can write up the report while it’s fresh in my mind.

“Get your ass in here, we have a problem.” The chief hangs up and I sigh as I drive back and try to figure out what’s going on now. The guys were already finishing up their conversation when I left the kid with the EMT, so I have no idea what they know about Laura.

I park in the front lot by the lobby so that I can head back out after I finish up my report, and I slowly amble my way up the concrete steps. I shoulder my way into the doors and raise a brow at Brandy.

“Hey, Mac. Head on back to the chief’s office.” Her face is pale, her eyes are wide, and she looks terrified. Well, more than she usually does on a good day. Poor girl is scared of her own shadow. I nod to her, knowing that’s all the information I’ll be gettin’… and turn down the correct hall to knock on the dark wood door that leads to the chief’s office.

“That better be you, Daniels! Get your ass in here!” Morrow bellows and I close my eyes, taking in a deep breath before I step forward after I turn the knob. I stop short and tilt my head when I see Laura dressed in pajamas and smiling at the chief with a deranged look in her eye. “Any idea what the fuck is wrong with her? I’m about to call the fuckin’ hospital to pick ‘er ass up!” He waves his arms around, his face beet red.

I frown and step up next to her and try to get her attention. “Laura? Why aren’t you dressed in your uniform? Everything okay?”

She blinks at me and frowns. “I’m not sure why you people keep asking me that. I was sleeping in, waiting for my fiancé to come back home from work and then I get pulled out by some crazy cop saying I’m late for work. I don’t work!” She throws her hands in the air and shakes her head. “Do I need to call the FBI or something? This is insane!”

I blink over to my captain and frown at him slowly before checking my ears. “I’m… What? Your name is Laura Szabo… you were just hired here at the Prescott Police Department as a patrol officer. You’re my partner…” I speak slowly and enunciate every damn syllable just to be sure she understands this time.

She laughs out loud, clapping her hands before she stands, and steps back towards the door. “Sure, whatever you say. Can I get a ride back to my house? I’m sure my fiancé is worried.” She starts to look at the corners of the room and smiles and nods at… nothing. I glare at my superior as he rubs his white-knuckled hands down his furious face. Even his thinned hair is sticking out all over the place.

“Szabo, sit your ass down. We’re gettin’ to the bottom of this before you try goin’ anywhere. Daniels, call the hospital and have them bring a psych down here. Somethin’…” He shakes his head and walks out of the room, leaving me with the crazy lady. Well… At least now no one will believe her if she starts spouting shit that I slept with her and we’re together.

“I really don’t get what you people want from me. This is why I never wanted to live in a small town in the middle of nowhere. You’re all fucking nuts! Why would a psychic ever become a cop?!”

I sit down on the desk in front of the chairs and wave for her to sit down. “We’ll figure this out. You don’t have any siblings, do you? And what do you mean by psychic?”

She shakes her head and then furrows her brows. “I… I don’t know about any siblings… And I talk to spirits.” I nod and we sit in silence as I tap my fingers against my legs. Her dark hair is up in a ponytail and her pajamas are bordering on indecent. Why did Morrow drag her down here? How embarrassing.

“Well, let’s get a doc to come down and run some tests.” I pull out my phone as I call the hospital… I guess it’s a positive that Morrow is so well-connected in this town.

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