High-Caliber Holiday Read Online Free PDF Page A

and tell her you’ll escort her home. Call me if she needs anything.”
    Brady took his time packing up his vest and helping the other team members, but soon there was nothing left to do so he climbed down from the truck. He watched the team drive off, then went to the command post.
    Morgan sat in a metal folding chair, her hands clasped in her lap, her body shivering in the biting wind. Detective Rossi, a thick and pudgy man with a wild head of black hair and a dark complexion that went perfectly with the Italian name, stood over her.
    He looked up when Brady approached. “Help you, deputy?”
    â€œI’ll be escorting Ms. Thorsby home.”
    Morgan’s focus swiveled to him and she opened her mouth as if to argue, but then clamped down on her lips.
    Rossi nodded. “An escort is a wise idea. She just told me she’s received additional threatening letters from plaintiffs.”
    Brady glanced at her to see how she was doing with these ongoing threats. She was biting down on her lip even harder.
    He turned back to the detective. “Are you planning to look into these threats?”
    â€œYou can be assured I’ll be following up on each letter.” He fixed a firm gaze on Morgan. “As I said, I’m glad Owens is escorting you home, but he won’t be around to watch your back after that. You’ll need to be careful until I can make sure there aren’t any other crazies out there who want to attack you.”
    Morgan shivered again. From the cold? Maybe. Or from Rossi’s dire tone? More likely.
    Brady would had liked to offer Morgan encouragement here, but if what she said about the letters was true, he didn’t think Rossi was overreacting. Not one bit. Brady couldn’t help with her fear, but he could solve her problem with the cold. He shrugged out of his coat and settled it over her shoulders.
    Her eyes flashed wide in surprise. “Thank you, but I can’t take your jacket.”
    â€œYou’ve had a much harder night than I have and you deserve to be warm.”
    â€œBut I—”
    Brady held up a hand stilling her and focused on Rossi. “Is Ms. Thorsby free to go?”
    Rossi nodded, then handed a business card to Morgan. “Get those threats to me ASAP.”
    She took the card and Rossi produced another one for Brady. “Just in case you need to contact me for anything.”
    â€œYou ready, Ms. Thorsby?” Brady asked.
    â€œIt’s Morgan, and yes, I’m very ready.” She rose, and despite his heavy coat, she trembled.
    â€œI’m Brady, by the way, in case you didn’t catch that,” he said, lightening his tone to help ease her anxiety. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of this.” He made sure his apology carried his sincere regret. Not only for the situation, but for her injury, as well.
    â€œThank you. I’m just glad it all worked out okay. If I hadn’t tripped Craig at the end to send the gun flying, things might have been far different.” She sighed and started toward the sidewalk.
    So that’s what had happened and why she’d fallen to the ground. Not that it eased Brady’s conscience.
    â€œWe see vulnerable and disillusioned people all the time at PEA,” she continued. “Puts us at risk for one of them going off on us, so we regularly train on active shooter scenarios.” She looked up at him. “Have you seen the ‘Run. Hide. Fight.’ video made by Homeland Security?”
    He nodded. “Our agency uses it in training all the time. Especially at schools and with people who come in contact with the public. We also suggest people watch it on YouTube.” He smiled at her. “Sounds like it worked for you, reminding you to take action. If you hadn’t...”
    She frowned, and he decided it was best to move on to something other than tonight’s incident.
    â€œAre you from this part of town?” he asked.
    She shook