The Killers Amongst Us: Chimera Dawn Chronicles Read Online Free PDF Page B

the filing cabinet, he felt the pull of the JD. A
voice crackling over the radio distracted his urge.
    “Fox One to, Blue Leader.”
    Shaw pressed the microphone button and replied.
    “Blue Leader, go ahead.”
    “I’ve got a mutilated stag over at Claymore, at the
intersection with Pine Ridge. I need help getting it moved. It’s partially
blocking the road. My winch isn’t working.”
    “Okay, I’ll get Fox Two to give you a hand.”
    “I heard that, Brett, I’m on my way,” said Fox Two.
    Shaw sighed.
    “Fox Two, call signs only.”
    “Sorry, Bre... Blue Leader.”
    “Fox One, Any sign of a vehicle hitting the stag?”
    “No debris that I can see. It looks like critters have been
chewing on its neck, Fox One, over.”
    “Okay, report back when it’s clear, Blue Leader, out.”
    Shaw accessed his unpaid fines ledger on the computer and
pulled up a report for the overdue accounts. He clicked on ‘Print Warrants’ and
then poured a strong black coffee from the jug. The radio crackled.
    “Fox One to, Fox Two. Cancel that request. Someone passing
has stopped to help. Said they could use the road kill, over.”
    “Got it, Jim, check that, out.”
    Shaw grabbed the microphone.
    “Fox Two, use call signs. How many times do I have to say?
Make your way back to the office. I’ll have some warrants for you.”
    “Sure, boss. I mean, Blue Leader. Frank, out.”
    Shaw shook his head, then sipped his coffee. He held out a
hand. The tremors had subsided, the caffeine acting as a substitute for the
lack of alcohol in his veins. Frank, his deputy, was new on the job. If it
wasn’t for his tracking skills and knowledge of the mountain trails, he’d let
him go. There again, he thought that potential deputies from the townsfolk
weren’t exactly knocking on his door for a badge. He picked up the warrants
from the tray, walked over and sat at his desk. Spreading the warrants over the
surface, he picked at them and placed them in route order. With nothing else to
do, but to wait for Frank, he pushed his chair back and rested his boots on the
desk.
    He realized the boredom and his solitary existence was
getting to him. He knew it wouldn’t be long before he would be free of his
promise. The promise he had made to himself and to Cath at her graveside, never
to be late for Amy ever again. Amy was growing up, the image of her mom. She was
no longer his little girl. Strong willed like Cath, with a mind of her own.
Worse, she was never around, just like he was never around when she was a
child. It hurt. He couldn’t prevent her seeing Ted even if he wanted to stop
her. He’d lose her, he was sure. But then he was losing anyway in the fall when
she started at university. What then? It was a question he kept asking, but one
he couldn’t answer.
    A car pulled up outside and he swiveled his chair. Frank
climbed out of his car. Shaw turned to face the door and waited. Drumming his
fingers on the desk, the door opened.
    “Take a seat, Frank.”
    Frank sat, dropping his hat on the desk.
    “Got the warrants?” Frank asked.
    “Yeah, I got the warrants.”
    Shaw passed them over. Frank flipped through them.
    “Can’t you get Jim to serve them?” Frank asked. “Hell, I
can’t put Evelyn in cuffs, she was my childhood sweetheart. I went to school
with most of these.”
    “Look, Frank, I need to talk to you about that and other
things.”
    Frank fidgeted his backside on the chair.
    “The call signs?”
    “Well, yeah, there is that. I was thinking more about the
fines you’re handing out.”
    “What’s wrong with them?”
    “They’re all on-the-spot fines for tourists; that’s what’s
wrong. In the four weeks since you started, not one of the locals has had as
much as a parking fine. We can’t give them a free pass. It’s what pays your
wages.”
    Frank ran a finger between his shirt collar and neck.
    “Hell, Brett. Cut me some slack. I grew up with them all. It
ain’t easy.”
    The phone rang and Shaw