Yuletide Defender Read Online Free PDF

to go to their aid. A third shot hit bricks on the front of the building. She screamed and jumped backward.
    Yanking her cell phone from her pocket, she called 911.
    The operator’s voice crackled in her ear. “What is your emergency?”
    â€œThere’s been a shooting at Walters and Branson. Two men are lying on the sidewalk and the shooter is firing at me.”
    â€œHelp is on the way, ma’am. What’s your position?”
    â€œIn an alley. Please tell them to hurry.” She flipped the phone closed before the woman could ask more questions.
    Footsteps pounded on the asphalt street. Rachel peeked out. A man sprinted from the shadows of a building acrossfrom her. Zigzagging as he ran, the shadowy figure headed toward the two lying next to the car.
    Rachel’s chest pounded with fear. Could he be the shooter? As if in answer to her question another shot rang out. The runner dived to the pavement behind the car as the bullet hit the back window.
    Her chest heaved in panic as she looked around for an escape route. She took a step backward and her foot struck a tin can. As its clatter echoed in the alley, the man next to the bodies cocked his head to one side and pushed into a crouching position. His gaze locked on the alley.
    Cold fear crept through Rachel’s body. She had to get out of there. A streetlight burned at the far end of the alley. Willing her unresponsive body to move, Rachel turned and ran toward it as fast as she could. Behind her, footfalls echoed on the concrete.
    â€œPolice! Stop!”
    The words registered in her mind, but the voice from behind only served as a command for her feet to move faster. How could the police have gotten here so quickly? It had to be the shooter chasing her. If she could get to the next street, maybe she could find a place to hide from him.
    â€œI said stop!”
    The light came closer and she pushed harder. Just a few more feet and she would—
    Something blocked her path. Before she realized what was happening, she plowed into a rusted garbage can that sat in the middle of the alley.
    She clawed at empty air as she fell forward. With a scream, she landed facedown on the hard concrete.
    A hand clamped around her left arm and pulled. Pushing to her feet, Rachel straightened, whirled to face her pursuer and stared into the barrel of a gun. She shook free of the restraining hand. “Get away from me.”
    A loud gasp sounded and the hand released her arm. “Rachel?” The surprised croak bounced off the brick walls.
    Shaking, she inched backward. Her attacker took a step forward into the light filtering into the alley. Rachel’s knees almost buckled and she staggered even farther away.
    She tried to speak but her vocal cords felt useless. She shook her head in denial. “Matt? What are you doing here?”
    Â 
    Matt blinked in disbelief and lowered the gun he held. He didn’t know if he was more surprised at the two bodies lying on the pavement behind him or Rachel’s presence at the scene of a murder. He rammed his revolver back in the holster and advanced on her with fists clenched.
    Every expletive he’d ever heard came to mind. With a shake of his head he tried to banish old habits from the days before he turned his life over to God. Besides, if David had been right about Rachel’s commitment to her job, nothing he said would faze her.
    â€œWhat am I doing here? I’m a policeman doing my job. Do you realize you could’ve been killed?”
    Her chin quivered. “I—I’m doing my job, too. I w-was following a lead for a story.”
    Matt leaned forward. He could smell the perfume he’d come to associate with her presence. The familiar reminder calmed his racing heart. “And did you just happen to pick this spot out of all the other streets in town?”
    â€œNo, of course not.”
    He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Tell me now, or so help me, I’ll