Yuletide Defender Read Online Free PDF Page B

call your editor and tell him you’ve just interfered with a police stakeout. I don’t think he’ll like that too much.”
    At the end of the alley, police cruisers screeched to a stop and their blue lights bounced off the brick walls. Voices rang out as the officers converged on the shooting scene and shouted commands to search the buildings for the shooter.
    Her shoulders slumped and she released a long breath. “All right. If you must know, there was a call to the office yesterday. The man said he wanted to meet with a reporter. We met last night and he told me there was a policeman taking payoffs from a Ranger. He said their meetings take place on this corner. I just wanted to see what I could find out.”
    His heart beat faster with each word she spoke. He raked his hand through his hair and stared at her. “You should’ve called me right away and told me about this. I warned you about the danger. Whoever shot these guys was shooting at you, too.”
    Even in the dim light he could see the fear that flashed in her eyes before she squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. “He was firing at you, too.”
    â€œHis aim would’ve been better if he’d intended to hit me.”
    Rachel nodded. “He probably could have hit me, too, if he’d really wanted to kill me. Why do you think he did that?”
    Matt shrugged. “Probably just wanted to scare us.”
    Sirens wailed in the distance. Matt took her by the shoulders. “Did you call the police?” She nodded.
    â€œOh, great. Now we have other officers pulled off patrol to join the ones already here.”
    Her lips curled into a sneer. “Well, excuse me for trying to report a crime. I thought that was the right thing to do.”
    If she thought the mocking tone of her voice would anger him, she was wrong. He’d observed her fiery temperament and her competitive spirit at the other crime scenes. In fact, they were what had attracted him to her the first time he saw her. As much as he hated to admit it, she fascinated him.
    â€œIt was. But as I tried to tell you earlier today, I don’t want you to end up dead right.”
    Several more police cars screeched to a halt at the entrance to the alley. Rachel tucked a strand of blond hair behind herear, took a deep breath and hugged her purse against her body. “I suppose I’d better go talk to them.”
    Matt stepped aside and made a sweeping bow. “After you. I think it’s time you met my partner.”
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    Rachel hesitated a moment before she stepped from the alley. Several policemen were bending over the bodies. She could hear them talking but her mind was on Matt and how shocked she’d been when she stared at the gun pointed at her.
    An unmarked police car stopped at the curb, and the man Rachel had seen with Matt at the shooting scene the day before climbed out. Matt led her over to where the man stood and stopped beside him. “Philip, this is Rachel Long, a reporter with the Beacon. Rachel, this is my partner, Detective Philip Nolan.”
    The man smiled and held out his hand. “I’ve seen Miss Long at some of the crime scenes before but we’ve never been introduced. It’s good to finally meet you. I read all your stories. But how did the Beacon get a reporter down here so quickly?”
    Matt glanced at Rachel. “Actually, she was here when it happened.”
    The detective pursed his lips and looked over at the bodies on the sidewalk. “Since Miss Long was here, why don’t you get her statement and I’ll talk to the first responders?”
    Matt nodded, took her arm and led her down the sidewalk away from the bodies. “Now tell me about this call you got yesterday.”
    â€œI’ve told you all I know. I was just following the lead I was given.”
    Matt leaned against the brick front of a boarded up café. “Did you get a look at the