Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Then the terror was accompanied by white hot rage. What kind of man would hold a woman hostage? For Shiloh to be there in the first place, it also meant that there were children involved. Which only added to the complications that were already arising.
“Someone needs to contact Shiloh’s boss, Lillian McBride. See if they can drag up any information...” I started to say before Luke interrupted. “I already did that.”
I nodded. My mind was flying in a dozen different directions. What kind of structure were we looking at? How many guns did he have? What were the access points? How many children were in the building? Every single aspect of how it could go wrong. What do if a certain situation arose and how to get Shiloh out with her life still intact.
“We’re here.” Luke’s voice jarred me out of my head, and I focused.
A calm settled over me, and I no longer felt the emotions. They were buried deep, pushed inside a tiny closet in my mind, where they would stay for the duration of the altercation. If they didn’t, I couldn’t perform my job. And that was not acceptable.
I wasn’t surprised in the least to find one of Silas’ MC members at the end of the street. He was surprised to see the armored truck, though. Which meant he’d been following Shiloh, watching the surroundings, but was completely unaware of what was going on inside the house itself.
Which was sloppy.
I fully expected the man to be chastised within the next few minutes, but I wouldn’t be sparing him the time. He’d figure out that he fucked up here shortly. Then I’d have Sam and Sebastian here within the next ten minutes. Not that I minded in the least. Especially Sam. I trusted him with my life, and felt the same way with Shiloh’s life as well.
When we pulled up about four houses down from the suspect’s house, we were met with two other police officers. None other than Detective Pierson Howell, and his junior detective that couldn’t kiss anymore ass even if he tried, were lead on the scene. Oh, joy!
They were both standing, leaning against their unmarked, dressed in wrinkled button down shirts, wrinkled khaki slacks, and ugly ties that had long since been loosened from their necks. They could’ve been twins if you didn’t count the age difference between the two. Both had short, stylish brown hair. The same scrawny build, and dark brown eyes.
As we pulled up alongside them, they straightened, and scowled.
“Guess we get tweetle dee and tweetle dumb for first on’s. Joy to the world.” Luke drawled sarcastically.
First on’s were known as first to arrive on scene. How they managed to finagle that, I didn’t know. Normally they were trying to ruin innocent people lives who worked hard for a living. Why they were here, when any other uniform in a police car would’ve sufficed was beyond me.
We all made our way out of the armored truck, and stood to the side, surveying the scene. Luke, who was now head of the SWAT department, stopped to speak with Detective Howell.
“Anybody come in or out since you arrived?” Luke asked Howell.
I ignored the conversation, and scoured the nearby area for the best place to set up my rifle. Normally, when choosing spot to use your sniper rifle, you’d choose a place that was high up, with a basic amount of cover.
There was nothing of the sort here. Only rows and rows of mobile homes. Not even a damn tree in sight.
“Looks like you’ll be on a roof.” Downy said from my left.
I nodded, but didn’t say anything else, still surveying. My eyes caught on Shiloh’s company vehicle. The door that was slammed shut on my emotions threatened to burst open, but my strength won out, and I was able to keep it firmly closed. Good thing, too. I didn’t want to be responsible for the death of my girlfriend, that’s why I wasn’t taking any lead on this op. My emotions were too close to the surface. I would never be able to make a hard decision that could potentially harm Shiloh, and I wouldn’t.
“Luke!” Michael, another member of the SWAT team called from the side of the truck. “Lillian McBride is on the phone. She says there are two children in the household. Ten months and five years. Both boys.” Michaels said.
“Who has the blueprints?” Luke called back.
“I do.” Detective Howell said mildly, as if he had all the time in the world to just relax and wait.
My eyes turned hard when Luke held out his hand for them, and the detective shook his head. “No. I think you better tell me what you’re doing here first, then I’ll show you the blue prints.”
“Detective,” Luke growled. “I can’t tell you a goddamn thing if I don’t know the layout of the house. It has a lot to do with what’s chosen, and how we go about doing our job.”
Knowing that he had it under control, I made my way across the street, climbed up the closest tree to the house on the corner lot, and stepped gingerly onto the roof of the mobile home. From there, I laid out my rifle case, popped the sides loose, and started to assemble my rifle.
Even if it was department issued, it was one hell of a rifle. I’d sighted the bolt action M24 the day I’d been issued it. It’s checked for precision twice a week, and cleaned after each use. Although it didn’t have the same specs as my own rifle, it suited the job that it was designed for, and was an incredibly reliable weapon.
Laying down flat on the roof, I brought the scope up to my face, and reviewed the area with a practiced hand.
“Wind speed is ten miles an hour to the Southeast. Distance is 54.86 meters. Temperature is seventy eight degrees.” Michael said from beside me.
Making the necessary adjustments on my scope, I continued to watch. The blinds were drawn, but I could just make out a man crossing back and forth from one side of the living room to the other through a part in the pulled blinds.