Finding Peace (Love's Compass #1) Read online

  Laurie allowed her neighbor to help her inside and lock the door again behind them. The scents of soap, lemon, and aged wood danced in the air. She collapsed into a chair and listened to Daisy talk to the police on the phone. The words seemed to float by like smoke and she only registered every other one.

  Her ankle was throbbing and her shoe was already feeling tight. Scrapes on her palms stung as blood seeped from the wounds. She flexed her fingers with a groan.

  The realization that the whole confrontation could have been much worse hit her with a force that had her heart racing again.

  Praise God! She didn’t even want to think about what would have happened if the guy had had a gun. It was one of the many reminders lately that He was working in her life and Laurie was incredibly grateful for that. Heaven knew she needed the help.

  Daisy shuffled her way back to the table and sat down in a chair across from her. “I talked to a dispatcher who said a detective will be here shortly. I can’t believe it – a break-in on this street. What is our town coming to?” She shook her head, pushed away from the table, and stood again. “Coffee. That’s what we need. Some strong coffee.”

  Laurie didn’t particularly care for coffee. But after tonight, she wasn’t going to turn it down.

  ~

  Kentucky drank the last of his Coke and tossed the can into the trash. He had traded shifts for the day with Jeff so the guy could take his girlfriend out for their anniversary.

  It was half past nine in the evening and already he was yawning. It had been an unusually slow day.

  Yeah, the caffeine in that last Coke wasn’t going to go far enough. He may have to get a cup of the sludge they called coffee in the kitchen.

  He wondered what Laurie Blake was doing.

  Where had that come from?

  He thought about how surprised she’d been when he’d offered to help seal off the window the night before. Did so few people offer her any kind of help? Or was she just stunned to get any from him in particular?

  With his Grams, mom, and two sisters living in the area, plus his job, he was around his fair share of women. He didn’t think he’d ever met one who talked as little as Laurie had.

  And it fascinated him.

  He was having a hard time getting his mind off those bright green eyes.

  His partner, Lance Davenport, strode up and perched his hip on the edge of the desk. He had agreed to work the late shift with Kentucky, but was much more of a night owl. Of course, the fact that he was sipping his third cup of tar might have something to do with it.

  The two men had been friends since they were kids. They used to spend hours playing cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians. Had they known then that they would both be police officers and partners to boot – they would have laughed. Truthfully, Kentucky considered Lance to be a brother just as much as he did a friend.

  “Do you know what I realized this morning, Tuck?”

  “What’s that?”

  “We haven’t played ball in ages. We should talk to the boss about having a net put up in the back or something.”

  “I hadn’t thought about it, but that’s a great idea.”

  They used to play basketball all the time. Even Kentucky’s older sister, Lexi, joined them in some of the neighborhood pick-up games. Being able to go out and shoot some hoops on break would be a great stress reducer.

  Lance tossed back the last of his coffee and stood. “I’m going to go get a refill. I’ll be right back.”

  Kentucky gave him a wave and shook his head. Thinking back, he could barely remember a time before his friend started drinking coffee strong enough to wake the dead.

  He’d only just turned his attention to paperwork sitting on his desk when Lance came back.

  “We have a 459 on the east side.”

  Kentucky stood quickly, pulled his coat on, and followed his partner outside. He folded himself into the passenger seat of the police car they shared. His fellow officers liked to jab him about being taller than anyone else at the station. They claimed it was like watching a giant fit into a clown car. He tossed his partner a look. “What have we got?”

  Lance looked over his shoulder at the road behind him and pulled away from the police station. “It happened at Capturing the Moment. The photographer walked in on the perp and he took off. The owner of Daisy Belle’s Diner called it in and they are safe at her establishment.”

  Kentucky blinked in surprise. What were the odds he would get called out two nights in a row to the same place? They got their fair share of burglaries in the north Texas town of Kitner, but it had been relatively quiet the last couple of weeks. Not to mention a photography studio was an unusual target for thieves.

  He thought of the pretty woman from the night before and tensed. Laurie was certainly experiencing more than her fair share of bad luck.

  Between Lance’s expert driving and the light traffic on the roads, they made it to State Street quickly. They parked in front of the photography studio.

  Kentucky got out of the car and rested his hand on the Glock 9mm fastened securely at his hip. His eyes adjusted to the night as they followed the sidewalk in either direction. Nothing moved and he allowed his hand to drop to his side. “Let’s talk to the owner and find out which direction the perp might have gone.”

  They headed towards the diner. Light poured through the glass door and spilled onto the otherwise dark sidewalk.

  They waited for the door to be unlocked. The moment Kentucky stepped inside, a short, pudgy woman grasped his arm and pulled him along beside her. “Thank goodness you’re here. I was about to call an ambulance. That man pushed her down like she was nothing. What is wrong with people these days? No respect for anyone else. It’s a shame – a real shame.”

  Kentucky approached Laurie who sat on a wooden chair. As he approached, she looked up at him, recognition flashing in her eyes.

  His gaze moved to her foot. She had removed her shoe, and her ankle was visibly swollen. “Lance, go ahead and call for an ambulance. Tell them we have an injured ankle and possible concussion.”

  “Don’t.” Her voice brought both of the men to a stop.

  “You need to see a doctor,” Lance said.

  “I can’t afford an ambulance. I can drive myself.”

  Kentucky wasn’t about to let her do that, no matter how much she insisted. He motioned for Lance to go check out the studio. His partner lifted an eyebrow but complied without argument.

  Footsteps retreated behind him and Kentucky drew a chair up beside Laurie’s.

  She moved her foot and gasped, setting it gingerly back down on the floor. “Do you ever go home, Officer Chandler?”

  He studied her for a moment. She squared her shoulders and moved to sit up straighter under his scrutiny. It was clear she was in pain.

  “I’m really not big on formalities. My name is Kentucky. You can call me Tuck.” He smiled, trying to put her at ease.

  Laurie raised an eyebrow. “That’s an unusual name.”

  His ears grew hot, though he wasn’t completely sure why. “Yes, it is. It’s nice to see you again, Laurie, though I’m sorry it’s under such stressful circumstances.” He would feel better if she were crying or raging about the burglary. He was worried the lack of emotion meant she was in shock. “Did you get a good look at the burglar? Did you see which way he went?”

  She shook her head. “I wish I had. He wore dark clothes and a ski mask. His eyes were brown. He took off running towards Rochester Street.” She licked her lips. She kept staring at her hands, which were clasped in her lap, the knuckles white.

  “We’re going to do our best to find the person who did this. But first, we need to get you to the hospital so they can take a look at your ankle. If you have no objections, I’ll take you there myself. I can get your statement and make sure everything is okay.”

  He took Laurie’s small nod as affirmation and stood. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Hang in there.” He rested a hand on her shoulder and
the energy he felt at the touch made him pause. He tried to shake the thought and headed outside to find Lance to share what little information he had gained.

  ~

  Laurie sat at the table, waiting for the police officers to return. Her hands ached. She noticed, for the first time, that the blood from her palms had been smeared along the edge of the chair. A closer inspection showed that she had also spread it along the front of her shirt and jacket. “I’m sorry about the mess, Daisy.”

  The older woman stepped forward to pat her shoulder. “Now, don’t you worry about a thing. A little cleaner, some paper towels, and you won’t know it was there. You worry about getting your ankle fixed up.”

  Not for the first time, Laurie compared Daisy to Aunt Bea from one of the old shows she used to watch as a kid.

  She watched as Tuck walked back into the diner, barely able to come through the door without ducking his head. Seeing him eased the tension in her stomach.

  He observed her, as though he were trying to decide exactly what he was going to do with her. “Did you hit your head at all when you fell?”

  She lifted her hands, palms out. “No. Just some scrapes.”

  “Can you walk out to the car?”

  “Walk? No. Stumble like a drunk? Absolutely.”

  Tuck laughed. The sound should have annoyed her, but she found herself wanting to smile in return. She would have, too, if she hadn’t been in pain and dreaded having to move.

  “Let me rephrase that. Can I help you walk to the car?”

  She held an arm out. Tuck quickly reached out to grasp it while Daisy took the other. Together, they helped her stand and gain some semblance of balance.

  With their assistance, Laurie hobbled outside, the icy air stinging her lungs.

  Lance joined them and Tuck turned to speak to Daisy. “Officer Davenport will take a full report from you and he is going to check out the area. I would appreciate it if you could cooperate with him. We want to do everything we can to catch the man who did this.”

  “Of course, of course.” She gently laid an arm across Laurie’s shoulders. “Now you call me if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Daisy.”

  Laurie cringed as Tuck helped her into the back seat of the police car. He apologized for her having to ride there, but said it was station policy. Truthfully, she didn’t really care. She just wanted to get off her feet. If her ankle wasn’t broken, it might be by the time they got to the hospital.

  Lance shook his partner’s hand. “I’ll make sure your truck gets to you in an hour or so.”

  “I appreciate it.” Tuck tossed his keys to him. “Keep in touch.”

  Laurie sat quietly as he got into the car and pulled it away from the curb. She shifted uncomfortably on the hard bench-like seat. She caught his eyes looking at her in the rearview mirror.

  “Are you okay back there?”

  “Yeah. Thanks for taking me.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll wait with you while they check your ankle and make sure you’re okay. I would like to get your complete statement tonight, if you’re up to it. Then, as soon as you’re released, I’ll drive you back to your studio. You can take a look around and let me know exactly what has been broken or stolen.”

  She blew out a forceful breath of air. She hated feeling helpless. And she especially despised that she was having to rely on Tuck to get her to and from the hospital. In an attempt to stamp down the frustration, she tried to focus on the events that had happened earlier.

  “He took my backup camera and lenses. He had another bag. I couldn’t tell which one.” She worried her lower lip with her teeth – a habit she’d had since she was a young child. Her eyes opened wider as a thought struck her, making her pulse race. “I live above the studio. I don’t know whether he got up there or not.”

  Tuck held up a hand to stop her. “Officer Davenport and I did a quick check of your studio. The door to your apartment was locked. It looked like everything was secure.”

  Laurie pinched the bridge of her nose, her head aching. It was bad enough that her studio had been broken into. She imagined a stranger going through her personal belongings and shuddered. How was she supposed to feel safe until they caught the guy responsible?

  Chapter Three

  Tuck pulled his car into the ambulance bay at Kitner Memorial Hospital. He’d called ahead and there were two people outside waiting for them with a wheelchair. They helped ease Laurie into it and rolled her inside.

  They got all of her personal information and headed towards the treatment area. He turned to find the waiting room but paused when Laurie called to him.

  “You aren’t coming?”

  “I was going to stay out here until they finished treating you.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “There’s always a lot of waiting. You may as well take my statement now. It’ll save us both some time.”

  Tuck looked to one of the nurses who was escorting Laurie and ran his fingers through his short hair. At her nod of approval, he followed them back. The odor of antiseptic assaulted him and he wrinkled his nose.

  Laurie sat on the hospital bed and was told a doctor would be in shortly.

  Tuck hadn’t realized he’d been staring at her until her gaze shifted to collide with his. Vulnerability shone in the green depths of her eyes, mixed with a healthy dose of determination. He admired that. The clench of her jaw told him that she would probably rather go toe-to-toe with the man who broke into her studio, if given the chance. Strong and beautiful – a dangerous, and fascinating, combination.

  She crossed her arms in front of her and shivered.

  Glancing around the small space, he spotted a pile of blankets on top of a cabinet. He took one off the top, not impressed with the roughness of the fabric, and draped it over her shoulders. He was close enough to smell her shampoo and the light citrus was a welcome change from the sterile air. Purposefully taking a large step back, he gave her some space.

  She clutched the gray blanket together in front of her with one hand. “Thank you.” The corners of her mouth turned upwards just a bit.

  It was the first time he had seen a smile of any kind from her. He tried to imagine what she would look like if she were laughing. He bet those emerald eyes would have more sparkles in them than the sky had stars. Yes, he would really like to see that.

  He cleared his throat, returning his focus to the case. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

  “Absolutely.”

  He took a notebook out of his back pocket and reached for a pen. He sat down on a small, hard chair against one wall. “Tell me everything that you can remember.”

  Laurie sat for a long moment as if in thought. It gave him the opportunity to observe her. Even with her hair a mess and dried blood on her hands, she was truly a beautiful woman. He hoped it wouldn’t take the doctor too long to return and help her. He would go find someone himself if they did. The intensity of his need to fix things for her surprised him.

  It was as though someone had flipped a verbal switch as words started pouring from her. She described to him, in detail, about how she had returned to her studio when she first saw the intruder. It was the most he had heard her say since he’d met her.

  At one point during her account, Tuck interrupted her. “You saw the door was already open when you reached it?”

  She nodded.

  “If it ever looks like someone has broken into your place, don’t enter the building or room to check. Immediately go somewhere else and call for help.”

  Laurie sighed. “I know. I always lock the door, even if I’m only taking out the trash. By the time I had convinced myself that I hadn’t been careless, I’d already opened it and turned the light on.” Pink dusted her cheeks and she shrugged. “I acted before I could think about what I was doing.”

  “That happens a lot when we’re in a situation like that. Tell me about the burglar. Did you notice anything unusual about him?”

  She watched the clock on the wall above
his head, but her eyes weren’t focused on the time.

  “He was dressed in dark clothes. I couldn’t tell if it was a sweat suit or something else. He had a ski mask that covered everything but his eyes.” She paused. “I remember him looking at me. His eyes were brown.”

  She closed her own eyes then and he noticed that her eyelashes were the same shade as her curls.

  “He was bigger than I am, but not nearly as tall as you are.” With those words, her eyes flew open and her cheeks flushed. “He was big, though. I don’t know if he was especially muscular or heavy.” Her eyes dropped to her hands.

  Tuck’s heart beat faster at her comment. He found he really wanted to know what her opinion was about his height. To cover up his thoughts, he wrote several things down. “Good! Every little detail helps and you never know when one might make the difference between identifying the guy or not. Did he say anything?”

  “Not a word. Not even a grunt when he shoved me down.” She pulled the blanket closer in the front, drawing her right knee up under it.

  Tuck surveyed her for a moment and was going to ask another question when the curtain parted. A doctor walked in. The nurse who followed him brought a grin to his face.

  Lexi smiled back at him. “Causing trouble, Tuck?”

  “Aren’t I always?” He winked. “I didn’t realize you were on rotation tonight.”

  “I’m covering for someone else.”

  “There must be something in the air. Well, this is your lucky night.” He motioned to Laurie. “Meet Laurie Blake. She ran into a burglar at her photography studio and was shoved out of the way before the guy ran off.” He rested a hand on the nurse’s shoulder. “And this is my big sister, Alexis Chandler, R.N.”

  Lexi smiled at Laurie. “It’s nice to meet you. This is Doctor Reynolds.”

  The doctor nodded at her with a kind smile. “Let’s see what we’ve got here.”