Big Sexy: Mercy Springs Heroes Series Book 1

call that came in about the address in question was from a frantic woman named Grace. She said she worked at the business and her boss had gone outside after finding something blocking the door. When her boss said someone was blocking the door and wasn’t moving, Grace told the 911 operator that her “female antenna” went up and she knew something hinky was going down. After that she heard her boss’ voice become faint and she heard a thud, then dead silence on the line, even after screaming her boss’ name over and over. That’s when she dialed 911 on her house phone and kept her cell phone line open, just in case. As of just a few seconds ago, the line was still open and quiet with no communication. Cade relayed over the radio that he and two waiting officers were first responding and were about to investigate the situation. He had noticed two patrol vehicles parked in an empty parking lot across the street from the back alley with officers waiting beside them, guns drawn.

Cade quietly got out of his car with his weapon in his hand and silently motioned for the officers to follow him. He silently indicated with hand signals for them to work their way up the alley on the opposite side of him, weapons ready, since they didn’t know if the assailant was still in the area or not. A vintage ’69 Mustang sat near the back door. Cade could see light coming through a wide cracked door at the back of Whimsy Events. The light shone down on a pair of men’s shoes and pants. It also caused a river of red hair to shine brightly in the darkness. Red hair? He hadn’t seen that color of red on a person before this morning. His heart caught in his throat. Red. No, damn it!

Cade took off quickly, running and scouring the surrounding darkness for any persons or shadows moving. He didn’t see anything and was quickly beside Red, kneeling beside her upper body. She was crumpled on the pavement, laying on her side. Arms and legs at folded angles as if she buckled and dropped where she stood. A trickle of blood fell from her temple and scrapes were evident on her cheek bone. Cade ran his hand over her neck, finding a pulse, strong and pure. He let out a big breath that he didn’t even know he had been holding and tried to steady his shaky hands. This must be the boss from the 911 call then. So Red owns Whimsy Events. Interesting, but all of that can wait for a future conversation with Kresley. Cade looked up to see the two officers coming back up from the other end of the alley and indicated with his head for them to check out the body next to him. Officers Sloan Smith and Boomer Collins quickly took point and began assessing the other victim.

“Is there a pulse?”, Cade gruffly asked, continuously looking around at the alley and bouncing back to Red, who still had a strong pulse in her neck. Cade could see her shirt moving up and down, indicating that she was breathing. “Smith? Collins? Did you see anything suspicious?”, Cade asked the two officers.

“No. And no pulse. Looks to be head trauma at the back of the skull. I can see some brain matter”, said Officer Smith, placing his gun back in his holster and radioing for an ambulance and also the medical examiner to be dispatched quickly to the address. “Nothing seen or heard in the area by me.” Cade observed Officer Smith and how his eyes never quit moving, looking around for any changes or danger. “Isn’t that Kresley Anderson?”, Smith asked, indicating the woman laying on the pavement. “I haven’t seen her in a while, but she nor her sisters are hard to forget.”

Cade looked up at the man and scowled. “Not the time or place Smith”, he stated gruffly. He waited for Smith’s eyes to connect with his and Cade was surprised by the anger he saw there, just for a moment, then it disappeared. Smith quickly agreed with a nod and stated, “you’re right, Grantham. Not the time or place. Sorry about that.”

Officer Boomer Collins answered Cade’s question as well, his deep voice bouncing off the alley. “No activity that I can tell, Cade. No tire marks from down at this end, except for the ones made by the Mustang”, Boomer stated as he knelt beside the jean clad body, careful not to disturb anything so evidence wouldn’t be questioned down the line. Cade stated for him and Smith to make their way up and down the back alley and look for any evidence or possible witnesses, though Cade doubted they would find any witnesses back here at this time of night. After giving those requests, he turned his attention back to Kresley. Both officers immediately began slowly walking up the alley and separated from each other to cover more area.

Cade brushed hair away from Red’s face, taking inventory of her fine, delicate features. A cute button nose, light, arched brows in a gentler shade of red, and damnit if she didn’t have a scattering of freckles across her cheeks and bridge of her nose. Dark, long lashes lay against her peach skin like crescent moons. Her lips were plump and wickedly upturned at the corners naturally. Cade could just imagine what her mouth would look like when she was truly laughing or maybe giving a sarcastic smirk or grinning up at him before he would place his mouth on hers for a deep kiss. Woah, slow down slick, Cade thought to himself. Not the time or place for day dreaming.

Just then, Kresley began to stir. Her cute nose scrunched up and frown lines dented between her eye brows. Her eyelashes fluttered and her eyes opened and closed several times before finally staying open. A glazed look, as she looked around her, came first,