Storm Front (2015) by Robert Conroy

Author:Robert Conroy [Conroy, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781476780870
Amazon: 1476780870
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2015-12-02T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

“Mike, I’m glad I got hold of you,” Maddy said into the phone. “Donna’s told us to cut down on our cell phone calls and preserve our batteries.”

Mike had been dozing with his head on his lieutenant’s desk. His brain was not fully engaged and his tongue was fuzzy. “Don’t you have a charger?” he finally managed.

“Two, in fact. One’s still in the car, wherever that is, and the other’s at home. Donna’s afraid we’re going to lose the phone or electricity or both at any time.”

Mike yawned. “She’s probably right. There’ve been some power outages already, and the repair crews aren’t going to fix them for a long time.” Another yawn. “So why’d you call, other than to tell me how much you miss me?”

“Yes, I miss you. I wanted to have dinner with you tonight. Instead I’m stuck in this dull school with scores of hyper kids and some strange people who call themselves teachers. I think I’d rather have a root canal or be a lawyer than be stuck like this.”

Mike laughed. “I miss you, too, and I’m sorry you chose the wrong major in college. And don’t knock lawyers. I may be one, someday.”

“How’s your night going?”

“Other than nagging phone calls from women who can’t do without me, it’s okay.”

“Not much crime, I’ll bet.”

“Dull. Without getaway cars, criminals are staying home. A high-speed chase is out of the question.”

He decided against telling her about the two murderers, Raines and Tower. Their pictures had just been faxed in, so now the names had taken on substance. The two killers looked so innocuous, even dull. Nor did he tell her that there had been a number of instances of domestic violence, resulting from situations where people who couldn’t stand each other now couldn’t escape each other’s presence. That was leading to potentially violent flareups that the police could not respond to.

There’d been a couple of fires that neighbors had banded together to put out. Firemen on snowmobiles had arrived with small lengths of hose only to confront a new problem—Where the hell were all the hydrants? Invisible under gentle mounds of snow, that’s where. So far, catastrophe had been averted. It was as if people realized that nature was in charge and that was making them relatively meek. Mike didn’t think it would last too much longer. Sooner or later, someone would get cabin fever real bad, find a shotgun or an ax, and there would be hell to pay.

“So far, the city’s existing,” Mike said. “Personally, I rather be snowed in with you, and not Petkowski or Bench.” Petkowski was asleep on the floor, or at least pretending to be, while Bench was down the hall, passed out in his chair and with his head on the desk. The scent of peppermint schnapps was heavy above the chief.

Maddy laughed. “There are lots of places I’d rather be, and with you is very high on the list. Have you talked to your parents?”

Mike’s parents were retired and lived in a condo in Arizona.

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