The Missing Element (James Becker SuspenseThriller Series) by Betcher John L

Author:Betcher, John L. [Betcher, John L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John L. Betcher
Published: 2010-03-08T00:00:00+00:00

One of the officers stepped forward. "Until the SWAT team arrives, I'm in charge," he said. "I'm Officer Green."

The name did not inspire confidence. And neither did the lack of experience his voice and carriage betrayed.

"Okay, Officer," I said firmly. "Here's the deal. That's my house and my wife inside. There is at least one male intruder, probably armed. We don't need to spook him with a bunch of cops. So make sure to keep your people out of sight."

He started to interrupt me, but I stopped him with a hard glare and my open hand, held palm out.

"I'm going in there to help my wife," I said. "And you're staying out of it unless there's shooting in the house. Got it?"

"Listen, Mr. Becker," he began. "I am in charge here."

I cut him off again. This time I got out of the truck and stood face-to-face with Officer Green in the dimly lit street.

"I'm not asking," I said. "Now don't go getting my wife and me killed, or so help me, I will come back from the grave and haunt you for life."

With that, I slipped past him and jogged toward our back yard, where my presence would be less visible from inside the house.

Just as I was sneaking through the thick spruce trees marking our easterly lot boundary, I heard the explosion. Abandoning all attempts at stealth, I sprinted for the back door.

* * *

"Don't try anything while I'm holding these buttons. I can lift my gun hand in about half a second if I need to."

"Okay," Beth agreed. She was suddenly compliant.

Still holding the gun in his right hand, the man stooped over the safe and, after glancing up at Beth to make sure she wasn't trying to escape, he depressed the two pressure dots with his thumbs. For a second, nothing happened. Then the display showed a "5" and began its countdown.

The man looked up at Beth and smiled. "4." She was smiling back.

Beth hit the deck, covering her head with her hands. Before the man could react, as the counter reached "3," there was a loud explosion. The blast force went straight up, launching the heavy top of the safe upward into the man's chest and breaking both of his thumbs. Unfortunately, instead of landing where Beth could get it, the gun flew behind the washer.

At the moment, Beth's odds were looking more favorable. It was time to act.

The bomb had staggered the man and he was leaning back against the dryer, trying to shake the fog from his head. Beth dashed across the room and struck a painfully accurate bare foot upward into his groin. He groaned and doubled over.

She followed immediately with a knee to his nose, standing him up again. As he struggled to get his bearings, using all the leverage she could garner, Beth drove her left fist into his solar plexus, landing him wheezing on the floor, sunny-side up.

Stepping across the dazed intruder's torso, Beth grabbed his left forearm and wrenched him over onto his stomach.

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