Emergency Reunion by Sandra Orchard Page A

bungalow. The scent of fresh-cut grass and children’s laughter drifted through the truck windows. Across the street a husband kissed his wife goodbye, next to a car packed with kids, triggering a twinge of longing that tightened Cole’s chest.
    Comforting Sherri yesterday morning, holding her close to his heart as if he had the right, as if she belonged in his arms, had turned his world upside down. For the past seven years he’d tried to convince himself that their youthful embrace hadn’t been a world-tilting experience.
    He’d been deluded
.
    But he couldn’t let it happen again. She was a victim in a case he was investigating. He needed to adhere to professional boundaries.
    Never mind that everything in him wanted to soothe away her pain. Still wanted to. He had no business entertaining romantic thoughts about her. She was still grieving for Luke. She’d clearly cared deeply for him. No doubt he’d been worthy of her affection. Cole glanced at his father’s barren yard next door. Far more worthy than he could ever be.
    The truck’s passenger door suddenly burst open, and Sherri climbed in. “Have you been waiting long? I didn’t hear you drive up.”
    â€œNo, just got here. I’d intended to come in.”
    She reached for the folder in his hand. “It’s probably better if we work somewhere else today. Are these the pictures of the frontline workers we narrowed in on?”
    At the graze of her fingers, his insides jumped. He jerked back his hand and cleared his throat. “Yeah, the six likeliest are on top.” For the better part of yesterday, they’d pored over staffing schedules of firefighters, paramedics and sheriff’s deputies. They were the people most likely to know when Sherri would be in the next ambulance to be called to a scene and would know how best to manipulate paramedic protocol to their advantage.
    After going back two months to try to find a pattern that fit with the timing of the attacks, they’d only found one definitive common factor—a woman, Bev Lucey, who’d been on dispatch at the time of every incident.
    Sherri picked up the picture on the top of the stack. “This is Bev?”
    â€œYeah, you recognize her face?” Sherri hadn’t recognized the name last night and they hadn’t been able to find a picture of her online or find out much else about her even from her social media accounts, except that she’d moved to Stalwart and had started the job only a few months ago.
    Sherri stared at the picture, cocking her head one way, then the other. “No, I don’t recognize her at all.”
    â€œMaybe we’ll find a connection between her and one of the patients you’ve tended.” Reviewing patients’ names was on the top of today’s to-do list after they finished with the pictures of the frontline workers. “Take a look at the rest of the photos. The next two are guys who were on duty at the same time as eighty percent of the incidents.” Cole figured that one or two of the incidents could have been coincidences, accounting for the less than 100 percent.
    Sherri leafed through the next three photos, shaking her head. “These are the three who were off duty when most of the incidents happened?”
    â€œYeah.” He was leaning toward them since they would’ve been freer to make the bogus 9-1-1 calls. Cole glanced up at her parents’ house. Her father stood at the window looking out at them. Then the curtain dropped back, shielding him from Cole’s view. Yeah, Cole couldn’t blame him for being watchful. If he had a daughter like Sherri, he wouldn’t have even let her climb in his truck. Maybe she hadn’t told them about his brother holding a knife to her throat.
    He admired how she didn’t seem to hold a grudge against Eddie, only wanted him to get well. Without thinking, he swept back the silky hair that cascaded off her