Linda Kay Silva - Delta Stevens 3 - Weathering the Storm by Linda Kay Silva Page A

brave enough to press charges against the slime.”
    “And you think he’s back to get her?”
    “It’s possible. If so, then he’s a very dangerous man. Men who come back are violent criminals, Carducci, and will kill you if you give him the chance. Don’t.”
    Tony nodded. “Got it.” As he pulled onto North Austin Street, Delta reached for her baton and flashlight. Looking over at Carducci, she saw that he was enjoying the fast pace and the potential for danger. Rookies were so naive.
    “Pull over here.”
    “But this is only 4600.”
    “Damn it, Carducci, don’t question me every time I tell you to do something! Just do it!” Tony did as he was told and when the car stopped, he immediately
    threw open the door.
    “Get back in here!”
    “But aren’t we—”
    “We’re not moving until we have a plan. A plan of action, Carducci, is necessary in every situation. This isn’t Hollywood and you’re not John Wayne.”
    Tony waited for more directions.
    “You take that side of the house and watch the windows. Don’t go to the back. Last time we were here, there were three very large, very mean Rottweilers. I’ll have back-up cover the street behind the house. You just make sure he doesn’t get around you. Got that?”
    Tony nodded.
    “Good. Any questions?”
    “Nope.”
    “Then let’s go.”
    As they slowly approached 4689, Delta was out the door before Tony could stop the car. Coming toward them was a woman covered in blood, holding the side of her head.
    “Help me!” she cried, running toward Delta. Her eyes wild with panic, the entire side of her head covered with blood, the woman reached a pair of bloody hands toward the car.
    “Which way did he go?” Delta asked. The side of the woman’s face looked like a coconut that had been bashed open with a baseball bat.
    The woman pointed in the direction of Conan Doyle Street. “He’s crazy! Do you see what he did to me? Crazy son of a bitch!” Taking her hands from her head, the woman stared down at the blood-soaked palms and shook her head. “He said he’d be back, that bastard! Look what he’s done to me!”
    Delta looked at the woman’s head. “Ma’am, I think we’d better take care of your head—”
    “Fuck that!” She cried. “Go after him! I want that asshole jailed for life! I’ll press charges again and again if I have to! Don’t just stand there gawking at me! Do something!”
    Delta nodded and jumped in the patrol car to radio for an ambulance and direct back-up to tend to the woman’s head injuries.
    “Back-up’s here,” Tony said, motioning toward the unit that pulled up.
    Slamming the mike back in the cradle, Delta pointed to the woman as the two officers hopped out of the car and nodded their understanding of the situation. They would care for her; Delta and Carducci would go after her husband.
    “He’ll be heading south for the freeway, Carducci. Let’s go!”
    Tires squealing down North Austin, Carducci slowed as he reached the intersection of North Austin and Conan Doyle.
    “What are you waiting for? A traffic light? Go!”
    Looking left, then right, Tony turned left onto Conan Doyle as Delta called in the description of the car and the direction she guessed he was heading in. When another unit came on and said they had spotted a car matching the description speeding through an intersection, she flipped on the lights and siren.
    “There’s a faster way, Carducci! When you come to Poe, go west and then south again to Shelley.” Looking at her new partner for the first time since she got in the car, Delta noted the beads of sweat dotting his forehead. She wondered if it was the excitement, the adrenaline, the chase, or the fear, that brought this on and she wished she was driving.
    When they came to Poe Street, again, Carducci slowed down, even though there were no cars approaching from either direction. “Goddamn it, Carducci, move it, will you? We haven’t got all night! Once he gets to the freeway,