Roll the Dice by Mimi Barbour

is.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter
Eighteen  
     
    Kai didn’t like being left behind. He’d rather be the ‘leaver’. And for
a bossy kinda guy like him, that’s usually how it worked.  
    While sorting through files, his mind again went back to his partner.
The doll drove him crazy. So far, there wasn’t a second while in her company
that his body didn’t announce its satisfaction or lack of satisfaction by being
in a perpetual semi-hard position.
    Not comfortable and not gonna happen. The saints, or whoever looks after
the misguided souls in the world, had stopped him from taking her to bed.   From tasting all the best places on her body
and finding the hidden places in her heart that he knew he’d want to visit.
    Except that once he made that trip, he’d never be satisfied with anyone
else. Or with being alone. That kind of woman would become his new home and
he’d be lost. His goal aborted and his future changed forever.  
    Couldn’t happen. He’d never know peace. Always be looking back instead
of ahead. No future for a guy whose soul lived in darkness. How could he make
anyone happy?
    Ham appeared into the doorway and put paid to Kai’s musings. “Morelli’s
downstairs and wants you to join her. She says she knows where Wayne is. We’ll
get a team together and be right behind you.”
    Before he could question the man further, the space in the doorway was
empty and he heard footsteps racing in the hallway. He whipped up his gun and
lifted his shirt to put it away and then hit the off button on his computer.
    Racing from the building he heard a car approach and looked up just in
time. She’d pulled up in front of him and yelled through the window. “Get in.
We’re going to get Wayne.”

Chapter
Nineteen
     
    Kai entered first and saw that the poor kid curled on the floor was
barely alive. From the looks of it, he’d fought hard and long but it hadn’t
stopped the beating or the rest of his torture.
    Eyes barely able to open, Wayne still tried to smile when he realized
that Kai and Aurora had found him,
    “I knew you’d come.” Breathing harshly, he tried to grin but the torn
lips started bleeding and he stopped.
    “I wish it had been sooner. Man, I’m really sorry.” Kai held the
youngster’s hand and his begging look towards Aurora had her using her phone to
find out where the ambulance had gotten.
    “They just hit a traffic jam from a three car pile-up; they’ll go around
and be here shortly.” She whispered the words but Wayne still heard her.
    “Hey, I’m okay. Just can’t move. Then it hurts. Don’t let Darlene in. I
don’t want her to see me like this. She’ll worry all over me.”
    “As soon as you’re on the way, we’ll get her and bring her to the
hospital.” Aurora countered with a gentle note in her voice.
    “I know you’re dying to ask what happened….”
    “Hey, if you’re not up to telling us now, we can wait.”
    Wayne’s hand rose to wave away Kai’s suggestion. “Earl laughed when I
woke up and realized where we were. He bragged about having the key and knowing
that no one would ever be smart enough to look in his old place. Hell, right
under the cop’s eyes he kept saying, right where—”
    A cough choked off the rest of his words. Aurora’s careful touch, wiping
the blood from his eyes seemed to soothe and the hacking sounds diminished.
    The boy reached for Kai’s hand. “I’m scared, man. Can you stay with me?”
    “Absolutely. I’ll be right here. Just hold on.”
    The distant siren grew louder as it approached the building. Running
footsteps heralded newcomers. Ham and his partner Roy showed up in time to stop
the lookie-loos from being a nuisance.
    Ham organized the team while uniformed officers pushed people back and
opened a path for the stretcher to get into the room unimpeded. The voices of
angry tenant’s could be heard in the background. “What is it with this
building? I’m moving. This the second time in