“Oh, no. Poor Donna.”
“Donna’s tough. She’ll be okay.”
“Still.”
“I know. But this is what Donna does. The risk is real, and she knows it.”
“You guys are so strong. This whole thing has made me realize just how strong and needed you all are. Law enforcement, that is. You take such a bad rap these days, but all the naysayers would change their tune if they experienced what I’ve gone through the past few days.”
Emma was spot on. It was tough to be in law enforcement right now. But the reality was he wasn’t in it anymore, but over the past several days, he realized how much he missed making a difference. Sure, being a full-time charter captain was better for his physical and mental health, but the satisfaction of really making a difference in the world, for people like Emma, well, he missed that.
“I’m not in law enforcement anymore.”
His words saddened him.
“You should be. You’re great at it.”
“I’m good at fishing, too,” he joked.
“I don’t doubt you are.”
“So now what?” Emma asked.
“We wait, and let the police and sheriff’s departments do their thing. If he’s driving around and hits any of the main roads in and out of the county, the license plate reader cameras will pick up his plates. In the event he’s smart enough to stay off the main roads here, hopefully, he’ll not be so cautious in the other communities he passes through, and the cameras will pick him up and flag him in the system. The last time we looked for a person of interest, Brown County got a hit on the plates, and they nabbed the guy.”
He had to stop saying we. He was just a citizen now.
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It kind of is now that his plate is in the system.”
“I hope so.”
Cap held his side as he rose from his chair. Sadly, he knew it would take weeks for his ribs to heal, so this pain would be with him for a while.
“Well, we have some time to kill. The Brewers are playing. Want to watch the game?” he asked.
“Sure.”
Her response wasn’t enthusiastic. Didn’t she like baseball?
“Do you follow the Brew Crew?”
She shrugged. “I guess a little. I’ve been to a few games.”
Cap moved to the living room area. A dull ache followed by a cramping sensation pulsed in his torso. The pain, predominantly on his left side, was unfamiliar. Raising his arms above his head, he leaned from side to side, hoping a good stretch would relieve the ache and cramping.
“Are you okay?” Emma asked.
Worry emitted from her dark gaze.
“Yeah. Just loosening up a bit. My ribs took a beating. I’ll be fine,” he said as he ran his hands lightly over his torso.
Emma stepped toward him and reached for the hem of his shirt. “Let me see.”
She moved so quickly, he didn’t respond. He just let her lift his shirt.
Her quick intake of breath let him know the bruising must have worsened since he last looked at it. The fight with the Colombian was hardcore, and when he got slammed into the corner of the kitchen counter, it stung pretty good.
