02_The Hero Next Door Read Online Free Page B

02_The Hero Next Door
Book: 02_The Hero Next Door Read Online Free
Author: Irene Hannon
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are days I wish I had been.” A fresh wave of anguish swept over him, and a muscle in his jaw clenched. “Or that it had been me instead of them. They each left a wife and young children. No one would have missed me.”
    In the ensuing silence, J.C.’s words echoed in his mind. If he was in Burke’s shoes, he’d be having serious second thoughts about now. No chief wanted a troubled cop on the force. Traumatized people didn’t think clearly. They were distracted and emotional, and they often overreacted—or underreacted—to stressful situations. In law enforcement, that could be deadly.
    Steeling himself, J.C. faced the older man. Although he didn’t detect any doubt, cops were good at hiding their feelings.
    “Did I just shoot myself in the foot?”
    Burke cocked his head. “Should I be worried?”
    “No. I’ll admit I haven’t resolved all my issues. But I’m working on them. That’s why I asked for an extended leave. I knew I needed some time to regroup in a different environment. Since I started as a beat cop, it felt right to go back to those roots. And after all my years undercover, I know howto compartmentalize. I can promise you I won’t let what happened in Chicago compromise my performance here.”
    As Burke regarded him, J.C. held his breath. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if he was sent packing. But in the twenty-four hours he’d been on Nantucket, he’d sensed that this place held the key to a lot of the questions he’d been unable to answer in Chicago. And he didn’t want to leave.
    “Okay, J.C.” Burke stood. “I wouldn’t touch most guys in your situation with a ten-foot pole. What you’ve been through can mess with a person’s mind. But I’ve seen you in a lot of tough situations, and you’ve always been steady under pressure. From what I’ve heard and observed, I don’t have any reason to think that’s changed.” He held out his hand. “Welcome to the Nantucket PD.”
    As J.C. returned Burke’s solid clasp, he forced his stiff shoulders to relax. And sent a silent plea to the Lord to stick close.
    Because while he was confident his training would kick in should he find himself in a volatile situation, he was counting on the summer being quiet relative to the Chicago crime scene. None of the lawbreaking he was likely to encounter here—petty theft, traffic violations, even drug issues—should involve altercations where lives hung in the balance.
    And that was good. He didn’t want any more baggage.
    What he did want was a quiet, uncomplicated summer that gave him plenty of opportunity to sit on a beach and do some serious thinking about the rest of his life.
     
     
    The muffled rattling sounded suspicious.
    J.C. slowed his pace as he approached the gate leading to the garden beside The Devon Rose. Since his breakfast with Burke, he’d spent the day exploring the town, including an all-important visit to the grocery store. He was ready to call it a night. But he wasn’t wired to ignore odd sounds, and this one fell into that category.
    Juggling his bags of groceries, he listened. It sounded as if a metal object was being shaken.
    In Chicago, following that kind of rattle into a dark alley often led him to a homeless person rooting through a Dumpster or trash can. But as near as he could tell, homeless people were rare on Nantucket.
    Thieves were another story. Due to the private backyards, which were often hidden from the street by lush vegetation or privet hedges, burglars could pull off robberies without detection. According to Burke, that was one of the biggest problems in the quiet season, when many vacation homes were vacant.
    This wasn’t the quiet season, however. Nor did The Devon Rose appear to be vacant. Light from an upper window spilled into the deepening dusk.
    Another subtle rattle sounded, and a light was flipped on on the lower level of the house. Heather must have heard the sound, too, and was going out to investigate.
    Not a good plan if an
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