Courage (Partners in Crime Book 2)

Chapter 1

Grace Wagner tapped three fingers on the side of her right thigh. The symbol for hold your fire. She was getting tired. This negotiation had been going on for over four hours. A man held his wife at gunpoint. His three kids were safe at school, but his wife, not so much. She was trying to get him to let her off, but so far no such luck.

Her captain, Max Smith, whispered something into her COMMS. "Grace, SWAT has a good aim on him. Get him to step forward a bit."

She curled her right hand into a fist. That meant no. She was not going to risk getting this man shot. No way.

"Grace, this is Hunter. I have a good shot on him." Grace and Hunter both knew he didn't need to introduce himself. They were friends, ever since Hunter helped save her brother's fiance's life.

Uh, hello people? She was not going to get this man shot. "Listen, John. I understand what you are feeling like. I have a big family. There can be times that you feel like you're overlooked. But this-" she gestured to his wife, "is not how to solve it. Let Marie go. You love her. I know you do. Don't make this harder on her than it already is."

John Sills' wife Marie whimpered, "John please. I love you. You love me. Don't ruin our marriage. Please. Let me go. This woman will work something out for you. Trust her. She knows what she's doing. Please."

John growled, "Fine." He pushed his wife away from him and towards Grace. She told Marie to go out the garage and to the front door. Marie hastily did so.

Finally. Now it was just them two. This would be much easier. "John, thank you for your consideration towards your wife-"

John now aimed his gun at her.

She didn't even bat an eye.

Her sister Olivia's voice came onto the COMMS, "Grace. Be careful. I love you. But be careful."

"Grace, watch yourself." Hunter muttered.

"Yeah, don't do anything stupid." Max added.

She had to force herself not to smile. Focusing back on her task, she looked at John. "John. Don't do this. You'll be facing a lifetime in jail. What will your wife think? What about your kids? All three of them would be devastated."

John shrugged, "Whatever. Now, if you want to stay alive, take that stupid earpiece out. I know they are talking to you."

"Grace, don't!" Now her other sister, Nicole came on.

"Grace..." her captain had a disapproving tone.

"Grace!" Hunter exclaimed.

She ignored their protests. Taking the piece out, she dropped it on the ground and crushed it to bits with her boot heel.

John smiled, "Now it's just you and me. Now first off, how long of a sentence will I have?"

Grace didn't even flinch when his gun moved closer. She simply scrunched up her face. "Hmm, well now you're facing only a couple months. At least that's what I think. But if you shoot me, that's a lifetime."

"I don't want anything. I want to walk out of here a free man."

"I don't have that power. You'll have to take that up with my captain."

"I want to hear it now. Or you are dead meat." The barrel of his gun now touched her heart. "I said, I want to hear it now."

Grace tapped three fingers on her side again. She wanted no one to get hurt. "John, I told you, I don't have that power. If I tell you, I'd be lying."

He clicked the safety off and opened his mouth to say something.

Grace heard a loud pop and watched as John Sills dropped to the ground.