Stories by Claudia

Previous Chapters
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Six weeks later
With Katy perched on her lap, Jill sat on a plastic chair in the Cleveland Airport. Katy was sucking her thumb. The thumb sucking was a new thing for Katy. She started doing it in earnest in defiance of Trevor’s father.
Sweet, charming Katy did nothing more than glare when Trevor’s [...]

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CHAPTER SEVEN
Four weeks later
March 8 – 6:35 A.M.
Denver, Colorado
Three weeks after a full hip replacement, Alex was running on a treadmill between Max and Erin. They made a pact to workout every morning at six-thirty. So far, despite injuries, they had been successful.
And they had fun. Erin was treated to an [...]

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CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Two weeks later
Honey Lipson opened her eyes slowly. Having just moved here, she wasn’t used to the quiet busyness of Craig Hospital. Lying in her bed, the shuffling hospital sounds reminded her of rats scurrying around the house in the middle of the night. One of her earliest childhood memories.
She took sniff. When [...]

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CHAPTER SIX
Nine hours later
February 9 – 3:25 P.M.
Fort Logan National Cemetery, Colorado
Alex’s Jeep crept past a large funeral party. Standing in the cold February morning, a family said their final good bye to a son or daughter. She had been to so many of these funerals that she could almost hear the minister’s [...]

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CHAPTER FORTY
Saturday morning, 4:30 AM
Denver’s Police Chief closed the door after Major Walter. Leaning back in his chair, he wondered what he needed to do. When he signed on as a police officer, he never thought he would be at the center of people trafficking, the Russian mafia, and international assassins.
The domestic abuse? [...]

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CHAPTER FIVE
Two hours later
February 9 – 12:05 A.M.
Lower Downtown Denver, Colorado
“This has not been my favorite day,” Alex said.
They were standing in the hallway of Erin’s loft. She looked down the grim line of men finishing with Trece and the White Boy. Inside the loft, they could hear Marcos screaming. They were waiting [...]

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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

“Details remain spotty in an incident that has both Denver Police and Homeland Security working through the night.” Adele Arakawa’s brown eyes and solemn voice reflected the severity of the situation. “This is a 9 News special report.”
“What started as a star filled celebrity party turned deadly in what appears to be [...]

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CHAPTER FOUR
She blinked but kept her focus.
“It’s time,” Raz said. Her cell phone rang. He answered the phone to her Sergeant. “Don’t put him through yet.”
Turning to Alex, he said again, “Alex, it’s time.”
She startled, then blinked.
“Tell my Sergeant that I’m not available.”
Raz looked surprised, opened his mouth to say something, then nodded.
“Sergeant, please [...]

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