Page 21 (1/2)

Chapter 1

The summer I discovered the world was not black-and-white -the way I liked it -but a host of annoying shades of gray was the sued than my vision

However, on the night the truth began I was still just another s, for so to happen I learned never to be so open-ended in ain

The car radio crackled "Three Adam One, what's your ten-twenty?"

"I'row on the east side of town"

I waited for the imminent spatter of profanity from the dispatcher on duty I wasn't disappointed

"You'd think it was a godda out every nut cake in three counties"

My lips twitched Zelda Hup, chain-sood times when such a lifestyle was commonplace and the fact it would kill you still a mystery

Obviously Zelda had yet to hear the scientific findings, since she was going to outlive everyone by s Jim Beam for breakfast

"Maybe the crazies are just gearing up for the blue "

"What in living hell is a blue moon?"

The reason Zee was still working third shift after countless years on the force? Her char vocabulary

"Two full moons in one month makes a blue moon on the second course Very rare Very powerful If you're into that stuff"

Living in the north woods of Wisconsin, elbow to elbohat was left of the Ojibwe nation, I'd heard enough oo legends to last a lifetime

They always pissed ends had no place except in the history books To doon who you talked to, facts and fiction blurred together too close for my comfort

Zee's snort of derision turned into a long, hacking cough I waited, ever patient, for her to regain her breath

"Powerful ot trouble, girl"

"What kind of trouble?" I flicked on the red lights, considered the siren

"Got , lots of static Brad's on his way"

I had planned to inquire about the second officer on duty, but, as usual, Zee answered questions before they could even be asked So I heard or saw on the job

"It'll take him a while," she continued "He was at the other end of the lake, so you'll be first on the scene Let me knohat happens"

Since I'd never found screa the siren and sped hway 199

The Miniwa PD consisted of myself, the sheriff, and six other officers, plus Zee and an endless array of young dispatchers -until summer, when the force swelled to twenty because of the tourists

I hated sumhway to the north to sit on their butt next to a lake and fry their skin the shade of fuchsia agony Their kids shrieked, their dogs ran wild, they drove their boats too fast and their minds too slow, but they came into town and spent their easy money in the bars, restaurants, and junk shops

As annoying as the tourist trade was for a cop, the three months of torture kept Miniwa on the map

According to my calendar, we had just entered week three of hell

I ca, lane-hogging luxury SUV was parked crosswise on the dotted yellow line A single headlight blazed; the other was a gaping black hole

Why the owner hadn't pulled the vehicle onto the shoulder I had no idea But then, I'd always suspected the majority of the population were too stupid to live

I inched hts on the vehicle Leaving the red do hush was as deafening as the shrill wail had been

The clip of hostly sound If hts hadn't illuminated the hazy outline of a person in the driver's seat, I'd have believed I was alone, so deep was the silence, so coht

"Hello?" I called

No response Not a hint of movement

I hurried around the front of the car, taking in the pieces of the grille and one headlight splayed across the pavement For a car that cost upward of 40,000 it sure broke into pieces easily enough

That's what I liked about the depart was built like a tank, and it drove like one, too Other cities ht have switched over to SUVs, but Miniwa stuck with the tried and true

Sure, four-wheel drive was nice, but sandbags in the trunk and chains on the tires worked just as well

Besides, nothing had an engine like , and she didn't roll if I took a tight curve

"Miniwa PD," I called as I skirted the fender of the SUV

My gaze flicked over the droplets of blood that shone black beneath the silver ht They trailed off toward the far side of the road I took a n of a wounded ani

Returning to the car, I yanked open the door and blinked to find a woman behind the wheel In my experience men drove these cars -or soccer

Hmm

"Are you all right?"

She had a bu and very blond -the fairy princess type -she was too petite to be driving a vehicle of this size, but -I gave a-it was a free country

The airbag hadn't deployed, whichvery fast when she'd hit whatever it was she'd hit

I voted on the latter, since she wasn't lying on the pavement shredded fro her seat belt Sha offense in this state, but a little hard to prove after the fact

"Ma'aain when she continued to stare at ht? What's your name?"

She raised her hand to her head There was blood dripping down her arlass, except on the front of the car, which appeared to beelse How had she cut herself?