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Everything is rebelling against that notion, but I go still and take a deep breath “Okay”

Both cops let ain, one of theuy that can’t be more than midtwenties, tells me “The owner of the house, Pepper Nantais, called 9-1-1 stating she’d been shot”

“Is she alive?” I e to croak

“Yes,” the cop says and adds on “Her vitals were stable when the ambulance transported her to the hospital Now, do you know anyone that would want to hurt your girlfriend?”

And that’s when it hits me

“Jesus fuck,” I growl and the cop braces to blockinto Pepper’s house But I pivot and sprint towardhurt in her own hoot about Charlie

The cop is hot onto have to shoot h

I bound upsick to my stomach that it’s not locked

“Lucy,” I yell at the top ofbut quiet Utter silence

“Lucy,” I yell again

The police officer coun but not to shoot me I think he’s comprehended that this is my house and I’m concerned that whoever shot Pepper could be here

The cop pulls his gun, points it doard the floor and orders ht back out the door, “Sir…I’ht now Stand on this porch and don’tfor in here?”

So penetrates that I need to let him do his job I step backward onto the porch “My two-hter’s mother that did this”

The cop touches a button on the microphone headset attached to his shoulder and requests backup but he doesn’t wait, disappearing inside Another cop bounds up the steps, gun drawn, and enters my house

I turn aalk to the edge of the porch and bend over thinking Icomes up and I stare helplessly inside