Page 89 of Anchor Point

Every hair on my body raised, and I locked eyes with Mike Harrison.

“Olivia,” I mouthed, unable to form words through the dread coursing through my system.

I stumbled back, spun, and ran.

Down the long blocks, dodging people, dodging hoses still pumping water on the fire. My heavy boots thumped on the concrete. Past the stores locked up for the night, toward the darkness that lay beyond the immediate downtown area.

My heart pumped. I couldn’t draw enough air. My God, Rosie had been taken. And Olivia was out there on her own, chasing down our daughter.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, it registered that I needed to relinquish command, but I couldn’t stop. I had to get to them.

At the corner of East Washington and Main, I stumbled for a heartbeat, barely registering the scene before me.

Two people fighting in the shadows of the poorly lit park. Someone running toward me.

“Dad!”

I braced as Rosie slammed into me. Mike sprinted past.

My arms closed around her automatically, lifting her as I kept moving to Olivia. I had to get to her, but I couldn’t seem to let go of Rosie. My arms locked in a tight grip around her slender body.

In the park ahead, Olivia spun an impressive roundhouse kick, taking her attacker to the ground, detaining him. She was powerful, all beauty and grace. And mad as hell.

Mike ran up and took control of the situation.

Two other officers showed, one helping Olivia to stand.

And there she stood, my magnificent woman. I was so damn proud. So fucking scared. So livid that she’d taken even the first hit.

“Liv,” I choked out. Unable to move or really speak, barely able to breathe.

She saw me then. Our eyes locked across the distance. She took one stumbling step toward us. Then another. Slowly at first, then faster, until she was nearly running.

In slow motion, I watched her run to my open arms as she joined us, hugging our shaking daughter between us.

I closed my eyes, holding on to these women for dear life. Because they were my life.

I’d been alone and happily solitary when they found me. But now I couldn’t imagine my life without them.

“Why aren’t you at the fire command?” Olivia finally found her voice.

I opened my eyes to find Mike and the other officers had Loren Watkins on his feet, shuffling him forward, hands cuffed behind his back.

Rosie had quieted, but Olivia looked ready to go to war.

“Come on.” I ignored her question and turned us into the light, needing to get them to safety, unable to let either of them out of arm’s reach. “Let’s get out of here.”

At the corner, an elderly woman stood wringing her hands. As we drew closer, I recognized her as the leader of the Public Safety Foundation.

“Oh, thank goodness,” she exclaimed as we drew into the light, coming back into the block off the court square. “You found her.”

Olivia said, “Yes ma’am. Thank you.” She let go of us, and it was all I could do to not voice my objection until she said, “Can I give you a hug?”

She embraced the older woman tightly. “Thank you for paying attention. You helped me find her.”

The words were soft-spoken and heartfelt, and the elderly woman pulled away and patted her cheek with tears in her eyes. Olivia took a step back, her own eyes sparkling with unshed tears. I slipped my arm back around her, needing to touch her, to feel that she was alive and well. I never wanted to see her cry or hurt again.

From the other end of the block, the mayor’s voice boomed. I looked up to find him laughing with one of the business owners, the sound so jarring and out of place, it took me a second to register what I was hearing.

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