Free Emergency Response by Susan Sleeman

the gun could fire rapidly.
    Darcie started twisting Haley’s ring around her finger—faster and faster—then looked up. “You saved my life again. I can never repay you.”
    â€œIt’s my job.”
    She frowned and he wondered how his comment could possibly have upset her.
    â€œWhat’s with law enforcement officers?” she asked. “You do something heroic and then say it’s your job? I hear that all the time with the FRS.”
    â€œWell, it is my job.” Uncomfortable under her intense study, he looked at the shards of brick on the concrete.
    â€œYes, but you put your life on the line every day and yet you’re all so humble about it. We need to celebrate the work police officers do and you all need to let us.”
    He looked back at her and held her gaze, trying to transmit how flawed he really was. “I’m not a hero, Darcie. Not some perfect guy you dreamed up. Far from it. I’m just an ordinary guy with a job to do.”
    â€œRight now, you’re my hero.” She leaned forward, took his hand and held it. “And you’re not going to take that away from me. After everything I’ve been through in my personal life and with the job I do, I need to believe there is good in this world.”
    He stared at their hands and couldn’t help but notice how well they fit together. “You don’t need to go far to find goodness. You see it in your team all the time.”
    â€œI do, but I guess I take it for granted because I’m close to them. You, on the other hand, are not on the team and it’s becoming quite clear that you’re a good man.”
    He hoped so, but he doubted she’d continue to feel that way if she looked at his past. “Again, nothing unusual. There are a lot of good men in this world.”
    â€œAre there?” Her eyes narrowed.
    He watched her for a moment and she dropped his hand, then squirmed under his gaze. “This is about Tom, isn’t it?”
    She shrugged.
    â€œYou don’t want to talk about him,” Noah said. “Is that just with me or with anyone?”
    â€œAnyone,” she whispered.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œThere’s no point in bringing up the past. It’s done and over with.”
    â€œIf it’s as done as you say, shouldn’t you be able to talk about it?”
    â€œYou don’t understand—can’t ever understand—what it’s like to lose a child.”
    â€œNot to death, no, but...”
    â€œBut what?”
    He looked away to stem any additional questions. He couldn’t tell her about Evan. Not when she’d had her child taken away from her while he hadn’t even been willing to see Ashley through her pregnancy. Sure, he wanted to make amends now, but according to Evan’s adoptive parents, it was too late.
    â€œSo you don’t want to talk, either,” she said, sounding as sad as he felt inside.
    Not with her. No. He’d tried that once with a serious girlfriend years before. She said she didn’t even know him anymore. Didn’t understand him or the way he’d bailed on Ashley. So how could a woman like Darcie, whose husband had walked out on her as he’d walked out on Ashley, who’d lost a child, understand it? She couldn’t—so there was no point in telling her. He couldn’t bear to see the loathing on her face.
    â€œGuess that means you’re not over whatever it is, either,” she said, parroting his words back at him.
    â€œWe’re clear, Detective,” the patrol officer announced.
    Noah wasted no time and came to his feet. There was no longer a sense of urgency to get Darcie inside, but he wanted the conversation to end. He knew full well what he was doing. He was running away from the discussion. From her.
    Hypocrite, asking her to spill her guts and you won’t say a word.
    Yeah, he was a hypocrite all right and despite the fact that the distasteful