Free Touching the Past by Ilene Kaye

believe this.” He shook his head, starting to rise.
    Mallory stood, too. His sudden change of attitude had thrown her off-balance. “What is it? Something wrong?”
    Zac hesitated, then gave her a rueful grin. “I just got called in. Another hostage situation.”
    “ What! Anoth—” Stunned, Mallory blinked at him. “How—”
    He cut her off, shrugging his shoulders. “It happens sometimes. You get back-to-back situations.” He took her hands, squeezing them gently. “Sorry.” His voice was soft and there was no mistaking the sincerity and disappointment in his eyes.
    She squeezed back. “Me, too.”
    At the door, he turned back, one foot in, the other out. “I almost forgot. The reason I came.” His manner was hurried. He didn’t give Mallory a chance to speak. “There’s a psychic fair in Saginaw. Starts Friday. Will you go with me? It’s the same crew Beth and the others went to.”
    Mallory didn’t hesitate. “Of course.”
    Some of the anxiety on Zac’s face eased. He smiled. “Great. I’ll call you.” He turned toward the door.
    “Zac.”
    He looked back. It was obvious from his distracted expression that he was already thinking about the hostage situation.
    Without giving herself time to think, Mallory quickly kissed him. “Be careful.”
    Zac looked at her a moment, his face still, before a brilliant smile crossed it. “I will.”
    Mallory couldn’t concentrate after he left. She stared at the computer screen for twenty minutes without seeing it, then shut it down in disgust. She turned on the local TV station just in time to catch the tail end of a breaking news alert. “—bring you more details as we receive them. We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.”
    She sank onto the sofa, kicking her legs up under her. She flipped between local channels, hoping for more information. Nothing.
    What was going on? Where was Zac? Was he safe?
    She prayed under her breath, a repetitious chant of “Please let him be all right. Please let him be all right,” as images she didn’t see danced across the screen in front of her.
    She tried to tell herself she was being silly. That, of course, Zac would be all right. It was his job. He was good at it. And she’d never heard of a SWAT member being hurt in Midland.
    But there’s always a first time, an insidious voice in her head whispered. And he was so tired. What if he—
    Mallory bounded off the couch, stumbling and wincing at the pins-and-needles sensation running through her legs. She shut off the TV, limping out of the living room. She was going to drive herself crazy, sitting like that. Maybe a shower would help.
    Standing beneath the pounding spray, Mallory felt some of her tension ease. The warmth felt good against her tight muscles and chilled skin. She hadn’t realized how cold she’d gotten.
    How do police officers’ wives and husbands stand it? She wondered, sliding the soap over her shoulder and down her arm. Worrying about them every time they go out the door?
    She shook her head. Stupid question. They stood it because they had to. Danger was part of Zac’s job. Part of every police officer, firefighter, and military person’s job. Their significant others dealt with it because danger came with the person they loved. She’d seen Ryuuko worry when her husband was on active duty, but her mother had never let fear dominate her life.
    Mallory paused, her hand on the tap to turn it off. She wasn’t comparing what she felt for Zac to what her mother had felt for her father, was she? She couldn’t. It wasn’t the same thing at all. Her parents had—She didn’t— She and Zac were just— But maybe. Someday.
    The phone rang, breaking into her confused thoughts. Grabbing the towel, she raced for it. She took a deep breath. “Yes?”
    “Mallory?”
    Zac’s voice. A frisson of joy set her pulses throbbing. She tried and failed to keep her tone matter-of-fact. “Zac. Are you all right?”
    “Yeah. I’m at the