Free Dead Man Living by Carol Lynne

works.”
    “Just let the plan fall into place.”
    “Will do.” Although Cap wouldn’t let him in on the actual arrest, he did give permission for Joe to be in the area.
    The whole operation had taken on a life of its own. Originally, Brian, Joe and Beth intended to execute the plan between the three of them, but with the police involved, the numbers had grown immeasurably.
    After trading his truck for a non-descript car they’d rented earlier, Joe drove towards the shelter. With any luck, the police would be able to arrest Billy before the sonofabitch ever stepped foot in the building, but according to Joe’s latest vision, that wouldn’t happen.
     
    * * * *
     
    Two hours later, Joe was about to crawl out of his skin. He’d been sitting in his car down the block, trying to concentrate on Beth. He knew the plan was for Officer Sarah Montgomery to swap clothes with Beth as soon as she’d entered the shelter. He occasionally heard Brian coming over the wire to ask Sarah if she was still reading him.
    Sarah confirmed several times that she and Beth were both fine.
    Ten minutes later, it happened. The blinding light flashed in his head as the vision morphed. Instead of Billy attacking Beth in the file closet, he was standing in front of her desk with a gun in his hand. “Shit,” he brought himself out of the vision.
    “Brian! He’s already in the building. He’s headed for Beth’s office and he’s got a gun.”
    “Hang on,” Brian said.
    Joe could hear his old partner talking over the concealed headsets trying to reposition his team. “Sarah, do you read? Sarah?” When no answer came from Officer Montgomery, Brian cursed several times. “Something’s wrong with Sarah’s wire. I’m not sure if she can hear me, but I can’t hear her.”
    Joe started the car and raced towards the shelter. He pulled up and jumped out, happy to see one of the undercover officers holding a side door open for him.
    “Where’s Beth?”
    The officer pointed down the hall. As Joe raced towards Beth’s office, he heard the commotion begin over his headset. “Sarah!” he heard Brian screaming in his ear.
    A shot rang out, then another. Joe’s heart skipped a beat as he barrelled past several cops to get to Beth’s office at the end of the hall. At that point he didn’t know if Billy was in custody or not, all he cared about was making sure Beth was okay.
    When he reached the office, Brian was standing in the doorway surrounded by three other officers, head down. “Beth?”
    Brian turned and put his hands up to stop Joe’s progress. “Hold on.”
    “Is she okay?” Joe asked trying to push his way into the office.
    “She’s fine. Officer Montgomery took a bullet in the vest, but Billy didn’t fare so well.” Brian stepped back and Joe saw Billy’s body lying in a pool of blood.
    Looking up, he spotted Sarah Montgomery getting aid from a fellow officer. She looked up at him, her blonde hair hanging in her face. “Tell Beth I’m sorry about the bullet hole in her suit.”
    Joe put his hands on his hips and bent at the waist, trying to breathe in some much needed air. “I’m sure she won’t mind,” he said to Sarah. “Where is she?”
    “In the closet. I told her to stay there until we get the body covered.”
    Joe rushed to the closet and opened the door. Beth sat in the back corner crying. The rows of filing cabinets opposite her looked all too familiar to him. If Sarah hadn’t been seated at Beth’s desk, his original vision would’ve come true. But it hadn’t , he reminded himself.
    “Hey, sweetheart,” Joe said, sitting on the floor beside her. He shoved a box out of his way and leaned against the wall, pulling Beth into his lap.
    She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. “Sarah could’ve died because of me,” she said.
    “Shhh,” Joe soothed, peppering kisses on top of her head. “It’s her job. She was well protected with the vest on. Although she said to tell you