Heart of Fire

HEART OF FIRE

A Novel by
DAWN CARTER

Kindle
Edition

Published by:

Shadoe Publishing for

DAWN CARTER
on Kindle

Copyright ©
DAWN CARTER January 2013

HEART OF FIRE

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content
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PROLOGUE

The smell of smoke stung Danni’s nose.  She stood helpless as she watched the neighbors’ home burn in a roaring blaze.  Panic stricken, she called 911 to get help.  ‘Hold please,’ is all she heard when the dispatcher came on the line.  Danni looked down at the receiver in disbelief, and then she heard it.  A sound that would haunt her dreams for years to come; screams coming from inside the house.

Basic training in the police academy taught Danni how to perform lifesaving procedures, but she was no firefighter.  She watched as the flames mocked her demonically from every open crevice challenging her.  She didn’t know what to do, she was at a loss.  She weighed the risk of running in the building, but she knew she would be risking her own life, but she could not just stand there and do nothing.  She reasoned she could not stand and do nothing while the family inside burned to death.  She knew no matter what, she needed to help, even if it meant risking her own life.  The cries from inside the house got louder, but with every attempt the silhouette of flames blocked any attempt to enter. 

Danni spotted the water hose on the side of the house, she turned the handle to full force spraying through the open window, but as the wind picked up, so did the flames.  Tears ran down her face when the cries from the family trapped inside stopped.

Instinctively she kicked the front door open with all the force she could muster.  She tried to maneuver her way around, but the heat scorched her skin.  She could still hear a slight whimper from inside.  Horrified, she grabbed a steel garbage can from the curb and placed it over her head.  The flames protruding from the entrance as she ran in, wood crackled and a portion of the living room ceiling fell to her left.  Danni knew she was in danger and needed to find the family and get out, but the heat radiated from every direction slowing her attempt, and her vision blurred as the smoke burned her eyes making it hard to see.  Choking and coughing, she screamed out for anyone who could hear her.

“Hello, if you can hear me, please, please say something,” her voice cracked as the smoke filled her lungs. 

A sound came from the room to her right.  Danni listened as she moved slowly feeling her way.  “Say something please.”  She coughed and pulled her shirt up over her mouth.

“Here,” a cry echoed in the distance, Danni thought it sounded like a woman’s voice.

“Keep talking,” she instructed, walking into the room.  Blinded by the smoke, she stepped in slowly, but lost her footing when she tripped and fell forward smacking her head on a piece of furniture.  She laid there, dizzy and nauseated.  She could feel hot blood running down her face, but she could not stop now.  She felt the floor to see what had obstructed her path.  It was legs and instinctively she felt upwards, she found the arm.  Her heart sank when she searched for a pulse but could not find one.  “Shit!”

“Help us… here,” a voice came into earshot.

Danni pulled herself off the floor and held on to the bedpost and felt her way up the mattress.  The whimper was just ahead, and when she reached out her hand she felt another hand reaching out to her.  Danni’s heart raced.  She pulled the hand attempting to pull the woman up, but to no avail.

“I can’t walk,” the woman cried.

“Are you trapped?”

“No, I can’t walk,” she affirmed.  “I’m a paraplegic, please save my daughter.”  The women grabbed Danni’s hand and placed it over the girls arm.  “Don’t let my baby die.  Please save her.”  The woman coughed and pushed her daughter in Danni’s direction.

She took a hold of the girls arm and pulled her into her embrace.  “I’ll be back to get you,” Danni promised but knew that once she was out safe, she may not be able to get back in.  She grabbed the blanket off the bed and wrapped herself and the girl like a cocoon.

“Mom,” the girl cried out.  “I’m scared; I don’t want to leave you.”  The girl tried to pull herself from Danni, but the more she tried, the stronger Danni’s hold became.  “Please, we can carry her out together.  Please, help me.  We can’t leave her.”

Through the tears, the woman reassured her, “I love you pumpkin, don’t you ever forget it.  I am too heavy to carry.”  The tears flowed freely; she would sacrifice anything for her daughter, even if it meant her life.  She would have no regrets.

“If we work together, we can carry you mom.”  Danni squeezed the girls hand in hopes she was right.

But her mother interrupted.  “No, I’m too heavy; it took two grown men to move me.  Please, please get my daughter to safety,” she begged.

“No mom.”  The girl tried again to struggle from Danni’s grip, but could not get free.  “Mom, I can’t, I can’t leave you.” 

“Get her out of here now!” the woman screamed.

Just then more of the ceiling from the other room let way.  There was no time to think, so Danni pulled the girl from the room screaming and fighting.  “I will be back for you, I promise.”  She coughed and felt her way out the room.  Once she reached the front entrance she ran through the flames.  She threw herself on the ground trying to smother the flames that now burned through the blanket and ignited their clothes.

“Stay here!” she yelled at the girl and dashed towards the house, but before she reached the porch the roof collapsed.  It all seemed like a bad dream.  She stood paralyzed in disbelief.  Tears ran down her face as the girl screamed for her mother, but she could not console her.  She did not even realize the fire department had arrived or when a paramedic whisked the girl from her side, she stood there unable to move.  The scene before her played out as if in slow motion.  She could hear the voices, but they were garbled.  She looked at the paramedic that held a compress to her head asking her questions, but she could not make out what he was saying.  She could not find her voice to beg him to help the other people in the house.  She stood motionless as the rest of the roof collapsed; there was no hope.

She was drifting in and out of consciousness as the paramedic sat her down on a gurney and cut away her shirt.  She looked around trying to find the girl, she tried to ask but the oxygen mask halted any questions.  She could barely breathe as she listened to the commotion around her and then all went black.

“Ms. Pacelli can you hear me?” a voice brought Danni from her deep sleep.  She opened her eyes to see a man in a white coat standing over her.  He had her wrist in his hand while he looked at his wristwatch.  He smiled at her as she struggled to clear her vision.  “Welcome back Ms. Pacelli, you have been sleeping a long time.”

Danni tried to sit up but her attempts failed when he held her in place.  “Where am I?” she questioned, her throat burned as the words escaped.

“You’re in St. Anthony’s hospital.”  He smiled and wrote down her vitals on a chart.  “I understand you’re a real hero,” he added as he placed the chart on the table.  “So, how are we feeling?”

“How’s the girl doing?” Danni inquired, not concerned about her own health but of the girl she pulled from the house.

“Oh yes, Annie,” he paused, “She’s right down the hall from you, she has a few cuts and burns, but she is doing fine, don’t you worry about her, you need to worry about getting yourself better.”  He looked at her sympathetically while he patted her on the hand.

“Annie,” Danni said aloud and turned her head in shame.  She scolded herself, angry that she never took time to ask her name.  Every day she watched as the cute blonde haired, blue eyed girl, who rode past her each day on a bike singing along with the music coming from her MP3 player.  Each day Danni would wave to her and say hello as she got into her squad car and each day she would laugh to herself when the girl would blush and giggle.  Danni thought it was cute when it became apparent she was the recipient of a teenage crush.  Several times a week she would pretend she was adjusting her seat and her radio as she watched her.  She reasoned it was curiosity that made her sit there but in reality it made her feel young for those few moments; she was that girl riding her bike, carefree and not a worry in the world.  But that was over now, the girl named Annie would not know a peaceful night, her rides would not be carefree all because she did not keep her promise.

“And the mother?”  Her eyes darkened with the question.  “Did they get her out?”

“From what I heard, there were no other survivors.”  Tears swelled in his eyes as he witnessed the distress look on her face.  “I’m sorry,” he added as he left the room.

Danni looked out the window.  She replayed the events in her mind.  She had promised the woman she would be back for her, and she failed.  Danni was a good police officer.  In her short time on the force she had stood up against robbers, muggers and rapists, but she could not stand up against the flames and the thick black smoke.  Danni was at a loss, even though she knew she did everything she could she made a promise and failed.

CHAPTER ONE

The moon shined high in the sky lighting the streets below as the hooded figure stood on the street corner, shaking in anticipation of the kill.  The sound of the heartbeat within drummed throughout the killers’ body.  Eyes were steady trained upon the woman loitering down the street.  The predator lips trembled with the taste of blood for revenge.  It had planned it down to every detail for weeks.  This would be the first kill. 

The dark figure had to be sure not to be seen, patience is what it would take.  One last walk of the dark streets, the killer turned from the woman and walked purposely down the narrow street where it branched out into two paths.  Carefully the identical walkways were scanned.  The location was perfect for the kill, the dark figure laughed then stopped again, this time in the shadow of a small gangway and watched as a group of people passed by.  The sound of single footsteps neared.  The woman was alone, it was time.  The knife weighed cold and heavy within the grip, slowly and precisely the killer edged closer.

It was time, and the window of opportunity was small, if it was not done now, if there was any hesitation the chance would be gone, so the killer jumped from the darkness and grabbed the woman by the arm and pulled her down the dark walkway. 

The screams were muffled by the killers’ hand around her mouth.  She could hear heavy breathing as she tried to struggle free, but before she could move the knife was plunged into her back.  Pain shot into the unsuspecting woman, she gritted her teeth and tried to call out for help but before she could, the blade smoothly slid across her throat smothering her cries.  The dark figure leaned against the brick wall and watched the life slip from the woman.  The killer savored the moment of calm it brought.  “Whore!” the words were spat and the figure walked away into the grey night of the alley. 

Several moments passed, breathing steadily, determined to not let the tears that threatened to spill over the eyelids the satisfaction of remorse.  It was done and the final decision played perfectly and the whore paid for her crimes.  Still a little shaken, the killer was not sure if it from fear of getting caught or the pleasure of the kill that heightened the senses.  Now that it was started it could not stop until the last one was dead.  “I will make them all pay for what they’ve done,” the words slithered and another laugh filled the dark space in the alley.

In the distance lights and sirens filled the air, stricken with panic the killer stood motionless while the rain beaded on the ground around.  Wide eyes darted from one side of the alley to the next.  The killer blinked as the rain viciously stabbed against the delicate skin.  From the darkness flashlights scanned the ground.  The police were closing in; it was time to escape; one last glance down the a
lley, the killer darted behind a trash can when lights from an oncoming police car searched the area.  First opportunity the killer stepped out and tucked the knife back into the casing that hung from the belt loop.




Danni gagged and her eyes began to slightly water from the thick smell of sweat and old tobacco from the second she opened the door to the unisex locker room.  Mostly the men inhabited the space as they had done for years prior to the first woman police officer being hired.  She thought they would have built a new locker room for the women, but they insisted there was not enough money in the budget for it.  She knew the city could afford it, but with the good ole boy mentality it was never going to happen.  If the old dogs as she referred to them, had their way, there would be no women officers on the force.  Defeated, she just kept changing in the same room, with the same masculine disgusting smells for the past twelve years and accepted there would be no changes on the horizon.

After roll call Lieutenant Hagerty pointed to Danni directing her off to the side.  She sighed knowing he had an assignment no one else would do or thought themselves too important to be bothered with.  She knew if she told him no he would pass her over for promotions.  She told herself one day, she would get a case that would help her career.

Hesitantly she put one foot in front of the other and joined him.  “Yes sir, what can I do for you?”

“I need you in interrogation now!  We have a possible lead on the Night Walker murders,” h
e ordered and led the way.

Danni mocked his limp as she followed close behind, she despised her superior.  She had been on the force two months shy of thirteen years, and to this day she still had to work harder than the men to get a little recognition.  She was getting frustrated.  The more she worked and the more crimes she solved, she was still at a stalemate.  She was frustrated with her male counter parts and was tired of asking to have her detail transferred, and to her dismay there had been no response.

She had to remind herself daily that attaining the title of detective in just four years of being on the force was an honor, and she reasoned there were still male officers who had been walking the beat for ten plus years and would continue on that path until they retired.  When she passed the detectives exam and got the promotion it filled her with pride.  She worked hard and was proud of her accomplishments.  She was given the north district of town, better known as crack alley as her detail.  The goal was to get as many drug dealers off the street as possible.  But soon, frustration built as she witnessed drug deals after drug deals, and as soon as she pulled one small time thug off the street there was another to replace him.  It seemed like it was never ending, and she knew if they did not get the suppliers, they would never stop the traffic, but the undercover officers were not any closer to helping her.  She wondered if they were in too long and had become dirty, but that would be another case she would never solve.

She was relieved when Lieutenant Tom Hagerty put her on other cases.  It would give her another chance to prove herself, but this case was a cold case that had no real leads.  The papers sensationalized it calling it the Night Walker murders.  The papers accused the precinct of being lazy.  The last headline read.  Eight prostitutes slain over the course of nine months and local law enforcement has swept it under the rug.  Danni knew that was not totally true, there were no leads and few witnesses came forth, and the ones that did offered little information.

When she walked in the room, she was relieved when the occupant did not notice her.  It allowed her a moment to survey the man.  She had learned early in her career that the most common of criminals were undoubtedly looking for a scape goat, or were as afraid they would get caught so they would pretend to be one of the good guys trying to help.  As she stepped closer the smell of filth and urine radiated from him and stung her nose.  She coughed and covered her nose as she sat on the other side of the table and adjusted the fan to blow in his direction.  She now knew why they wanted her to interview him, no one else wanted to be enclosed in this room with him.  She wanted to get the interview over and urged him to tell her everything he knew.

To her surprise, the grey haired man gave detail after detail of the events.  But for Danni, what made the crime more tragic was he witnessed one of the murders but did nothing to stop it.  He admitted he was drunk lying in his cardboard box, he said at first he thought it was a couple fighting, and when he saw her go down and the tall slender man run away, he just thought he knocked her out.  He hung his head in shame.  “I didn’t think she was dead.”

He said when he woke up in the morning the woman was still lying there, he said he tried to wake her up, but when he touched her she was cold and then he saw it, blood covering her throat and the ground around her.  He said he recognized her as Sheila, one of the local prostitutes.  He went on to say how she was always nice to him and after she would have a good night, she always brought him a fresh bottle of whisky and a sack of food.  “She took real good care of me.”  He looked away as if in deep thought then leaned in giving her names of all the men he had seen her with in the days preceding her death.

Her heart thumped as he went down the list, she had suspects, but the name on the last john that picked her up made her stomach churn.  The name echoed in her head as the old man repeated it.  “
Mayor Burns.”  The witness insisted the mayor was with the hooker the night of the murder, but insisted it was not the man in the alley who killed her.  Danni asked the man to wait and entered the adjoining room.  She was relieved when she saw no one in there.  She was the only one who heard the statement, and this was now her chance to make a name for herself.  He may not be the murderer but he is still part of her investigation and not beyond approach. 

She went back in the room extended her hand in appreciation and handed him a few food vouchers the precinct kept on hand for emergencies.  This ranked right up there with one she reasoned.  “I made arrangements for you to go to Tyler Resource Center where you can have access to a shower and a set of clean clothes, then take these vouchers and get yourself a hot meal.”  Danni smiled when she witnessed a toothless grin.

“Thank you,” he eagerly took them nodding his head in appreciation.

“It’s the least I can do,” she smiled.  “Thank you for the information, here is my card; call me if you think of anything else.”

It was not long after Danni finished the interview that the lieutenant called her into his office.  She entered with caution looking around.  Seated to the right was a woman no older than twenty nine, maybe thirty but no older than thirty three, she thought as she sized her up carefully standing directly in front of the desk.  Danni tried not to stare but the striking bright blue eyes, dimples, and the blonde curly hair pulled back around her ears seemed familiar.  She had this weird sensation she had looked into those eyes before.

Maybe in another life she coughed trying to gather her composure.  “
Yes Sir, did you want to see me?” she questioned avoiding the woman’s gaze.

“Have a seat Pacelli.” 
He directed her to the chair next to the other woman.  “This is detective Flanery.  She transferred here from the Lubbock PD and I have assigned her as your partner to work the Night Walker case,” he advised and cocked his right eyebrow waiting for the objection he knew would follow.

Lost for words, Danni knew he was testing her.  She did not want to blow her chance with this case and had to fight the urge to slam her fist down on the wide smiling, bible-thumping conservatives’ desk, but instead she regained her composure and stared him down.  “
I don’t need a partner!” she snarled, unmoving.

“You have no choice in the matter.  You are being moved into homicide and everyone in that department has to have a partner.” 
He smirked when he witnessed the shocked look on her face.

“I’m what?  Why wasn’t I told before?”
Danni backed down, and looked at him in disbelief.

“
The orders just came across my desk yesterday.  I waited for Detective Flanery to get into town, to ensure I had a partner for you.” 

“She’s a rookie Lieutenant and this is a high profile case, if you think the media is trash talking us now, let them get a whiff of this.”  Pointing out the obvious she looked at him in disbelief.

He chuckled already aware how this would look.  “There is no other choice, none of the guys on the force will work with you, and so you’re getting the rookie.”  He half smiled wanting to dig it in a little more.  “You should have been nicer to the guys Danni,” he blurted out trying to hide his amusement.  He deposited himself back in his chair and ignored the way the young detective looked at him.

Danni was visibly angry, but she kept her cool.  She must be sleeping her way up the chain to get the job so young Danni concluded as she laughed.  “
Lieutenant, this partnership is unacceptable.  Why can’t you put me with a more experienced detective that won’t get me killed?” Danni was determined there was no way she was not going to put her life in this rookies hands.

“I asked for you,”
Detective Flanery chimed in.  “I wanted to be with someone who knew what they were doing and would not get me dead.”

“And, who did you have to sleep with to get that put through?” caught off guard,
Danni snarled.

“It is what it is, so deal with it!”
Flanery smirked.

Very rarely was Danni ever taken by surprise, but there was something about this woman.  For a moment she entertained that it was a joke being played on her.  She sighed as she looked into her eyes, if they were not so enticing, so familiar, Danni would have knocked her on her ass.  What is it about this woman?  She knew either she agreed or she would be stuck in the DEA truck for another twelve years.

“Shit.”  Danni locked eyes with Flanery.  “Fine, but you better stay out of my way!” she spouted and exited the room.  Flanery looked to the Lieutenant for guidance but he motioned for her to follow her new partner. 

Flanery was just as concerned as Danni with the partnership, this was a murder investigation, from her research, Danni worked solely with the DEA, and she had only done research for the special crimes division.  Neither had experience but she knew she was lacking in experience on the street, she had more than double the experience with her investigative skills.  She could find anything or anyone with all the right technology which she has already proven herself time and time again. 

She tried to approach Pacelli several times that morning at her desk, but was treated like a coffee girl or a go-fer.  Fed up and feeling rejected, she pulled the case files off the server and scanned through them.  She knew that Danni probably had more recent data, but how could she get to that when she was being pushed away.  For a brief moment, she started to regret transferring.  She already had made a name for herself at her old precinct and now she was on new territory, and the one person she was assigned to wanted nothing to do with her.