Fatal Hunt

by Kristy Walker

  “It’s a girl!” Jack wrapped her in a towel that someone handed to her and gave her to the closest EMT. They cleared the baby’s mouth and throat and she gave a hearty, welcome, and extremely loud cry.

  Mike leaned over to Captain Wells.

  “Sounds just like her mommy.”

  Captain Wells just smiled, but secretly agreed.

  The EMT handed the still squalling baby to her mother.

  Kacey cried with joy and she announced, “Hello, Danielle.” The baby quieted immediately, squinting up at her mommy.

  A cheer went up as everyone who had been anxiously waiting in Kacey’s front yard heard the news.

  After cutting the cord and making sure both baby and mommy were able to be transported safely, the EMTs loaded them into the ambulance and headed to the hospital.

  Chapter 109

  Kacey woke up to find Sandy sitting by her hospital bed.

  “Kacey, can you ever forgive me?” Sandy sobbed. “I should’ve known.”

  “Sandy. There’s absolutely nothing to forgive. Neither one of us has any blame here. How are you and the kids doing with everything?”

  “We are moving to where Mom and Dad live. We would never get out from under this here. I’ve already filed for divorce and I’m taking my maiden name back for myself and the kids. We will be fine. You?”

  “I’ve never been better. Sit with me awhile. There’s someone I want you to meet.” Kacey leaned over and summoned the nurse to bring Dani to her.

  The two ladies spent some time crying, laughing, and healing. Passing sweet Dani back and forth, talking of good times from the past and looking towards a better future.

  Chapter 110

  Kacey had a lot of time to think during her extended maternity leave. She had decided to take six months instead of six weeks, feeling the need to heal from more than just childbirth.

  During the first two weeks of her leave, she and Dani enjoyed many visits from the ladies from church. Her fridge and freezer would never be empty! Dani, who was a real Cuddle Bug, was held and loved on by dozens of people. All of her fellow men and women in blue came by with their spouses, bearing gifts. Kacey basked in their shared joy.

  As soon as Kacey felt good and the baby was ready to get out, her first outing was back to the church that Dan had pastored before he was tragically killed. They, of course, welcomed her with open arms. Carol leading the charge.

  “Oh, Kacey! I’m so glad you’re here!” Carol said, taking Dani from Kacey’s arms for a cuddle.

  “I’ve been away for too long, Carol. Do you mind holding Dani while I go introduce myself to the new Pastor and his wife?”

  “Are you crazy? Of course I don’t mind. I’ll even show her off a bit.”

  Kacey squared her shoulders and went off to meet Dan’s replacement.

  Chapter 111

  After church, Kacey fastened Dani into her car seat and headed home, declining several lunch invites. She needed a little breather. It had been very difficult to hold her emotions in check. By the time she turned the corner to her street, she felt great. It had been exactly what she needed to go to church and get over her reluctance to see a new face in the pulpit.

  When she pulled into the driveway, Mike and Jack were waiting for her.

  Jack rushed towards her with a dozen roses and a hug as Mike went around to get Dani out of her car seat.

  “How did it go, Kace?” Jack asked as she released her from a hug.

  “I’m not going to lie, it was really hard. But, I’m so glad I went. It was great to be back and to show Dani off.”

  Mike held Dani to his chest, as she nuzzled in closer towards his warmth.

  “I almost can’t stand how cute she is.” Mike gushed.

  “Don’t look at me like that.”

  Kacey and Jack were grinning at his constant reaction to Dani.

  “Oh, I almost forgot … we got Chinese.” Jack said, as she turned to get the take out package.

  “You guys know me so well.”

  They grabbed the food and followed Mike into the house since he seemed unwilling to pass Dani off. He held her while the women put the food out with plates and utensils.

  While they were moving around, Kacey noticed something flashing on Jack’s hand.

  “Is that what I think it is?!!” Kacey squealed.

  “’Bout time you noticed.” Jack said, beaming from ear to ear, as Mike grinned widely.

  Kacey hugged Jack hard and the rest of the meal was non-stop wedding talk.

  While Mike and Kacey were cleaning up and Jack was feeding Dani a bottle, Mike cleared his throat.

  “What do you think about being my best ‘man’”?

  “I thought you’d never ask! Just don’t make me wear a tux.”

  “You got it.”

  Chapter 112

  During her maternity leave, Kacey did a lot of thinking. She realized that an indefinitely extended leave was in her future. She didn’t know if she would return or not. Her life had been in danger several times over the past year and she couldn’t leave Dani an orphan. But it was all she knew. She had always wanted to be a cop and it’s the only job she had ever had.

  As she stood by Mike in the beautiful historic chapel, she thought she had never seen a bride as beautiful as Jack. She was absolutely radiant and her eyes were shiny with unshed tears of joy.

  She glanced down to make sure Dani was behaving herself. At six months, she was getting a little mouthy. She had to smile as she saw that Captain Wells had Dani well in hand as he held her in his lap, entertaining her with a picture book. Pacifier firmly in place.

  After the wedding, Kacey finally escaped the receiving line to find Dani so she could feed her. She found her with Detective John Denard. He looked like an old pro as he made her laugh by tossing her up a few inches into the air and catching her.

  “You should be glad that she doesn’t have a full tummy.” Kacey said with a laugh.

  “Oh, I’ve been puked on more times than I can count, so Dani puke wouldn’t be an issue.” He said laughing as he handed the baby back to Kacey.

  After Dani was fed, Kacey once again lost her as the sweet baby was passed around to, what seemed like, everyone there. She had to laugh as she watched these grown men try to navigate the slippery ruffles of her satin dress. The only one who seemed to have no trouble handling it was Detective Denard, but Kacey knew that he had spent at least as much time as Marsha taking care of his daughter as she grew up.

  Dani spent more time on the dance floor than any other lady there. Kacey didn’t worry about her at all. Who would mess with Dani with this crowd? Everyone there knew how to serve and protect.

  Kacey was just finishing her cake, laughing with a table full of wives, when Captain Wells walked over and asked her to dance.

  “I’d love to!” Kacey said, putting her hand into his extended one. Thankful that the crowd had just finished the Chicken Dance.

  As he held her in his arms and they moved around the dance floor, he asked her when she was planning on coming back.

  “I was actually going to talk to you about coming back after Dani has her first birthday. At first I was planning on six months, but I’m loving this whole mommy thing. I do miss work. I miss the nitty gritty of it all.”

  “Good to know. We’ve definitely missed your crazy spiderwebbing.”

  “Oh, that’s all you miss? Not my great personality and brilliant mind?”

  “Oh, yeah right … that too.” Captain Wells laughed.

  "You know that I can put you on extended maternity leave. If you come back within twelve months, you just pick up where you left off. "

  They both looked over at Dani as the baby squealed with laughter at "Uncle Mike" blowing raspberries at her while Jack laughed at them. They had been including her some of their many dances as a newly married couple.

  "Who would've thought that Detective Parker would turn to mush so quickly over a baby?"

  "I had my suspicious. He's pretty crazy
about his nephews." Kacey said. "I still can't believe how that all turned out."

  "Yeah ... I keep hoping I'll stop being surprised at human behavior, but I don't think that will ever happen." Captain Wells said, spinning Kacey around the dance floor.

  "You are a very good dancer, Captain."

  "Thank you, Detective. Linda and I took lessons once. I hated them, she loved them, but it was something to try.”

  “Our lives have sure gone through some changes lately, haven’t they?”

  “They have indeed.”

  As Jeff Boaz tapped him on the shoulder, Abraham passed Kacey off to him with a little nod.

  Epilogue:

  Thor ran around the little crawling girl. He knocked her over and she squealed with sweet baby laughter.

  Abraham abandoned the grill and ran over to her to set her on her bottom. She lifted her arms up to him and he scooped her up. She snuggled into his arms.

  “How’s our birthday girl?” He said. “Are you ready to see Uncle Mike and Aunt Jack?”

  “’es” She said, squirming out of his arms.

  Captain Wells laughed at her half crawl, half walk that she had adopted. Looking like a little bear cub.

  She crawled faster, Thor biting at the hem of her dress. He finally got it and followed after her, looking very much like Dani was on a leash, and Thor was walking her.

  Kacey came out into the backyard with chips and dip, carefully working her way around the inflatable baby pool which had been filled with ice and a variety of cold beverages. The ice was melting faster than she had hoped.

  She was happy to see that the Captain had the burgers and brats well on their way to perfection. The sizzling from the grill and the smell of cooling meat made her stomach grumble in anticipation.

  He and his new girlfriend had come early to help. Just as promised, her co-workers had taken their mantle of “uncle” to Dani very seriously.

  Just then, Mike and Jack came in. Her carrying Kacey’s favorite potato salad and him carrying an elaborate 1st birthday cake.

  “Where’s the birthday girl?!” Mike called out. Meandering around, acting like he couldn’t see the tiny girl playing in the sandbox. “Oh, there she is.” He said after she had been pulling up on him, trying to get noticed.

  He put the cake down and scooped her up. He kissed her cheek with a smack and put her down.

  Jack put her potato salad down and went to Kacey and gave her a hug, carefully avoiding the Thor pile that Kacey had missed in her yard scan.

  Soon, all of Dani’s other ‘uncles’ began arriving. Dani was passed around and played with until she fell asleep in Uncle Mike's arms.

  Kacey looked around at those she loved the best and who loved her back and her heart was full. She was finally ready to get back to work.