Knight, p.1
Knight, page 1
Knight
The Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team
Book 8
Laramie Briscoe
Contents
New Release Alerts
Moonshine Task Force Members
Summary
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Declan - Chapter One
Shadows - Chapter One
About the Author
Also By Laramie Briscoe
Report Errors/Reviews
Connect With Laramie
Also By Laramie Briscoe
Copyright © 2023 Laramie Briscoe
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without express permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and storylines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.
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Cover: Laramie Briscoe
Cover Photography: Wander Aguiar
Formatting: Laramie Briscoe
Editing: Katy Nielsen
Created with Vellum
New Release Alerts
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Moonshine Task Force Members
Ryan “Renegade” Kepler – Married to Whitney and father to Stella and Nick. Best friend to Trevor.
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Trevor “Tank” Trumboldt – Married to Blaze, brother to Whitney, uncle to Stella and Nick. Best friend to Ryan.
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Holden “Havoc” Thompson – Married to Leighton, father to Ransom and Cutter. Best friend to Mason.
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Anthony “Ace” Bailey – Married to Violet.
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Mason “Menace” Harrison – Married to Karina, father to Caleb and Kelsea, grandfather to Molly and Levi. Best friend to Holden.
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Caleb “Cruise” Harrison – Married to Ruby, father to Molly and Levi, son of Mason, brother to Kelsea.
Summary
From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author comes the next book in the Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team.
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Trust Laramie Briscoe to provide engaging characters in a well-built world I want to revisit again and again. Carly Phillips, NY Times bestselling author.
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Fan favorite Mason “Menace” Harrison get a chance to show off how he runs the Laurel Springs Police Department.
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I’ve worked my way up from being the single dad on the original Moonshine Task Force to the leader of the Laurel Springs Police Department. Getting the title of Chief of Police is one of the most important things I’ve ever done.
On the second official day of my command - a teenage girl is taken.
I’ve never been the type of person to back down from a challenge. With my guys, my kids, and my wife by my side I know I can do anything I set my mind to. I just wasn’t counting on it possibly tearing the town of Laurel Springs apart.
Like always, when they need a knight in shining armor, I’ll be there. And I won’t let the girl go without a fight.
If there’s one thing I promise. It’s to keep my family and my town safe. Lord help anyone who stands in my way.
Prologue
Menace
It’s been a hell of a day; one where I got here late in the afternoon because I had meetings. One of the things I’ve learned since accepting the Chief of Police position two months ago is that it’s a lot of shit I hadn’t planned on. It’s keeping people happy and kissing a lot of ass. Although I took the position so long ago, I’m only on my second official day.
My legs ache to get back out on the street, to do a couple of laps around downtown or to drive a car fast; to chase a speeder with the lights bright and the siren blaring. I miss it more than I thought I would–especially this early on in the tenure.
It’s close to midnight, and I know Rina will be wondering where the hell I am, but I wanted to get a look at what went on today by reading the reports of the officers. This is something I do every day so I can try to gauge how my officers are doing. It’s important for me to know if there’s an issue in town, if someone is a nuisance, if we need to step up patrols in certain areas. I started doing it as soon as I got the position.
Community policing is the name of my game, and I take it seriously.
Reading the last report which was submitted by Caleb, I reach up to rub my tired eyes. I can’t wait to crawl in bed with my wife, and tomorrow we’re supposed to get a couple grandkids. Being a grandfather is one of the most rewarding things that’s ever happened to me. I enjoy it even more than being a father, which says a lot.
I love being a father.
But there’s something about the eyes of my grandkids that look up at me like I’ve hung the moon. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe and happy.
Levering my tired body up out of my seat, I begin locking up when Archer comes running into my office.
“Hey, you’re gonna wanna hear this 911 call that just came in. I was about to sign off for the night, but I think something happened on Tremmel Creek Road.”
Now he’s got my attention. Tremmel Creek has maybe five houses on it. We’ve never been called out there. One of the things most cops will tell others is there’s a sixth sense to some calls. You know before you even take it that it’s going to be different than any of the others you’ve ever been on.
That feeling is causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand at attention.
“Play me the call.”
He pulls out his phone, going to an app we got recently so that we could listen to calls in real time if it appears there’s going to be a threat to an officer.
What I hear puts fear into my heart. There aren’t any words spoken, but there’s something happening in the background, and then a gunshot. That’s when the call drops. “Did they call back?” I ask, putting my jacket on.
“They did, but there was no answer. Officers are en route.”
There are moments in life where, if you’ve lived it long enough, you know there’s a change coming – whether it be for you, or someone else.
This change?
I think it’s for us all.
“Let's get out there. You drive, while I try to figure out what the fuck’s going on.”
*****
When we get to the home the emergency call came from, that same weird feeling is all over everything. My son stands in the doorway, looking shell-shocked.
“What do we have going on?”
He glances up, seeming to have aged a couple of years since I last saw him. “Two dead; a husband and wife. They were both shot by what appears to be an intruder. Whoever it was came through the back door – there’s glass everywhere. From all accounts there was a teenage girl here, and she’s gone.”
“What?” I flinch as if he’s hit me. “Are you sure she isn’t hiding? I mean, somebody came in here and killed her parents, maybe she’s hiding and is waiting until she knows it’s okay to come out.”
“We thought the same thing,” Ransom says as he walks up to us with Rambo on his leash. “Rambo lost her scent at the access road.”
“Son of a bitch. She got in a car.”
“Or she was forced,” he confirms. “Rambo was on her like his ass was on fire, and then he lost her. Looked up at me like I was gonna be able to tell him where the fuck she went.”
“Do we have any idea who this was?” I question, the beginning of a headache working its way up my neck.
Everyone shakes their heads. “First place I went was to the corners of the house to see if there were any cameras, then I checked the doors. This family apparently didn’t believe in surveillance.”
“And there’re no neighbors for a mile.” My stomach drops.
“I headed over there and they said they heard a gunshot about fifteen minutes ago, but figured it was hunters.”
“So they didn’t make a report?”
“Correct.”
Trying to get my shit together, I start going through pr otocol in my head. What are the other questions I can ask? “Do we know how old she is? What her name is?”
“Taylor Kingston,” Archer reads from his phone, where he’s no doubt tapped into the city database. “She’s fifteen and lives here with her parents, Howard and Kathy.”
That’s got to be the victims. “Do we have a next of kin to notify?”
“Kathy’s got three sisters,” Archer says and clears his throat. “One lives two miles from here.”
“Then that’s where we’ll go. We’ve gotta make a notification, see if there’s anywhere they think Taylor might be. This scene is to be worked by the book. You got me? There’s a fifteen year old unaccounted for, and we need to be cognizant of that. Give me your keys, Archer. I’ll do this myself.”
He throws them towards me, and with a flick of my wrist I catch them before heading out to the SUV.
Driving the two miles down the road takes a lifetime. Knowing I’ll be ruining this family’s life is one of the worst parts of the new title I have. Coming to a stop in the driveway, I try to compose my thoughts, do my best to think about what I might want someone to say if they were bringing bad news to me in the middle of the night.
It doesn’t work for one reason.
I don’t like bringing bad news to anyone.
For most of my career I’ve been the one who helped others; fixed problems when they seemed to not be fixable. Yet here I am, sitting in the dark, trying to get up the courage to go knock on this door and tell the people sleeping peacefully their family is destroyed.
Two are dead, one is missing.
Guess tonight is the night I recognize I won’t always be the knight in shining armor. Sometimes I’ll be your worst nightmare come to life.
Chapter One
Rina
When I went to bed last night, Mason wasn’t home. He’d sent me a text hours before, telling me not to worry. It’s something I constantly try to do.
To not worry.
One of the things I’ve learned since becoming the wife of a police officer is I can’t allow my mind to run away with what if’s and maybe’s. I learned pretty quickly that it would either put me on medication or drive me to drink. With two of the most important people in my life wearing a badge, I have to trust they will come home at the end of the night. I have to trust they’ll make the correct decisions so they’ll be able to wake up the next morning. I’m at peace with that.
These days I only worry if another officer shows up at my door when Mason should be on shift.
Grabbing my coffee cup, I put it under the Keurig and impatiently wait for it to finish brewing. I don’t wake up properly until I get my first jolt of caffeine.
Mason’s SUV turns into the driveway, and the nervousness in my stomach goes away. For the first time since he left for his shift, I can breathe easily. Although I give it up to the heavens when he’s gone, it doesn’t mean I don’t rejoice when he comes home.
I’m stirring my creamer and sugar in when I see him get out of his SUV and walk toward the back porch. Although he has some gray in his beard and a little bit of gray at the edges of his hair, he still looks very close to the man I married. My heart still thuds when I see him coming my way.
“Have you heard?” Mason asks as he comes through the sliding glass door.
In our lives, either he has the gossip, or I do. Being the most senior teacher at Laurel Springs High means a lot of people – whether they be student or adult – confide in me. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, so I assume not.”
He chucks his jacket and duty belt on the dining room table before coming over and leaning against the counter. His hands are at his slim hips, taking my focus off his face for a split second. “Let me start out by saying it’s no one in our family, and for that I’m thankful. However, it is someone who goes to Laurel Springs High.”
“Oh no, Mase. What happened?” My heart drops into my stomach.
He runs a hand over his beard, his wedding ring glinting in the light of the kitchen. “Taylor Kingston was taken last night, and her parents were killed,” his voice is low and full of pain.
“Taken? What do you mean? Like kidnapped?”
He nods, those dark eyes of his haunted and hollow. “Yeah. It looked pretty brutal too. Archer got the call off the 911 feed, and when we went out there, she was gone and they were DOA. I’m just home for a few hours of sleep and then I’ll be going back out. Crime Scene is out there right now. Hopefully they’ll be able to pick up some evidence for us, because right now we have nothing.”
“Kids are going to hear about this,” I murmur and pull my bottom lip between my teeth, worrying the skin. Immediately my mind goes to the students I care so much about. “She’s well-liked, popular, and doesn’t have an enemy. I can’t imagine anyone who would do this.”
He sighs heavily. “Reminds me of when Caleb was in school and they lost a classmate. Cursory questions we’ve asked haven’t revealed anything about anyone who might have wanted to hurt the family. Finding her isn’t going to be easy.”
“None of this is easy,” I remind him.
“Nope, and it’s even heavier than normal. They don’t have neighbors for miles, babe. There were no cameras on the house, and we got a late start compared to whoever did this. We’re at zero. People are gonna have questions, and we’re not gonna have answers.” He blows out a deep breath, his shoulders drooping.
Reaching over, I grab his hand. “If there’s anything I know about you, it’s that you’re gonna find her. No other outcome will be good enough for you.”
“Second day on the fucking job, Rina,” he shakes his head. “We’ve never had anything like this in Laurel County.”
The only thing I can do is put my arms around him and hold on tight. “There’s a reason you were given this job, Mase. It’s because you and your team are the best. You’ll find her, and you’ll figure out why the Kingstons were targeted.”
“I wish I had as much faith in myself as you do in me, babe.”
Reaching up, I place a kiss on his cheek. “I have enough for both of us.”
“Yeah you do, and I love you for it.”
“Not as much as I love you.” I hug him tightly, wondering what I’m going to be faced with when I get to school.
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*****
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Pulling into the parking lot of Laurel Springs High, I can tell this day is different. There’s always an undercurrent of how the day will be once I’m on school grounds. Some of those days are great, other ones are a struggle. Getting out of my SUV, I sigh heavily.
Today? Utter sadness.
Even if everyone doesn’t know what’s happened, the vibe is feeding off of the ones who do.
“Hey,” Trinity waves as she walks over to where I’ve parked.
“Hey,” I answer her back with one of my own. “Did you hear what happened?”
She nods. “Taylor is in my homeroom. They notified me last night.”
I reach out, hugging her tightly. “I’m so sorry.”
A sniffle works its way out, before she pulls back. “She’s such a good person; always helping anyone who needs it, and willing to help whenever needed. I can’t imagine what she saw last night, Karina.”
