One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 9, page 5

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Lawperson Séara Nulıpésha spotted the flashing red-and-green lights of several cruisers dazzling the desert night, accompanied by Mr. Kılímo’s powerful floodlights from the house.

Her radio squawked. “Shots fired! Shots fired!”

It sounded like Tépíto’s voice. He was already at the house, helping the Enforcers. Who was shooting and who were they shooting at? Had the Enforcers found the murderer? Had he taken the Kılímos hostage?

As she approached the unlit cruiser blocking her path, Séara swerved to the left lane and stomped on the brakes. The other police had parked alongside the road, but time was now of the essence. She cranked the steering wheel and gunned the cruiser up the gravel driveway.

A hundred meters ahead and closing fast, the ambulance was parked in front of the garage door. Séara squinted into Mr. Kılímo’s floodlights. Someone in dark clothes scurried past the ambulance, away from the front door.

Her radio burped. “This is Laparıpasamé. I’m circling the house. Suspect went out the back.”

The person running past the garage glanced up at Séara’s headlights. It was Tépíto Laparıpasamé.

Séara grabbed her radio handset as she veered to the open area right of the ambulance.

She held the handset near her mouth. “This is Nulıpésha approaching. Proceed. I’ll cover west side of house.”

Tépíto nodded and disappeared around the corner.

She longed to ask him about the Kılímos, but it wasn’t appropriate.

Séara stood on the brake pedal and unbuckled her seat restraint as the cruiser skidded to a halt. Before the auto completely stopped, Séara shoved the gearshift into park and threw open the door. She leapt out of the cruiser, drawing her pistol, and sprinted around the ambulance.

She had a murderer to capture.

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