One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 11, page 3

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Lawperson Séara Nulıpésha fumed on the doorstep. Her tears had dried. She shouldn’t have let Mr. Kılímo direct the situation like that. She should’ve taken charge. She should be inside, standing beside those medics, just like her orders.

In the distance, the faint chopping of a helicopter grew louder. The constabulary’s Aerial One was joining the search. That suspect could be a kilometer away or more, by now. Unless, of course, they caught him in the back yard before he jumped the fence or opened one of the gates.

Her belt radio burped. “This is Vomıvé. Nulıpésha, report. Please tell me you’re in the house. Come unlock back door.” His exasperation shone through the static.

Uh oh. Séara slowly reached for the radio. She had to tell him the truth; she had no other options. But the truth would probably get her fired.

She held the transmitter up to her mouth and replied, “Medics are in house with victim. I am outside front door.” She paused. “Is suspect in custody?” She froze in that position, waiting for the wrath of Vomıvé to fall upon her.

The helicopter thundered over the house, dark except for a few blinking lights. They must be searching with infrared, thought Séara as she turned her face away from the blast of dusty wind stirred up by the helicopter’s passing.

Her radio sputtered again, someone talking, but she couldn’t make out the words over the roar of Aerial One. After a few seconds, the helicopter rounded the house out of sight, circling into the distance.

Into her radio, Séara said, “Please repeat.”

A burst of static. “Colonial Enforcers entering house. Stand by, Nulıpésha.”

She lowered the radio, clipping it to her belt without looking. If they’re entering the house, why did Vomıvé need me to unlock the door for them?

The realization smacked Séara upside the head: they were breaking in, just as she was about to do, a couple minutes ago.

The radio staticked again. “This is Vomıvé, inside Kılímo residence. Enforcers leading search for suspects Kılímo and Bhanar. Debris from Zhíno gunfight littering kitchen.”

Quick footsteps thudded inside the house, followed by a moment of silence, then by more quick footsteps approaching the front door. The Enforcers had succeeded where Séara had failed. She took a deep breath and straightened her back, preparing for the verbal onslaught to come.

The door swung open, revealing a tall, blond man in a black uniform with Enforcer insignia. He narrowed his eyes at Séara and tersely said, “The door was unlocked.”

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