Tempting the Light: Legends and Myths Police Squad (L.A.M.P.S. Book 1) (10 page)

Chapter 15

Guilt chopped at River’s vertebrae and curled the lobes in his cerebral cortex. Hooking up cameras to spy on Abby and Pepper seemed wrong. A knot tightened between his shoulder blades as they moved through the forest. Sure, the two women were suspicious, but that didn’t give him and Ottar the right to put them under surveillance. Well, actually, it did, what with L.A.M.P.S. being a secret part of the government and all, their job included protecting the townspeople. It wasn’t like they hadn’t snooped on people before, but this time seemed invasive.

River and Ottar set up three cameras to record the activity that took place on the ladies’ property. He grumbled when Ottar goaded him.

“All I’m saying is you’ve been quiet since those women came over this morning.” Ottar’s prodding questions and relentless statements had started to wear on River’s resolve.

Why couldn’t he leave it alone? Because they were on an assignment and the last thing he needed was to be preoccupied. “Drop it. Okay.” River leaped over a fallen moss covered tree stump and marched through the dry leaves on the forest floor.
What the hell was up with the big oaf’s bossy Australian insolence anyway?

Ottar slung his beat-up backpack over his shoulder and jogged to catch up. “Na, not this time. Out of all the dragos we have working at L.A.M.P.S, I thought you would be the last one to screw up an investigation over some
ho
.”

River swung around and punched Ottar in the jaw. “Don’t call her that.”

Ottar’s head snapped back. He rubbed his face and smiled a sly smile. “Damn, you can really pack a punch. You really like her.”

He shook his hand out. Crap, that man had a hard face. “Look, I haven’t
screwed
anything up. Don’t worry. I’ll capture the Gnome
and
the Jersey Devil, if it’s the last thing I do. Have I ever let the agency down?”

Ottar huffed, and dragged his super-sized hand through his unruly brown tangled hair. “Nope. But I have to say, those girls are not normal. Who in their sane mind would place a giant dinosaur sculpture on their lawn?”

River stopped and pulled out his binoculars to scan the treetops. “Well, think about what we’re doing here.”

“Our job. That’s what we’re doing. Making the world a safer place.” Ottar’s voice held no remorse.

“We’re grown men chasing a Gnome through the woods.”
And spying on Abby like a couple of pervs.

Ottar placed his hand on his shoulder and spun him around so they were face to face. “No, not just a Gnome, mate—a man eating Gnome. One of the nastiest buggers on the planet. What’s going on? You having second thoughts about the job?”

River stepped back and scratched the place Ottar’s hand had touched his shirt.
Was he having second thoughts about the job?
Ever since a Cryptid killed his brother, he’d dedicated his life to ridding the continent of monsters. It didn’t matter how long the job took, he never lost his focus. He swallowed hard. “Maybe I just need a vacation.”

“In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never needed a vacation.” Ottar tilted his head, disbelief stared from his face.

“Exactly. That’s why I need one now.”

“Na, I’m not buying it.” He shook his head but didn’t look away from River’s eyes. “Let’s split up. We’ll cover more ground. Radio me if you see anything.” Ottar gave him a pat on the back and took off in the opposite direction.

For the next two hours, he placed each step he took in between the dried dead twigs and brittle brush, taking the utmost care not to make any noise. Under no circumstances did he want to alert the Gnome. It took all afternoon sifting through the forest before he finally caught a break—River lifted one long, coarse white hair entangled in a pine branch—his first break since the trouble began. He placed it in a plastic baggy for evidence.

The pungent odor of spoiled mushrooms and rancid decomposing earthworms strengthened, and he raised his forearm to cover his nose and mouth. He etched in closer to his target. Nowhere in the Cryptid manual did it mention that these creatures stunk to the lowest level of hell. The death stench churned his stomach.

If the Gnome was more than a hundred yards away, he’d have to wear a gas mask or at least a bandanna over his nose. His mind drifted to the sweet cherry scent that reminded him of Abby. He pictured her swiping lip balm across those plump pink sexy lips. Visuals of the way she pursed them together, and the way her forehead crinkled when Charlotte showed up unexpectedly this morning, taunted him. He could feel his smile growing along with the sudden urges to do more than simply kiss his sweet Abby.

The bushes rustled about ten yards in front of him, snapping his attention to immediate danger. He crouched behind a fallen hollow tree and caught his first glimpse of the little bastard. River’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. The creature wore a small red hat, and his long white beard fell over dirty royal blue overalls.
Shit.

The Gnome hummed out a screeching melody sounding similar to what he imagined a cat in a clothes dryer might sound like. The miniature monster looked identical to lawn statues people placed in their garden, except for the large hooked nail on each of his thumbs. Oh, and there was that long mucus-covered purplish-pink hollow tongue the nasty bastard would dart out of his mouth every so often.

River crept closer. He guarded his steps with silence. He slowly lifted a heavy metal net from his backpack and stretched it between his hands for the capture.

A crow squawked out a warning from a gnarled branch in a dead tree above him. “Caw. Caw.” The Gnome’s icicle blue eyes connected with his.

So much for the surprise attack.
He bolted toward the Gnome at top speed and tossed the net up and over the creature. His net caught nothing but air.

“Ha. Ha. You can’t catch me.” The Gnome’s voice taunted like a little old man doing a voice impression of the gingerbread man. The critter darted off, running to-and-fro. His feet moved so fast they blurred under his ample round body.

River raced after him, pulling his rifle from the harness strapped on his back. “Halt, or I’ll shoot.” He shouted out a clear warning. He didn’t care if the government wanted the monster alive he intended to rid the world of the retched creature, and be done with the pest.

The Gnome cackled a chicken laugh, turned right, then left—zigzagging through the bushes and trees, making a clear shot impossible. River narrowed his eyes, and tried to sight him in.

A car rumbled on the road ahead of them. He knelt, pulled up his gun, and aimed at the spot he thought the Gnome would most likely cross the road. He clicked off the safety. Pressed his fingertip on the trigger. Exhaled a breath and steadied his aim.

The Gnome whizzed into his sites. Dead perfect shot. But, out of the left corner of his eye, a blue car drove around the corner and into the range of fire. Abby’s car.

River refused to chance the shot.

The Gnome jumped in front of the car, tucked his chin, grabbed his toes, and bounced off the hood like a beach ball. Her car swerved, caught the shoulder of the road, and sprayed gravel twenty feet high in a rooster tail behind the vehicle.

Abby tugged on the steering wheel to straighten her car. The click-tick-tick of gravel pummeled the chassis underneath her car.
Thwamp!
Her car stopped abruptly slamming her body backward into the seat.

POW.

Her vision whited.

Then she felt the airbag deflate.
What the hell!?

She struggled forward in the driver’s seat and let her head find a resting spot on the steering wheel. Her face and her left shoulder hurt like something fierce. She yelped in pain when she moved her arm, but everything else seemed okay. To be sure, she’d have to wiggle her legs. Honestly, she didn’t feel like putting forth that much effort at this moment.
Of all the lame brained cockamamie things to happen. Was that a Gnome that bounced off my hood?

“Abby. Abby.” A deep baritone voice called out her name. Then pounding rapped on the side window. She didn’t want to look up to see who tried to get in. Deep down she knew it was River. She lay with her cheek resting on the steering wheel, squeezing her eyes shut. If she refrained from acknowledging him, maybe the hot sheriff would just go away. What would a little wishful thinking hurt anyway?

The door handle clicked. Fresh air whooshed inside the car. “Are you hurt? Abby? Say something. Please talk to me.” River’s voice filled the silence of the car, tense and frantic.

She kept her eyes closed. “I’m just resting.” How would she
ever
get over the embarrassment of this episode?

River ran his hands over her arms, and then her neck. His deep plush voice soothed her fried nerve endings and warmed her body. “Maybe we should get you to the hospital. Can you move? Where are you injured?”

Abby opened her eyes to see River’s shadow of a beard covering his strong jaw a few inches from hers. He hovered there, an expression of concern etched across his features. She studied his lips and thought about the kisses they shared the night before and the surprise kiss in his police car. Not that she wanted a kiss right now. Well, maybe.

He tried to reach for her.

She jerked back. “I think I can move. My face hurts, and my shoulder, but I think I’m okay.” Leaning back in the car seat, she pushed the deflated airbag away. Her arms moved, which was a good thing. She turned her head from side to side and didn’t feel any pain in her neck, or her back.

River held out his arms for her, and she latched a hold of his large warm hands so he could pull her from the wreckage of the car. When he brought her to her feet against the wall of muscles on his chest, she swayed. She almost lost her balance. Quick, and instinctively she wrapped her hands around his strong biceps to help her stand.

“Abby,” he said, and searched her head with his hands for injuries. He stared into her eyes, but she quickly tore her gaze from his and assessed her car.

“Aw, man, look at my car.” A huge dent crushed the middle of her hood. The left headlight dangled from its receptacle, and her car’s front fender had wrapped itself around a small but hearty oak tree. She blinked back tears. Her car was destroyed.

River steadied her forearms, kept her on her feet. “Hey. The car can be fixed. Are you sure you’re okay?” His hand flushed over her shoulders to inspect for hidden injuries.

“Yeah, I think so.” Her imagination might have projected the image of a Gnome bouncing on her hood like a ginormous golf ball. Maybe she wasn’t okay? Had he seen any part of the bugaboo that was the Gnome from hell attacking her car? “What happened?”

“Something hit your hood and then you swerved.”
Ah-ha. He did see something.

River continued, “Your tires caught the gravel and you slid into the tree. You know, you were driving entirely too fast for the curvy roads out here.”

“But what hit my hood?” There. She would let him explain it to her.
Who’s the crazy one now?

River hesitated. He bit the bottom of his lip and her gaze narrowed in on that gesture. “All that matters is that you’re all right.” He let loose an award-winning smile which showed off the attractive dimple in his chin.

Darn. He’d dodged the question. What to do now?

She peeked inside her car. Dust from the airbag sprinkled the interior, and every inch of her clothing, her arms, and legs. She brushed her shorts. The odor of gunpowder and metal overwhelmed her sense of smell. Her candle and the spell book lay on the passenger side floor undamaged. She let out a breath of relief.

“Airbags have a charge in them so they go off, kind of like an explosive,” River said as if he could read her mind. “Maybe the repair shop has a used one from another car like yours so you won’t have to buy a new one. They can be expensive. We can check for one later.”

“Great.” The last thing she could afford were unexpected expenses. “I’m going to see if it starts.” Determined, she slid into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine started right up.

“Here, let me get this out of the way.” He pulled out a knife and cut away the airbag. He walked around to the front and reinstalled the headlamp. “When you get home, you can tape the headlight in so it doesn’t break.”

“Thanks.” She put the car in reverse and backed onto the road. “I think I can get home.”

He rushed to the driver’s window. “I don’t know if you should drive. You’re pretty shaken up. What if you got a concussion?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m less than a mile from home.” Adrenaline shook her insides, so she grabbed tight onto the steering wheel to still her hands.

He hesitated, and looked off into the woods in the direction the Gnome had disappeared. Abby wanted to shake her head.
Darn him for not being honest with me
. He turned back and had the nerve to look her in the eye. “Okay, go straight home. I’ll be around to check on you later.”

Nonchalantly, she waved him off. “Oh, don’t worry about me. I’m fine.” The last thing she needed was the sheriff to show up in the middle of her casting the banishment spell. Eager to get home, and to the task at hand, she floored the accelerator and drove off, searching for him in her rear view mirror. The sheriff had disappeared from the middle of the road.