Rookie Mistake (California Dreamers #4) by Dakota Madison Read Free Book Online Page B

thing I’m thinking: if there is a baby we need to find him or her while the child is still able to wail.
    The store is closed. The place is dark, and quiet. No suspicious noises yet.
    “We need to go around back,” I tell Cody.
    He nods and we both head towards the back of the building. In the distance I hear a faint sound that could be interpreted as a baby crying.
    “I hear something,” Cody says. “I’m not sure it’s a baby.”
    When we’re behind the store the noise is significantly louder. “Where is it coming from?”
    Cody shakes his head. “I can’t tell.”
    We both search the area behind the store. I point to a dumpster. “In there?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    As we get closer to the back corner of the building the noise gets a lot louder. It’s a high pitched screeching sound.
    Just as Cody points to a bird’s nest hidden in the far corner of the building, mama bird rockets from the nest and swoops down on us barely skimming the top of Cody’s head as it zips away.
    The baby birds still in the nest begin to screech even louder.
    “Obviously more than one baby,” Cody observes. “But not human.”
    “And not abandoned. I’m sure mama bird will be back as soon as we’ve cleared out.”
    That’s when I notice the bird left a gift for Cody. “You have bird poop on your cap.” A pretty large load of it.
    “Great.” He removes his cap to inspect the damage.
    “I have handi-wipes in the car.”
    He marches so fast back to the cruiser I have to almost run to keep up with him.
    I can’t wait to see what he writes in this report.
    “Sorry about the bird…” I’m not sure what else to say. The incident is embarrassing to say the least.
    When he starts singing I Will Survive , the song made famous by Gloria Gayner, it lightens the mood completely.
    Luckily Cody has enough time to get cleaned up before we get our next call.
    It’s a domestic disturbance. When I tell Cody to respond to dispatch his eyes widen like I just suggested he kill someone. 
    “You heard me respond to four calls today,” I remind him. “Do what I did.”
    After several long moments he says something completely unintelligible into the radio.
    “What was that?” the dispatcher replies.
    I take over and respond to the call instead.
    “So far your first day hasn’t been stellar,” I tell him as I take off towards the domestic disturbance.
    He doesn’t say anything. He just stares straight ahead.
    “Something you’re really good at is being unresponsive.”
    After several moments of awkward silence he finally speaks. “What do you want me to say?”
    “I don’t know. What are you thinking? How are you feeling?”
    My question is met with more silence.
    The home we stop in front of is a small cottage pretty far from the beach. There’s no screaming or other loud noises coming from inside. I take that as a good sign.
    They’ve either calmed down or they’re dead. In either case it significantly lessens the chances of us getting hurt.
    I allow Cody to knock on the front door. “This is the police.”
    “No one’s home,” a deep voice calls from the other side of the door.
    “Someone phoned the police,” I state. “Please open the door.”
    “Go away,” the voice mutters.
    “You need to open the door,” I repeat. “We received a call about a domestic disturbance. We want to make sure no one is hurt.”
    A bolt on the door is released. As the door slowly opens Cody and I place hands on our guns just in case.
    It’s a person of small stature. The man is only about three feet tall. He looks like he’s in his 40s, although the overalls he’s wearing make him appear younger at first glance.
    The guy’s hair is completely disheveled. He’s shaking like a leaf in a storm.
    “Is everything okay?” I ask.
    He stares at me blankly.
    “Who’s that?” A woman’s voice calls from inside the house.
    Before we realize what’s happening a frying pan whizzes a few feet above the small man’s head and