Blood Red Sundown: Evil Begins by Allen Gates

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friend, who jumped into her arms squirming and whimpering as he kissed her face.
She laughed as she attempted to control his excitement.
    “Okay Hobo, I’m going to take you for a quick walk.”
    Pulling on a pair of shorts, over a one piece swim suit,
she picked up the dog and walked down the stairs still not in total control.
    “I’ll see you later, Mrs. Carter,” she yelled. Hearing
no response she assumed she had gone out back.
    She lowered the top on the T-Bird and headed out for
their evening adventure. Hobo sat up in the passenger side seat, staring out of
the front window.
    “See anything interesting, boy?”
    Hobo, hearing her speak, turned, looked at her and then
back to his watch out the front window pose. She laughed as she turned her attention
to the trip up the coast. Leaning her head back against the head rest, she felt
the wind rushing through her hair.
    “This is heaven, Hobo, we are in paradise.”
    It seemed the trip was even shorter than she remembered
and in no time at all she was turning off onto the two lane heading down to the
water.
    “No car, he’s not here.”
    Hobo immediately started jumping and whining. “Easy boy,
let me park and you have the beach all to yourself.”
    Hobo, too excited to wait, jumped over the side just
as she was about to stop. He rolled in a heap, then jumped up and at a full run
headed for the water. Grabbing her towel and a book Stephanie followed at a much
more controlled pace. She was just as anxious as he was, but for different reasons.

29
    ANNE DECIDED IT was
time to take control of the situation.
    “Look Terry, this thing you say we’re experiencing,
whatever it is, is fine, but it is a thing . Let’s let it take us wherever
it takes us at a nice pace and enjoy the ride. I deal with a lot of men in my line
of work and it requires me to spend time night and day with them. I cannot and most
important I will not worry about hurting someone’s feeling if I stay out late working
on a case with my partner. You say he is attracted to me, I say, ‘So what?’, but
I have not seen evidence of that.”
    She watched his face closely, his eyes squinted, lips
slightly twitched, and then a small grin appeared.
    “That’s fine with me,” he said, but she had noted the
deep anger in his eyes just before he was able to suppress it.
    He signaled Johnny to bring over another round of drinks.
    “This will be it for me, Terry. I have to work tomorrow.”
She watched his face turn into a controlled smile.
    “I can understand that and I would never stand in the
way of an officer and her duties. Let’s enjoy this drink and the time left in our
evening together.”
    They clicked glasses and he learned over to kiss her.
Anne was surprised by the action and withdrew, but to show conciliation felt obliged
to partake in this unwanted show of affection. It was a strained effort on both
parties and each accepted it for what it was.
    When she stood to leave Terry insisted on walking Anne
to her car, but surprisingly he did not try to kiss her. As she closed the door,
he waved and returned to the front door. Watching him reenter the bar, she felt
confused.
    “Did I just get shut out by a guy I hardly know because
he was jealous of my partner? Am I nuts? I don’t need this in my life right now.”
    Arriving home somewhat angry and even more confused,
she parked and entered the apartment. Her mood left her felling a bit rejected,
but after a long, hot shower she lay on the bed relaxed and began flipping channels
on the TV.
    “No news tonight, I need a Hallmark original love story
to fall asleep to.”
    A loud knock on the door startled her. Don’t
answer it she thought. Then, a second round of knocks even louder created a
new feeling of curiosity.
    Picking up her pistol and moving to the door she asked,
“Who is it?”
    “It’s me, Terry. I need to see you, Anne.”
    Removing the chain lock and then the dead bolt, she opened
the door and asked what was so