Read Where Angels Tread for Free Online Page B

station and pick them up.” Nick dropped the items on the front desk and sauntered away. “Thanks,” he called over his shoulder.
    Shane’s heart leapt as he fingered the small pair of headphones, picturing Heidi Griffin’s long red hair and the way her soaking wet sweater clung enticingly to her body. This day, he thought, was about to get a lot more interesting. He dug through the folders on his desk until he found the paperwork that Heidi had filled out, pumping his fist in the air when he saw that she had written down her address. She lived only a half mile down the road from him; it would be silly, he reasoned, to have her drive all the way out to the station to retrieve something so trivial. He might as well drop it off for her on his way home; besides, he wouldn’t mind seeing Zachary again. The image of the boy’s sad face splitting into a grin when Shane offered to play paper basketball with him was not something that he would soon forget.
    Shane spent the rest of the day in restless anticipation, glancing at the clock every five minutes and pacing back and forth in front of his desk. It didn’t help that it was a particularly slow day at the station; the most exciting thing that happened was a young couple stopping by to turn in a wallet they had found on the side of the road.
    When six o’clock hit, Shane grabbed his coat and headed out into the twilight. He had always loved the way the Santa Ynez countryside looked at this time of day, the sun setting magnificently over the bright green fields and rolling hills. Many people who visited the area for the first time ended up falling in love with it, and it was easy to see why, Shane thought as he drove through the winding country roads. The land gave off the kind of quiet serenity that was hard to come by these days, especially in a state like California that was already so jam-packed with people.
    Ten minutes later Shane was pulling into the driveway of a small yellow bungalow. He double checked the address he had copied down from the police report before opening the car door. The house was modest, but Shane could tell by the perfectly manicured lawn and rows of flowering bushes lining the sidewalk that someone—probably Heidi—had put a lot of time and effort into making it look like a home.
    Straightening his tie nervously, he rapped sharply on the front door. He could see through the gauzy white drapes on the window to a light on in the back of the house. There was also an old station wagon parked in the driveway, a good sign that Heidi was home. He listened with all of his might for the sound of approaching footsteps, but the house remained still and quiet. Shane raised his hand to knock once more, then noticed a tiny doorbell to the left of the door that he had missed the first time. He pressed it firmly; the chiming of bells could be heard echoing throughout the house. He thought he saw a flash of red hair behind the window before the door swung open.
    “Officer Kensington! This is a surprise.”
    Heidi Griffin stood framed in the doorway, looking, if it was even at all possible, even more beautiful than Shane had remembered. Her auburn hair, now dry and styled, hung in soft waves down to her shoulders. She had big, curious honey brown eyes that were slightly wide-set, giving them even more of a striking appearance. She was wearing nursing scrubs, and despite their rather shapeless form, Shane could see the swell of her breasts beneath them.
    “How can I help you?” she asked curiously, a smile playing across her full lips. Shane realized with a start that he had been standing there staring at her like an idiot, his mouth practically hanging open. Get it together, he thought to himself, dragging his eyes away from her body.
    He held up the MP3 player wordlessly; she regarded him with an expression of mild confusion. “Uh,” he said, clearing his throat. “We found this at the station. I think it belongs to Zachary.”
    “Oh!” she said,