Book 1 - Back of the Shadows

Chapter One

Friday night lights and small-town traditions. Football is the breath this town breathes from summer to winter. As morning hits, Sadie wakes up early enough to start breakfast. It's football season and her son Gunnar is a lineman on the high school football team. Starting his junior year, he exceeds the amount of food anyone can eat. He definitely gets his height from his dad and his weight, well, that just comes with food and working out.

"Gunnar let's get a move on! " Sadie says, trying to hurry him up.

"I'm coming, Mom! Just getting my football stuff" he responds.

"Just remember I don't get off work until 8 pm tonight and there are meals in the fridge and $20 for pizza in the cup by the phone if you would rather have that," Sadie says. Gunnar just nods his head and dives into his breakfast, stuffing his face before he's off to school.

As Gunnar leaves for school, Sadie spends the next hour getting his game-day uniform ready for the big game tomorrow night. The Bulldogs are taking on one of their rivals, The Eagles, and the whole county will be there. As Sadie hangs his jersey and pants, she receives a text from her "friend" Brittany.

"Hey. Ben wants to know if Gunnar needs anything before the game tomorrow?"

"No, he's good. Everything is ready to go, thanks though." Sadie responds, rolling her eyes as she hits send.

"Ok, we will both see you tomorrow," Brittany responds

Sadie sits in the laundry room and can't help but feel annoyed at her former friend. Ben and Brittany are the last people that she wants to see. Brittany was her high school best friend, keyword, "was". They were inseparable until a house party altered their lives and relationship. As the morning continues, Sadie quickly gets ready for work. When she arrives at the police station, she grabs her books and equipment and takes a seat at her terminal. As a dispatcher for the police station, it takes a few minutes to get set up and ready for the shift. Today is a long shift and as she finishes looking over the rescue schedule she hears a groan from her coworkers, Alice and Frank.

"God, why do we have to work with Olsen's shift today? I mean the deputies are good, but Olsen, such a killjoy!" says Alice.

"Right! The dude needs to get laid more often or get in a good fight, you know? Let out some pent-up tension." Frank said.

"I know he is a bit difficult but he's good at what he does. Maybe he won't be such a jerk today? Maybe?" Sadie says with such optimism. Yet they all know it is short-lived.

As they finish setting up, in walks the man of the hour. The man who is everyone's pain in the ass, and the man that Sadie has been secretly in love with since High School. Though he can be cold and short with people in the department, he has always been good to Sadie and Gunnar. He more so has been there for Gunnar these past few years. Sadie's husband Will, and Ben's former partner, died in the line of duty almost four years back. Since then Ben has made an effort to be in Gunnar's life. Although Sadie has always loved Ben, he chose Brittany over her and that left her devastated.

"Good morning. Here are unit sector sheets, and we are conducting security checks to limit your radio traffic during that time. Try to handle shit calls yourself." Ben says as he stomps out of the room.

"Guess we get dick Olsen today," Sadie says sarcastically, causing Alice and Frank to laugh.

Just as the early afternoon arrives they get a call for a multivehicle accident. The three of them are taking calls and taking turns monitoring the different radios. Three people are wounded and one was a twelve-year-old girl. Just as the peak happens Sadie takes another emergency call.