Page 51 of Possessed By Shadows

First cop shook his head. “Nah. He did have a brother. Used to have a handful of pictures on his desk. Was in the military.”

“Ex-Army Ranger,” I confirmed. It was hard to hear over the intensifying rain. “Been out almost a year and a half now. You both knew Lukas? I’m trying to find him. Worried about him out in this storm.”

The first cop stepped away, both lowering their lights and giving us space, but staying under the overhang. Water was soaking into my pants, rising fast from the downpour. I didn’t try to get up. At least they hadn’t forced Micah down too.

“He’ll show up. Always does. Like a bad penny.”

Micah pointed toward the front. “That’s his car. But we couldn’t find him. That’s the only reason we are here. Heard that he might be here, saw the car. Tried to find him before the worst of the storm.”

“How long has he been missing this time?” The big cop asked.

“Five days?” I said, not really certain when he had actually taken off. “Was supposed to meet a crew here tonight for a ghost hunt thing.”

“I thought he would have gotten permission for that,” Micah added.

“We’ll have to call the building owners to find out. If the two of you file a missing person’s report, we won’t arrest you for trespassing,” the big guy said.

“Sure,” I agreed. “Will it help any? Do you know where else he might be? He’s not like behind bars or something, right?”

“Not in our precinct,” the woman said. “But we’ll call around. Let’s go. I’d rather look at you two out of the rain, than drown in the downpour.” She shined her light on Micah. “You’re that craft shop guy? My sister takes classes with you. Heard your ghost tours are the best in the city.”

“Thank you,” Micah said without pressing forward with more questions. How many times had he faced the cops for trespassing? “Can Alex get up now?”

My pants were soaked and the chill starting to seep in, but I ached and didn’t know if I actually could get up. At least not without help.

The big guy stepped back. “We’ll give you a ride to the station to file a report.” He sighed. “Paperwork sucks.”

I might have added that it was likely more paperwork if he’d just shot us, but I didn’t really want to be at the deadly end of a gun again. They both had tasers and firearms, but I’d seen enough video online of a supposed mix-up that I wasn’t trying my luck. Being tased was probably only slightly better than being shot to death.

“You okay?” Micah asked.

“Um…” My hip was locked in place, a sort of half bent angle position that was familiar enough with the throbbing ache that I was not looking forward to getting up. I hadn’t brought my cane, but I wasn’t going to be able to walk on my own.

“Can I help him?” Micah asked. “He’s got some joint issues from his time serving.”

“Shouldn’t be crawling around in abandoned buildings then, should he?” Big cop said.

“If I knew where my brother was, I’d be fucking home watching some stupid Netflix show with my boyfriend,” I threw back having to grit my teeth as I tried to get to my feet.

Micah stepped in close, offering his hand, and shoulder. It wasn’t enough, but I wasn’t going to chance him getting hurt by grabbing onto his hips. Once I was on my feet, colors of pain danced in my vision and I sucked air in hard, my hip and back screaming varied themes of pain.

“Are you going to pass out?” Micah asked. He had his arm around my waist, holding me up, but I couldn’t see his face through the pops of color.

“Maybe?”

Micah folded himself into me, and I worried that the cops would react, but thankfully neither moved as he pressed his fingers into that hip joint. “Going to hurt.”

“Already fucking hurts,” I half growled. Tears of pain trickled down my face, hot in comparison with the bits of rain that peppered us even under the overhang.

He was fast, shoving the joint back into place like a skilled chiropractor, with a half pop, half crack. I couldn’t help my scream. Though he’d done it often enough that he knew what he was doing. The pain vanished a moment later, leaving only a dull ache of strained muscles.

“That sounded like it hurt,” big cop said.

“You have no idea,” I grumbled, the stars finally beginning to fade from my vision. Micah waited a minute longer, studying my face. “Back still hurts,” I told him. “But I don’t think anything is stuck. Not like the hip.”

“Let’s go,” the female cop said. “If he can move?”

“I can move,” I said, taking a slow step forward. The joint protesting the movement, but not locked in place anymore. It would be weak for a while. If I had to be on my feet a lot longer, I’d eventually fall over when the whole leg gave out.