Revealing Annie (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) (On Call Book 5) Read online

  Revealing Annie (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha)

  On Call Book 5

  Freya Barker

  Contents

  Foreword

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  About the Author

  Also By Freya Barker

  More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books

  Books by Susan Stoker

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2020 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  Dear Readers,

  Welcome to the Police and Fire: Operation Alpha Fan-Fiction world!

  If you are new to this amazing world, in a nutshell the author wrote a story using one or more of my characters in it. Sometimes that character has a major role in the story, and other times they are only mentioned briefly. This is perfectly legal and allowable because they are going through Aces Press to publish the story.

  This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I might have assisted with brainstorming and other ideas about which of my characters to use, I didn’t have any part in the process or writing or editing the story.

  I’m proud and excited that so many authors loved my characters enough that they wanted to write them into their own story. Thank you for supporting them, and me!

  READ ON!

  Xoxo

  Susan Stoker

  About the book

  As the fire department’s joker, Kyle (Sumo) Matsumo, loves nothing better than ribbing the guys at the station. However, he’s all business when he’s on a call, and when he tries to snag the attention of a cute little baker. Then life takes a more serious turn when he’s plunged headfirst into fatherhood—of a teenage boy—giving his teammates the last laugh.

  For almost a year, Annie Flowers has been tucked away in plain sight. It’s amazing what a pair of colored contacts and a different haircut can accomplish. She likes her new, simple life in Durango with her only concern getting up on time for her morning shift at the bakery. Yet she’s not as invisible as she thinks. Not to the creep who chased her into hiding, and definitely not to the charming EMT with a penchant for sweets .

  Annie trusts only one person, her friend, Erin Gardner, but she’s in Texas, so when she discovers someone has been leaving her unwanted gifts, she has no choice but to put her faith in Sumo.

  Acknowledgments

  As always my first word of thanks is to Susan Stoker who continues to be a generous and gracious host—allowing me to play in her fabulous Operation Alpha World—and is always a great source of support.

  A great deal of gratitude goes out as well to Amy Hrutkay of Aces Press, who is a fount of information and a pillar of professionalism as she puts up with my frequent inquiries.

  I have gathered an incredible team around me over the years I am beyond grateful for.

  I would be useless without the sharp minds, keen knowledge, straight talk, clever insight, and endless patience of Joanne Thompson & Karen Hrdlicka, my unequaled editing team.

  To keep me sane, hopeful, organized, informed, and on task I am entirely dependent on my phenomenal marketing team, Stephanie Phillips of SBR Media, my agent, and Debra Presley & Drue Hoffman of Buoni Amici Press, my publicists.

  Thank you so much, Deb Blake & Petra Gleason, my beta readers for Absolving Blue. These women make sure the stories I give you are up to the standard you deserve.

  I’m so grateful to all the unbelievable bloggers who give their time and their support generously. This industry would be hard-pressed to survive without them.

  And of course to all my readers; your enthusiasm, your support, an your love for my words feeds my drive to write more!

  Love you all.

  1

  Sumo

  A heart attack, a broken hip, two car crashes with minor injuries, a line cook burned in a kitchen fire at a local restaurant, an accidental toe amputation, and—to round out my shift—a fifteen-year-old stabbing victim, who was barely clinging to life when we got him to Mercy Hospital.

  I’m still cleaning the kid’s blood from the inside of the ambulance when Cap sticks his head in.

  “Heading out shortly?”

  “Almost done.”

  “You coming for breakfast?”

  It’s something we try to do with our crew at least once a week after one of our shifts, but I’ve bailed the last few times. Mostly because it’s just not the same without Blue. Ava Navarro is my partner on this ambulance, but she’s been off on family leave. She and her husband, Tony—one of our boys in blue with the Durango PD—adopted a baby girl a month or so ago, and although I’m happy for her, I wish her ass was back on the rig with me.

  Instead I’ve been stuck with Billy Bapcock, a goddamn rookie, fresh out of college. Cocky kid almost lost his damn cookies when he saw the damage the knife did to our last patient, which is why I’m cleaning the damn rig alone. He’s going to have to get used to it or he’ll never make it.

  To top it off, I just moved from my apartment to a house I bought not too far from the station, and my living room is still full of boxes I haven’t gotten around to unpacking. Add to that the sorry state of my fridge and I really don’t have time to sit around the diner, shooting the shit with the boys. I need groceries, to get some work down around the house, and then hit my bed to catch up on my sleep.

  “Not today, Cap,” I tell Scott Beacham, captain of our crew. “Got lots of stuff to do at home.”

  “Happy to lend a hand, Sumo.”

  “Appreciate it, but it’s just stuff I’ve been putting off.”

  The guys started calling me Sumo when I joined the crew years ago. Nothing to do with the fact I’m part Asian—my father is Japanese—but because my last name is Matsumoto. The nickname is kind of ironic, since I’m far from the size of a sumo wrestler. In fact, other than Blue, I’m the shortest on the team at five foot eleven.

  “If you’re sure,” he says with an inquisitive glance.

  “Yup. It’s all good. Thanks, though.”

  He nods, rapping his knuckles on the door of the amb
ulance before disappearing from sight.

  Cap is the only one I’ll occasionally have an actual conversation with. I’m known as the crew’s joker, and for the longest time that’s how I viewed life, as one big laugh. That changed quite suddenly around the time Blue and Tony hooked up. If Blue hadn’t been up to her eyeballs in her own shit at the time, I’d probably have turned to her. As it happened, Cap caught me in a low moment and I laid it all out for him. He’s been checking in on me since.

  I gather up the dirty wipes, drop them in a garbage bag, and lock up the rig. I toss the bag in the garbage bin on the side of the station house and head over to my truck. Instead of going straight home, I’m hitting up the grocery store first. I’ll be home for the next three days, so I need to stock up.

  The parking lot at the City Market is relatively empty this time of the morning. I grab a cart and hit up the produce department first.

  I like cooking. Love it, actually. I do a lot of the cooking back at the station house, with Cheddar—Evan Biel, one of my crewmates—coming in a close second. We’re supposed to take turns but most of the guys just cook the basic stuff and Blue, the only woman on our team, isn’t even allowed near the stove. She’d burn water.

  Both my parents are great cooks and would often share the duty, which made the kitchen the center of the house growing up. It also made for a lot of Asian-American recipe creations, many of which I still make to this day. I save the more elaborate dishes for the station house, since it’s much more gratifying cooking for the guys. At home I keep it fairly simple, unless I have someone over, but that doesn’t happen that often. It’s rare you’ll find me calling in for pizza or picking up fast food.

  The only thing I don’t do is bake, despite my considerable sweet tooth, but the City Market bakery has a good selection that should get me through my long weekend.

  As soon as I turn the corner, I recognize the blonde ponytail on the woman putting an order in at the bakery. I sneak up behind her and look over her shoulder at the box of pastries the girl on the other side of the counter is holding up.

  “Did you leave any for me?”

  I don’t step back fast enough and one of Blue’s sharp little elbows hits me square in the gut.

  “Jesus, woman,” I grunt.

  I hear a soft chuckle I don’t recognize and look up to find the bakery girl—actually more of a woman now that I have a closer look—trying to hide her smile.

  “You’re an ass, Sumo. You scared the crap out of me,” Blue grumbles, drawing my attention.

  “Losing your touch already? What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn’t you be home looking after the rugrat?”

  “Her name is Esme and she’s not a rugrat. She can’t even sit yet.” She shoots me an angry look.

  “Momma bear. That’s a new look for you.” I tug her ponytail, and as expected, she swats at my hand. “Looks good on you, though, partner.” At that her looks softens a little. “When am I gonna meet the little princess?”

  Because the baby had a bit of a rough start, Blue and Tony have kept visitors away so far.

  “We have an appointment with the pediatrician tomorrow morning. If he clears her, maybe we can pop in this weekend?”

  “Why don’t you just give me a call and I’ll come to you for a visit?”

  “Because I’m going stir-crazy at home and besides, I haven’t seen the new house yet.”

  She saw the exterior when I was first looking, but hasn’t been inside yet.

  “Fair enough. So,” I change topics, as I look up at the woman on the other side of the counter. “Did she leave anything for me?”

  “Oh shit,” Blue jumps in. “I’m sorry, Annie. That’s it for me. By the way, this is Sumo, my partner on the ambulance and royal pain in the ass. Sumo, meet Annie, she works with me at the animal shelter.”

  So this is the Annie Blue has mentioned from time to time. Blue spends a few hours a week volunteering at the shelter, although these days she has a virtual shelter of her own. Her menagerie consists of three dogs and a cat, and she’s been at me to take in an animal as well. When I was still living in my apartment I had an excuse—no pets allowed—but I fully expect her to get on my case again now I own a place of my own.

  Annie’s head is down as she tapes Blue’s pastry box shut. The City Market visor she’s wearing covers most of her face, and I wait until she looks up. I’m sure I must’ve seen her here before, but I’m ashamed to admit I can’t recall. My loss, because I missed the cute nose with a slight lift at the end, the perfect Cupid’s bow of her upper lip, and the incredibly long lashes behind the lenses of her bland glasses. Her hair is short—almost a boy cut—with a light wave to it. It’s a nondescript brown, just like the color of her eyes.

  “Nice to meet you, Annie,” I finally say, reaching over the display case to offer my hand.

  “You too. I’ve heard so much about you.”

  Definitely not a girl, her voice is rich with maturity, as is the small smile she rewards me with. The hand she briefly places in mine is slim, much as the rest of her.

  “Nothing good I’m sure.”

  She snickers when I send a pointed look at Blue, who is conveniently digging through her wallet.

  “Not all bad,” she says, grinning at me.

  Great. I don’t even know the woman and already I have a bad rap.

  Annie

  I almost burst out laughing at the disgruntled look on his face.

  Sumo.

  I’ve seen him before, but from a safe distance. Dark, bristly hair with only a hint of silver by his ears, clean-shaven with warm brown, wide-set eyes. His surprisingly full mouth is bracketed by lines, both underlining his age and his easy smiles.

  Yeah, I’ve noticed Sumo around town. Those broad shoulders and muscular arms on that swimmer’s body are hard to miss.

  If I hadn’t been taking Blue’s order, I would’ve darted into the bakery, but she would’ve asked questions. It’s not that I’m asocial, it’s just I prefer meeting people on my terms. I’m not supposed to be in the store anyway, I work in the bakery, but Jenny had to take her little one to the clinic this morning and I’m jumping in until she can get here.

  I like working behind the scenes these days. Out of the spotlight, so to speak. I find it liberating. Love the feeling of dough in my hands and the smell of fresh yeast in my nose. I really lucked out with my job here. It’s early mornings—I start at four—but I’m also done at noon. That gives me time to put in some hours at the shelter each day.

  My other love—besides baking—is the shelter animals. I don’t care what they are, dogs, cats, gerbils; I love every single one they bring in, but the dogs are my favorite. Often starved for attention, I feed off the way they can blossom with just that little bit of love. Like Blue, I’d probably have a houseful…if I had a house. My place isn’t big enough and my landlord made it clear animals aren’t welcome. That’s one of the reasons I visit the shelter every day, to get my fix of puppy love.

  I ring up Blue’s order and watch as she playfully elbows Sumo again as she walks off. Then I’m left facing him.

  “So what did she leave me?”

  “Depends on what you’re looking for.”

  One corner of his mouth tilts up, and I wonder what I said to make him raise one eyebrow, but it becomes clear the moment he opens his mouth.

  “I have an insatiable craving for sweet things,” he rumbles suggestively, and I can barely stop my eyes from rolling.

  Too bad, I’ve encountered one too many guys like that, and I’m a little disappointed the fantasy I’d created around him in my mind is ruined.

  “Well, we still have cinnamon buns and apple turnovers, but let me look in the back if we have more Danish,” I offer in a friendly voice, before turning my back and heading for the bakery.

  Ted, the baker whose shift overlaps mine, is just loading another tray with cherry Danish on the trolley.

  “Perfect timing. We’re out.”

  “Already?”


  “Just sold the last ones.”

  “Any sign of Jenny yet?” he wants to know. I have a suspicion he may be sweet on her. Understandable, she’s about his age—which is considerably younger than me—and cute and wholesome like the proverbial girl next door.

  “I’m sure she’ll be in soon.”

  I grab the tray off the rack and walk back out where Sumo is still waiting.

  “You’re in luck,” I tell him, sliding the tray in the display. “Let me just grab a box.”

  I’m painfully aware of his scrutiny as I fold together and fill him a bakery box. I try to ignore it, but unfortunately I know exactly what he’s looking at: a plain, unremarkable, middle-aged woman. Exactly the way I intended.

  “Can you slice me a dark rye as well?” he asks, when I slide the box across the counter.

  Again I feel his eyes on me, but when I bag the loaf and turn to the cash register, I’m relieved to see someone else is waiting for service beside him.

  “See you around, Annie,” he says with a wink after he pays for his purchases.

  I manage a friendly smile before turning to my next customer.

  Good thing I’ve had years of pretending under my belt.