Operation Endurance

CHAPTER 1

18 years later



The man grabbed her in a chokehold from behind and Julie fought off the panic as her breathing became compromised. She reached up and grasped at the hand wrapped around her neck and yanked, twisting her torso and head as she moved. Never letting go of the arm, she immediately turned and kicked at his vulnerable groin with explosive aim. As he crouched in pain, she attacked again at his throat and eyes, focusing on his weak spots.

When she finished, Officer Pete Larson lay moaning in fake pain on the mats. She turned to grin at the class. “Any questions?”

“I think I need another instructor.” Of course it was Toni who piped up first. The attractive brunette was full of sass and she wasn’t afraid to show it. This was the girl’s second week in the self-defense class and they’d already learned she held nothing back. Her turquoise eyes sparkled.

Oh, this should be good. “And exactly why would that be, Toni?”

“I need some big ugly dude to beat up.” She gestured to Pete slowly levering himself up off the floor. “If he’s going to be the one attacking me,” she gave him a full-body perusal, “then damn, I’m going to let him.” The entire class giggled, obviously in agreement. Toni definitely kept the class entertained.

Pete flushed red and Julie worked to hide her smile as she glanced back over at him. The guy was a sweetheart and with that hot body and those dimples, he definitely kept their Krav Maga self-defense classes swooning.

“Yes, he’s pretty, but keep in mind that seventy-three percent of rapes are perpetrated by men the victims already knew. Pretty or not, they are physically stronger than you and you need to know how to even the odds against them. That’s why you’re here. So now it’s time to beat him up for a while, and luckily for us, he brought a few of his fellow friends from the police force. And, yes, they’re pretty too.”

She gestured to the back of the room where two more of Lubbock’s Police Department’s finest were leaning up against the wall, waiting to become targets.

Pete mumbled under his breath, “I really hate this part of the class.”

An hour and a half later and Julie walked out of the training room with Pete, Lyle, and Stephen. “Thanks, guys. We couldn’t do this without you.”

Lyle asked, “So does that mean we can talk you into going out for a beer with us?”

“Thanks, but not this week. I need to get home.”

Pete looked at her with concern in his eyes before he pulled her to a stop. “Guys, go on. I’ll catch up with you in a moment.”

She glanced at him curiously as the guys walked on. “What’s up?”

“I hoped to get here early tonight to talk to you. You still aren’t sleeping, are you?”

Her stomach sank as she shook her head in denial. She didn’t want to have this conversation. “I’m fine, Pete.”

“No, you aren’t. Anyone who knows you can see that. You look awful.”

“Aw, thanks. You know just how to make a girl feel all mushy inside.”

He rolled his eyes at her. “I’m worried about you. You’re gonna make yourself sick. It’s been a month since Aaron died and I know his murder was a shock, but Julie, you need to take better care of yourself.”

She felt like he’d hit her. Hardly anyone mentioned her boyfriend’s sudden death to her anymore. They simply pretended it didn’t exist and that plan suited her just fine. She didn’t want to talk about the gaping hole in her heart. It was better to just work around it and pretend like it didn’t exist.

She tried to change the subject. “I did some research online last night and I think we could improve our classes.” She started searching through her purse. “I made a list…”

Pete grabbed hold of her arm. “Julie, stop.” He pulled a card out of his wallet. “I think you need to talk to someone. This is a therapist that the department uses. He’s really good.”

“You think I’m crazy?” Why was this so shocking? She knew she wasn’t functioning well, but she thought she’d been hiding the fact from those around her.

“No, but you aren’t working through your grief over Aaron’s murder. I think you need some grief counseling.”

The lump built in her throat. She had to escape from the concerned look in Pete’s eyes before she lost it completely. She grabbed the card out of his hand and crammed it into her purse with a quickly mumbled, “Thanks.” Running down the corridor of the hospital, she prayed she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew.

By the time she made it to her car, the tears were flowing, she was gasping for breath, and she was on the eighth thing to add to her grocery list: olive oil, skittles, baked beans, tuna, toilet paper, corn starch, bacon, oregano.

Slowly the calm settled back over her and her breath steadied.

She was fine and in control.

She was fine and in control.

She was fine and in control.

If she said it to herself enough times, maybe she and everyone else around her would believe it. She fingered the card she’d shoved in her purse. Did she need to talk to someone? No, she’d learned a long time ago that she could deal with these things all on her own. She was strong. She had coping mechanisms. She was in control of her life. She could do this.