If she hadn't been so tired from a day that defined exhaustion, 3 traffic accidents, a domestic abuse call, an outstanding warrant arrest & continual speeding tickets, she might have noticed the front door to her home was standing wide open, BEFORE, she was less than 2 feet from it!  Her first instinct was to call out for her cousin Ginny and Ginny's boys, Kaci and Neil, but 7 years with the Neligh TX PD had taught her better.   She reached for her revolver at the same time dialing 911 on her cell phone, as she rotated so her back was against the outside wall, just to the left side of the door.  

 "911, what's your emergency" the operator answered.    "Carol, this is Whitney" she whispered, "I'm at my house, possible intruder, I need back up NOW! tell them no sirens, I don't want to spook'm".  Somewhere in the back of her mind she was thanking God for living in a small town where everyone knew everyone else, where they lived, what they had for breakfast, and what color socks they bought for their kids at the five & dime.

Carol answered "10-4 Whitney, hold on".  In the background she could here Carol putting out the call on the radio.  In the 2 minutes or less that it took for 2 of the closest units to get there, Whitney remembered Ginny and the boys were supposed to be at Mom & Dad's across town & had Carol make a landline call to make sure they were there.  "Carol, tell them I'll call them back in a few minutes, just don't let on what's going on, I don't want to scare Mom"  

Just then Jim & Sammy pulled up across the street & before she could even brief them, Marshall & Tim came from the other direction and pulled into her neighbor's driveway.  Lights on, no sirens.

her In a whisper she caught them up, "Hey guys, I just got off duty and was walking up to the door and noticed it was wide open.  Ginny and the boys are at Mom's.  I haven't heard any movement from inside"  Nodding to Marshall & Tim she motioned for them to go in from the front, while Jim, Sammy & she went around the back, Jim to the right side & she & Sammy to the left.  

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