Grave Impact
Book 1: Hot Crime in the City Series
As Josie Price steps into the high-stakes world of the LAPD, she discovers the badge isn’t just about chasing criminals; it’s about navigating the intricate web of personalities—each with their own moral compasses. When a teenage girl becomes entangled in a web of blackmail spun by an organized shoplifting ringleader, Josie’s ethics are put to the test.
A police officer’s murder during a heist escalates the intense search for the shoplifting crew and their leader. When the teenage girl goes missing, a chilling revelation ignites a killing spree, and the clock ticks mercilessly as Josie races to locate the teen before she becomes the next victim.
In this gripping police procedural, Josie Price must tread carefully through the murky waters of her colleagues’ varied ideals while facing her own demons in trying to rescue the girl and halt her chilling descent into darkness.
Authentic Crime…Arresting Stories told by an award-winning retired LAPD officer.
GRAVE AMBITION
Grave Ambition is the short story prequel to Grave Impact, and you can download it for FREE at BookFunnel.
Chapter 1: Josie
At the LAPD’S Devonshire Division, Watch Commander Tony Mancuso read off the car assignments, then scanned the officers in roll call. His eyes settled on the lone female sitting in the front row. “Officer Price, why don’t you give us your one minute—one second?”
Josie sprang to her feet. “Yes, sir,” she said in a strong voice. She turned on her heel and faced the day watch cops.
She took a deep breath and began. “I’m Josie Price. I was born and raised in Reno, where I lived until I was accepted into the police academy. Prior to that, I was in sales at a senior living facility. My only sibling, my brother, was a Marine and was killed in Afghanistan. His dream was to become an LAPD officer. Before he went overseas, he told me to make a difference in the world. After he died, I decided to fulfill his goal and join the LAPD. I have a cat named Jackson, I like country music, and I’m happy to be here.”
She gave a bob of her head and sat, turning her attention to the watch commander.
“Good job. Welcome.” He looked at the rest of the room. “The Mall Mob hit yesterday at the San Marino Esplanade—a small shopping center near Pasadena.”
From behind her, Josie heard a loud voice.
“Yeah, it’s where all the rich asshats go who won’t shop in Beverly Hills because ‘the hills’ got too much crime.”
Everyone snickered.
Mancuso shook his head. “I knew you’d have something to say, Bender. But seriously, one suspect brandished a handgun as the crew was making their getaway. They’re escalating.”
“Sounds like someone who wants to get dumped, and I’d be happy to oblige,” said a voice behind her.
The watch commander stiffened.
The room went still, and Josie sensed the shift.
“Romanelli, there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with taking a life. It’s probably best not to joke about it.” Mancuso’s gaze touched everyone. “Okay, guys, have a good day. Be safe out there.” He closed his notebook, stood, and walked out the door.
Officers pulled themselves from the molded plastic chairs and shuffled behind their watch commander.
She cleared the doorway and was met by a tall, husky guy in uniform.
“Officer Price, I’m your T.O. Call me Bender. You know where the kit room is?”
“Yes, sir. At the bottom of the stairs.”
“Great. Get our equipment, and I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”
“Yes, sir.” She pivoted and bounded down the steps.
When she got downstairs, she stood in line behind another female officer.
Her name was Lolo Paloma. Josie had met her in the locker room prior to roll call.
Lolo turned to face her. “I’ll show you how to get your gear. You’re working with Lurch. He’s a jerk to have as a training officer. Just let him talk to you about football and pretend to be interested. He likes that.”
“Thank you.” Josie hesitated. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
She lowered her voice. “What happened at the end of roll call when Romanelli said he’d dump the guy brandishing a gun?”
Lolo sighed and whispered back, “Lieutenant Mancuso is really sensitive about shootings. A few years ago, he shot and killed his sister.”
Chapter 2: Chloe
Sixteen-year-old Chloe Conrad ambled into the kitchen of her parents’ home in the foothills of Chatsworth, in the northernmost part of Los Angeles.
The area—always in danger from wildfires, mudslides, and, of course, earthquakes—was where the rebels of Hollywood built their mansions among the sagebrush, boxy boulders, and jackrabbits.
She hated it. She’d much rather live in the trendy spots, like Beverly Hills, Bel Air…or better yet, Malibu.
“Good morning, Chloe,” her mother gushed as she sipped coffee and played a word game on her iPad. “What do you have planned for the day?”
She grunted and shrugged.
“I’m going to the police station to sign up for their Volunteer Surveillance Team today. Do you want to come?” Her mom smiled. “We’d be undercover, and like Charlie’s Angels, directing the cops where to go to arrest bad guys.” She shut down her tablet, poured herself another cup of caffeine, then held up an empty mug toward her.
Chloe nodded and motioned to bring her coffee as well.
Besides the brew, her mom carried a small caddy holding creamer and sugar and set it in front of her.
Chloe directed a heavy splash of cream into her mug. “Sorry. I can’t play detective today. I’m supposed to hang out with Mal. We may even drive out to the beach.”
“Why would you go all the way to the ocean, dear? We have a lovely pool right here in our backyard.”
Because we want to escape our parents and meet guys?
“We’re just tired of crashing at home.” She smiled. “But you go ahead and snag your angel wings from Charlie.”
Her mother returned the grin. “Crime is on the rise. I think it’s important to give back to the community.”
She turned and rolled her eyes. Adults were so disillusioned thinking they could help prevent burglars and drug dealers. “What time is your meeting?”
“Eleven. When are you leaving for the beach?”
“As soon as I take a shower.”
“You should really eat something.”
“We’ll grab some fast food on our way.”
“Do you want me to make you a lunch?”
“No, we’ll be okay.”
Her mom checked her watch and stood. “I’d better hustle if I’m going to be presentable to join the police force.” She glanced back at her daughter. “What time do you think you’ll be home?”
She tilted her head. “I’m not sure, but I’ll call you and let you know.”
Two hours later, Chloe parked her red Toyota MR2 in the driveway of a house in Glendale.
Her heart pounded as she climbed the steps to the small bungalow with the white picket fence. She rang the bell.
Eloy Beglaryan flung open the door and pulled her inside.
He started kissing her and tugging at her clothes.
“Whoa, soldier. At ease. Can’t you at least say hello?”
He bit lightly at her neck.
The whiskers from his beard tickled.
“Not when your beauty has overwhelmed me with desire.” He took her hand and led her toward the bedroom.
She let herself be pulled along, though deep down she resented how he assumed she’d have sex with him.
Of course, before she left her house, she knew they’d probably wind up in bed. But she didn’t like him treating it as a given.
Once he stripped them of their clothes, he laid her out on the sheets, then stopped. Placing his hand over his heart, he sighed. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
She stretched in what she thought was a sexy pose. “Thank you.”
He reached over to the nightstand and grabbed his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re so pretty. I want something to remember this moment.”
Alarm bells clanged in her head. Her parents had warned her time and time again to be careful of pictures. Once they were on the Internet, they were there forever.
She snatched the sheet to cover her body.
Eloy frowned. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t want my picture taken.”
He smiled at her—his sexy, smoldering smile. “Come on, babe. Just a boob shot. I can use it as a visual aid for when I’m alone and we can’t be together.”
She tried to counter with why she shouldn’t allow the pictures, but in the end, he got what he wanted. Worse yet, he told her he’d love her even more if he could take photos of her below her waist. And she’d let him.
Chapter 3: Josie
Josie sat in the passenger seat of the black and white while Bender drove at a snail’s pace. Traffic was heavy on the boulevard bordering the Cal State Northridge campus.
Right out of roll call, he took her to a local donut shop to grab a cup of coffee.
There were two other LAPD units in the same strip mall. Someone had burglarized a flower shop next to the donut joint.
One of the training officers barked at his probationary partner. “Tully, show this officer where the burglar got inside, and what they did while in there.”
As soon as they were out of earshot of the other cops, the probationer said, “First day?”
She nodded. “Is it that obvious?”
He chuckled. “No. When you arrived at the station, someone on morning watch saw a hot, new female going inside. That kind of info spreads like butter on hotcakes. I just put two and two together.”
Josie refrained from making a face. “You’re a P-1, too?”
“Yeah, I’m Jim Tully.” He stuck his hand out for a quick handshake. “I’ve been out of the academy five months. I started working on mornings this deployment period.”
“How do you like the job?”
He laughed. “Other than the fact I can’t sleep during the day, it’s hard to believe I’m getting paid to do it.”
“Have you had good training officers?”
“Some are better than others. I take the best of what I learn from each one and forget the crap I think they’re lousy at.
“It’s too bad your first TO is Bender. He’s not a hard-charger. I’ve heard he likes to drive around and talk about his glory days in the NFL. Someone told me he didn’t even complete his first season.”
He motioned for her to walk to the back of the strip mall.
She was dying to know more about Lieutenant Mancuso and how he shot his sister. She wondered if she could ask Tully, or would that seem too nosy?
Behind the flower shop, he showed her how the burglar had broken through the rear wall.
“They broke down the wall?”
He nodded. “Probably to avoid the alarm going off.”
Josie glanced around the top of the building. “They don’t have cameras back here?”
He pointed to the corner of the building. “See the mounting they had for cameras? My partner said they were stolen years ago, and after replacing them a couple of times, the building owners decided it wasn’t worth the effort.”
They walked around to the front of the shop, and he took her through the entrance.
A man stood in a side office with a glass window facing the front of the store.
“That’s the shop owner,” Tully said. He gave the owner a quick wave. Walking her to the rear of the store, she could see the hole in the back wall.
“Hard to believe a person could fit through that opening.”
Tully shrugged. “He came in through here, then went up to the front counter, ransacked the cash register, and took a couple of iPads they use for orders.” He pointed at an empty display. “He left the way he came.”
“Is it common in burglaries for the suspect to break out a wall?”
“I’ve never seen it before.” He grinned. “But then I’m still new too.”
The radio came to life. “Tully, where are you?”
He looked at her and sighed. “We’re overtime and my partner’s cranky.”
“How is it that he can talk so casually on the radio?”
Tully laughed. “He’s on another channel where we can talk to each other without the dispatcher and others listening in.”
“Right. I remember. We learned that in the academy. Thanks for the reminder.”
Josie followed him out of the flower shop to join the more tenured officers. “Come on, Price,” said Bender. “These guys need to go home, and we need to get back on the streets.”
