Back Lost Hills Save as PDF
Chapters (49)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. Contents
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  7. CHAPTER THREE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR
  9. CHAPTER FIVE
  10. CHAPTER SIX
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT
  13. CHAPTER NINE
  14. CHAPTER TEN
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  48. Author’s Note and Acknowledgments
  49. About the Author

“I heard it’s an ATM in West Covina now,” Deputy Ross said with a grin, “but it freaks out whenever somebody tries to deposit a Social Security check.”

“PTSD is a bitch,” Clayton said.

Eve didn’t have the time or patience for banter. She tapped a spot on the map to focus their attention. “Coyle’s place is right here.”

The deputies gathered around to look. The trailer was on the northern edge of the complex, overlooking a steep slope of heavy brush below, and was sandwiched between trailers on either side.

“Four of us will take the door,” Eve said. “Four others will surround the trailer in case he tries to make a break through a window or a trapdoor.”

Eve spent the next few minutes going over the logistics and assigning deputies to keep people in their trailers and away from Coyle’s place during the raid and for as long as it took to search his home and car afterward. Duncan volunteered to stay outside and handle crowd control during the breach.

Eve wasn’t surprised but couldn’t resist teasing him. “Are you sure you don’t want to go in with me?”

“Hell no. I’m retiring in a few weeks,” Duncan said. “I’m not going to press my luck.”

Eve shrugged and pointed to Ross. “Okay, you’re with me. Let’s do this.”

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The line of patrol cars surged into the mobile home park, splitting off and going up the various streets, while the last two vehicles blocked the opening to Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Deputy Ross pulled in front of Coyle’s carport, blocking the Corolla from leaving, and another patrol car rolled up from the other direction so they were nose-to-nose. Two more cars came up behind them. Eight officers emerged silently, guns drawn, Eve taking the lead.

Four deputies fanned out around the mobile home as Eve, Ross, and two others went up to the front door. One of the deputies came forward with a battering ram and, on Eve’s signal, smashed open the door, which crumpled like it was a single sheet of aluminum foil.

Another deputy tossed a flash-bang grenade into the mobile home. They ducked back as the grenade exploded, throwing out blinding light and deafening sound but not shrapnel. The grenade was designed only to cause disorientation and not to create any damage.

The first two deputies spread right and left, covering the two sides of the living room, while Eve and Ross went up the center toward the kitchen and the short hallway beyond.

Eve edged around the first door and spotted Coyle rising in bed, groggy and disoriented. She rushed up to his bed and whipped back the sheets with one hand to make sure he didn’t have a weapon within reach. He was shirtless and wearing black boxers.

“Police. Show me your hands,” Eve commanded. Ross was behind her, also targeting Coyle.