As expected, I was on night patrol in Marlinton, West Virginia. Not far from an area where cell phones and all radio contact is scrambled by Homeland Security or by a not so secret military.

Being the new guy it makes sense, you get the most undesirable shifts. As usual it was bitterly cold and typically foggy; a damp cold that penetrated to your bones. However, after a couple of years in the Afghani deserts and cold survival training in northern New York, winter in West Virgina was a God send, almost warm. Above all it was home. Comfortingly it was home, after being away for so long.

Rolling through the hollows, I couldn't shake the memory of a recent call out. A beautiful woman abused by a loser who never deserved her. I couldn't forget her. Where was she, where was he? Was he still in confinementl? I hope the asshole didn't post bond.

As these thoughts bounced around in my mind, the radio jolted me back to reality, requiring immediate action. Shit, it was a familiar address and I was immediately ready. Answers to my questions were about to become clear.