Always Yesterday Read Free

foot. At Eleventh Street Eli and his entourage made a left. Delanie jogged to catch up. Unfamiliar with the neighborhood, she had no idea where they were headed.
    Just before she rounded the corner where Eli had turned, someone grabbed her from behind. Muscular arms wrapped around her neck and waist, holding her in a choke hold. Don’t panic! Stay calm! Immediately all of her senses were alert, alive. She sucked hard to take in a breath; the arm across her throat made it difficult. Why hadn’t she been paying attention to her surroundings? As a cop, she knew better, especially in this neighborhood. She’d wait. Sooner or later this guy would make a mistake, and she’d make her move. Heart pounding, she prayed for help.

Chapter 2
    Sarge didn’t tell me your nickname was Coop the Snoop.”
    Eli knew the moment Delanie recognized his voice—some of the tension left her body, and she relaxed a little, but not completely. He loosened his hold the slightest bit, and she inhaled a gulp of air. He didn’t want to notice the smell of her—clean with a hint of lavender—or the touch of her—small and soft in his arms—but neither eluded him.
    What is it about this woman? He released her, needing to put space between them. She swung around and, using her legs, swept his out from under him. He hit the ground—hard. Dazed, he replayed the last few seconds. One instant he was contemplating her femininity, and the next he was sprawled out on the pavement with a throbbing head and an aching back, listening to a group of boys chuckling somewhere nearby. He’d never hear the end of this from them.
    “Man, she’s quick,” he heard Miguel say.
    “Did you see the way she knocked his feet right out from under him?” Oscar asked in a loud whisper.
    Delanie reached out her hand to help Eli to his feet. Groaning, he accepted her offer, and she pulled him up. “Don’t ever misjudge your opponent.” She raised her eyebrow, tilting her chin upward. Turning, she faced the group of boys. “Can anyone play, or is it guys only?”
    “Guys only,” Eli answered, brushing the dirt off his sweats. He figured he’d cut her off before any of those awestruck teens could invite her into the game.
    “But since you’re tougher than most of the guys we know”—Miguel shot him a meaningful glance, his brown eyes glowing with mischief—“we can make an exception for you.”
    “Why, thank you.” Delanie dazzled them with a smile that might possibly shame the sun. His little mob of junior high boys surrounded her like bees around a honeycomb, and they walked toward the court while he straggled behind completely forgotten. She joked with them, and they joked back, admiration written across each young face. Great. His little posse abandoned him for the first pretty girl to come along.
    “Where do you guys play?” she asked.
    “Peavine Elementary,” Miguel said, “down on Grandview.”
    Delanie checked out the yellow school with bright, colorful doors—some blue, green, and red. It looked happy with vines growing up the side of the building, and to her surprise she saw no graffiti. She followed the guys around back to the playground where a full-size basketball court awaited them.
    Oscar tossed the basketball to Delanie, and she tossed it to Eli. “Hope you don’t mind a girl in the game.” Her Caribbean-blue eyes mocked him. She knew he did mind, but she obviously didn’t care.
    “As long as you’re not on my team.” He threw the ball back to her—with force. She caught it, and from the slapping sound against her palms, he knew they had to sting, but she didn’t even flinch.
    Stopping at the edge of the court, Delanie asked, “So whose team am I on?”
    “I’ll take her,” Miguel offered gallantly. She was shorter than most of the boys, so they all knew she was more of a liability than an asset.
    “I’ll take Eli.” Oscar grinned, and Eli knew the chunky boy still pictured him sprawled out on the pavement and could