A/N: This story if for the fork challenge. I'm late to the party. My thanks to Wenwalke and TheDogo for the beta and encouragement.
Danny's feet pounded the pavement. He narrowed his eyes at the suspect he was chasing and managed to eke out a little more speed to narrow the distance between them. He saw the suspect sneak a look over his shoulder and grimace. Danny ran faster.
Danny gritted his teeth and willed his lungs to keep up while mentally cursing Steve for always driving. If Danny got to drive his own car now and then, it would've been Steve who'd bailed from the car to chase the suspect. Steve swore he knew a shortcut around the park and would meet him on the other side, but the suspect had zigged and zagged and now they were racing down a walking trail. Danny would've snorted if he didn't need all the oxygen he could get. They were definitely doing more than walking. He toyed with the idea of pulling his gun, but that was wishful thinking. He wasn't even sure what the dude had done other than run away from an HPD traffic stop at the exact moment he and Steve had driven by.
Suddenly, the trail gave way to an open grassy area dotted with picnic tables, complete with grills and families enjoying the perfect weather. The sun shone off the nearby ocean. Danny hoped Steve would appear out of nowhere and tackle the suspect. He was seriously winded now.
A scream pierced the air. Danny cursed under his breath as he saw the fleeing suspect stop, grab a young girl by her ponytail and spin her around in front of him. The man turned to face Danny, arm wrapped around the girl's throat, lifting her feet off the ground. The girl's mother continued to scream.
Danny drew his gun but kept it at his side, pointing down. There were far too many people around. He raised his left hand.
"Whoa, whoa, there. Don't do anything stupid."
"Shut up!" The suspect sneered.
"You need to let her go," Danny urged. The little girl's eyes grew wider as she clutched at the arm around her throat, and Danny knew he had to hurry.
"I told you to shut up." The guy looked around. "Throw me your gun."
"No can do." Danny shook his head. "Let the girl go and we'll talk."
"Throw me your gun!"
Before Danny could answer, the girl's dad rushed the suspect. Danny wasted no time as they tumbled to the ground. He quickly holstered his gun and ran over. He pulled the girl away from the wrestling men and steered her in the direction of her mother.
Danny glanced over his shoulder to make sure the mom was getting the dazed girl away. As he turned back, the two wrestling men knocked over the grill. Hot charcoal briquettes flew in his direction. Danny flinched as he felt hot stings on his arm. A wave of ash obscured his vision. He coughed when he involuntarily inhaled the powder. A quick ocean breeze helped clear the air.
Danny caught a flash of light on steel.
The suspect's arm swung down, barbeque fork in hand. The sun glinted off the long handle as it was thrust toward the unsuspecting father momentarily disorientated from a blow to the side of his head. Danny quickly lunged forward and knocked the suspect's arm aside. The fork never reached its intended target. Instead, Danny found himself face to face with the suspect as he grabbed the man's wrists to keep him from trying the blow again. He felt more than saw the young father regain his feet and move away.
Danny gritted his teeth and struggled for dominance with the suspect.
"Drop the fork!"
The suspect didn't respond except to push harder.
Danny let his arms get pushed closer to his body. He then dropped his hands and stepped to the side. The suspect lost his balance. Unfortunately, the man recovered quickly. Danny's right hook connected with the man's jaw at the same time he felt a sharp pain in his left arm.
Danny straightened. He stepped over to the groaning suspect, flat on his back on the ground. He toed the man's hip while taking his gun out of his holster once again.
"Roll over. Hands behind your back."
The suspect mumbled a curse as he rubbed his sore jaw. Danny prodded him again. The man glared but finally complied. Danny could hear sirens fast approaching.
Danny reached for his handcuffs while trying to ignore the barbeque fork still stuck in his arm. He winced as the handcuffs tugged suspect squirmed so he ignored the pain and reached down to cuff him before he could roll over again.
"Can I help?" The girl's dad had recovered and was reaching a hand out towards Danny's cuffs.
"Please." Danny handed him the cuffs. The dad fastened them snugly and backed away. "Thank you." Danny nodded.
Danny snuck a peak as the dad rushed over to his wife and daughter and enveloped them in a big hug. The suspect half rolled over to sit up. Danny waggled his gun and shook his head at the man.
"Danny! Danny!" Steve's voice came from across the park. Danny kept his gaze on the suspect and soon heard his partner's footsteps behind him.
"Oh, good. You got him." Steve breezed by Danny to grab the suspect by the handcuffs and pull him up none too gently. He turned around. "Book him, Da... Danny?!" Steve pushed the suspect to the ground again when he noticed his partner's forked arm.
"Nice of you to show up, Steven."
Steve waved two HPD officers to the suspect to take him into custody and then looked his partner up and down again.
"What happened?"
"What happened?" Danny repeated. "Well, I chased the suspect because you were driving my car and said you knew a shortcut. So I ran a half marathon only to get all but blinded by charcoal dust and then skewered like a shish kabob. Did I leave anything out?"
"Well..."
"Oh, yes, I did leave something out. I got the punk even though I still don't know why HPD wanted him, and now? Now I want to go get this stupid fork out of my arm. I'm done."
"Done?"
"Yes, done. I'm officially not interested in barbequing any time soon." Danny turned and cradling his arm, headed away from the area. He looked over at his partner and smiled. "I mean, just stick a fork in me. I'm done."
Thank you for reading. See you next time, I hope.
