Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
“Try permanently. The police are coming,” Mario Cusanelli, the owner, alerted him from behind. “Tony can take care of him from here.”
“I’ve got him pinned here. I don’t think he’s going to cooperate if I switch over to Tony,” Jerico suggested, making eye contact with the bouncer.
“Let me fucking go. I’ll leave,” the obnoxious man assured them in a tone that suggested he was not finished making problems.
“That’s up to the police,” Jerico said easily.
When the police walked in several minutes later, the place had settled down. Only the angry curse words oozing out of the pinned man’s mouth disrupted the Friday night atmosphere. Everyone was still watching but had relaxed as Jerico seemed to have the situation under control.
It took four officers to handcuff and haul that man out of there. The fifth talked to Jerico.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Officer, he was yelling at a young woman he called his neighbor. He had her pinned against the wall. From her reaction, I’m confident this wasn’t the first negative encounter she’d had with him.”
“Where is she?” the officer asked.
“She took off the minute Jerico rescued her,” Koa reported from behind them.
“Are you going to hold him?” Jerico asked.
“We’ll take him down to the station until he cools down. Unless he has some outstanding warrants, he’ll be back on the street in a couple of hours,” the officer said, shaking his head.
“Can you get his address?” Jerico asked.
“You going to check on his neighbor?” the officer asked. “I can’t give you his address. I can see if there is a car in the area and have them do a wellness check.”
“Could you look at his license somewhere close to me?” Jerico asked.
The officer nodded, understanding immediately. “If you happened to look over my shoulder, I couldn’t do anything about it. Don’t cause problems. That will piss me off. You don’t want to piss me off.”
“That won’t happen, sir. I just want to make sure she’s okay and help her if she needs it,” Jerico promised.
The officer nodded and walked away. Jerico trailed after him as he joined the other police officers gathered outside the police car that was rocking back and forth from the man’s violent objections to being restrained.
“Hey, do you have his license? I think I know that guy,” the police officer who’d talked with Jerico offered.
The moment the license was in the officer’s hand, Jerico glanced over his shoulder and memorized the name and the address.
Returning to the pizzeria, he found his team. “I’ve got to check on her.”
“We’ll come with you,” Caden assured him.
“You all stay here. Eat pizza. If we all show up, she’ll be scared.” Jerico reached for his wallet.
“We’ve got it. Call if you need help,” Zale told him. “She looked in rough shape.”
“Thanks.”
With a nod at the medic, Jerico picked up his slice of pizza with one bite taken out and walked out the back door to his truck. He plugged the address into his phone. New to town, he didn’t know much about the area, but he could tell she lived in the urban core. Not usually a safe place for a young lady alone.
You don’t know she’s alone.
He blew off that thought. She needed help.
CHAPTER 2
Pulling up in front of the duplex, he noticed that all the lights were on in one half of the building. He knew which one was the B side where Aspen Randolph lived. Jerico slid out of his truck and locked it. As he walked up to the front door, he heard barking.
Good, at least she has a dog.
He knocked on the door, noting the frame around it was splintered and battered. Jerico could see small bits of light shining through the gaps. The barking stopped and became muffled whining. He knew she was holding the dog’s muzzle together to keep him or her from making noise.
“Aspen, it’s okay. I’m just here to make sure you’re okay. The police are holding that guy for as long as possible.”
“Who are you?” she called back through the door.
“My name is Jerico. I pulled you away.”
“You just made it worse. Now he’s been to jail because of me. I have to leave now.”
There was a trembling sob in her voice that tore at his heart. She was so scared.
“I’m here to help. Open the door, Aspen.” Jerico put the full force of his dominance into the request, making it an order he hoped she couldn’t ignore. To his relief, the door opened a crack. One blue eye peered out at him.
“Go away. I don’t need your help.”
“Everyone needs help in a dangerous situation.”
The door widened, and a slim figure appeared in the opening. She scanned him and shook her head. “You’ve never needed help.”
“I have a team that has my back. Unless I’m mistaken, you’re by yourself,” Jerico guessed. “What’s going on?”