Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 137176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Despite the white-hot fear racing through me, I allowed the young police officer tasked with cuffing me to bend one arm behind my back. When the first cuff snapped around my wrist, I felt my knees start to buckle, but I managed to keep myself upright.
“You’re telling me your brother is letting the guy who shot you—” Bruce began.
“Not my idea,” JJ said angrily, his cold eyes raking over me like I was nothing but shit beneath his shoe. “Sully’s always had a soft spot for him, and you know what Sully’s like.”
“Yeah,” Bruce said with an unamused chuckle. “Yeah,” he repeated. I could see the hunger for vengeance in the man’s eyes. “So he’s the one who shot the—” Bruce began, keeping his eyes on me even as he motioned in the direction of the man I’d killed.
“No,” JJ interjected. “Like I said, he’s just backup. I shot the suspect when a civ walked into the middle of the scene.”
I nearly choked on my own saliva at JJ’s words.
Bruce kept his eyes on me. The officer behind me had lowered my other arm to cuff it but seemed to be holding off after hearing JJ’s admission.
“Bruce,” JJ said firmly. He waited until Bruce’s eyes shifted back to him. “No one wants to see this asshole behind bars again more than me, but facts are facts. He was the witness, not the shooter.” JJ motioned toward an officer holding our weapons. “I shot him with the Glock. Ballistics will prove it.”
I still had no idea what JJ was doing, but the mere mention of ballistics would be another nail in my coffin. The Glock was registered to me, so once the bullet I’d put through the suspect’s head was compared to the bullets from my gun, it would be over.
“Sir,” one of the officers called. “This is the kid who saw the whole thing.”
The teenager who’d been crouched behind the garbage can when I’d shot the man was standing nervously next to a female police officer.
“You saw which one of these men shot that one?” Bruce asked as he pointed toward the lifeless body behind us.
“Um, yeah, it was that guy,” the kid stammered as he pointed at JJ. “He saved my life,” the teenager added. “He,”—the kid pointed at me—“was the one who told me to call 911.”
It took me a second to realize the kid truly believed what he’d said. He must have covered his head when JJ had told him to get down, so all he would have heard was the shooting itself. The boy was assuming the fatal shot had come from JJ.
“Okay,” Bruce said. “Take his statement and get him back to his folks,” he instructed the officer standing next to the teenager. Then he was motioning to the officer behind me.
My mind was still trying to process what kind of game JJ and Bruce were playing with me when I felt the cuff on my left wrist click and then it was gone.
One of the officers returned both guns to JJ while Bruce said, “You’re free to go. Both of you. I’ll send someone to your brother’s office to get your statements in the next day or two.”
“Appreciate it, Bruce. Definitely not in the mood for red tape today,” JJ grumbled. “And I sure as shit want to get the fuck away from him as soon as I can, if you know what I mean,” he added as he jerked his head in my direction.
Bruce nodded and reached out to shake his hand. “Stay safe,” he murmured.
“You too,” JJ returned. Then he was grabbing my arm and leading me past all the officers. I waited for one of them to jump out and grab me.
“Don’t say anything,” JJ said tightly.
Several minutes passed as we made our way back up the hill to Jenna’s house. One of the officers had offered us a ride up there, but I’d been grateful when JJ had said we were okay. I had absolutely no desire to sit in a cop car.
I was regretting the decision now as I watched JJ trudge up the hill. He was sweating profusely and stumbled every few steps. I had a million questions for him, but they could wait. He might have managed to cover his pain while he’d been interacting with his former coworker, but he was drowning in it now. I walked close enough to catch him if he fell but kept enough distance between us so he wouldn’t feel the need to move away from me. Despite covering for me, I doubted anything had changed between us. JJ was a good man, and one of the things that had attracted me to him upon my return from the military was his honor. From some of the stories he’d told me about his unique cases, I’d gleaned that he was the kind of guy who did the right thing.