Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Two police cruisers parked at the curb, and Annalise craned her neck to see the officers exiting the vehicles. After all four were visible, she let out an audible sigh, and I frowned.
“Are you afraid of someone on the force?” I queried in a low voice.
Her brow rose in surprise. “What? Oh, no.” She shook her head and gave me a sheepish smile. “I was just looking for Phillip, my brother’s best friend. If he’d answered this call, my dad and brother would be here any minute. Hovering, being overprotective, and just driving me crazy in general.”
“Ah,” I chuckled.
“Hopefully, they won’t hear about it until I can come up with a strategy to keep them from freaking out,” she grumbled. “They’d probably force me to go home with one of them, which would give me a bigger headache than this bump.”
Hmm. I filed that information away for future use.
Two of the officers approached us while the other pair went in to check the building.
“Are you two okay?” A tall woman with a severe bun, but kind face, asked. Officer Grange, according to her name tag.
“She’s a little banged up,” I told her before Annalise had a chance to answer.
“Ma’am?” The paramedics walked up to Annalise, and I backed up to get out of their way but moved to stand behind my girl. “I’m Henry”—he pointed his thumb toward his partner—“and that’s Jordan. I’m just going to give you a short exam before we get you on your feet and over to the ambulance.”
“I really think I’m fine,” she protested. “It’s just a bump.”
“Let them do their job, gorgeous,” I encouraged, using a persuasive voice that had sweet-talked many informants into giving up their information.
She sighed. “Fine.”
Henry crouched in front of her. While he checked her over, Officer Grange motioned for me to step away. I did so, reluctantly, but stood where I could still have my eyes on my girl.
“Can you tell us what happened?” her partner, Officer Ford, inquired, pulling out a pen and poising it over a yellow notepad.
Henry drew my attention away when he announced that Annalise was fit enough to stand and walk to the back of the ambulance. “Protocol, ma’am,” he told her before she could voice a complaint.
I cursed my damn bum leg when the paramedic put an arm around her to make sure she was steady as she walked. I wanted to rip his limbs off and shove them down his throat. But I swallowed the unreasonable urge, although I did shoot him a warning glance that caused him to gulp and loosen his hold on her.
Glancing back at the officers, I shrugged. “I can only tell you what happened when I got here. But the incident started before that, so only Annalise can fill you in on those details.”
The medics were walking away with Annalise, and even though it was only a few feet to the vehicle, I instinctively moved to keep as little distance between us as possible.
Jordan opened the back door of the ambulance, and they both helped Annalise inside.
“Give me a minute while they check her out,” I told the officers before jogging to the ambulance.
When I attempted to get in, the jackass—Henry—reached for the door and opened his mouth, his expression making it clear he was reluctant to say whatever ridiculous thing was about to come out of his mouth. “Sorry, sir. It…it’s a tight space…so, um, it’s family only.”
“I’m her fiancé.” The words were out before I could stop them. Annalise’s jaw dropped, and her eyes grew big and round. I mentally shrugged. She might as well get used to hearing the term since I planned on making it true at some point. Sooner rather than later.
“Oh, sorry,” Henry apologized as he stepped back to make room for me to enter.
I grunted in response and climbed into the rig, sitting on the bed across from my girl.
The police had followed me, and when Henry saw them, he sighed and left the door open.
“Ma’am,” Officer Granger called in a gentle voice. “I’m sorry, but can you tell us what happened here?”
While she was examined, Annalise filled them in on the incident. The more she told them, the hotter my temper got. When she reached the part where she hit her head, I took over and finished the story, giving them a description of the guy and the vehicle as best I could.
“Tucker is a German shepherd,” Annalise added. “Mostly black, but with brown fur around his paws and a patch on his chest.”
Officer Ford nodded as he wrote everything down.
“Here’s my information, Ms. Ragsdale,” Officer Granger said as she handed Annalise a small card. “If you think of anything else, feel free to call me. Officer Ford is going to get your details from you, and we’ll be in touch if we need anything else.”