Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Her dark gaze flicked to him and then returned to the road. “To protect wildlife. I’ve always wanted to do so.”
He liked that about her. “Same with me, and I always wanted to be a cop. So the two dreams combine in this job.”
“I get it.”
It had been a long time since he’d felt this comfortable around anybody. His last girlfriend had dumped him at least a year ago because he was too nice, according to her. What in the world did that mean? Too nice? Who could be too nice?
A loud bang echoed and the vehicle rocked. “What the hell?” They swerved on the ice, and Jill corrected, pulling over to the side as the rear end fishtailed. “I think we popped the front right tire.”
Qaletaga glanced out at the icy rocks on the road. “More than likely. It happened to me just the other night. Stay here. I’ve got it.”
“I can change my own tire,” she protested.
“I know. Let me be a gentleman. All right?”
She sat back, her pretty face softening. “Of course, you can be a gentleman. If you want to change a tire, you go right ahead.”
Freezing rain poured down out there, and if he could at least keep her warm, he would try. He smiled at her just as a man emerged from the trees, his face covered, a weapon pointed at them. The guy reached her window in no time and knocked on it.
“Open the window.” Qaletaga kept his hands within sight. His heart beat wildly.
She slid it down, her other hand remaining on the steering wheel.
“I don’t want to hurt anybody,” the guy said. Dressed in all black, he wore a balaclava over his head that covered everything but his eyes.
“Not a problem,” Qaletaga said easily, his hand nonchalantly dropping to the side of his thigh. He’d never shot anybody before, but he was prepared. Probably.
Bullets instantly pinged against the hood of the vehicle. Jill jumped and moved toward him.
“It’s okay,” he said, his hands up now. He angled his head but could only see the tree line.
“Yeah, I’ve got a sniper backing me up,” the guy said.
Qaletaga knew that voice from watching videos of the man’s interviews to prepare for this case. It was Jason Abbott. “What do you want?”
“I want the evidence in the back hatch. Open it, and keep in mind, my sniper can hit anything from this distance. We aimed for the tire, and then we aimed for your hood. We could take out your head easily.”
“This is a bad idea,” Qaletaga warned, his adrenaline flowing. “I know you’re Jason Abbott.” Who else would want the journals?
“I think this is a good idea. Now.” Abbott pressed the gun to Jill’s head. She gingerly leaned forward and clicked the button to open the back hatch. “I could shoot you from any position, and so can my sniper. Don’t move,” Abbott ordered, walking around to the rear of the vehicle and hefting out the evidence locker. He walked a small distance from the vehicle and set it down near the tree line.
Qaletaga looked up and down the road. So far nobody was coming.
“Get out of the vehicle,” Abbott ordered, pulling off his face cover.
“You got what you wanted. Now leave,” Qaletaga said.
Abbott pointed the gun at Jill. “Now.”
“Listen, Abbott, you’re not hiding yourself very well. We’ve already called it in,” Qaletaga said.
“You haven’t called anything in.” Abbott jerked open Jill’s door and yanked her out. She cried out and fell. He shoved her toward the trees and then pointed the weapon at her. She lifted her hands.
“Get out of the vehicle,” Abbott snapped.
Qaletaga pushed himself out of her door and walked toward her, trying to put his body between Abbott and Jill.
“Sit next to her,” Abbott snapped. “So you recognized me.”
“It’s a little bit obvious, Jason,” Jill said.
Qaletaga had to admire her grit. Her voice didn’t even shake.
Jason smiled, and Qaletaga could see the charm women had found in him. Even dressed in all black, committing multiple felonies, the guy looked at ease with his dark hair swept back and his eyes calm.
“Killing cops is a bad idea,” Qaletaga said.
“No shit,” Abbott replied, looking toward the tree line. “However, my sniper does like to see heads blow like watermelons.”
Qaletaga had to think of a way to get Jill out of there. “Let her go. You can keep me.”
Abbott chuckled. “I don’t want either one of you.” He kept his weapon pointed at Jill. “Throw your phones in my direction.”
Qaletaga reached into his pocket as Jill did the same, and they tossed their phones at Abbott.
Abbott grabbed both of them and immediately turned them off, before shoving them in his pocket. “Now your weapons.”
Qaletaga threw his gun toward Abbott, and Jill did the same. Abbott picked them up and placed them in his other pocket.