Chapter 2 Blast From the Past #3
For all she knew she had massively misinterpreted that concerned touch earlier, and he had a wife somewhere waiting on him. He’d said he wouldn’t marry at least until after he retired, but she understood perfectly well how plans changed.
She understood less why the idea that he might have a wife that he touched with those hands, kissed with those lips, and openly focused his natural protective instincts on made her want to break something.
So, she blamed the agitated feeling that sparked inside on her exhaustion, and the fact that she was stuck waiting on the damn deputies.
Jenna attempted to busy herself with readjusting the display of pastries that remained, hoping the mindless task that would occupy her hands might for once also keep her thoughts from wandering. But soon her youthful employees’ murmured conversations carried all too easily to her.
Steph let out a giggle in response to something Eric had said. “God, they’re so hot,” she sighed, not particularly quietly.
Jenna pulled both lips between her teeth to keep silent. She didn’t usually intrude unless she saw something that needed correcting, and there weren’t any customers in the shop.
Eric made a laughing sound that nearly obscured the tell-tale swish of a fresh sleeve of disposable cups being set out in the coffee area. “They are, though. I might need to make my boyfriend get a haircut.”
“Oh, he could totally pull that off!”
Jenna tried not to groan. She’d probably talked just like that at their age.
It was hypocritical of her to even try to lecture them.
She turned her head enough to let her gaze drift out the side window pane.
Jon’s profile was about half-visible from her angle, and a portion of shoulder she knew was attached to his friend, but that was fine.
She hadn’t even caught his friend’s name.
She was no better than her employees, really, save for the fact she was keeping the thoughts in her head.
She bit the inside of her cheek. If she and Jon were true strangers, meeting for the first time, and he’d tried flirting with her, she would absolutely have flirted back.
Hell, she might have flirted first if she could have gotten over the shock of the events sufficiently enough.
If she thought she could survive a fling with him—presuming he was single—she might still.
But she’d never been much for flings and she knew the damage Jon Johnson could do to her heart.
Distance was better. Safer. Smarter.
She was fine being alone at night. She’d learned the hard way that an empty bed wasn’t the worst thing.
Distance was better, but it felt like the most awkward forever before two cruisers finally pulled into the parking lot. No sirens, no ambulance, no sense of urgency.
Jenna blew out an aggravated breath and rose from the seat she’d claimed when she’d run out of fidgety tasks to busy herself with.
“You two stay inside. I don’t know what they might need from me, so Eric’s in charge until I’m back.
” He would have been if she had been free to leave like normal, anyway.
By the time she made it outside, Jon and his friend had the conscious and grumbling burglars on their feet.
The cruisers parked as if they were pulling in for a midday pick-me-up, and to her displeasure, Drew Parker unfolded from the lead car.
She really hadn’t known why she’d hoped he wouldn’t make the trip.
He hadn’t missed an opportunity to ridicule or cajole her since middle school.
She didn’t recognize the other deputy, but that hardly mattered. It was always best to assume that anyone Drew showed up with was on Drew’s side.
Jenna met up with the men on the sidewalk only a few paces away from the door to her bakery.
Immediately, she realized she had no idea where to look.
She had no interest in staring at the burglars, whose faces revealed them to be close in age to her on-duty employees but absolute strangers.
She would rather watch paint dry than give Drew the time of day.
And while Jon was the obvious answer, Jon was the most dangerous of all.
Because Jon was the one she wanted to look at.
Drew let out a loud scoff and planted his hands on his hips in an attempt to make himself look larger than his natural five-foot, nine-inches.
The rounded belly he was already developing did help, but likely not the way he wanted.
“All right, what the hell’s goin’ on here?
” He raked a scathing glare over the four men, then shifted it to Jenna predictably.
“If this is another one of your cries for attention, I swear I’ll lock you up. False reports are a crime, Jenna.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “If you hate me so much, why do you insist on showing up when my name is attached to a call?”
Drew’s lip curled over his teeth. “Someone has to—”
“Victim-blaming’s not really a good look for the badge. Parker.” The way Jon bit Drew’s name was enough to assure Jenna he hadn’t just read it off their former classmate’s lapel.
Drew twisted, nostrils flaring. “I am a goddamn Deputy Sheriff, you will not talk to me that— Fuck. Johnson.” A rush of air escaped him like he’d been punched in the gut. “You’re supposed to be dead.”
Jon’s friend snorted.
Jon didn’t blink. “And men who wear those stars are supposed to defend their citizens. Guess we were both wrong.”
Jenna bit back a smile.
Drew’s arms fell to his sides, hands curling into fists, and he took a large-enough step forward.
Large enough to bring him into Jon’s space.
Large enough to emphasize Jon’s superior height.
Large enough to be considered socially inappropriate and aggressive.
“I don’t care where you’ve been all these years, you little fucking prick,” he spat, “I am still a badge-carrying officer of the law and you will speak to me with respect!”
Jon’s eyes narrowed. A look of pure, unbridled disapproval settled on his face.
With barely a movement, he passed the slack-jawed burglar in his grip over to his friend, then took a step forward.
Nearly chest-to-chest with Drew, he pressed one finger against the star-shaped badge pinned over Drew’s breast. He did not lower his voice when he spoke, nor did he raise it.
“You’ve got that backwards. Respect doesn’t come with the badge; the badge is earned from it.
This”—he pressed hard enough to tip Drew backward—“is not a badge of entitlement. It is a reminder of the goddamn burden that has been entrusted to you. This piece of metal pinned to your chest is a responsibility you have agreed to bear every fucking day. Not when it’s convenient.
Not when you’re bored. Not only for the people you approve of.
Law enforcement is no place for little boys dressing up in their daddy’s uniforms because they think every day is Halloween. ”
Shit. It was surreal to see Jon that way, speaking in such a hard and forceful manner. He commanded authority in a way Jenna could scarcely describe. His every word felt like a blow, as if he were delivering a beating without so much as clenching his fists.
Drew’s partner finally decided to make himself known as Drew took a stumbling step back, nearly off the curb. “Hey, that’s enough. Let’s get back on track.”
“Yes, let’s,” Jon’s friend said. He jostled the men he now held on each arm like baggage.
“Dumbass on my right came in with the nine-mil and the go-bag, also on my right. He’s pretending he doesn’t speak English and cursing up a storm in Spanish, but gets offended every time I insult him, so he understands enough.
” The man on his right arm immediately went silent and Jenna suspected the accusation was true.
“Dumbass on my left led the charge with the forty-five, which he had leveled at Jenna when we intervened. An older gentleman named Neville was also witness to the whole thing, as well as some guy whose name we don’t know, and one of the kids in the bakery.
” He shoved both crooks forward. “Here ya go.”
Drew made no effort to help his partner with the sudden armload of less-than-cooperative crooks, instead glaring between the men across from him. “And we’re just supposed to take your word for all this? That’s not how police work works.”
Jenna dipped a hand into her pocket and withdrew the slim flash drive she’d prepared for exactly that argument.
“Here. Footage from the camera over my door. Caught the whole thing, at least up until the burglars were pulled out of camera range and subdued. But it’s enough to corroborate the story.
Of course, myself and Eric are willing to make written statements, too.
Not that you’ve asked. Steph was in the back and missed the whole thing, which I’m sure she’ll tell you. ”
Drew swiped the drive from her as if he still thought she had cooties. He probably did. “And the other witnesses?”
“You remember Principal Neville,” Jenna replied.
“Probably better than Jon does.” She couldn’t not smile at the barb.
“The other man I only know as ‘Q’, it’s the nickname he gives when he orders.
But he comes in at least four days a week, always in the morning.
He’d already been here over an hour when this all happened. ”
Jon spoke up again, the danger in his voice only slightly settled. “Q is Hispanic, early forties, same height as you, trimmer build, with dark hair down to his collar and a receding hairline. Thin mustache. He walked, so he’s staying local.”
Drew grunted. “You’re talking about that weird guy who bought the Leeland Estate?”
Jenna could have smacked herself. She did know that, or at least that rumor. “Yes, from what I’ve heard.”
“Fine.” He tucked the drive into a pocket.
“We’ll take the punks in, get their side and watch this, but if this doesn’t prove what you’ve said beyond a shadow of a doubt, I’m coming back for statements.
” He cut a glare to Jon. “And I don’t fucking care if you’re still playing wannabe superhero, Johnson.
There are ways for us smalltown law enforcement types to get answers out of you military assholes, too. ”
Jon’s brow furrowed. “I hope you keep that charm to yourself when you have to work with those ‘military assholes’,” he said. “We’re a tight circle. You don’t want to land on the wrong side.”
“We got incoming!”
Jenna startled at the warning shout, belatedly realizing that she had heard what sounded like an approaching engine. But she’d been too focused, and really, they were in a parking lot. Traffic happened.
Except she had about a heartbeat to realize that what was happening was not mere traffic.
Drew spun around, stumbling gracelessly off the edge of the curb and catching himself on his cruiser.
Beyond him, his partner struggled to hold on to the guy Jon had tackled previously.
Beyond them, an old Bronco was swinging sharply sideways into the center of the lot as what looked like a high-powered rifle slid out the passenger window.
Her heart shot into her throat.
Jon tackled her to the ground as rapid explosions tore through the air.
The sound of shattered glass followed like an odd after-beat.
They rolled until she found herself pulled to sitting, Jon’s hand on her nape and his dark eyes boring into hers.
“Stay low and get to the back. Put solid walls between you and these windows.”
He wanted her to run? Jenna licked her lips. Something tore into the concrete near her foot. “Shit! Okay. Okay!”
Jon tugged her to her feet, turning as he stood, and raised a gun she didn’t even know he’d had on him out toward the source of the enemy gunfire. “Go,” he barked, before squeezing the trigger.
Jenna turned and sprinted for the back counter, trying her best not to look around at her store. At least she hadn’t had any customers inside.
Someone screamed behind her. The sound was full of pain and her chest constricted. Oh my god, what if—No, she couldn’t think that. That would be stupid. Too stupid.
But she realized the gunfire had stopped, and she could hear tires squealing away. And before she could work up the nerve to turn back around to survey the scene, she was absolutely sure she heard Drew’s partner … urgently calling for an ambulance.