Chapter 1 #2
“I can’t!” He frantically shook his head. Chin-length strands of greasy dark hair flew back and forth with the movement as he continued using the girl as a human shield. “I-I need the money, man.” Dull, brown eyes darted from Jagger, to the door, then back to the girl. “Cash! Now!”
A few seconds later, the terrified clerk finally, finally managed to open the drawer.
“Come on, man. You don’t have to do this. See? She’s getting you your money. So just drop the knife and let her go. Easy peasy, my friend.”
The girl fisted the last of the bills as she pulled them from the sectioned-off drawer. “There!” She dropped them into the small piles with the others. “That’s all of it. Now just…go! I won’t even call the cops, I swear. So please, just take the cash and go!”
She was lying. Jagger knew it. Hell, even the crackhead knew it. Of course, she’d be calling the police. It’s what any reasonably sane person would do.
But what these two didn’t know—what they couldn’t know—was that the fine men and women of the CPD had already been invited to the party.
Time to pull the final curtain on this little show.
“Listen, dude.” He kept his tone casual, as if they were two buddies discussing their plans for the night.
“If you don’t let her go, I’m going to be forced to shoot you.
She’ll probably get blood all over that pretty pink shirt of hers, I’ll have to go down to the police station to answer questions and fill out an official report, and you, well…
” Jagger huffed out a breath. “I mean, let’s be real for a minute, shall we? ”
“Shut up.”
“You and I both know what happens to the human body when a bullet pierces flesh and bone at over a thousand feet per second, right?” He ignored the man’s order and glanced down at the counter in front of him.
“Pretty sure there’s only about, what…four, maybe five feet between us?
” A low whistle. “Not sure even I want to see the kind of mess that’s left after putting a full-metal jacket through your skull. ”
“Shut. Up.”
“Bone and brains…and of course, blood.” Jagger blew out a breath. “That’s gonna be a real bitch to clean.”
The string broke on the tweaker’s patience. Lifting the knife away from the girl’s throat, he swung the weapon in Jagger’s direction. “I said, shut the fuck up!”
Bingo.
Jagger exhaled slowly and then…he pulled the trigger. The girl screamed as her attacker howled in pain as the knife flew from the man’s bloodied and useless hand.
“You shot me!” The guy used his good hand to grip the other wrist tightly. “Y-you…you actually fucking shot me!”
Duh.
Shock had the would-be robber looking back at Jagger as if he were the criminal. Meanwhile, the young clerk wasted no time in running away from the man who’d just threatened to end her life.
With frantic movements, she ran around the counter’s edge, straight to where Jagger was standing. She stopped inches behind him, using his body to shield hers from the man she obviously still considered a threat.
“It’s okay, darlin’.” Jagger kept his eyes and weapon trained on the bleeding moron. “He’s not gonna hurt you.” A deep chuckle. “After tonight, he’ll be lucky if he can brush his own teeth.” He gave his head a slight tilt. “The ones he has left, anyway.”
“Go to hell, man! This really hurts!”
“Good!” The girl yelled at the man from over Jagger’s left shoulder.
One corner of his lips curved. She was going to be okay, this girl.
The bell chimed as the door flew open. A low curse broke through the air.
“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”
Jagger turned his crooked grin toward the man who’d just joined them. Tall. Short, brown hair. Matching scruff covering a strong, square jaw.
Detective Tyler Hansen led Chicago PD’s Violent Crimes Division. He’d helped out on a few of Delta Team’s cases and had been an ally of sorts ever since.
“Detective.” Jagger dipped his chin. “I see you got my text.”
The girl behind him slowly came out from her hiding spot. “Text?” Her round eyes lifted to his. “W-when did you have time to send the cops a text?”
“I’m a man of many talents.” Jagger sent her a wink.
Her gaze slid from his to the groaning, bleeding man behind the counter, and back again. “Clearly.”
Yes, she was going to be just fine.
“Guess I don’t have to ask who gets the cuffs.” Hansen motioned for the two uniformed officers who’d followed him inside the store.
While the injured perp was secured, searched, and read his rights, Hansen handled the witness statements. First the girl’s, then his. They were just finishing up when Jagger’s back pocket began to vibrate.
He reached for the phone he’d had the forethought to silence before alerting the detective. A quick glance at the screen confirmed Jagger’s suspicions.
“Sorry. Gotta take this.” He slid his fingertip across the screen and put the phone to his ear. “Hey, man. I was just about to—”
“So you are alive.” Liam sounded both frustrated and relieved “Guess that answers my first question.”
The unexpected greeting left Jagger blinking. “What’s the second question?”
“What’s taking you so damn long? The guys are all here, and we’ve been…
” There was an abrupt pause. “Wait, where are you? Are those police radios I’m hearing?
Ah hell, man. You get stopped for speeding again?
Because I distinctly remember Hansen telling you the last time that he was done calling in favors to keep your ass from getting a ticket. ”
“Relax, Cutler.” He kept an easy-going tone. “I didn’t get stopped for speeding.”
“Oh, good.”
“I shot a guy in the convenience store when I stopped to buy your beer.”