Chapter 21 #2
Simone looks at Colton. “What’s your Little girl’s name?”
“Evelyn. Her friends call her Eve.”
“Oh, Eve. I know her. I’ve met her at Surrender.” Simone cocks her head to the side and squints her eyes before snapping her finger. “I’ve seen you there, too, now that I think of it.”
Colton chuckles. “I’m sure you have. I bet if you were in pigtails, I’d be able to say the same about you.”
I know Colton didn’t immediately recognize Simone because he only has eyes for Eve.
Simone looks toward the front doors we just exited, fidgeting before turning to look at me again. “Do you think he has attacked more women than the two of us?”
“It’s possible. He wasn’t in the database, so he’s never been caught. In addition, his DNA was not recorded, which means he’s never been arrested for anything.”
“That’s promising, right?”
“Yes, Baby girl.” Just because the man has not been arrested before doesn’t mean he hasn’t gotten away with other crimes. The only reason we even know he’s the same man who attacked Simone is the DNA evidence.
I can’t help but remind myself what Simone pointed out the night I came to pick her up at the hospital.
She was smart enough to realize that survivors of rape, in particular, often do not report the crime.
Nothing is in their favor. That fact alone gives me pause.
I won’t promise Simone there haven’t been other victims. If there are, it’s likely they suffered worse.
As I wrap my arm around my girl, the door opens, and Blade steps out with June.
Blade’s brows are furrowed, but they smooth out when he sees us. “You’re still here.”
Simone gives June a gentle hug. “Are you okay?”
June nods. “Yeah. I guess. I’m just tired and stressed.”
Blade grunts. “When was the last time you took some pain relievers, June?”
June shrugs. “It’s been a while.”
Blade’s frown returns. He’s in full Daddy mode. I’m sure he’s barely keeping that side of him in check. “Let’s get you home. It’s probably hot in the car. I’ll cool it off for a minute.” He pulls his key fob out of his pocket, angles it toward the SUV in the parking lot, and pushes a button.
What happens in the next second feels like it’s in slow motion. I’m staring at the SUV as it explodes. The sound is deafening, and flames and smoke rise into the air. Metal flies in every direction.
We’re all thrown backward toward the building, and I manage to wrap my body around Simone’s to keep her from hitting her head as I take her down to the ground.
When I lift my gaze, I notice that Blade has done the same with June. She’s on her back a few feet away. Blade has his hand under her head.
Colton is shouting orders at officers who are running out of the precinct as he rushes toward the flames.
Blade rises and helps June to her feet.
I do the same with Simone.
Blade looks at me. “Stay with the women.” He turns in a hurry to join Colton. There are about two dozen officers surrounding the exploded SUV now.
“What was that?” Simone asks.
I reach for June’s good forearm to guide her next to Simone. “Looks like a bomb.”
“In Blade’s car?” Simone asks, eyes wide. She swallows hard. “What if we had…” Her voice trails off. There’s no need to speak the words out loud. If Blade hadn’t started the SUV remotely, any of us could have been inside when the bomb went off.
“Are you folks okay?” an officer asks.
I nod. “Yes. We’re fine.” I’m not entirely certain that’s true yet. I haven’t checked either woman for bumps or scrapes. I’m still counting our blessings that we weren’t in the car.
The officer turns away from us. It’s total bedlam out here. This is a police station. I don’t suppose they get many bombs in the parking lot.
I turn Simone around to make sure she hasn’t injured herself. Elbows, palms, the back of her head…
When I shift my attention to June, she’s pale, but she somehow manages to chuckle as she lifts her one good elbow.
“Who would know if I was injured from that,” she jokes.
“My elbow was already scraped and bloody.” She reaches up to touch the back of her head with the same good hand.
“I don’t think I hit my head, but again, I already did last night. ”
There are sirens everywhere. Three fire trucks pull up. It now seems there are more police in the vicinity than humanly possible. Civilians too. A lot of citizens were inside the station. They’ve filed outside to get a look at the commotion. Plus, dozens of people from surrounding businesses.
The three of us are stuck in the corner, pressed against the building. We don’t have anywhere to go, anyway, but I hope Simone and June can handle the additional trauma.
I don’t see Blade or Colton. They’re in the middle of the fray. Plus, the SUV was Blade’s. I cringe when it occurs to me that Blade wouldn’t have been here at the station at all if it hadn’t been for Simone’s attacker.
I can’t think like that. Blade would never blame us. Shit, it’s possible someone has been tailing him for a while, waiting for an opportunity to take him out. Could be a disgruntled client from a past job.
The female officer who’d been talking to June when we first arrived suddenly bursts from the building, looking around. When she spots us, she visibly relaxes and hurries closer.
“What’s wrong?”
“He got away.”
“What?” My voice rises.
Simone grabs my arm tightly.
The officer’s nostrils flare as she growls. “Three masked men came in through a side door. They were heavily armed. We were in the middle of moving the perp from the lineup room. It wasn’t hard for them to take him and escape. Damn near every officer is out here.”
I look back at the commotion. Obviously, this was no coincidence. The car bomb was planted as a distraction so those men could break their friend out of jail. But what the hell kind of calamity is this? How the fuck could this happen?
June and Simone are too stunned for words. Neither has spoken. I suspect they were already in shock and now can hardly process this new information.
Blade marches toward us with purpose. He looks fit to kill, and he’s on the phone.
His shoulders lower marginally when he spots us.
When he gets close enough, I catch his side of the conversation.
“Yes… If you and Cannon could both come. Two cars. I want protection on these women at all times… Thanks. See you in a few.”
When he ends the call, he looks toward me. “Mace and Cannon are coming. Mace will take all of you back to your place and comb the house to make sure it’s safe. Cannon will stay here with me. We’ll catch up with you once we sort this out. I can’t leave since that’s my fucking SUV.”
“You think it’s related?”
“Sure of it,” he says through gritted teeth. “And those fuckers will not get away with this.”
I glance around. “Looks like about a hundred officers are already on it.”
Blade smirks. “They aren’t as efficient as my men.”
“What…men?” June asks. “What do you do?”
Blade softens marginally and gently strokes the top of her head. “I own a protection agency. Black Blade Protection. You’ll be safe with my people, I promise.”
“But…” She looks terrified. Her eyes are wide, and her lips are trembling.
Blade steps closer. “But what, June?” He appears entirely calm even though I’m certain inside he is anything but. He’s doing this for June.
“I don’t know any of you. I can’t ask you to?—”
Blade cuts her off with a finger to her lips. “You didn’t ask. We offered.”
“You know me ,” I interject. “It’s been a few years, but I’m still the professor you knew at the university. My home is safe. I promise you can trust Blade and every person who works for him.”
“But I’m intruding. I have friends I can call. Someone can come get me.”
Blade narrows his gaze. His next words are spoken softly enough to take the sting off their meaning. “I don’t mean to point out the obvious, but where were these friends last night and this morning, June?”
She lowers her head.
Blade lifts her chin with a finger. “I didn’t mean that to sound accusatory, honey.
Can you just let us help you? I really need to go bark orders at people.
It’s going to take me a while. I’ll worry less about you if you go home with Camden and Simone.
I suspect whoever blew up my SUV is not pleased that you two ID’d your attacker.
That doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy about your safety, and I’m the best man in the Seattle area to keep you out of harm and safe. Trust me?”
June nods. “Okay.”
“Thank you. I’ll catch up with you later.” He turns and jogs away.
Mace shows up within minutes. It probably took him a good while to work his way through the throng of people to get to us. He smirks as he faces me. “Hey, Camden. Are you responsible for all this?”
I chuckle. There isn’t much funny happening, but at least Mace has lightened the mood a bit. “In a roundabout way, I suppose I am.”
Mace cringes. “I was kidding.” He turns toward the women. “You must be Simone and June. Let’s figure out how to get you out of here safely. You’re open targets. I don’t like it.”
I agree with him. In the madness, anyone could walk up and shoot Simone and June in the head without a single cop noticing.
Mace nods over his shoulder. “My SUV is double-parked around the corner. Let’s go.”
He takes June’s good hand in his while I thread my fingers with Simone’s. The four of us make our way to the awaiting SUV, and we’re inside without incident in less than a minute. Mace has June buckled in the front seat. I’m in the back with Simone.
I breathe much easier when we finally pull away.