Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
I jump back from the bars and stare at a gigantic man in the doorway. Eyes the color of glacial ice make a calculating sweep of the jailhouse.
For a beat, I’m panicked because this could be one of Sylverster’s meatheads. But then I realize I’ve seen him somewhere before.
My confusion grows when Peter steps through the doorway as the first man stalks inside.
Evan laughs darkly. “Look, it’s a get out of jail party.”
While I don’t feel much like laughing, I let out a relieved breath. “I hope so.”
“Marianna this is?—”
“His savior.” Muscles rippling below his short-sleeved shirt, the man fist bumps Evan through the opening between bars. “Marianna, good to see you.”
“Do I know you?”
He shares a glance with Evan. “We met once, briefly in Carollia.”
I blink at him, frowning. Then it hits me. The hospital. But he doesn’t say that.
Walt… I mean, Evan and… what's his name? Oh! Scout. That's it! They slap each other’s backs, through the bars. “Thanks for coming, man.”
I’m glad he’s here. Scout looks damned capable.
Broad shoulders. Lean muscles. A hard edge to his eyes and his jaw. Like he’s a honed knife edge.
And those eyes. They’ll slice right through you. Cold and cunning.
Oddly, I like him.
Maybe I’m a fool for dangerous looking men.
But this is good. I finally feel like I can breathe. I didn’t realize how good it would be to have backup.
Now I’ve got double with Scout and Peter here.
Grinning at his friend, Evan says, “Peter, this guy is known as Scout, when his ego isn’t overshadowing the sun.”
Mumbling, his buddy gives him a one-finger salute—the middle finger. “Like yours doesn’t.”
“Glad to see you looking well given the circumstances.” Peter gives Evan an appreciative nod.
“I haven’t been here that long.” Evan shakes the older man’s hand instead of fist-bumping. “I’ll be better when I’m out of here.”
Behind me the office door swings open. A small creaking on its hinges gives a small warning. Enough time for Evan and Scout to quickly take on stony expressions.
Willometa emerges wearing a withering scowl. “What the hell is going on out here?”
Scout holds up an envelope. “I’m here to pay this guy’s bail.”
The packet is bulging.
Holy smokes, how much bail did he need?
Now I know why Chief Willometa said I couldn’t afford it. There must be thousands of dollars in there.
Regardless, I’m not sure this announcement by Scout sits well. Or maybe the head of Karma’s very small police force has heartburn.
It is one of those days.
Or maybe he didn’t like what he found out about Evan’s background.
Or, god forbid…maybe he found out that it’s a fake name.
My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach.
It only takes a second for my thoughts to turn dark. What if there is something bad in his records?
But then I realize his glare is aimed at Peter, not Evan or his friend.
A weird tension crackles between the two older men—two figureheads in Karma.
Do they have some kind of problem?
When I can’t take the glaring silence any longer, I speak up. “Is everything okay?”
Peter, never taking his eyes off the chief nods. “I’m sure it will be.”
The tension grows until I’m about to peel out of my skin.
“A word with you, Willometa. Outside .” Peter’s tone leaves no room for mistake—this isn’t an option.
After that, the only sound in the entire building is the wobbly ceiling fan. That and the whooshing of blood in my ears.
If this were an old western movie, any second one of these two would quick-draw on the other in an old school style shootout.
Clutching my throat, I lean against the wall. “Can someone please do something before the building melts from all this tension?!”
I swear, I may never leave home after today.
After slicing a sharp look at each of us, Chief Willometa hitches his pants and follows Peter out of the building.
The second they’re outside, Scout deadpans, “That was fun.”
“Oh, my god, what is going on in this town?” I sag more against the wall. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. For a minute there, I thought I was going to pass out from the tension.”
Scout looks totally amused. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s got my interest. Storm, man, it didn't take you long to get yourself in hot water, again.”
Storm?
I must look confused again because Evan says, “Remember, Storm is my nickname from the Teams.”
“The Teams, what’s that?” I ask as I hurry across the jail.
“The SEAL Teams,” Scout says loudly enough for me to hear him.
Given that I know nothing about SEALs other than what the movies portray, I’m not surprised I don’t know this.
Evan’s voice goes up in alarm. “ Marianna, what are you doing?”
I kneel down and reach under the police chief’s desk. “Looking for the key. The ring is usually on a nail…right…here…”