“That was me being hospitable-like. Beans are vegetarian.”
I smiled as Craig pulled away from the curb and out onto the empty street. Dee peaked around her seat at me. “What the hell happened?”
I groaned. “It’s a long story. I’m too tired to explain it.”
“You think you can call me in the middle of the night to pick your ass up from the slammer and then not tell me why you got arrested in the first place?” she asked incredulously. She made a sound in the back of her throat. “I don’t think so.”
“Basically it was all a huge misunderstanding. They dropped the charges.”
“What were the charges?” Craig asked.
“I can’t really say. It’s an ongoing investigation.” Oh, that was good. Good job, Julie, I told myself for coming up with such an official response.
“Does this have anything to do with Blue?” Dee asked. She was like a dog with a bone. She wasn’t going to give up.
“No.” I lied.
I didn’t really want to lie, but I had to. The less Dee knew the better. I didn’t want her getting dragged into this. Not to mention, I really was told not to discuss this with anyone. I wasn’t about to open my mouth and mess something up for someone. Blue was out there right now and the thought of him getting hurt literally made me feel like someone was ramming nails into my eyes.
Yeah, that was a gruesome image… I’d had a long night.
“I don’t believe you,” Dee said.
“You really should become a private investigator,” I muttered.
“I knew it!” she burst. “You’re such a lousy liar.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I lied again, this time around a yawn.
“Uh-huh,” she intoned. “You can tell me now or you can tell me in the morning when I show up at your front door.”
I was saved from telling more lies she would never believe when Craig changed the subject as he gazed off to the side of the road. “Not a good time of night to be out on the road by herself,” he muttered.
I looked around the seat and out the windshield at a car parked on the side of the road with the hood up and smoke rolling out from beneath. Leaning against the car was a woman wearing a pair of jeans and a too-large hoodie. She had long dark hair and a small build.
Craig slowed the Hummer and pulled several yards behind her car. “I’m just going to make sure she has a phone to call for help.”
The woman looked at the Hummer warily, no doubt scared of who might be inside. If I were her, I wouldn’t even have gotten out of my car. I would have locked the doors and called for help. But maybe Craig was right; maybe she didn’t have a phone. Leaving her out here at this time of night wasn’t right.
“I’ll go with you,” Dee offered. “Maybe seeing a woman will quell her thinking you’re some kind of sicko who preys on women.”
“I do not look like a sicko,” Craig defended, and I laughed.
“That’s the point,” Dee said. “Most sickos look like normal guys.”
“I’m not your average-looking guy,” he grumbled as they opened their doors. “I’m extremely good-looking.”
Dee snorted as she peeked at me in the backseat.
“I’ll wait here,” I said, not even having to feign exhaustion. The minute I got home, I was collapsing on the couch. I wasn’t even going upstairs. I found that since my night with Blue, I preferred sitting in the living room. It made me feel closer to him.
“We’ll be right back,” she said and shut the door, joining Craig in front of the Hummer.
I leaned my head back against the seat and let out an exhale. I wondered what Blue was doing and hoped he was safe. I knew he was going to go after those drugs. He wouldn’t tell me what he planned, but I knew he was planning something. It made me nervous. I always knew that dating a cop would be worrisome, but I never quite realized how much.
Dating? Why had my brain automatically gone there? We’d never so much as discussed our relationship, or lack thereof.
Lights shining through the back window had me lifting my head and looking to see who was there. Another car, some kind of truck, had pulled up behind us. Unease was like an icy finger against my skin, and I told myself to calm down. It was likely just another concerned driver stopping to see if any of us needed help.
I looked toward Craig and Dee. Craig was handing the woman his cell phone and the three were standing close together, talking.
I heard the slam of a door from behind and I waited for someone to pass by the Hummer on the way to talk to the small group of people standing outside.
But no one passed by and I swear it seemed like the headlights shining through the back window grew brighter… like they were getting closer.
I pivoted in the seat to look, and sure enough, the truck had driven up so that it was mere inches behind the Hummer.
“What the hell?” I muttered as the door next to me was yanked open forcefully.
I jerked as adrenaline flooded my body and a man with a dark hat and clothing reached into the vehicle to grab me. I slapped his arm away, sliding across the seat so he couldn’t reach me. The man grabbed at my ankle and pulled me back, and I let out a scream, kicking at his face.
My boot connected with his jaw and he let out a deep grunt.
From outside, I heard Dee call my name and then a sharp cry. Dee! The man grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of the car, and I let him, trying to see what was happening to my friends.
I fell out of the car and onto the ground, my knees taking the brunt of the fall. The man who was trying to attack me laughed and shoved me a little harder so I practically face-planted onto the pavement. “You deserve that, bitch,” he said.
I pushed up, looking toward Craig and Dee. They were both standing with their hands in the air while the unassuming woman and a man were holding them at gunpoint.
Oh my God, were we being robbed?
Really? Like this day hadn’t been shitty enough.
I sprang up and swung around to face the man who pulled me out of the car. I swung my fist at him and he dodged the hit. So I kicked him in the shin. When in doubt, just kick people.
“Shit,” he swore when my boot connected with his leg.
I took off running, not really sure which way to go, but knowing I couldn’t stay here. I was the only one that didn’t have a gun pointed at my head so that meant I was the only one that could try to get help.
The sound of a gun discharging was like a deafening roar in my head. The bullet hit the pavement right next to me and little bits of gravel and earth flew up and hit my legs.