I hesitate, resisting handing over my purse, but I drop it in the bag.
“Do you have a license to carry?” asshole cop, the one obviously in charge, asks.
“I do,” I reply. “It’s in my wallet.”
His lips press together and he motions for the officers near us to move away. They do so immediately. Now the cop is toe-to-toe with me, close, too close for professional comfort. Which is what he wants me to feel. He’s trying to intimidate me. Because he knows who I am, or rather, who I am to Waters. I eye his badge and then him. “How do you know Nick Waters, Officer Martin?” I challenge, my voice steady now, my courtroom calm sliding into place, the quake in my belly and my hand, gone.
He arches a brow. “What makes you think I know Waters?”
“Don’t you?”
“I do not,” he replies.
“You know of him,” I counter.
“I know you shot your ex-boyfriend tonight,” Officer Martin says, avoiding my question.
“In the foot,” I say. “I didn’t want to be raped, but I also didn’t want him to end up dead.”
“Raped,” he states flatly “Can you prove that?”
“Can I prove that?” I reply. “Is that how the police department treats victims now?”
“He’s bleeding,” he states. “You are not. Can you prove what happened tonight?”
“Actually, yes. I’m wearing a recording device. It’s all on audio. My security team will happily provide you a copy.”
He studies me a moment, a quirk to his lips. He’s amused. I just told him I was nearly raped and he’s freaking amused. I want to shoot him in the foot. Fortunately for him, I don’t have my weapon.
“We understand you’re involved with a witness on your case. Adrian Mack is wanted for murder. I assume that was him who went over the fence.”
I’m already in my calm place. He can’t rattle me. I’m still wearing the bracelet. Walker is still listening to every word I say and I count on them to follow me where I’m about to take them to protect Adrian.
“That was Blake Walker of Walker Security, the company that handles my private security,” I say, using Blake because he’s here tonight and he shares Adrian’s dark good looks. “He got me out of the restaurant after my attack, but he saw someone behind the fence.” I hug myself and eye the officers climbing back over the fence, and offering a shake of their heads to the officer questioning me. “I’m actually quite worried about him. He should be back by now.”
At that well-timed moment, thank you Lord, Blake climbs over the top of the fence. Thank God. The rear door of the restaurant opens and Adam, now wearing a Walker Security T-shirt, steps out into the alleyway. More relief follows. But my relief does nothing to calm the situation. The officers all freak out with men coming at them from both directions, pointing weapons left and right and even at me. My eyes go to Blake as he holds up his hands and says, “Blake Walker. I’m working for the DA and providing personal protection for Ms. Miller. The man that just exited the restaurant is on my staff.”
Officer Martin, who’d all but accused me of harboring a fugitive, shouts over his shoulder at another officer, “Call it in.” Even as he does, he’s pulled his weapon, charging toward Blake.
Chapter Six
PRI
Blake holds his ground as Officer Martin charges toward him.
Holding my breath, I wait for the war to erupt that doesn’t occur. Officer Martin halts in front of Blake and there’s murmuring—not shooting. They’re actually holding a conversation that I can’t make out. Blake is eventually allowed to reach into his pocket and produce his ID. Postures seem to relax and so I relax a tiny bit. That’s all. I’m still not sure what is really happening.
It takes a full five minutes before some semblance of real calm evolves. To me that means Blake and Adam both join me in a huddle with Officer Martin, but the punching bag mentality of Martin is not over. He eyes Blake. “Tell me again. What the hell were you doing climbing the fence?”
“As I stated,” Blake replies. “I saw someone on the other side of the fence and I feared they had a gun.”
“And you left her alone,” Martin states dryly.
“Not alone,” Adam states. “She had me and a team of men watching and listening.”
The officer glances at Adam. “You were inside.”
“By the door and online with her audio,” Adam replies easily. “I knew when I was needed.”
“And yet the guy got in the bathroom behind her?” Martin challenges, and he doesn’t give him time for a rebuttal. He’s already eyeing Blake again, challenging him now. “And what did you find behind the fence?”
“Not a damn thing,” Blake replies dryly, his attention shifting to Adam. “Where is Logan right now?”