“Don’t move! Just put your hands up and turn around slowly.”
Jaxon groaned, rotating to find a policeman with his hand on the holster of his gun. “Officer, I can explain.”
“I’m sure you can. You’ll have a chance to do just that down at the station.”
“But I’m a friend of the shop-owner. I was just checking on her lock.”
“Sure you were.”
“No, really. I own the gym across the street. I’m Jaxon McCall, and I own Fitness Connection. I was talking to Elyssa Rose this morning about her security.”
The lights came on in the shop behind him, and he sighed with relief. Elyssa would straighten this whole thing out. He saw her through t
he door window as he turned slightly, keeping his hands up since the policeman still had his hand on his gun. The door opened and she stepped outside, wearing a t-shirt and shorts that exposed her long, shapely legs.
“What seems to be the problem, officer?”
“I found this man trying to break into your shop.”
“Hey! I wasn’t trying to break in. I was just looking inside.”
“He claims to be a friend of yours.”
She moved to a better vantage point and studied him from head to toe, frowning as he squirmed a bit.
“Nope. This is no friend of mine.”
Part 5: Obstructing Justice
WHAT? JACKSON GAPED AT HER. But she leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, her lips rolled in like she was suppressing a smile.
“Elyssa! Tell him the truth! Tell him you know me!”
“Turn around and put your hands on the wall!” barked the policeman.
“Elyssa!”
“I know who he is, officer, but he isn’t a friend.” She was obviously enjoying this a little too much.
“Tell him who I am. Tell him I wasn’t trying to break in your door.”
“Lady, do you want to file charges against him or not?”
Elyssa took a step forward, her slow perusal covering him from head to toe. She cocked her head to one side. “Well…”
“Please, Elyssa.” I can’t believe she’s making me beg. I’m going to make her pay for this.
“No, he’s actually quite harmless. A little irritating sometimes, but harmless. His name is Jaxon McCall, and he owns the gym in the building across the side street.”
The policeman relaxed his stance and pulled out his phone, tapping on the screen. “That corroborates the story he told me. I’m Officer Landry. What’s your name, ma’am?”
“Elyssa Rose.”
“Ms. Rose, have you seen or heard anything unusual tonight?” He continued to take notes on his phone.
“Officer Landry, I was only checking to see if she’d gotten her lock replaced. I told her this morning it wasn’t safe for her to stay in the upstairs apartment when her door only had a deadbolt with a breakable window right next to it.”
“I didn’t ask for your advice, Jaxon. I can take care of myself.”