He’ll run a scanner over you. They’d have chipped you for sure when you went undercover. They’d need to know where you were in case you missed a contact.
Infuriated, Jenna nodded and mouthed “Okay” before heading silently to the bathroom.
After breakfast, Jenna stood for a few moments, inhaling the fresh air and allowing the perfumes of fall to center her. As a fragrant breeze lifted her hair, she stared across the lowlands and turned to enjoy the view of the mountains, the peace and serenity away from the craziness of her job. Her home had the best of both worlds and was the one reason she’d purchased the ranch. It had changed so much since Kane arrived. Apart from his skills as a crime fighter, he seemed to be able to turn his hand to just about anything. The ranch had been painted, the vast rooms and the cellar changed into a gym with hot tub. Changes had been made all around, the stables, the corrals. She’d have never been able to do everything on her own—it had been good to have a man around. She smiled at him and climbed into the truck. “You know, the day you walked into my life, I thought you’d been sent to kill me. Oh boy, my instincts were off that day. Things have been a rollercoaster between us over the years but I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Well, I could have done without the injuries.” Kane flashed her a white smile. “I’m glad I came here too, putting aside all the murders and danger, meeting you and the team has been like finding my family. This is my home. I’m not going anywhere, Jenna. I belong here.”
Jenna leaned back and sighed. “I know, I do.”
Fall leaves blew across the blacktop as they headed along the quiet roads toward town. Jenna was enjoying the view as Kane accelerated up the on-ramp to the highway. Without warning he slammed on the brakes, sending Jenna surging forward against her seatbelt. A speeding silver GMC truck fishtailed past them barely missing the front of the Beast. It hit the dirt alongside of the highway sending a shower of rocks and clouds of dust in its wake. She stared after the vehicle as it disappeared into the distance. “Jerk! He’s an accident waiting to happen. If he goes through town at that speed, he’s going to kill someone. Isn’t that truck a match to the vehicle seen outside Rowley’s house during the murder? Go get him, Dave.”
“My pleasure.” Kane flicked on lights and sirens and the truck lifted with a roar and shot off along the highway.
The blacktop turned into a black snake winding away through a sea of green, and other vehicles became flashes of color as they sped by. Torn between exhilaration and fear, Jenna gripped the seat. She tried to relax and enjoy the rush of speed but she preferred to be in control. Trusting Kane’s driving had taken some time to get used to. Fearless came close but foolhardy he wasn’t. They slowed to take a sweeping bend and then the powerful engine threw her back in her seat. The Beast had become an unstoppable missile.
It had been named the Beast for a reason. Tricked out didn’t describe Kane’s custom-built truck but the name, however went close to describing the power and protection it provided. Before Kane arrived in Black Rock Falls the specially designed truck had been made to protect him. Reinforced like a tank with bulletproof windows, its specially designed motor was updated yearly to keep the Beast running at premium performance. It was in fact a rocket on wheels and Kane could take it apart and reassemble it blindfold. He drove it as if it was an extension of himself, which taking into consideration the weight and power of the vehicle took skill. She’d driven it once or twice and it had been like wrestling a black panther. Terrified of damaging it, she’d driven like a teenager on their first driving lesson only to find out much later it was capable of withstanding a bomb.
As they flew passed eighteen-wheelers, Jenna gripped tighter but when they passed other vehicles with a zip, zip, zip, she chanced a glance at the speedo. They were hitting 150mph on the straight and ahead the silver truck was hammering for all it was worth. “Can we catch it?”
“Oh, yeah.” Kane grinned. “We’re running on nitro, if we went any faster, we’d be airborne.” He chuckled. “Trust me, the upgrades I work on with Wolfe during the downtime make the vehicles in spy movies look like toys.”
As they came level with the silver GMC, a man
looked wildly out the window. Jenna gaped in disbelief. “That’s Law. He must be out on bail. Why is he driving like a madman?”
“How is he driving?” Kane stared at the vehicle. “I figured you’d put him in the hospital, you sure kicked him hard.”
“Clearly not hard enough.” Jenna picked up the microphone. “Pull over now or we’ll ram you. Do it now Mr. Law. You can’t get away.”
The trucked pulled up and bounced and skidded on the dirt alongside the blacktop. They stopped behind him and Jenna climbed down from the cab, drawing her weapon. People got one chance with her to be nice and as her face still hurt from the slap she’d received from this man she wasn’t giving him a second chance. “Hands where I can see them.” She moved closer to the door. “Are you carrying a weapon?”
The truck door flew open and Law came out like a tornado with his fists flying. She ducked away as his knuckles brushed over the top of her head. She turned and caught a flash in the sunlight as he drew a knife. She took aim but Kane had moved into her line of fire, placing himself between her and the blade. The next moment, Law was on him, waving the knife from side to side as if completely oblivious to the fact both of them were armed.
“You want some of this?” Law’s eyes blazed with fury. “I’m gonna gut you from navel to neck.”
In the next instant Kane had knocked the knife from Law’s hand. A grunt and a scuffle was followed by the sound of a slap like a gunshot. Jenna kept her weapon trained on Law. The suddenly subdued man was bug-eyed and pressed against his truck holding his cheek.
“Hands behind your back, Law.” Kane pulled Law’s hands behind him and cuffed him.
Jenna stared at the hunting knife glinting on the blacktop and then back up at Law. He’d decided in a split second of madness to gut her and Kane, for a speeding fine.
“He hit me.” Law glared at Kane with contempt and rubbed his reddened cheek on one shoulder. “You saw him. That’s police brutality.”
“I was within my rights to shoot you for pulling a knife on the sheriff but when you resisted arrest, I figured, nah, give this guy a taste of his own medicine.” Kane smiled at him. “How does it feel to be slapped, huh? I treated you the same way as you treat your wife. Now you understand what it’s like to be bullied and beaten by someone bigger than you. I’m sure you’ll find out just how it feels to live in fear when you’re in jail. Most in there don’t take too kindly to men who beat on women.”
Jenna read Law his rights. “I’ll be charging you for reckless driving, armed attack on a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest.” She pulled out her phone and called Rio. “We’re out on the highway about five miles south of town. Come and pick up a prisoner.” She disconnected and looked at Kane. “Rio is on his way.” She leaned into Law’s truck and grabbed his keys. “Get in the back seat, Mr. Law. You can sit in there.” She waited for him to climb inside and locked the truck.
“We could’ve taken him into town.” Kane’s eyes narrowed.
Jenna shook her head. “He’d likely have spat at us or tried to headbutt me from behind.” She glanced at the man now subdued in the back of his vehicle. “He must be on something. No one is stupid enough to attack two armed officers.”
“I’m wondering why the hurry.” Kane stared at his boots. “He must have been given bail late yesterday and went home, why come back to Black Rock Falls? He’d have an order against him not to go near his wife.”
Jenna shook her head. “We’ll need to find out.” She waited for him to meet her eyes. “Why did you block my line of fire and step between me and the knife?”
“You were on the back foot, after ducking from the first blow.” Kane shrugged. “He’d have stabbed you before you had time to raise your weapon and aim. I was watching your back is all.” He gave her a long look. “I used necessary force to subdue him. I sure as hell didn’t want him dead. He deserves jail time in general population. I figure it will change his outlook on life and his attitude to women.”
Thirty-Seven