Part 10 (1/2)
The urge to floor the accelerator was strong, but Jess resisted. She knew it would be the fastest way to draw attention.
”You okay?” he asked.
”I will be when this is done.” She glanced in the rearview in time to see the construction site burst into flames.
Chapter Seven.
In the course of his career with the MIDNIGHT Agency, Madrid had broken the law too many times to count. Usually the infractions were inconsequential; n.o.body had been hurt. It had always been for a greater good. Maybe even to save a life. Still, he didn't like what they were doing. He liked even less dragging Jess into it. The problem was he wasn't sure how to keep her out of it.
”Turn here,” he said, motioning toward a back street that would take them to the coastal highway.
”I thought we were going to go to the police station.”
”We're taking the long way.”
His nerves went taut when a police cruiser with its lights blaring suddenly loomed behind them.
”Oh, my G.o.d.” Jess gaped at the rearview mirror. ”Oh, no.”
”It's okay. He's going to pa.s.s us on his way to the fire.”
Still, the relief that swept through him when the car sped past was palpable. He glanced at Jess. She looked calm on the outside, but he could see her hands wrapped like vises around the steering wheel, her eyes flicking to the rearview mirror every couple of seconds.
”You're doing okay,” he said.
”I don't feel okay,” she replied. ”I feel terrified. Like we're doing something wrong. Like someone might get hurt.”
”None of those things are going to happen. Just try to stay calm. Everything's going to be all right.”
”Famous last words right before we get busted and dragged off to prison.”
Another cop car, lights and siren blaring, streaked past.
”Okay,” he said, ”turn the car around.”
Jess shot him an are-you-out-of-your-mind look. ”Madrid...”
”We have to move now.” He glanced at his watch. ”We have twenty minutes max to get into the police station and look around.”
A pent-up sigh slid between her lips as she turned into a church driveway, then pulled back onto the highway.
”And the cops at the station?” she asked.
”That's where our nonlethal weapons come into play.”
”I hate to remind you of this unpleasant little detail, but while we might be using nonlethal weapons, the cops aren't.”
”We have the element of surprise on our side. I'm a professional.”
”I'm a waitress,” she blurted out. ”I don't know how to do this.”
”You'll do fine, Jess.” He looked over his shoulder, made sure there was no one following. ”Look at you. You're driving like a pro.”
She shook her head. ”I don't do anything like a pro. The only thing I do well is screw things up.”
He risked a look at her, curiosity nipping at him, and he made a mental note to get to the bottom of that statement later. ”Maybe you ought to give yourself a little more credit.” He motioned left. ”Turn here.”
They were on a side street that ran parallel to the main drag. The police station was a block ahead. ”Park in that lot over there, beneath the tree.”
Jess pulled into the lot and cut the engine and lights. She knew if she took her hands off the steering wheel they would shake uncontrollably, so she didn't. Madrid's window was down a few inches and the chorus of crickets and frogs was in full swing. In the near distance she could hear sirens. Dead ahead, the police station was lit up like a football stadium.
”I count four cars.”
She jolted at the sound of Madrid's voice and jerked her gaze to the parking lot beside the police station. Sure enough, four cars sat beneath the glow of the streetlight.
”I'm hoping that doesn't mean there are four cops inside,” she said.
”Most cops drive their own car to work, then switch to their city car. More cars than people here, I'd say.”
Jess wished her heart would slow down. She felt shaky and scared and she hated it. ”How many inside?”
”At this hour and for a town this size, I'd say there's a dispatcher and maybe two officers.”
Sick with nerves, she pressed her hand to her stomach. ”How are we going to handle that many people?”
”I have a plan.”
”Of course you do.”
He grinned, but for the first time Jess thought she saw the sharp edge of nerves beneath the reckless facade. She watched as he dug into the satchel and pulled out a small packet of what looked like ketchup. ”Don't tell me you have fries to go with that.”
”Just a tall tale.” He tore open the packet with his teeth, then proceeded to smear what looked like blood on his temple.
Understanding dawned in an unpleasant rush. When he made eye contact, Jess could have sworn the blood was real. ”Not bad.”
Madrid said, ”I'm going to walk in and tell them I was driving on the coastal highway and someone took a shot at my car. I was nicked in the temple. That ought to distract them long enough for me to get the upper hand.”
It was good as far as stories went. A situation the police would surely need to investigate. But there were so many things that could go wrong.
She realized then he hadn't included her in the story. One look at his face and she knew why. He was concerned for her safety. She knew it was silly, but his concern warmed her in a place that hadn't been warmed for a very long time.
”Madrid, you can't do this alone.”
”I don't think you're in any shape to-”
”I can do it,” she cut in.