“Toyota ran a red,” he said. “T-boned a semi, which got rear-ended by the Ford. The Toyota spun off the semi, rolled a few times, and then slid into a pole. The truck driver made the call, says he’s uninjured, but has blood pouring down his face from a head wound.” He pointed to the guy sitting on the curb, being watched over by another cop. “The driver of the Ford took off. We’re in pursuit now. Firefighters are attempting to extract the guy in the Toyota, who’s alert and very chatty.”

“Like DUI chatty?” Jenna asked.

CJ touched the tip of his nose.

“Divide and conquer,” Piper said.

“Be careful,” CJ said, and she smiled at him.

“Always.”

Noah and Sonya headed to the trucker sitting on the curb. Piper and Jenna jogged over to the firefighters at the Toyota. It was Ryland and Xander. She’d gone to school with Xander, and Ryland . . . well, they were both professional enough to leave their past where it belonged. Both firefighters were working the jaws of life, trying to get the crumpled and clearly jammed driver’s door open. Inside was a male, early twenties, hanging upside down by his seat belt. He was yelling and swearing and waving his fists at what appeared to be the semi and the Ford.

Chatty indeed.

Xander and Ryland gave Piper and Jenna a chins-up greeting and kept working to free the guy. Piper bent low and cocked her head to the side to try to assess their patient. One, the inside of his car, even with the windows busted out, reeked like a brewery. Two, no blood that she could see. Which wasn’t to say he hadn’t been injured. She’d seen people walk away from car accidents thinking they were fine, only to collapse and die hours later from internal trauma.

“Hey there,” she called out. “What’s your name?”

“Suck it,” he yelled. “I’ve got my rights, you know.”

“And what rights are those, sir?”

“To be treated professionally and not like a criminal.”

“That’s all we’re trying to do here. Are you in any pain?”

“No, but you will be if you don’t get me outta here.”

Both Xander and Ryland reacted to this with barely perceptible body language suggesting they were ready to subdue the guy once they freed him if needed. But neither would interfere with Jenna and Piper getting their jobs done unless it was deemed vitally necessary. It was a respect thing, and though Ryland might not respect the decisions of her heart, he absolutely respected her on the job and she appreciated that.

“Get me the fuck outta here now!” the guy yelled.