Chapters (95)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by David Swinson
- Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
Boys in the first car look like the two hotshots I met.
I hear the hotshot driver of the first vehicle yelling commands.
“Turn off your car! Turn off your car!”
The Cadillac’s rear lights go off.
“Let me see your hands out the front window! Palms up! Now!”
Sounds like Jasper is screaming out the window of his car. Something inaudible.
More commands.
Jasper obeys, and I think he stuck his hand out with an open wallet to reveal his badge. The officers are still cautious and shout more commands.
Jasper rises slowly from the car, yelling something like “I’m the police.”
The primary officer yells more commands until Jasper complies and starts to walk backwards to the middle of the lot and appears to go down to his knees. The driver and his partner slowly approach. The officer from the second vehicle approaches the front door of the Caddy. Bright light from his Streamlight lights the area ahead of him. Everything by the book.
Couple seconds later I can see Jasper being helped up, but not in handcuffs.
Shit.
My window is up, so I can’t hear. The officer who yelled all the commands gets on his handheld radio. Then he talks to Jasper, who seems to be smiling now.
It’s already starting to roast in here. I’m breaking out in sweat but will have to suffer through it.
I notice the officer from the second car shine the light into the front-seat area of the Caddy because Jasper left the door open. He bends down, like he’s trying to get a better view under the seat. He calmly walks over to the hotshot driver, who is still with his partner and talking to Jasper. The officer, now standing a couple of feet behind Jasper, gets the driver’s attention with a hand signal that I recognize as Need to talk. Driver walks over to him. Jasper watches. Driver’s partner stands beside Jasper, gun now holstered.
Secondary officer whispers something, then the driver walks toward the Caddy as the secondary moves easily to the other side of Jasper, but taking more of a defensive position.
Driver clicks his Streamlight on, stoops down to look under the seat.
Jasper appears upset, speaking loudly, but not worried. I can’t make it out. I’m fucking boiling in this car with the window up and the engine off. I hear the driver say something about “our safety.” Jasper is resistant but doesn’t fight them as they cuff his hands behind his back and lean him against the rear of the first cruiser.
Partner and the secondary officer stay with Jasper while the driver returns to the front of the car. He leans in. Driver moves to the trunk and opens it with the keys.
He shakes his head, something like disbelief.
Jasper tries to look back over his shoulder, like What the fuck is going on?