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.
I go to my knees, reluctantly, but not so reluctantly that he has to ask me twice. I hear him approaching, then he grabs my laced-together fingers resting on my head and squeezes them together. Something I used to do. A lot. He pats me down.
“Gun!” he calls out to the driver. Odd, because I don’t hear the driver step out, unless he was very quiet. He should be backing this rookie up.
“Take it easy. I told you I’m a retired DC cop. I have all my creds in my wallet, right rear pants pocket.”
“I’m doing this for your protection and mine until we figure this thing out, okay?”
He pushes me forward so I’m kissing the sidewalk. He’s got strength. He takes my right wrist and cuffs it, swings my arm back until I wince in pain. He cuffs me, rolls me to my left side, and pulls out the gun.
“I got a gun here!” he yells again.
Still no word.
“Reach into my right rear pants pocket. You’ll find my credentials, including my H.R. two-eighteen permit to carry.”
I feel him take out my wallet.
“Damn,” he mumbles. “Sir, you match the description of a suspect in an armed robbery that just occurred. I see you have a badge and credentials, but you can easily obtain those online.”
“Officer, why isn’t your partner out here assisting you if I’m a suspected armed robber? He should be here with you.”
He pats me down thoroughly, finding my medicine vial with the capsules that don’t contain medicine.
“Careful with that. I need that medication.”
He sets it on the ground beside my keys, then takes my 9mm mags and cigarettes.
“Don’t move.”
I turn my head and can just barely see him as he places the gun on the hood of the car and talks to whoever is inside.
The driver’s-side door opens. The spotlight washes out his face. He moves toward me and in front of the spotlight so his large body blocks the direct light.
“Fuck,” I say because I recognize him.
Jasper.
“Damn, Frankie. What the fuck are you doing down there? Uncuff him, rookie,” he says.
He’s in uniform. MASTER PATROL OFFICER embroidered on the right shoulder.
The rookie obeys.
“I’m sorry, sir. I was just doing what I was told.”
I push myself to my knees, grab my stuff, and stand.
“You this kid’s FTO?” I ask.
“Yeah. Sorry about this shit, man.”
“What the fuck is this, Willy? You would’ve recognized me right away. Why did you let me go through that shit? Your rookie here mighta shot me.”
“No, sir,” the rookie says. “Not unless you pulled your weapon on me.”
I give him a hard glare, nothing more.
“I didn’t have my glasses on, Frank, and you did match the description.”