Hit and Run by Allison Brennan, Laura Griffin Page B

I’d find out who was behind it before they killed me. Don’t believe everything you hear.” She shouldn’t argue with him, shouldn’t make him angrier. But she’d always had trouble controlling her temper, especially around people who didn’t listen.
    She took a deep breath, then another. “Kyle,” she said softly, “I’ve known Jason since I was a kid. His brother is a decorated Army officer. His sister is a sweet flight attendant. His dad died when he was a teenager and he became the head of the house because Josh was stationed overseas. Jason took care of everything for his mom, who found herself going back to work while her two youngest were teenagers. He’s a good man. Please listen to him, believe him. Find a way to prove he didn’t kill Perez. Something else is going on here. I feel it in my gut.”
    The detective stared at her, then looked at Jason. A minute later he turned back to her. “You must have lived through hell to think that I wouldn’t want the truth. That’s all I want. Guilty or innocent, I’m going to find out what happened.”
    “That’s all I’ve asked for.”
    “You have to stand down, Scarlet.”
    “As long as I know you’re on top of this, I will.”
    He almost smirked, but then grew serious and said in a low voice, “Armor Plus is a private security company. They handle mostly corporate security, public events, things like that. Half of them are former cops. Not always retired.” He hesitated, then said, even softer, “I’ll deny saying this, but some of the former cops working for Armor left under a cloud. It’s one of those things we all know but don’t talk about.”
    He assessed her, then continued. “You killed one of their people. You said there were two or three people shooting at you, meaning no matter how quiet I keep this, they’ll know it was you. I can’t sweep it under the rug. I have to file a report. You’ll still have to give a statement and have the shooting reviewed. I’m certain they’ve already come up with a damage control plan. They’ll know what we know. They’ll make their story work with the facts. But you’ve put yourself on their radar. That’s not a good place to be.”
    “I’ll lay low.”
    “Laying low might not be good enough.”
    “What are you doing with Jason?”
    “I’m bringing him in for questioning. He’ll have his union rep there. He’ll probably want a lawyer. He’s not under arrest—yet. I’ll make sure he spends the next twenty-four under guard at the hospital. At least there he should be safe while we sort through the evidence.”
    “Thank you. I don’t suppose I can have my gun back.”
    He didn’t even answer the question. Fortunately, she had two back-ups at her apartment.
    “You’re not going to the hospital, are you?” he said.
    “No. I’ve had worse.”
    He touched her shoulder blade. She’d forgotten that the bullet scars from the ambush could be seen when she wore a tank top. “You were shot in the back.”
    “Yes, I was. Make sure it doesn’t happen to Jason.”
     
    ~ ~ ~
     
    When she signed all the paperwork refusing the advice of the paramedic to go to the hospital, and when Richardson and the Topanga cops finally let her go, Scarlet drove straight to Krista’s house in Huntington Beach. She didn’t have a phone—hers or Krista’s. Both had burned in the fire. She’d called Krista from Richardson’s phone to let her know that she was okay, but she hadn’t filled her in on the details.
    When she arrived, it was four in the afternoon. She glared at the black Porsche in the driveway. Really. He was here? She wanted to throttle R.J. Flynn just because she was in a shitty mood. But … he might be able to help. It pained her that she thought he could be useful, because asking for his knowledge about Armor Plus might, de facto, give him the impression that she approved of him pursuing a relationship with her best friend. Which she didn’t. Not now, not ever. Unless he crawled