Free Nine Lives by Sharon Sala

minutes passed, and then the same redheaded woman came back out, this time carrying a small suitcase. Another woman walked out with her, her arm over the redhead’s shoulder. When they hugged, Cat’s focus moved from the redhead to the other woman.
    She grabbed the file on the seat beside her and thumbed through the pages until she found a mug shot of Danni Chester, who’d been arrested more than once for prostitution. After a couple of glances, she recognized the woman standing by the cab as Danni Chester, which told Cat she needed to check out the redhead, if for no other reason than to exclude her from the hunt.
    She checked the mug shot of Charity one more time, then tossed the file onto the seat beside her and got out of her car. She patted the outside of her coat, making sure her gun and handcuffs were still in the waistband of her pants, and then started across the street.
    The closer she got, the faster she went. By the time the redhead was opening the door to get into the cab, Cat was at the back rear fender.
    â€œHey, Charity…love your new do,” she called out.
    Charity Kingman was smiling as she turned. It wasn’t until she saw that Cat was a stranger that she realized she’d just given herself away. Then she saw Cat’s badge and the handcuffs in her hand.
    â€œWell, shit,” she muttered.
    Danni Chester started to shove Charity into the cab when Cat pointed at her.
    â€œWhat? You in a big hurry to go to lock up with her?”
    Charity sighed. Danni was a friend. She didn’t want to get her in trouble, too.
    â€œDon’t, Danni. You don’t want to fight Cat Dupree.”
    â€œNever heard of her,” Danni said, giving Cat a rude lookover.
    â€œShe’s Art Ball’s bounty hunter. Everyone knows her,” Charity said.
    â€œNever heard of you, either,” Cat said and pointed at Danni. “Get out of my way.”
    Danni blinked rapidly and took a couple of steps backward. On closer inspection, the Dupree woman looked a little too scary to mess with.
    Charity spat out the gum she’d been chewing as Cat calmly handcuffed her.
    â€œHey, honey, button up my coat for me, will ya? I’m freezing here.”
    Cat eyed the long stretch of bare legs between the hem of the mini-skirt and the top of the black boots, then the size of the breasts pushing at the low-cut sweater, and snorted lightly.
    â€œCold boobs are the least of your worries,” she stated, and then took Charity by the arm.
    â€œWait!” she cried. “My bag. Danni, get my bag out of the cab!”
    Danni took the bag and sent the cab driver on his way.
    â€œPlease,” she asked, as she held the bag out to Cat. “Can’t she even have her things?”
    Cat kept on walking, pushing Charity along in front of her.
    â€œThe state of Texas is about to provide all she’s going to need for the next year or so.”
    â€œDanni, keep my things for me,” Charity asked.
    â€œLet me know where you’re going!” Danni called after her.
    Cat opened the back door to her SUV and gave Charity a little push as she got her inside. Then she leaned in and buckled the seat belt.
    â€œThanks so much,” Charity snapped.
    Cat eyed her without answering.
    Charity opened her mouth to say something else, then Cat leaned in.
    â€œI didn’t put you in this position, you put yourself in it. So don’t give me any crap. I’m not in the mood.”
    Charity’s nostrils flared in anger, but she stayed quiet. She didn’t have to like the bitch, even if she was right.

Five
    B y the time Cat got to the precinct to turn Charity in, she felt feverish. She started getting shaky and weak down in booking. A drunk had thrown up in a waste basket by the door, and two homeless men were trying to report the theft of their shopping cart from outside the alley near a Chinese restaurant. Along with the heat being pumped through the overhead vents, the