Free Deep Fried Homicide (The Donut Shop Mysteries) by Jessica Beck

assigned to us?  I knew that he said that he’d stop by to check on me later, but I didn’t think it was going to be like this.”
“No, evidently he’s taking some leave time to be here during the day.  Jake, I know that he said you were friends, but it’s awfully generous of him to give up his vacation for us.”
My boyfriend looked a little uncomfortable when I said that, and I knew that there was more to the story than I knew.  “Why would he do that?” I asked.  “What is it that you’re not telling me?”
“It’s probably because he’s under the mistaken impression that I saved his life once,” Jake finally admitted.
“Did you?” I asked.
“Shouldn’t you be delivering that coffee to George before it gets cold?” Jake asked.
“Sure, I’ll do it in a second.  First, I want to hear what happened.”
Jake rubbed his face with his good hand, and then he stared at me.  “You’re not going to let up until I tell you, are you?”
I grinned at him.  “You know me too well.”
“Fine.  We were on a stakeout together, and he went to check on our suspect, against my advice.  When he didn’t come back right away, I decided to see what was going on.  I snuck around and saw that our guy had a gun to Terry’s head.  I managed to distract him a little, and Terry got out of it okay after all.”
“How exactly did you distract him, Jake?”
He mumbled something, but I couldn’t make it out.
“We both know that I didn’t quite catch that.  I’m not sure that I was meant to.”
“I shot the bad guy in the rear end, okay?” Jake asked.  “He dropped the gun, and Terry grabbed him.”
“Weren’t you risking shooting your partner instead?” I asked him.
“Well, I decided that it was worth a shot, you know?”  He smiled a little at that.  “No pun intended.”
“Was your suspect really a bad guy?”
“Oh, yes.  We found drugs and guns out in plain sight.  This man needed to be off the streets, and we took care of him.  I keep telling Terry that it was nothing, but he still won’t let me forget it.”
“Jake, he’s right.  You kind of did save his life.”
“I guess if you look at it one way you could say that,” he said.  “Now will you take that to George?”
“I will, and then I’ll be back with yours,” I said.
Jake pretended to frown at me.  “So you’re saying that I’m the one who got shot, and I get served last?  That doesn’t quite seem fair, does it?”
“Life’s not fair, or haven’t you heard?  Learn to live with it, hero,” I said with a smile.
That made him laugh.  “Suzanne, I wasn’t sure about this arrangement when you first suggested it, but I’ve got to say, it’s good to have you around.”
“Right back at you,” I said.  “I’ll just be a second.”
     
I delivered the pie and coffee, which George took gladly as he leaned his shotgun against the house beside him.  I noticed that it was still close enough to reach in case he needed it in a hurry.
“Sorry for the delay,” I said.
“No worries.  How’s he feeling?”
“He’s pretending to be grumpy, but I know better,” I said.
“That’s a good sign, then.”
“How’s that, George?”
“If Jake’s overly polite, that’s when you need to start worrying.  He’s going to be fine.  I just know it.”
“I think so, too,” I said.  “I’m sure he’ll be out here himself soon to thank you for watching out for us.”
“Do me a favor and make him stay on the couch.  None of us are doing this for a pat on the back.  Tell him I said that, and if he tries to come out here anyway, remind him that I’m the one with the gun.” George grinned.
“He’s armed, too, you know,” I said.  It had unsettled me a little when I’d seen Jake’s gun on the couch beside him, but it wasn’t like a weapon for him.  That gun was an extension of who he was, and I was certain that it helped him sleep so comfortably.  It was part of who he was, so I was going to have to learn to get