Free Suspicious Activities by Tyler Anne Snell Page B

Jackson didn’t miss the blood that sprouted as the man stumbled backward. He hit a table behind them and tipped over with it, away from them.
    “Come on,” Nikki hurried. She was up from her chair and running for the front door within a flash. Jackson, however, hesitated. He wanted to stay and fight them, to disarm them and let the cops sort everything out, but a quick look at the pure rage on Scar Neck’s face and Jackson was following his boss.
    Nikki was priority number one. He had to keep her safe, and to do that, he had to stay alive.
    * * *
    J ACKSON HAD STARTED the engine just as the windshield shattered.
    “Get down,” he yelled as Nikki ducked. Despite his warning of the obvious, he threw a hand on her back to keep her from sitting up again. She watched the floorboard as they reversed full speed and pulled out to the main road. Seconds after they straightened out, another shatter and spray of glass made her scream. Jackson swerved but kept up his speed. The back window was gone.
    Two shots later and one of the back tires was blown.
    Jackson let out a stream of expletives as he hung a hard right. Nikki braced for what she was sure was going to be the car flipping. Instead the sound of screeching tires and metal against asphalt filled the inside. Nastier words left Jackson’s mouth until the world around them quieted. They kept up speed but no more shots were fired. He removed his hand from her back and slowly Nikki sat up.
    “Call Calvin and tell him we need backup now,” Jackson barked. The aggression in his command was no doubt encouraged by his frustration.
    Nikki felt it, too. She pulled her phone from her purse and called Calvin’s extension directly. As briefly as she could she half yelled over the rush of wind coming through the absent front and back windows until Calvin was yelling right back.
    “Natalie says there’s a patrol car in the area,” he said after confirming that Jackson and she had not been shot. “Are you near the Walmart?”
    Nikki didn’t have to think about it. Looking around, she was able to place where they were. “Yes, another two turns and we’re there.”
    “Good. Pull into the back of the parking lot and wait for the patrol,” Calvin ordered. “Then I want you two in that patrol car and on the way here. With or without coffee.”
    Nikki relayed the message and guided Jackson to the rendezvous. They’d managed to get shot at during the perfect time to beat heavy traffic, just having missed the rest of the suits going to work. Which was good because Jackson’s car had certainly seen better days. The scraping of the rim complaining that it was bare all but killed any chance of pretending that there was nothing out of the ordinary. The bonus of missing windows helped elevate the suspicions of passersby to all-out alarm. It was a miracle they made it to the parking lot in the time they did without drawing a crowd.
    Jackson didn’t cut the engine but did put the car in park.
    “You’re bleeding,” Nikki said at the same time Jackson asked if she was okay. Their eyes connected before hers trailed back to the three spots of blood. “The windshield,” she observed.
    He nodded and put his hand out to her. She stilled as his fingers brushed her cheek.
    Then she felt the sting.
    Apparently she hadn’t ducked in time to clear the windshield’s glass.
    “Are you okay?” Jackson repeated, a storm brewing behind his eyes. His fingers trailed down to her chin until he was cradling it. “Are you okay?” he asked for the third time. However, his tone had changed beyond concern. It almost left her speechless, but she knew he needed her answer.
    “Yes,” she whispered.
    Jackson didn’t let go. Once again their eyes took each other in, searching. For what? Answers? He sure deserved some from her, but Nikki couldn’t help feeling there was something else there. Something she might want. Something she might be too afraid to find. Whatever it was, the moment passed. Jackson