Free Tigress (Night Hawk Series) by J.E. Taylor Page B

grunted.
    “What are you cursing about?” he asked, his voice scratchy with sleep and grumpiness.
    “Damian hasn’t checked in.”
    Michael wiped his face and sat up, blinking the sleep from his eyes. “How long has he been gone?”
    “A little over an hour.”
    Michael shifted in the seat, stretching his muscles before he glanced out at the night. “I wouldn’t worry.”
    I handed him the phone. “Text him and see if he’s okay.”
    He stared at my iP hone and then at me like he had no clue how to text.
    “Oh, for the love of God,” I said and pulled over into the breakdown lane. I grabbed the device out of his hand and showed him how it operated. I sent the text during the basic instruction and Michael offered me a half-assed smile of apology when I handed it to him and pulled back on the road.
    “It will buzz when he replies, so you just need to touch the screen and you’ll see it,” I said and while he nodded, I kept looking over every few seconds. The burning in my stomach increased with each minute that passed and my foot got heavier on the gas, increasing my speed well beyond the speed limit.
    Red and blue li ghts flared in the side mirror.
    “Crap,” I muttered and sent a sideways grimace in Michael’s direction.
    His expression morphed into a grin and he glanced away.
    The gravel bit underneath the tires and I slowed to a stop on the shoulder. I leaned over and opened the glove compartment, pulling out the rental forms before I rummaged in my small pocketbook for my license. A knock on the window pulled my attention away and I rolled down the glass, giving the officer and embarrassed smile as I handed over the documents.
    “Do you know how fast you were going?”
    “No, I’m sorry officer, I’m supposed to meet a friend at one of these exits and I haven’t heard from him. I guess I got a little...anxious.”
    The officer nodded and sent a cursory glance at Michael before bringing his gaze to the paperwork. He turned and trotted back to his cruiser and I sighed, trading a glance with Michael.
    “You were going fast,” he said and held up the phone. “And Damian is amused.”
    My lips tightened on my response to Damian’s text.
    I leave you alone for five minutes...
    I grabbed the cell from Michael and texted, “Where are you?”
    The passenger door opened and he tilted a brow at me, before making Michael slide to the middle. The door closed almost soundlessly under the slam of the police car behind us.
    “Ma’am, there seems to be a problem with your license,” he started and his brow scrunched when he glanced in the cab, his gaze landed square on Damian before jumping back to me.
    “What’s the matter?”
    He flicked the license on his fingernails and then held the plastic between his index and middle finger. “Well, for a dead girl you look pretty damn spry.”
    My face drained of all heat and I met his gaze, covering my mouth and trying desperately to think of something to say that would erase the trouble that was brewing. A nervous energy started in my toes and affected my eyelids, making them flutter with the stress.
    “Oh,” I whispered from under my hand and I dropped it to my lap. “I must have given you my sister’s ID.” I added and pressed my lips together, reaching for the license. “I keep it with me...” My voice trailed off in what I hoped was a sad note.
    His expression softened from the hard stern gaze and he handed me the license. I gave him a ghost of a smile and reached for my pocketbook, wondering just what in the hell I would give the officer in exchange. I didn’t have another driver’s license and I rummaged around the depths of my pocketbook and flipped through my wallet twice before I turned my panicked glare toward Damian.
    He obviously was enjoying this and I squinted an evil eye in his direction. “Please tell me you packed my other purse,” I said, letting the stress bleed through in my voice. I widened my eyes in a silent plea for help and then