Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 133321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 667(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 667(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“It was justified,” Blake says. “He was going to shoot, but it’s less complicated this way.”
“Then he really is dead?” Mia asks.
“He didn’t have much of a chance,” Blake replies. “I was taught to shoot to kill and I do. I wasn’t giving him a chance to lift his gun and shoot because he would have.” He eyes me. “I called Eric. He has an attorney on the way to represent you, though I see no reason this becomes a problem for you. In fact, thanks to Mia, tonight ends this for you both.”
A police officer appears next to Blake, followed by a plainclothes detective, as does a tall man, in a blue suit, with a salt and pepper beard; Ridell Murphy, a ten-year veteran with the firm, and one of our best criminal defense attorneys. “Eric sent me,” he says, which doesn’t surprise me, as Eric respects the hell out of Ridell.
“Glad to have you with us, Ridell,” I say.
“Yes,” Mia agrees. “Good to see you right about now.”
“I’d rather see you under different circumstances, Mia,” Ridell says, and he’s too much of a pro to ask how she is doing. He knows the answer: not well. Instead he and Blake take control of the questioning that comes at us hard and fast, and stretches for hours in one shape or another.
Blake repeats the same words over and over. “In my professional opinion Mia would be dead if I wouldn’t have pulled that trigger when I did. We have cameras and audio for you to make your own assessments.” He handles just about everything thrown our way before we can and owns it as his.
Once the police finish with us, Mia is shaking so hard that the EMS tech still on scene insists he check her out, quickly directing us to the bed inside the vehicle. I help Mia inside and when I would stay outside, and give the tech room to evaluate Mia, she isn’t having it.
She pats the bed next to her and whispers, “Please.”
I glance at the EMS tech, a fit, fifty-something man with gray hair, and he nods his approval.
I join Mia and sit next to her. “Joe” introduces himself and kneels next to Mia to check her vitals. “Shock,” he declares after a short exam. “You really need something to calm your nerves.”
“What I need is to go home,” she says, looking at me. “Can we go home now?”
I reach up and brush her cheek. “Yeah, baby. We can go home.” I glance at Joe. “Is she safe to go home?”
“She is, but if she doesn’t stop shaking, you need to get her something to calm her nerves.”
“I will,” I assure him. “I have a doctor we can call if necessary.”
Joe approves, and I exit the vehicle and help Mia down. Kara and Blake are waiting on us outside and an SUV pulls up next to them. Blake pats it. “Your ride. My man, Smith, is behind the wheel. He’ll take you home.”
Kara hands Mia a sweater. “This will warm you up and cover up any mess.”
“You mean blood,” Mia says. “Thank you. My father is waiting on us at the apartment. I don’t want to freak him out any more than he’s probably freaked out already.”
She hands Mia some sort of towelettes. “Clean your face in the car.”
Mia touches her face. “I wiped it off earlier. There’s more blood?”
“Yeah, honey, just a little bit,” Kara says and looks at me. “You, too. You have a few lingering smudges.”
I nod and then Blake and I shake hands while Mia and Kara hug. “I’m here if you need me,” Kara promises Mia, pulling back to look at her. “That includes to talk. That was a rough scene back there and you’re going to question yourself but don’t. I guided you through what to do. You asked me. You didn’t act alone. Furthermore, you were trying to just get out of there. That was a good thing.”
“Agreed,” Blake says, and then backing up what I already expressed he adds, “He had a gun. He knew about you and Grayson. I don’t want to think about you waiting for him in his office, and us not getting to you in time.”
“Where do we stand on backlash from Ri’s cronies?”
“That file Mia grabbed assures you have none,” he says. “It proved Ri was not only trying to frame you but Rosemond also.”
“Who’s Rosemond?” Mia asks.
“The mob affiliate Ri was involved with,” Blake explains. “Ri was his gravy train and we didn’t want Rosemond lashing out at you two for hurting his bottom line. That’s how those types work. Thanks to you, Mia, he won’t. We scanned the data from that file which involved him and sent it to him before I handed it over to the police. He now knows that Ri was trying to take him down. You’re both free and clear. Go home. Rest. I’ll be around if you have questions tomorrow.”