Read Online Gridlock: A Ryan Lock Novel by Sean Black - Free Book Online
Authors: Sean Black
Tags: thriller, Action, hollywood, serial killer, angel, stalker, bodyguard, Carrie, Ty, Raven Lane, LA, Ryan Lock
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finally made eye contact with him. ‘This talk about them getting married. We laughed it off at first. But they’re serious.’
‘Then if that’s the reason you don’t like them seeing each other at least be honest about it. Right now it’s looking like it’s some kind of judgement on Raven’s lifestyle. You know she didn’t invite this crazy into her life.’
Wendy’s mother’s face hardened. ‘Are you absolutely sure about that?’
11
When they arrived at Raven’s house, Ty’s purple 1966 Lincoln Continental was parked at the edge of the police cordon. Ty was slouched against one of the car’s huge, tapering rear fins, his eyes obscured by mirrored Aviator sunglasses. The lettering on his T-shirt read: ‘You Look Like I Need A Drink.’ Even with the sunglasses, Lock could tell that he was checking out Raven from head to toe. As Raven helped Kevin unload his overnight bag from the car, Lock went to talk to his partner.
‘Brought the Pimpmobile, huh?’ Lock said. Ty’s car was a source of constant irritation, undermining his belief that the first duty of a close-protection operative was to blend into the background.
‘Speaking of which,’ Ty started, ‘where’s that piece of shit you drive?’
Lock nodded towards the black Range Rover parked across the street.
‘No way,’ Ty spluttered. ‘What happened to blending in?’
‘This is LA,’ Lock explained. ‘Here, this blends.’
‘Man, you’re full of surprises. Kind of young for a mid-life crisis too. Porn stars. Sweet rides.’
Lock shifted uncomfortably. ‘Ty, can we keep the porn-star talk on the down-low for now? She’s a client. That means we have to treat her with a certain degree of respect.’
‘I’m all about the respect, Ryan, you know that, brother.’
Behind the cordon, the last of the forensic techs were putting away their gear. The garage door was open and Lock could see that Raven’s BMW was already gone.
‘So? Wanna give me a sit rep?’ Ty was looking at Lock over the top of his shades.
‘Twenty-eight-year-old white female being stalked by a person or persons unknown. The cops think that whoever is obsessed with Raven is the same person who killed Cindy Canyon, and that this stalker has it in his head that he’s already in a relationship with Raven. That’s version one.’
‘And version two?’
‘That she did it,’ Lock said.
Ty tipped his sunglasses up on to his forehead. ‘Man, that’s kind of hot. You think it’s true?’
‘If I did, I wouldn’t have taken the gig.’
Ty looked around at the suburban street. ‘You know, brother, there are two kinds of crazy in this nation of ours.’
Lock smiled. ‘Go on, Brother Johnson, preach it.’
‘Well,’ Ty said, ‘there’s regular crazy, and then there’s LA crazy. And LA crazy beats regular every time.’
Ty wasn’t wrong, thought Lock, glancing up as two television helicopters buzzed overhead. A couple of the neighbors were gathered on their lawns, watching the show. A few more peeked through blinds from inside their homes. Lock watched a soccer mom snatch away a younger child from the front window of a ranch-style house that was opposite and a few doors down from Raven’s place.
He wiped a hand across his face, the sweat beading on his brow dampening the back. What he really needed was a nap but he wasn’t about to get one. There was too much work to be done. ‘We have someone who’s very determined and capable of taking human life. We need to be on the top of our game here, Ty.’
‘So why don’t we get her the hell out of here?’
‘She won’t do it.’ Lock looked back towards his car where Kevin was still standing with Raven. ‘Her brother has Down’s syndrome. She doesn’t want his routine disrupted.’
Ty filled his cheeks with air, then exhaled loudly. ‘Our boy comes through the window at two in the morning with a hunting knife, that’s going to disrupt everyone’s routine, not to mention create a whole
‘Then if that’s the reason you don’t like them seeing each other at least be honest about it. Right now it’s looking like it’s some kind of judgement on Raven’s lifestyle. You know she didn’t invite this crazy into her life.’
Wendy’s mother’s face hardened. ‘Are you absolutely sure about that?’
11
When they arrived at Raven’s house, Ty’s purple 1966 Lincoln Continental was parked at the edge of the police cordon. Ty was slouched against one of the car’s huge, tapering rear fins, his eyes obscured by mirrored Aviator sunglasses. The lettering on his T-shirt read: ‘You Look Like I Need A Drink.’ Even with the sunglasses, Lock could tell that he was checking out Raven from head to toe. As Raven helped Kevin unload his overnight bag from the car, Lock went to talk to his partner.
‘Brought the Pimpmobile, huh?’ Lock said. Ty’s car was a source of constant irritation, undermining his belief that the first duty of a close-protection operative was to blend into the background.
‘Speaking of which,’ Ty started, ‘where’s that piece of shit you drive?’
Lock nodded towards the black Range Rover parked across the street.
‘No way,’ Ty spluttered. ‘What happened to blending in?’
‘This is LA,’ Lock explained. ‘Here, this blends.’
‘Man, you’re full of surprises. Kind of young for a mid-life crisis too. Porn stars. Sweet rides.’
Lock shifted uncomfortably. ‘Ty, can we keep the porn-star talk on the down-low for now? She’s a client. That means we have to treat her with a certain degree of respect.’
‘I’m all about the respect, Ryan, you know that, brother.’
Behind the cordon, the last of the forensic techs were putting away their gear. The garage door was open and Lock could see that Raven’s BMW was already gone.
‘So? Wanna give me a sit rep?’ Ty was looking at Lock over the top of his shades.
‘Twenty-eight-year-old white female being stalked by a person or persons unknown. The cops think that whoever is obsessed with Raven is the same person who killed Cindy Canyon, and that this stalker has it in his head that he’s already in a relationship with Raven. That’s version one.’
‘And version two?’
‘That she did it,’ Lock said.
Ty tipped his sunglasses up on to his forehead. ‘Man, that’s kind of hot. You think it’s true?’
‘If I did, I wouldn’t have taken the gig.’
Ty looked around at the suburban street. ‘You know, brother, there are two kinds of crazy in this nation of ours.’
Lock smiled. ‘Go on, Brother Johnson, preach it.’
‘Well,’ Ty said, ‘there’s regular crazy, and then there’s LA crazy. And LA crazy beats regular every time.’
Ty wasn’t wrong, thought Lock, glancing up as two television helicopters buzzed overhead. A couple of the neighbors were gathered on their lawns, watching the show. A few more peeked through blinds from inside their homes. Lock watched a soccer mom snatch away a younger child from the front window of a ranch-style house that was opposite and a few doors down from Raven’s place.
He wiped a hand across his face, the sweat beading on his brow dampening the back. What he really needed was a nap but he wasn’t about to get one. There was too much work to be done. ‘We have someone who’s very determined and capable of taking human life. We need to be on the top of our game here, Ty.’
‘So why don’t we get her the hell out of here?’
‘She won’t do it.’ Lock looked back towards his car where Kevin was still standing with Raven. ‘Her brother has Down’s syndrome. She doesn’t want his routine disrupted.’
Ty filled his cheeks with air, then exhaled loudly. ‘Our boy comes through the window at two in the morning with a hunting knife, that’s going to disrupt everyone’s routine, not to mention create a whole