Read Online Hallowed Ground by Lori G. Armstrong - Free Book Online
Authors: Lori G. Armstrong
Tags: Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Murder, Kidnapping, Indians of North America, Kiddnapping, South Dakota
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asshole.”
“Ms. Collins. I have no earthly idea what you’re talking about. Put down the stun gun and I promise we’ll talk.” His voice stayed calm, Zen-like.
Which just infuriated me. “Your promises aren’t worth shit.”
“Fine. Back away and we’ll go talk to Martinez.”
“His promises don’t mean dick, either.”
“Then at least tell me what you want?”
“I want to know why you put a hit on Donovan.”
“Donovan?” he repeated.
“Yeah, Donovan.” I brandished my left hand in his face like a red flag. “Want proof? See that blood? I’m covered in it. Does it make you happy? Did you get off thinking about Donovan’s blood splattered all over me, you sick fucking bastard?”
“For the last time. What are you babbling about?”
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.
“Call off your fucking lapdogs, Harvey. Anyone touches me and I’ll keep blasting you with this until I can pull out my gun.”
“Back off,” he said to whoever was behind me. His remote gaze never left mine. “What about Donovan?”
“Want the gory details on how your hired assassin took him out?” My finger itched on the silver button. I scooted in until I smelled garlic on his breath. “First shot hit his shoulder, the second his leg. Oh, and then he fell backward and whacked his head on a steel barbecue grill.
“But the best shot was the slug he took in the gut. That one bled like crazy. You wanna hear how I managed to keep his intestines inside with my bare hands until the fucking ambulance arrived?
Or shall we skip that part?”
His face finally showed emotion, not fear like I’d hoped, but something akin to surprise.
“Contrary to what you think, I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
Rage erupted in me and I smashed the stun gun into his throat even harder. “You are a fucking liar.”
“Julie.”
Martinez’s voice. I didn’t dare look to see where it was coming from.
“What? I’m a little busy right now.”
“Julie, back off.”
“Go away, Martinez. This is between me and Harvey.”
“No. Put down the stunner.”
“Fuck you.”
“Don’t do this.”
“Why not? You lied to me. You used me. I told you what would happen if you double-crossed me, Martinez.”
“I know. But you’re wrong.”
“Know what’s wrong? I’m wearing Donovan’s blood, that’s what’s wrong, amigo . So now I’m calling the shots and Harvey’s gonna pay.”
“Listen to me. We didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Why should I believe you?”
Martinez shuffled closer. I felt him. Hell, I smelled him.
I waited, figuring he’d pile on flattery.
He didn’t disappoint me.
“Blondie, you know I’d never purposely put you in the line of fire. Ever.”
Don’t fall for it.
God, I wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t be wrong. Someone had to take the blame for what had happened tonight. Harvey was as good a candidate as anyone.
“Think about it. If Harvey took out Donovan, how would he find Chloe?”
Just like that, Martinez knew he had me.
His voice took on a husky timbre. “Come on. Put it down.”
Okay. So maybe my arm was tired. My knuckles hurt. Before I zapped Harvey just to see him flop around like a landed trout, my hand wilted.
A heartbeat later I found myself flat on my back, staring at the air above me for the second time in so many hours.
Harvey, that sneaky ninja bastard, had kicked my feet out the millisecond I’d given him the chance. An added benefit of knocking me on my ass; it’d knocked the wind out of me and rendered me unable to speak.
Soon as I caught my breath, I would zap him. I didn’t give a rat’s ass what Martinez thought.
Harvey leaned over me. The end of his braid brushed my nose.
I flinched.
His eyes were as dark and cold as a January night. “Don’t you ever come in here and threaten me in front of a bar full of customers. Try it again, Ms. Collins, and I will kill you.”
No beating around
“Ms. Collins. I have no earthly idea what you’re talking about. Put down the stun gun and I promise we’ll talk.” His voice stayed calm, Zen-like.
Which just infuriated me. “Your promises aren’t worth shit.”
“Fine. Back away and we’ll go talk to Martinez.”
“His promises don’t mean dick, either.”
“Then at least tell me what you want?”
“I want to know why you put a hit on Donovan.”
“Donovan?” he repeated.
“Yeah, Donovan.” I brandished my left hand in his face like a red flag. “Want proof? See that blood? I’m covered in it. Does it make you happy? Did you get off thinking about Donovan’s blood splattered all over me, you sick fucking bastard?”
“For the last time. What are you babbling about?”
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.
“Call off your fucking lapdogs, Harvey. Anyone touches me and I’ll keep blasting you with this until I can pull out my gun.”
“Back off,” he said to whoever was behind me. His remote gaze never left mine. “What about Donovan?”
“Want the gory details on how your hired assassin took him out?” My finger itched on the silver button. I scooted in until I smelled garlic on his breath. “First shot hit his shoulder, the second his leg. Oh, and then he fell backward and whacked his head on a steel barbecue grill.
“But the best shot was the slug he took in the gut. That one bled like crazy. You wanna hear how I managed to keep his intestines inside with my bare hands until the fucking ambulance arrived?
Or shall we skip that part?”
His face finally showed emotion, not fear like I’d hoped, but something akin to surprise.
“Contrary to what you think, I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
Rage erupted in me and I smashed the stun gun into his throat even harder. “You are a fucking liar.”
“Julie.”
Martinez’s voice. I didn’t dare look to see where it was coming from.
“What? I’m a little busy right now.”
“Julie, back off.”
“Go away, Martinez. This is between me and Harvey.”
“No. Put down the stunner.”
“Fuck you.”
“Don’t do this.”
“Why not? You lied to me. You used me. I told you what would happen if you double-crossed me, Martinez.”
“I know. But you’re wrong.”
“Know what’s wrong? I’m wearing Donovan’s blood, that’s what’s wrong, amigo . So now I’m calling the shots and Harvey’s gonna pay.”
“Listen to me. We didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Why should I believe you?”
Martinez shuffled closer. I felt him. Hell, I smelled him.
I waited, figuring he’d pile on flattery.
He didn’t disappoint me.
“Blondie, you know I’d never purposely put you in the line of fire. Ever.”
Don’t fall for it.
God, I wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t be wrong. Someone had to take the blame for what had happened tonight. Harvey was as good a candidate as anyone.
“Think about it. If Harvey took out Donovan, how would he find Chloe?”
Just like that, Martinez knew he had me.
His voice took on a husky timbre. “Come on. Put it down.”
Okay. So maybe my arm was tired. My knuckles hurt. Before I zapped Harvey just to see him flop around like a landed trout, my hand wilted.
A heartbeat later I found myself flat on my back, staring at the air above me for the second time in so many hours.
Harvey, that sneaky ninja bastard, had kicked my feet out the millisecond I’d given him the chance. An added benefit of knocking me on my ass; it’d knocked the wind out of me and rendered me unable to speak.
Soon as I caught my breath, I would zap him. I didn’t give a rat’s ass what Martinez thought.
Harvey leaned over me. The end of his braid brushed my nose.
I flinched.
His eyes were as dark and cold as a January night. “Don’t you ever come in here and threaten me in front of a bar full of customers. Try it again, Ms. Collins, and I will kill you.”
No beating around
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