Read Online Present Tense (A Parker & Coe, Love and Bullets Thriller Book 2) by Alana Matthews - Free Book Online
Authors: Alana Matthews
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can scare them off with a badge and a shotgun, you're out of your mind. The real ranger is lying dead inside that shack and the guy on the ground is the one who killed him. If they're willing to go that far to get what they want, what makes you think they'll spare us ?"
"You really have been busy."
"Will you get in the goddamn car and start driving?"
"Just give me that badge," he said, "then climb into the passenger's seat and put your hands behind you like you're wearing cuffs."
" What ?"
"If this starts to go south, I want you to jump behind the wheel and get the hell out of here. Take this road into town and find the nearest Sheriff."
"Parker…"
"Trust me, Kelsey. I've dealt with guys like this before. The last thing they want is a bunch of cops after them. Chances are good they'll assess the situation and cut their losses."
"You don't know who they work for."
"You can tell me about it as soon as we're done. Now give me the badge."
There was no point in arguing with him. I nodded, then found the badge in the glove box and handed it to him. Reluctantly. As he went around to the front of the Rover, I climbed into the passenger's seat and held my hands behind me.
I was perilously close to hyperventilating.
The trucks were almost upon us, the black SUV in the lead. Parker took a couple steps forward, shotgun in one hand, badge in the other. He held up the badge so the first driver could get a good look at it, and the two vehicles kicked up dust as they came to a halt in front of us.
I held my breath, expecting the men inside to come out firing. But for a long moment, nobody moved.
Then the passenger door of the SUV flew open and the lean, muscular guy who snacked on cats got out and came forward. He had a wary look, as if he wasn't quite sure what he was walking into, but was prepared for anything.
He didn't have his rifle on him, but I had a feeling he was armed and I wondered where he was hiding the handgun. Probably at the small of his back.
There was an undercurrent of menace in the way he moved, and when he got about two yards away, Parker brought the shotgun up. "That's far enough, sir."
To my surprise, the cat eater smiled, as cordial as a Sunday School teacher. "Is there a problem, deputy?"
Parker nodded to Renner's body. "I think you could say that."
Cat Eater took a look, showing no sign of recognition. Or sympathy. "That's a shame. Hunting accident?"
"I don't think it was an accident," Parker said. "I've got the suspect in custody."
Suspect?
I'm slow sometimes, but a little further explanation would have been nice.
Cat Eater shifted his gaze over Parker's left shoulder and stared directly at me through the windshield with what I can honestly say were the coldest eyes I'd ever seen.
It wasn't hard to scowl at him, but I hoped he'd fall for the subterfuge. I was no better at acting now than I was in high school.
He looked beyond the Rover, as if checking to see who might be coming. "That's good to know," he said to Parker, "but why are you stopping us ?"
And there it was. Exactly what Parker had been banking on. These guys had no interest whatsoever in getting caught up in any kind of murder investigation. Killing a single ranger who got in their way was one thing, but taking on an army of Marshal's deputies and FBI homicide agents was altogether something different.
"You and your friends are in the area," Parker said, "and I'm looking for potential witnesses to help me work out a timeline. Did anyone in your party see either of these people earlier today?"
Cat Eater looked at Renner again. "We may have seen the ranger out and about, but you know how it is. He's just a uniform."
"He was a helluva lot more than that," Parker said, an edge of anger in his tone. "He was a Deputy U.S. Park Ranger and I'm guessing he had a wife and kids who love him. And that's not something I take lightly."
Cat Eater's eyes narrowed slightly, then softened. "I didn't mean any offense. I'm just
"You really have been busy."
"Will you get in the goddamn car and start driving?"
"Just give me that badge," he said, "then climb into the passenger's seat and put your hands behind you like you're wearing cuffs."
" What ?"
"If this starts to go south, I want you to jump behind the wheel and get the hell out of here. Take this road into town and find the nearest Sheriff."
"Parker…"
"Trust me, Kelsey. I've dealt with guys like this before. The last thing they want is a bunch of cops after them. Chances are good they'll assess the situation and cut their losses."
"You don't know who they work for."
"You can tell me about it as soon as we're done. Now give me the badge."
There was no point in arguing with him. I nodded, then found the badge in the glove box and handed it to him. Reluctantly. As he went around to the front of the Rover, I climbed into the passenger's seat and held my hands behind me.
I was perilously close to hyperventilating.
The trucks were almost upon us, the black SUV in the lead. Parker took a couple steps forward, shotgun in one hand, badge in the other. He held up the badge so the first driver could get a good look at it, and the two vehicles kicked up dust as they came to a halt in front of us.
I held my breath, expecting the men inside to come out firing. But for a long moment, nobody moved.
Then the passenger door of the SUV flew open and the lean, muscular guy who snacked on cats got out and came forward. He had a wary look, as if he wasn't quite sure what he was walking into, but was prepared for anything.
He didn't have his rifle on him, but I had a feeling he was armed and I wondered where he was hiding the handgun. Probably at the small of his back.
There was an undercurrent of menace in the way he moved, and when he got about two yards away, Parker brought the shotgun up. "That's far enough, sir."
To my surprise, the cat eater smiled, as cordial as a Sunday School teacher. "Is there a problem, deputy?"
Parker nodded to Renner's body. "I think you could say that."
Cat Eater took a look, showing no sign of recognition. Or sympathy. "That's a shame. Hunting accident?"
"I don't think it was an accident," Parker said. "I've got the suspect in custody."
Suspect?
I'm slow sometimes, but a little further explanation would have been nice.
Cat Eater shifted his gaze over Parker's left shoulder and stared directly at me through the windshield with what I can honestly say were the coldest eyes I'd ever seen.
It wasn't hard to scowl at him, but I hoped he'd fall for the subterfuge. I was no better at acting now than I was in high school.
He looked beyond the Rover, as if checking to see who might be coming. "That's good to know," he said to Parker, "but why are you stopping us ?"
And there it was. Exactly what Parker had been banking on. These guys had no interest whatsoever in getting caught up in any kind of murder investigation. Killing a single ranger who got in their way was one thing, but taking on an army of Marshal's deputies and FBI homicide agents was altogether something different.
"You and your friends are in the area," Parker said, "and I'm looking for potential witnesses to help me work out a timeline. Did anyone in your party see either of these people earlier today?"
Cat Eater looked at Renner again. "We may have seen the ranger out and about, but you know how it is. He's just a uniform."
"He was a helluva lot more than that," Parker said, an edge of anger in his tone. "He was a Deputy U.S. Park Ranger and I'm guessing he had a wife and kids who love him. And that's not something I take lightly."
Cat Eater's eyes narrowed slightly, then softened. "I didn't mean any offense. I'm just
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