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Authors: Savannah Stuart
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nephew’s
place? Maybe the old man had been telling the truth. This could be the same guy.
54
Tempting Alibi
Quietly, carefully, he opened and shut his car door, then raced toward the side of
the building. Whoever this was wouldn’t know the layout of his store so they were
virtually working blind with the exception of that flashlight. His heart pounded a little
faster as he edged toward one of the side EXIT doors that led to the main garage. After
unlocking it, he ducked inside then crouched behind one of the high-end cars they’d
kept over the weekend.
The hood was popped open and Scott knew he hadn’t left it like that. What the hell
was going on? He thought he heard a rustling sound coming from the office area so he
inched toward the rear of the vehicle and peered around.
When he did, light flooded the main garage and he found himself staring down the
barrel of a gun.
“What the hell are you doing, Frank?” Scott kept his voice steady and even as he
stood up.
Frank Hill stood four feet away by one of the main light panels with a gun in
hand—a .40 Smith & Wesson by the looks of it. And that hand was shaking something
fierce. “You weren’t supposed to be here.”
“Neither are you.” Scott couldn’t keep the wry note out of his voice.
The man rubbed his free hand over his face. Looked as if he had three-day-old
stubble and his eyes were red rimmed and glassy. “Shit, shit, shit.”
“Talk to me, Frank. What’s going on? You need money?”
“I don’t need your charity!” he screamed.
Yeah, but he had no problem stealing. Scott took a small step toward him. He’d had
enough training that he could disarm Frank. If he didn’t get shot first, of course. “Talk
to me, man. This isn’t about money, is it? Something else is going on.”
Frank nodded unsteadily and the gun wavered again. Scott took the opportunity to
close another few inches between them. “Lisa…she left me. Said she wanted to be with
someone she could count on. Someone more successful.”
55
Savannah Stuart
Out of the corner of his eye, Scott saw a flash of unmistakable red hair duck behind
one of the counters in the outer office area. His entire world tilted on its axis. What the
hell was Michaela doing here? Only a glass wall separated her from a man with a gun.
He forced himself not to look in her direction. He couldn’t let this piece of shit know
anyone else was here. “So you were planning to steal from me?”
Frank shrugged and had the decency to look a little apologetic. “I was going to
sabotage a couple of your customers’ cars, get some business driven my way. That’s all,
I swear.”
The fact that he was telling him meant he likely wasn’t planning to let him go. Scott
could see Michaela inching toward the glass door toward them. Now he wished he’d
called the cops. Or hell, never left her house in the first place. If he hadn’t, she wouldn’t
be here. Instead, they’d be tangled up in her sheets.
“What’s the plan now, Frank? No one’s been hurt. You need to put the gun down
and leave.”
“Why? So you can call the cops on me?” he spat.
“What am I gonna tell them? You haven’t done anything. It’s my word against
yours and the sheriff is your uncle. No one would believe me anyway. Just put the gun
down and leave. I’ll forget this ever happened. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“Second chance,” he muttered.
In that moment, Scott knew Frank was seriously contemplating putting the gun
down. His options were clear. Unfortunately, at the same time the realization hit him, a
loud police siren wailed in the distance.
“You son of a bitch! You called the cops!” He swung the gun in a wide arc.
Scott was still too far away to get to him. He moved a couple inches closer and
shook his head. “How could I have done that? And why would I have done that? I came
here alone tonight to get some paperwork done. If I’d wanted to call the cops, I’d
place? Maybe the old man had been telling the truth. This could be the same guy.
54
Tempting Alibi
Quietly, carefully, he opened and shut his car door, then raced toward the side of
the building. Whoever this was wouldn’t know the layout of his store so they were
virtually working blind with the exception of that flashlight. His heart pounded a little
faster as he edged toward one of the side EXIT doors that led to the main garage. After
unlocking it, he ducked inside then crouched behind one of the high-end cars they’d
kept over the weekend.
The hood was popped open and Scott knew he hadn’t left it like that. What the hell
was going on? He thought he heard a rustling sound coming from the office area so he
inched toward the rear of the vehicle and peered around.
When he did, light flooded the main garage and he found himself staring down the
barrel of a gun.
“What the hell are you doing, Frank?” Scott kept his voice steady and even as he
stood up.
Frank Hill stood four feet away by one of the main light panels with a gun in
hand—a .40 Smith & Wesson by the looks of it. And that hand was shaking something
fierce. “You weren’t supposed to be here.”
“Neither are you.” Scott couldn’t keep the wry note out of his voice.
The man rubbed his free hand over his face. Looked as if he had three-day-old
stubble and his eyes were red rimmed and glassy. “Shit, shit, shit.”
“Talk to me, Frank. What’s going on? You need money?”
“I don’t need your charity!” he screamed.
Yeah, but he had no problem stealing. Scott took a small step toward him. He’d had
enough training that he could disarm Frank. If he didn’t get shot first, of course. “Talk
to me, man. This isn’t about money, is it? Something else is going on.”
Frank nodded unsteadily and the gun wavered again. Scott took the opportunity to
close another few inches between them. “Lisa…she left me. Said she wanted to be with
someone she could count on. Someone more successful.”
55
Savannah Stuart
Out of the corner of his eye, Scott saw a flash of unmistakable red hair duck behind
one of the counters in the outer office area. His entire world tilted on its axis. What the
hell was Michaela doing here? Only a glass wall separated her from a man with a gun.
He forced himself not to look in her direction. He couldn’t let this piece of shit know
anyone else was here. “So you were planning to steal from me?”
Frank shrugged and had the decency to look a little apologetic. “I was going to
sabotage a couple of your customers’ cars, get some business driven my way. That’s all,
I swear.”
The fact that he was telling him meant he likely wasn’t planning to let him go. Scott
could see Michaela inching toward the glass door toward them. Now he wished he’d
called the cops. Or hell, never left her house in the first place. If he hadn’t, she wouldn’t
be here. Instead, they’d be tangled up in her sheets.
“What’s the plan now, Frank? No one’s been hurt. You need to put the gun down
and leave.”
“Why? So you can call the cops on me?” he spat.
“What am I gonna tell them? You haven’t done anything. It’s my word against
yours and the sheriff is your uncle. No one would believe me anyway. Just put the gun
down and leave. I’ll forget this ever happened. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“Second chance,” he muttered.
In that moment, Scott knew Frank was seriously contemplating putting the gun
down. His options were clear. Unfortunately, at the same time the realization hit him, a
loud police siren wailed in the distance.
“You son of a bitch! You called the cops!” He swung the gun in a wide arc.
Scott was still too far away to get to him. He moved a couple inches closer and
shook his head. “How could I have done that? And why would I have done that? I came
here alone tonight to get some paperwork done. If I’d wanted to call the cops, I’d
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