Hers To Protect. Catherine Lanigan

rights.

      Before Josh could say another word, Violet had flipped handcuffs around his right wrist and had spun him around to clasp his hands behind his back. She tightened the handcuffs.

      “You can’t do this to me!” he snarled. “This is ridiculous. I won’t let you arrest me. My lawyer will tear you apart.”

      She continued reciting. “...and if you have no lawyer, the court will appoint one to represent you.”

      “Trust me, I have the best.” Josh cracked a harsh chuckle. His smile spread across his face, but his eyes glinted icily.

      The remaining deputy sheriff had stopped walking and was recording the scene on his iPhone. He stopped, lowered the phone and asked, “You need help?”

      “I got this,” Violet said.

      Josh shook his head and laughed. He turned his back to the deputy sheriff and flipped his keys onto the pavement at the man’s feet.

      Josh was still laughing as he said, “Drive my Bugatti back to town, will ya?”

      “Don’t mind if I do,” the deputy said with a grin, then picked up the keys and gave Josh a little salute.

      Violet rolled her eyes. The admiration she saw in the deputy’s eyes was killing her. She steered Josh toward her Taurus, putting her hand on the top of his head. “Watch your head. And those long legs of yours are going to smash up against my seat.”

      Josh spun to face her. They were nearly nose to nose as his angry eyes bored into hers. “You have no idea what you’ve just done. You’re going to regret this till your dying day.”

      “I doubt that seriously. The way I see it, you’re a danger to others.” Violet somehow managed to keep her voice steady, despite her rage. She’d come out here today to gather information on a drug lord. She despised drug dealers, pushers and the traffickers who preyed on kids.

      So Josh wasn’t a drug dealer, but he had been a danger. It wasn’t merely the fact that Josh Stevens had been speeding, it was his attitude that he could get away with his infraction that kicked up her ire. People like Josh Stevens felt they could wheedle, bully, intimidate and charm their way through all their actions, legal and otherwise.

      Violet was just one cop, and she knew that sometimes, all it took was one person to make a difference.

       CHAPTER TWO

      JOSH INSPECTED THE ink on the pads of his fingers. When he was photographed, he was wise enough to drop his indignation and flash his celebrated smile for the camera. As he was escorted from area to area, desk to desk, he watched Officer Hawks carry out her duties with by-the-book efficiency.

      She typed her report like a demon and asked him only requisite questions. He thought of dozens of smart-mouthed barbs he could shoot her with, but she appeared impervious to his taunts. She treated him like a bug. He was a perp. A wrongdoer.

      “I get a phone call,” he said.

      “You’re entitled to several calls, actually. However, the station cannot allow you to tie up our phone lines talking to your, er, ‘people.’” She kept her eyes on the computer screen as she typed.

      “I’ll use my cell.”

      “Not for now you won’t.”

      “Fine. So, when can I make my calls?”

      “When I feel like it.”

      “I’m not answering another question until I talk to my lawyer. That’s the law, Officer Hawks,” Josh said bluntly. He’d already figured out that threats didn’t dent this woman’s disposition. Neither did his charm. She was a rock. A government robot. She was the kind of powerless bureaucrat who validated her position by exercising her influence on innocent citizens.

       Like me.

      He’d seen plenty of people like her. His parents had been killed when their car had been hit head-on by a drug addict. As an only child and with no other family, he’d been shuffled by state officials from one foster home to another.

      This cop made him think of his best friend back then. Diego Lopez had had such a severe distrust of authority. He’d also barely spoken English, but Josh had enjoyed teaching him.

      “Give me your attorney’s number and I’ll place the call for you. What’s his name?”

      “Paul Saylor.”

      “In Indianapolis?”

      “Yes. You know him?”

      “I went to a seminar he gave when I was at the police academy in Indianapolis.”

      “And that was when?”

      Her eyes narrowed. She was instantly on the defensive.

      Josh had guessed she was young, twenty-three or twenty-four. She carried herself stiff, like a rookie. She was out of her league with him. That was for sure.

      “I can look up the number if you forgot it.”

      “Actually, he’s in Europe...” Josh checked his watch. “Just my luck. He’s back tomorrow. He’s always around for my time trials and the race Memorial Day weekend.” He smiled pleasantly, without too much force.

      She glared at him.

      He dropped the smile. Nothing worked on this woman. “I’ll call Harry instead.”

      “Harry?”

      “My manager.”

      Silence.

      Josh swallowed and then rhymed off Harry’s cell number, and Violet dialed.

      Once it started to ring, she handed Josh the receiver. She went back to typing, but she didn’t leave him alone.

      Josh turned his back to her and held the receiver close. His manager answered on the fourth ring. “Harry. It’s Josh. I need your help.”

      “Sure. What’s up?”

      “I need you to find Paul Saylor when he gets back tomorrow.”

      “Why would you need Paul?”

      “To bail me out of jail.”

      The long pause segued into a low groan. “What for? Drugs?”

      “For Pete’s sake, Harry! You know me better than that. I was ticketed for speeding.”

      “Where are you?”

      “Indian Lake. I told you. I was here to see Austin and Katia McCreary.”

      “Right, the antique car guy. Did you buy anything?”

      “Harry. Focus. I’m in a jam here.”

      “No big deal. Paul can clear this up... Wait. You said jail. Why jail for speeding?”

      Josh lowered his voice to a whisper. “They’ve got me for threatening the officer. I resisted her arrest.”

      “Her? Well, that explains it.”

      “Thanks a lot,” Josh retorted. “Look, I want to get out of here.”

      “I want you out, too. Mainly so I can wring your neck!” Harry blasted him. “Has anybody seen you?”

      “Seen me?”

      “Yeah. Like the press. Some kid on social media? This kind of thing can really hurt us. Bad publicity only weeks before the Indianapolis race. Just what I need, Josh.”

      “Hey, this is my career we’re talking about here.”

      “Precisely. And your career affects my career and my life. You have responsibilities, Josh. To the sponsors, the crew, the advertisers. You’ve been on a glory roll for