Page 63 of Bait and Switch
“Althea,” Eagan said, getting the older woman’s attention, “we need to get Mr. Karne checked in properly. I’m going to take those cuffs off, sir. I don’t believe you’re a threat.”
“Thank you, I promise to behave.”
Eagan rolled her eyes and smirked a bit. “Why do I think that is not always the case?”
“It’s like you know me. But I will today.”
As soon as his hands were free of the cuffs, Gabe shook them out. He never wanted to feel that helpless again. No BDSM for him.
“Oh, right. Yes, let’s get started.” Althea blinked and reached for her mouse, clicking the desktop computer awake. “It’s just that the sheriff has a visitor. Mr. Stevens asked to wait in his office.” She glanced up at Deputy Eagan. “He said it was important.”
Gabe’s ears perked up at the mention of the name Stevens. This was a development he never would’ve predicted. No way would he have put money on Stevens showing up here, not after how he’d been yesterday.
“I’m sure it is,” Eagan replied. “Mr. Karne, as soon as Althea has the paperwork printed and we’ve filled it out, I’ll take you back to get fingerprints. Once that’s taken care of, the interview room is the next stop.”
“Oh, yeah, I missed that place. Home away from home. Before all that, however, I’d like to make a call to my lawyer,” he said mildly.
“Yes, absolutely.” She smiled and nodded at his mention of his phone call. “Do you need privacy? We have a phone in the back, and I can step around the corner.”
Gabe shook his head. He was just gonna call Elton anyway, make sure they’d started the ball rolling. “Here is fine.”
There was a comfortable-looking plastic chair positioned at the corner of Althea’s desk, and Gabe settled in.
“Let me get you an outside line.” Althea fiddled with the complex-looking equipment. “I swear I could pilot the space shuttle from this damn thing?—”
Althea’s musing was interrupted by raised voices, one of which Gabe knew was Rizzi’s. The shouting was followed by the explosive crack of a gunshot. Even Gabe, who hadn’t grown up around guns, recognized that sound.
“The hell?” Eagan said, her eyes wide.
The three of them stared at each other for a millisecond, then Gabe jumped to his feet. Eagan darted down the hallway. Althea stayed still.
A second shot shattered the silence.
“Maybe that will get your attention! Maybe now you’ll start listening!”
The speaker’s voice was unrecognizable, filled with both fear and resolve, but Gabe’s educated guess said it was Stevens.
“Get over here, under the desk!” Althea whispered. “Those are gunshots!”
She grabbed for Gabe’s arm and tried to drag him around to her side of the desk, but he resisted, instead listening for more shots or other sounds that indicated they needed to get the hell out of Dodge. There were none. The only voices coming from the other room were indistinguishable murmurings. Was that Eagan or another officer?
And how the hell would the two of them fit under that desk?
The desk phone jangled to life. Althea dropped his arm as her attention darted to the caller ID screen.
“Should I answer that? What should I do?” Althea’s whisper oozed panic, her voice starting to rise.
“Please, Althea, take a few deep slow breaths before you hyperventilate. Ignore the call,” Gabe encouraged. What would she tell someone calling now?Sorry, we have a possible hostage situation? “Deputy Eagan has things under control. You just stay right here safe and sound and I’ll check it out.”
“I don’t think you should interfere. I think you should stay here?—”
“Just gonna take a look-see. I’ll report back.”
Dammit, Gabe was out of his element around all these law-and-order types. Where was Ranger Man when he needed him?
Going against his personal sense of survival, Gabe started down the familiar hallway.
You never have had a decent sense of survival, Chance.
