Page 29 of Triggered By Love
“You did, too. Choker, or should I call you Joker?”
She definitely had too much to drink.
“Ave, you want to go home now?” He spoke softly to her, tucking her into his arms.
“Sure. Let me call Saul.” She flipped her phone from her purse and dropped it onto the tile floor.
Jason bent to pick it up at the same time she did, and they bumped heads.
“Ow.” She scooped up her phone. “Now it’s cracked.”
“Then we have matching phones,” he quipped, showing her his cracked screen. “You don’t have to call Saul. I’ll drive you home.”
“I want Saul to drive me,” she said, tapping the screen. “He needs the dough.”
“Give it to him the next time you see him,” Jason said. “I have a car, and I’m a cop. I’ll make sure you get home safe.”
“I can’t just give him money.” Avery’s voice slurred as she completed the request. “He has to earn it. I mean, I give him big tips, but still, there’s dignity in work over charity.”
“Very admirable.” Jason kept his hand over her shoulder. “Then you won’t mind if I share the cost?”
What was wrong with him? He had a car parked a block from the bar, and going with her would mean he’d have to double back and fetch his car later.
But he knew better than to let the bird in his hand go.
Avery tapped on the app, shaking her head. “His car is on the map, but he’s not responding. I’m canceling before another driver shows up.”
“My chariot awaits.” Jason tried to guide her on her way, but she waved to her friends. “You guys want to come with us? We can have coffee at my place.”
“Sure, sounds great!” the two interlopers hastily agreed.
Trent gave Jason a smirk as he downed his last drink, and then the four of them sauntered out of the bar together.
Jason’s hackles raised as soon as he stepped onto the sidewalk and spotted the emergency vehicles. Someone was being loaded into an ambulance while a police car straddled the curb.
A small crowd gathered around, but there were no wrecked cars or broken windows.
“What happened over there?” Avery asked as the ambulance drove away without using the siren. “Did someone get sick?”
Jason steered her away from the scene. “Maybe, but they wouldn’t be questioning witnesses.”
“Does that mean a crime?” She walked on, looking over her shoulder.
“Ave, is something wrong?” he asked when she stopped in her tracks and turned toward the policemen.
“It’s Saul’s car. Still parked nearby.” She quickened her steps.
“Are you sure?” Jason chased after her, followed by Trent and Jayla.
“It looks like it. What if he’s sick or hurt?” She closed the distance, and one of the cops said, “Miss, stay back. This is a crime scene.”
“Crime scene?” Jason recognized the uniformed officer. He wasn’t from his precinct, but because Jason was a detective, he conferred with policemen all over the city. “What happened here?”
“Detective Burnett.” The young officer recognized him. “They called you in on this?”
“No, I was at the bar across the street. Is everything okay? My friend here wants to know who left in the ambulance.”
“Guy got into a fight.”
