Page 30 of Triggered By Love
“Is it Saul Guillory?” Avery asked. “That’s his car over there. I called him on the rideshare app, but he didn’t respond, even though his car’s parked right there and there’s no one inside.”
The officer checked his notepad. “Yep. I checked his wallet. That’s his name.”
“Is he okay? What hospital are they taking him to?” Avery’s voice was no longer slurred as she shot the questions rapid-fire.
“He’ll be good as new,” the officer said. “Roughed up. Didn’t want medical attention until he started bleeding from his ear.”
“Who hit him?” Avery asked.
“Witnesses didn’t see anything. Just saw him slumped on the sidewalk holding his head. Still had his wallet though, and he was mumbling about a misunderstanding. I take it he knew whoever hit him. You say he drives rideshare? Maybe something to do with that.”
“Sounds like he has a concussion.” Jason cut off the officer’s speculations. “I know the hospital they took him to. Let’s go.”
“We’re going to have to beg off,” Trent said once they left the crime scene. “I have physical therapy early, and Jayla has classes.”
Avery hung on to his arm and said goodbye. He could feel the tension running up and down her body as she shivered despite the lingering heat.
“He’ll be okay,” he reassured, patting Avery’s hand.
“I hope so, but I can’t help thinking he was waiting for me.”
“Maybe he responded to the rideshare request and opened the door to the wrong person.”
“He was going to turn off his availability and join me tonight. He was only supposed to be out there looking for parking,” Avery said in a quavering voice. “I was waiting for him, but he never showed up.”
A spike of annoyance shot through Jason. “He stood you up?”
“No, it wasn’t a date or anything,” Avery said. “I was planning on going home, but then I thought about what Joan said, about me being too young to give up living, and thought I’d see if any of Brando’s buddies still hung out at Lushpuppies.”
“You weren’t planning on going to the bar.”
“No, I wasn’t.” She walked at his side silently for half a block, and he wasn’t sure what he was more grateful for—that Avery’s friends left or that she was still hanging on to his arm.
If she hadn’t planned on going to the bar, then how did the wraparound sunglasses guy know to follow her there? Jason didn’t believe in coincidences, but he also knew she’d clam up if he interrogated her.
“I hope you had a good time even though Saul didn’t show.” He patted the hand she had on his arm.
“I did. I can’t believe I got drunk, but I guess if I have to get drunk, it’s safest with a cop, right?” The expression on her face was blank and unreadable, and he wasn’t sure if she was being sarcastic.
“You’ll find no one safer than me.”
She sighed and leaned her head against his chest. “I know it’s your time off. But thanks for offering to take me to the hospital to check up on Saul.”
“Hey, he’s your friend, and that’s good enough for me.” Jason felt that remark earned him a kiss, and he wasn’t disappointed, except she pecked him on the cheek.
“Thanks, friend.” Her smile seemed too innocent and made him wonder if she were teasing him, so he didn’t respond.
He segued into officer mode as soon as they stepped into the emergency room and spotted Saul being discharged. He was holding an icepack against his head and walking away from the nurse who handed him a sheet of instructions.
“Saul!” Avery rushed to his side. “Why are they letting you go? Are you okay?”
“Did you see who hit you?” Jason asked, standing close enough to Saul in case he had the woozies and needed a hand.
He shrank back away from Jason, eyes wide. “Why are you here? I didn’t do anything.”
Jason was sure Saul remembered him from the investigation into his brother’s death. He hadn’t been much help because he hadn’t known what his brother was up to until he got a call on the rideshare app. By the time he responded, his brother had already died in the alley from a drug overdose.
Still, it was strange how Saul was so quick to assume he was in trouble or guilty of something.
