Page 9 of Professional Consult
“Enjoy being a criminal,” I lash out, storming out of the precinct and into my car.
Little does she know that her life of crime is going to be short-lived, because there is no way in hell that she’s staying in Pond Spring, not after the shit she just pulled, and if my brother dares to try guilting me, well I’ll have some guilt I can sling back at him in the form of a damaged police car and a nearly mauled officer.
CHAPTER4
LEXI
Seven hours. That’s how long I’ve been locked away inside Pond Spring’s County Jail.
I knew Clint Bastwick was bad news. Everything about him reeked of smug opportunist.
I didn’t know, however, that his brother was just as bad. If not worse. He’s supposed to be a man of honor, someone who upholds the law.
Of course, the possibility exists that he’s unaware of my innocence. I’m not sure why Clint would set me up. Perhaps he wants to be the top-billed actor on the show, or maybe he thinks I’m not capable of pulling off gritty police chick. He’d know that one of the only ways to force production to break my contract is on the grounds of violating the moral clause that’s written into it.
It seems insane that Clint Bastwick, America’s Heartthrob, would do something so deceitful, but Hollywood is cutthroat, and those who climb to the top often do so using underhanded tactics. If he wants to be the biggest star on Cruel Justice, then he has to get rid of me.
Officer Barb comes to collect my paper plate.
“Don’t like the crust, I see. Just like my boys.”
“Did you unethically lock them away, too?”
She throws the remains of my dinner away and settles in behind her desk.
“You know, I still haven’t been given my one call.”
“I’d have given you the phone if I wasn’t so worried you’d throw it at me.” She shakes her head slowly from side to side. “You Hollywood types are a little dramatic for my taste.”
“Excuse me?” I cannot believe the audacity of this Podunk police officer. “I’ve been unjustly accused of a crime and denied my rights!”
She gives me an exaggerated eye roll, then goes back to her work.
It’s infuriating, but there’s hardly anything I can do at this point. I’ve already thrown both my shoes at her, which is regrettable with how cold the floor is.
The door swings open and the enormous silhouette of Luke Bastwick fills the frame.
“Barb.”
“Yeah, boss?”
“Take a walk.”
“I’d just assume leave for the—”
“Then leave.”
Barb gathers her things and takes off, leaving me alone with the hulking giant. He walks over to my cell, exhaling a gravelly sound that scares me more than it should.
The look he gives me stays my tongue.
“Miss Dash, I’m going to level with you. I’ve had a bad day and you were a big part of it. First, there was the business of picking you up. Then, the subsequent attacks, which, by the way, are felonies. The scuff of the driver’s seat of my police cruiser. Your attack on Barb, who is tough as nails but not unbreakable. A damn bear cub ended up in a pond, and I had to fish him out hoping like hell momma bear wouldn’t kill me. Then, the Mulnar boy broke his ankle. To top off the evening, there was the local drunk, Craig, who entered the wrong home, thinking it was his. Almost got his head shot off. Tonight, I’m keeping my deputies on call, so they don’t have to deal with your abuse. I know you’re from Hollywood—that you’re real fucking important—but right now, around here, you’re a damn fly at a picnic.”
My jaw drops.
On the one hand, I’m pretty sure that whatever Clint is up to, Luke isn’t a part of it. If he was, he wouldn’t be so enraged.
On the other much larger hand, I’m stuck in a jail cell and haven’t even been given my phone call.
