Chapter 8

Tommy

Tommy couldn't wait for Ruby's nod of understanding. They were going too fast and the brakes weren't working. He'd slowed them down as much as he could without freaking her out. The shoulder of the road helped some, but they were still barreling down the freeway. Flipping his hazards on, he blared his horn as he swerved to avoid a Corvette. Tommy stayed on the side of the road and let the tires rub against the concrete barrier. The scraping sound of the metal made him clench his teeth.

Still they weaved past cars and the speedometer barely moved. The parking break was a last resort. He shifted down to neutral, but they had just passed over a hill. Their speed wouldn't decrease much and ahead there were even more cars.

"What about turning the engine off?" Ruby tightened her seatbelt.

"Only as a last resort...otherwise it'll be impossible to steer." His heart pounded and sweat trailed down his back.

He hoped the cop now chasing them realized something was wrong especially with his hazard lights on and his truck pushing over a hundred miles an hour. Beside him, Ruby's breath hitched and her nails dug into the seat. Now or never.

When he released the emergency brake little by little, suddenly the car spun in a donut and he jerked the wheel to right the vehicle. The car squealed and then jolted to a stop.

Last time he'd gone that fast was when he was drag racing. His dizziness would subside soon.

"Are you alright?"

Ruby nodded, but she was pale.

The cop's lights flashed in his mirror. Tommy shifted to park and shut off the engine. He'd never been more terrified. Not for himself or his truck, but for Ruby. Her expression told him she must be petrified.

He rubbed her shoulder. Didn't she realize how close she'd been to death?

She was staring out the passenger window at the cop slowly approaching them. "Yeah. Now that I know we're okay." She took a shaky breath, then beamed. "That was the most excitement I've had since we nabbed Westridge."

"Step out of the vehicle." The cop pointed to Tommy with his other hand on his holster.

Didn't need to tell him twice, he knew the drill. He opened the door and kept his hands where the cop could see them as he climbed out. "Our brakes are out."

Ruby slipped out of the car too, but she kept her arms by her sides. He needed to find this guy trying to kill them and return the favor, but Tommy wouldn't miss.

"That was some fancy driving. Glad no one was hurt, but I need to see some ID and insurance just to double check your story."

Damn, he forgotten to have his concealed handgun license renewed and his gun was in the glovebox with his insurance papers. He dug out his wallet and handed the officer his driver's license. He moved to the passenger side of the truck.

"Is the insurance in the truck?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, I'll get it."

"No, it's closer for me." She climbed inside the truck and her ass hung over the seat while she searched. Tommy frowned as the cop smiled while staring at Ruby's backside.

"You from out of state?" The officer handed him back his license.

He'd tried twice to change his residency on his license, but the DPS line was wound tighter than a rattlesnake inside and continued out the door. Besides, he had just renewed his license in New Orleans before they returned to New York.

"No, I've lived here almost four years, just haven't gotten around to updating it." He shrugged. Despite growing up here, it was Louisiana that felt like home. Laid back and easy going rather than the uptight always bustling city. Crap, he hoped the cop wouldn't snoop around inside the car and discover his gun and an expired hand-carry license.

"I'm going to write you a ticket for your license, and I'm sure your insurance isn't accurate either, and failure to control your vehicle. If you get your brakes inspected and they've been tampered with, a judge might dismiss that part of your ticket."

Cars zoomed past them. A few honked, and he wasn't sure if it was for the officer or that his truck blocked two lanes. Probably both.

"My truck's brakes are out. Didn't know it until a few miles ago." He crossed his arms. "If you think about it, I drove a shitload better than the maniacs out here."

The officer scribbled on a pad of paper, then accepted the insurance card Ruby handed him. "This has got the wrong address. What if you two been in an accident with the faulty brakes? We would be contacting the people at the address on your license and insurance - and they wouldn't know anything about you, would they?"

No, they wouldn't. Then again, he had no family. He'd run away from foster care when he was nine. Wasn't going to let the old lady's new husband smack him around like he did her.

"Sorry, officer. I'll get these changed right away."

Three tow trucks pulled over. The guys were vultures. He often noticed them hanging around under overpasses listening to police scanners, hoping to be the first at a wreck to snag the cash.

"Need a tow?" one of the drivers rolled down his window and shouted.

The other driver stepped out of the car and strolled over to them. "Is everyone all right?"

Tommy'd use this guy for a ride to a repair shop. "Yeah. We need a tow into town though."

"You got it." He paced around Tommy's vehicle. "Engine stalled out? I don't see any marks except on the driver side tires here."

"No brakes."

The guy frowned and the other tow truck drivers guessing correctly that they'd lost this sale, sped off.

Tommy accepted the officer's ticket, then turned to Ruby. "There's been a lot going on in the last twenty-four hours."

"Tell me about it." She rubbed her arms despite the early summer night. "Let's just get home."

***

Tommy stretched out on Ruby's couch. Even though he'd planned on taking Crystal's room, she was already at Ruby's waiting for them when the tow truck driver dropped them off. Kade was doing security at a party downtown, and Crystal didn't want Ruby to be alone.

"I'll leave." He didn't want to. If the killer was after him, he might go into a rage and kill both Ruby and her sister just to fuck with him.

Ruby yawned. "It's already late. Just crash on the couch."

The two women marched upstairs whispering as if they planned some great conspiracy. He just wanted to sleep and to know Ruby was safe.

Tomorrow he'd find out more. Like if his suspicions were correct and the brake line had been cut. Whoever was after Ruby or him was getting desperate. Across the room on the bookshelf, a picture of perfect cop Paul beamed with his grubby arm draped round Ruby's shoulder. Shit. Why hadn't Ruby thrown it out?

He tossed the covers off. Maybe she couldn't see it from that height? He moved it down two shelves, but laid it face down. Bastard deserved another punch to the gut for hurting her.

Best he got some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day. He had the window repairman coming at seven and the alarm company at eight. After he ensured everything was set, he'd leave for a few hours. Book a one-way flight for two for him and Ruby to New Orleans for now. They weren't safe here, and he knew and trusted a lot more people down south. That would give Ruby time to pack and get ready for the flight. And that would give him time to do what he needed to do.

First, he was going to pay Paul a visit. Then Westridge and the pimp he'd clobbered to save his friend's daughter. One of them had to have some answers about the paid amateur assassin. And Tommy planned to change the gunman's mind with his fists. Now all he had to do was keep Ruby safe until then.