Undercover Justice (16 page)

“Sure, let’s try it,” Kent said rubbing his hands together.

On the count of three, they both jumped up and grabbed at the remaining steps. Their combined force was enough to pull them easily free. It was a good thing they were both tall.

Lowering the steps to the ground, Jed reached up and said, “Ok, who’s first.”

“Ollie, you go first, you’ve been in here the longest,” I suggested. He was reluctant at first. I think it was the whole ladies first thing, but Charlotte and I insisted.

“Ok, here it goes,” he said sliding his feet over the loft edge. Turning over onto his stomach he lowered himself over. There was an ‘umpf’ from all three of them as he let go and dropped. It didn’t sound like the guys did as much catching as they did breaking his fall.

“Go ahead Charlotte,” I said. I was content to prolong having to answer why we got out of the truck. I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. At least we found Ollie, which ought to count for something.

Charlotte backed over the edge and slid into Kent’s arms easily, with little help from Jed.

“Ok, your turn babe. That’s it, back down slowly.”

I felt their strong arms wrap around my legs and waist and catch me as I let go. Suddenly, I found myself sliding down Jed’s hard chest until my feet hit the ground. His arms wrapped tightly around me in a quick hug before letting me go. As he set me free, I wasn’t too steady on my feet. I convinced myself it was because I had just dropped over a ledge.

“Let’s get back outside. Then we can compare stories.”

As we slid out the side door, we could hear the police siren heading toward us. They would be here in a matter of minutes. Seeing a black truck parked next to Jed’s with a woman in the passenger seat, I asked, “What happened? And who’s she?”

“It’s a long story,” Kent sighed.

“Why don’t you take the girls to get coffee and warm up or something while Ollie and I stay here and talk to the cops? We can meet up with you after,”  Jed said.

“How about at the science club room?” Ollie suggested. “I have the key with me.”

“That sounds good,” Jed said quickly as the police car pulled up. “We’ll meet you there as soon as we’re done.”

Kent gave Jed a skeptical look. “I think I should stay and talk to the police also.”

“Don’t worry so much, Barton! I’ll tell them everything.”

Kent must have noticed us standing there shivering, because he reluctantly agreed. He ushered us to the Camaro, with a quick glance back at the black truck.

Jed walked over to greet the police, as we pulled away. The Pine Hill officer was not one Jed was familiar with. Making sure the Camaro was out of sight; Jed reached into his back pocket and pulled out his badge. Flipping it open, he showed it to the officer and introduced himself as the one who called it in.

“I have two victims and one suspect. The suspect is tied to a tree just down that path,” Jed said pointing in the direction he had left Tony.

“This isn’t going to be a simple call is it?” the officer sighed.

“Not today,” Jed said with exaggerated cheerfulness.

The officer called for Detective Cooper, and they got it all straightened out and took all the statements. Jed and Ollie followed them back to the station. It had taken some acting, but they managed to convince Tony and the girl, that Jed was a local guy who was often in trouble with the law.

The girl Jed and Kent rescued was Kristen Meyer from the neighboring town of Clyde. Her parents came and got her from the station. She was still a little scared, but was more than willing to answer all their questions.

Ollie stayed with Jed while he finished up his report. “Tony wasn’t very happy with you,” Ollie told Jed. “He was cursing and threatening you as they took him away. I can’t believe you had the police pretend to arrest you also. He’ll never guess you are a cop. Why did you do that anyway?”

Jed looked up from the desk where he was almost finished filling out the report. “Geesh Oll! What did they give you back there? Candy?”

Ollie had been pacing the whole time Jed worked. He couldn’t sit still. While he paced, he was asking Jed questions about everything.

“Does he ever shut up Greyson?” Detective Cooper said, from the next desk over.

“Don’t look at me,” Jed said holding up his hands. “I didn’t give him any sugar.”

“You’re very funny Jed,” Ollie said having a hard time sitting still. The adrenaline from the last couple of hours was starting to have side effects.

“That’s it,” Jed said, pushing away from his desk and picking up the report. “Let me just put this on Lieutenant Davis’s desk.”

The officer, who had responded to the call and arrested Tony, came over as Jed was getting his things. “I just thought I would warn you, Whelven is yelling that you took the girl meant for Vecelli and that they are going to take yours. Do you have a girl Jed? If you do, you better keep an eye on her.”

“Thanks, man,” Jed told him feeling panic settle in the pit of his stomach. Nobody knew that Nora was the only girl Jed thought of as his girl. Martin was already coming after Nora from what Ollie said in his statement. If they knew she was with him, they would be after her even faster. He had to get to her and tell her. And Kent, he thought reluctantly. Kent was never going to let her anywhere near Jed now. He knew that her brother would keep her as safe as he could, but it wasn’t the same. Jed wanted to be the one to keep her safe. He knew that he was capable of doing it better.

“Give your mom a call,” Jed said to Ollie as they headed out of the station. “I think I may have spooked her with all my calls to your house, asking her if you were home yet.”

“They let me call her earlier, while you were writing your report. She knows that I am with you, and safe and won’t be home for awhile.”

Nodding, Jed said, “Good, then let’s go meet up with the group and see what else they’ve thought of.”

The group. That sounded good. In high school, Jed had been a loner. He didn’t have a group of friends that he considered close. He was really starting to enjoy being with these kids. Even Kent, he kind of grew on you when you weren’t looking.

Ollie gave them a call to see what the plan was. He hung up the phone as they got into the truck. “Charlotte says that they are heading to the high school now. They stopped to pick up some chicken wings and buffalo chips to snack on.”

“Sounds good, I’m starving,” Jed said, heading toward the high school.

“So are you finally going to admit that you like Nora?”

Jed glanced up surprised. Where did that come from? Was he that obvious?

“Why don’t you mind your own business, Cuz.”

“Whatever you say, Cuz,” Ollie exaggerated with a smirk. It was pretty obvious that big bad Jedediah Greyson had fallen for Nora Barton. Apparently it was still going to be awhile before either of them would be willing to admit it.

Chapter 13

“They’re on their way,” Charlotte said hanging up the phone.

“Both of them? You’re sure Jed was there too?” Kent asked.

“It sounded like it. I could hear a car radio playing. Ollie is too young to drive, so he must be with Jed,” Charlotte reasoned.

“Why didn’t you think Jed would be coming?” I asked from the back seat.

“Um… I just thought he might have to go to the police station for awhile.”

“Is there any particular reason why?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. He was hiding something, I could tell. We have never been able to keep anything from each other. It has always been easy to tell when the other is not being truthful.

“Does this have something to do with what happened with the black truck? You still haven’t told us what happened and who that girl was.”

“I was waiting until we all got together to tell you. Why don’t we wait. It shouldn’t be more than a few minutes until they get here.”

I was finding it hard to wait. My curiosity was starting to get the most of me. If it was true that curiosity killed the cat, then I was toast.

Charlotte kept me distracted until we got there by asking me which movie they should go see. She and Kent were planning on catching the nine o’clock movie at the local cinema. I was glad for them. But I didn’t want to go home by myself and have to face mom and dad. I knew that we were going to have to tell them something, but that was always Kent’s job.

We only had to wait a few minutes, before Jed’s truck pulled in next to us. Only Ollie had the key, so we waited in the car for them. It had been very hard to resist digging into the food. The smell was mouthwatering. They arrived just in time. I was starving.

We all piled out of the car as Ollie unlocked the door. I glanced over in time to see Kent give Jed a skeptical look.

“They let you go?” He said with a sneer giving Jed a hostile look.

Jed laughed, walking toward the door. “Yep, they decided I was safe to let out in society,” I thought I heard Ollie chuckling from the door.

Gasping, I grabbed Kent’s arm and exclaimed, “Kent! That was very rude,” I was so embarrassed. Kent was being downright surly.

“I don’t care,” he said, shrugging off my arm. “I don’t think he should be here. In fact, why don’t you leave Greyson.”

Jed turned around and walked back toward Kent. “I am not leaving, if you have a problem with that, they why don’t we settle it right here.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea guys,” Ollie said, rushing over.

“Don’t you dare!” I shouted. Neanderthals. Fighting doesn’t solve anything.

“That’s a great idea!” Kent yelled, taking off his jacket. “I have some things we need to discuss.”

“No!” I yelled, rushing to set down the food and run over. Jed stopped me half way.

“Just for the record,” he said tipping my chin up to look him in the eye, “I promise to try not to hurt him. Also, don’t believe everything you might hear.” Then he kissed me. Not my forehead, not a quick peck, but an honest to goodness kiss that left my toes tingling and took my breath. It was way too short. But Kent took offense to it.

“You jerk!” Kent yelled grabbing Jed’s arm and pulling him away from me. A loud thud and Jed’s head went reeling back. Kent had punched him in the mouth.

Jed quickly ducked the next one and blocked the one that followed. “I don’t want to fight you,” he grunted out of breath.

“Oh yeah! Then why don’t you tell them that you held up the black truck with a gun! A gun!” Kent yelled sending a punch into Jed’s stomach when he wasn’t quick enough to dodge it.

“Damn it!” Jed grumbled. “Fine. Have it your way. But I will only fight you if you promise to leave my and Nora’s relationship alone.”

“Never!” Kent promised, charging Jed.

Jed responded by throwing a solid punch at Kent’s middle. Kent’s momentum carried the two of them to the ground, where they proceeded to pummel each other with punches.

“We have to do something!” I screamed. Charlotte was already on it. Coming out of the room, she carried a bucket she had filled with water.

“Would you like to do the honors?” she asked with a smirk.

“Would I ever!” I said grabbing it from her and striding over to the two of them. Jed had Kent pinned face down with his knee on his back holding him. Looking up at me coming toward him, he grinned a sloppy grin with a trickle of blood coming out the side of his mouth, where his lip was split.

That must have given Kent the opportunity he needed because he rolled over taking Jed with him and sent an elbow into Jed’s side.

Rushing over, I quickly dumped the bucket of water on them before they could start up again.

Gasping, they both rolled apart. Each lay on the ground, staring up at me with shocked expressions.

Jed started to sit up. I put my foot in the middle of his chest and pushed him back down.

“I don’t think so,” I said holding him down. “Neither one of you are getting up...Stop that!” I said batting at Jed’s hand that was sliding up my calf. He gave me a wicked grin. I could tell that he liked this way too much. Starting again, I said, “I am not speaking to either one of you again, until you work out whatever it is going on between you. We are going in to eat. I give you five minutes until I am locking you both out. Is that understood!”

They both nodded slowly. Good. Stepping away from them, I swung the bucket around and headed for the building, my head held high.

“Way to go!” Charlotte said giving me a high five.

“Let’s eat! I’m starving,” Ollie said heading inside.

Even though I put on a good show, I was shaking inside. What if they didn’t work things out? Kent was my brother and I knew that I couldn’t stay mad at him forever, but Jed… I didn’t want to lose a relationship with him because my brother didn’t like him. I didn’t know what Kent was talking about, but I was willing to let Jed explain, and give him the benefit of the doubt.

I will admit that it did sound pretty scary. I know that Jed isn’t your typical guy. He can be dangerous and intimidating. For some reason that didn’t bother me like it probably should have.

“Have some chicken,” Charlotte offered, handing me a plate.

Taking it, I loaded my plate and nervously sat down to eat, my eyes on the door.