Page 82 of S.O.S. Billboard

Well, it wasn’t Christmas, and she couldn’t sing, but she damn well knew how to be loud.

“Read the town report,” she yelled vehemently over the low din that had arisen. “Something isn’t right. Page two-hundred fourteen. There’s a shortfall of almost a half a million dollars.”

There were gasps all around, and people started leaping from their seats, voices raised toward the stage.

It was just the distraction O’Shea needed. She sprinted for the door, with a number of people helping her clear the aisle. She said thank-you a dozen or more times, and had just pushed her way through to the outside when an arm caught her from behind.

Shit.

“Stop right there,” a voice growled. She turned. It was one of the cops from the stage.

O’Shea weighed her options. Fight, or go passively?

If she fought, things could get ugly. She could be thrown in jail not only for disorderly conduct, but for resisting an officer, and any other bullshit charges they wanted to throw at her. After which she’d be easily discredited for everything she’d said inside tonight, along with—she was sure—the town website being made swiftly and unsurprisingly “not available”.

If she wentwithouta fight, she might be able to walk away without anyone getting hurt. And by anyone, she meant them.

Yup.Passive it was.

She didn’t try to jerk away from the hand gripping her arm in a bruising hold, nor would she give the cop the pleasure of seeing her wince.

“Hello officer,” she said politely turning her head to the cop holding her, only to see another uniform poised by the once again partially open door. “I take it you’ve come to escort me off the property?”

“Shut it,” her captor in blue growled, not even trying to be nice. “You have the right to remain silent…”

“Wait. Huh?” O’Shea was shocked. He wasn’t really going to…?

“I’m being arrested? For what?”

There were several townspeople hanging back who looked interested in that answer, too.

“Trespassing, and disturbing the peace,” the cop said without blinking, then continued with her Miranda rights.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” O’Shea snarled as she was harshly hauled away from the auditorium. She now had officer asshole on one side of her, and the newcomer on the other. They were herding her toward their squad car.

“You know this is bullshit, right?” She sent her plea to the more reasonable looking of the two officers; the one who wasn’t leaving his prints on her bicep. “Anyonehas the right to attend an open town forum even if they aren’t a resident. AndclearlyI wasn’t disturbing the peace, because I waited until the end of Jakes’ interminable speech to make my point during the open Q and A session.”

O’Shea received no answer, but the prick-cop stopped them for a moment, yanked her hands behind her back, and cuffed her.

“Seriously? I’m being restrained?” O’Shea’s anger was building, and that wasn’t a good thing. She needed to cap that rumbling volcano because an eruption would do her no good. She took a deep breath. “I’ll give you a chance to rethink your actions here. I’d hate to imagine that two fine officers of the law were going to go down with Barnie Jakes’ sinking ship.”

“What’s that?” Bad cop shook her. “Now you’re threatening an officer?” The dour cop sneered.

“Oh, it wasn’t a threat,” O’Shea clipped. “It was a promise. You may think you have immunity because of who you work for, but I’ve seen this all before. Believe me, it never ends well for the guy who imagines himself in charge, or those who blindly followhim. And of course,” she smiled sweetly at both her escorts, “I have your badge numbers memorized, so when Jakes’ town takeover fails, you’ll be implicated right along with him.”

“Shut the fuck up,” cop number one said, but O’Shea noted that cop number two was backing off.

“Uh, Delaney? If you’ve got this, I’ll uh, head back in to make sure order is restored.”

Delaney clipped. “Don’t let this bitch spook you, O’Reilly. She’s just flapping her gums. She’s nobody to be scared of.”

“Or so you’d like to think,” O’Shea winked at O’Reilly.

Without warning, O’Shea got shoved forward. The nasty cop deliberately stuck a foot out in front of her, and with her hands restrained, O’Shea pitched forward. She couldn’t save herself from falling, but she deftly avoided injuring her face by turning her body and landing on her shoulder instead.

“Ooof.” The hard-packed ground was damned unforgiving. She’d have bruises up and down her arm, for sure.

“Cripes, Delaney. Do you think that’s necessary?” O’Reilly huffed.

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