Page 94 of Once a Killer

McKay screamed again, and Bree used her foot to shove him onto his face. Sitting on his legs, she fastened flex cuffs around his ankles, as well. Then she stood up and leapt away from him.

Jameson ran toward her and swept her into his arms. Kissed her once, then kept his arm around her. “Are you all right? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” He ran his hands up and down her arms and legs. Finally, satisfied that she was unhurt, he curled his arm around her shoulders and stared at McKay on the ground.

McKay scowled at Bree. “How did a fucking reporter who’s half my size manage to take me out? You drug my champagne or something?”

“Or something,” Bree said, nestling closer to Jameson. “I’m not really a reporter. That was just my cover story. I’m actually a bodyguard, hired to protect Jameson.” She smiled at the man on the ground. “You’re not as smart as you think you are, McKay. Or as good. I didn’t even have to break a sweat to take you down.”

He swore fluently at her, then at Jameson. Finally, he said, “It’s your word against mine, Ford.” McKay turned his head to glare at Jameson and Bree. “You tried to steal my program, and I tried to stop you. The cops will cut off these cuffs, let me go and arrest the two of you instead.”

Jameson smiled. “Nice little story, McKay, but it’s not going to work. Before you arrived I changed out the cameras you sprayed with black paint and turned on the audio. The cops will have a birds’ eye view of what went down in my lab.”

McKay let loose with a stream of curses as sirens sounded in the distance. In less than a minute, two squad cars raced into the parking lot. They screeched to a stop, and four cops jumped out. Pulling their guns, they yelled, “Hands in the air. Right now.”

As he and Bree raised their arms, McKay looked daggers at them. “Think they’ll believe you over a McKay? My family has a lot of pull in this city.” McKay smirked. “You want to put money on who’s ending up in jail?”

“Guess we’ll find out, won’t we, McKay?” Jameson said.

Two of the cops approached, and the man asked, “Anyone armed?”

“I am,” Bree said. She pulled her wallet out of her pocket and handed the closest cop, a woman, her work ID, her FOID card and her concealed carry permit. Then she lifted her jacket to show her the gun.

“You fire that weapon?” the male cop asked.

“No, sir,” she said. “Didn’t even have to draw it.” She pointed at McKay’s car. “He had a gun, as well, and he threatened both of us with it. I was able to disarm him.”

The male cop narrowed his eyes. “Is that right?”

“Yes it is.” She lifted her chin a little. “I’m very well-trained.”

The female cop looked at the cards Bree’d handed to her and her eyebrows rose. “We’ve heard of Blackhawk Security. Good reputation in this city. One of your operatives is stationed here.”

“Cody Parker,” she said.

She nodded. “We’ll double check with your bosses, but for now, you’re clear.”

Jameson nodded at McKay on the ground. “If you search him, you’ll find a hard drive in his pocket. He stole it from the safe in my office.”

The female cop’s eyes narrowed. “You catch him in the act?” she asked.

“We did,” Jameson said. “But it’s also recorded on my security cameras and audio.”

“We’ll need a copy of both of those,” she said.

“If you give me an email address, I’ll send them to you tonight,” he said.

The woman handed him her card. He scanned it, nodded and slid it into his pocket. “You’ll have it as soon as I get home.”

“Thank you.”

“Can I request that Mr. McKay be held on no bail?” Jameson said, drawing Bree to his side. “I’m concerned that if he gets out, he’ll go after Ms. Gordon.” He tightened his arm around Bree’s shoulders. “He didn’t take well to being beaten by a woman.”

“I think we can persuade the judge that Mr. McKay is a danger to you and to the public.”

“I don’t give a damn about the public,” McKay yelled. “I just want to kill those two bastards.”

“Duly noted,” the female cop said dryly.

Seeing that the situation was under control, the other squad car drove away. And after he and Bree gave the two officers their contact information, the officers hoisted McKay to his feet and patted him down. They took his Glock and found a switchblade knife in his pocket.

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