Page 26 of Stilettos and Outlaws

“I need some fucking help,” the kidnapper screamed.

Julie smiled at him, “Think of it as God’s retribution. You won’t be molesting any kids for a while.”

“Police brutality! Police brutality!”

Mario glared at the cactus-covered suspect. “Shut the hell up and if I were you, I’d quit thrashing around like that.”

“Fuck off!” The kidnapper somehow managed to roll off the cholla and ended up face down on the landscaping gravel. “Hot! Hot! It’s burning me! It’s burning me!”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s a hundred and ten today and did you think of that when you threw Bobby in the street?”

“You are a fucking bitch,” he hollered.

The paramedics hurried up with their gear. “Where’s the patient?”

“On the other side of this fence.” Julie held out her cell phone. “As you can see, he landed on a cholla cactus and is covered in spines.”

One of the paramedics let out a whistle. “Moving him is going to be difficult.”

“Yep. The side gate is unlocked,” Julie advised.

The kidnapper shrieked, “I need some fucking help. Now!”

The paramedics hurried around to the gate.

Dad plucked Julie off the fence. “Let’s go get your chocolate and then you’re all going straight home. No more stops.”

“Yes, sir.” Julie gave me the side eye.

I shrugged. I guess we wouldn’t tell them we planned on hitting Caramba too.

Dante dropped an arm over my shoulder. “Where else were you stopping?”

“Caramba.”

“I’m riding back with you,” Dante announced. “With your luck, you’ll walk into an armed robbery.”

I glared at him. “We aren’t helpless females. We are highly trained police officers and full-fledged members of the Alpha Dogs.”

“That’s true, but you’re injured. Until you’re back in fighting shape, it’s my job to keep you safe.” Dante pressed a hot kiss on my mouth.

My anger faded away. “That’s cheating.”

“But I like kissing you.” Dante gave me a devilish grin.

God, I loved his dimples.

A patrol car stopped next to us and the passengers’ window slid down revealing Sergeant Durham’s stern face. “I had a chat with Sergeant Bergman about you two poaching our calls.”

“Poaching? We were just at the wrong place, at the right time,” Julie protested.

Dad nodded sadly. “Poaching other department’s calls is a serious violation of police ethics.”

“Aw, c’mon. That’s not true, and besides, we didn’t make the arrest, Mario did,” I said.

Durham raised an eyebrow. “Like I said. Poaching.”

Cursing at the top of his lungs, the kidnapper walked slowly down the sidewalk.

---