Page 68 of Space Junk: Houston, We Have a Hottie
“I see.” I look over her shoulder and see Holt sitting at one of the picnic tables talking to another officer, with a blond woman I sort of remember seeing earlier. The blond looks a little roughed up. “Where’s Flynn?”
“Um, he’s—”
“Miss West?” A short, pudgy man, probably on the higher side of thirty, addresses Rose. “I’m John Watson from Myers, Simon and Schwartz.”
“Watson? For all the money my family pays, the firm sends an intern? Where’s Myers? I usually deal with him,” Rose demands.
“Sorry, Miss West. Myers and the other partners were indisposed, as it is a Sunday. I, ajunior partner, was the closest to you at the time.” He glances at Officer Harrington. “And I was told timing was important.”
“Ah, yes. I guess so.” She claps him on the back. “All right, Johnny, let’s get to the precinct and take care of this business.” She holds out her hands to the officer. “Cuff me.”
“Um...” Harrington rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “I don’t think that’s necessary, even though you’re technically under arrest.”
“Spoil sport.” Rose turns back to me. “Okay, I’ve got to take care of this nonsense. We should get together later for drinks.”
“Okaaaaay. But I probably won’t be able to, what with NASA and all.”
“Oh, yeah.” She frowns, then immediately perks up. “Dinner tomorrow?”
I laugh. “We’ll see, Rose. I’ve got to go, but I was hoping to talk to Flynn before I left.”
Rose’s expression shutters. “He left. Don’t worry about Flynn. He’s fine. You should probably go so the cops don’t hold you up from work.”
Her demeanor changes so quickly, I don’t have time to process it or ask her what’s wrong before she puts her arm around me and leads me back toward the parking lot.
“How did you get here?” She looks around the lot.
“I took Ian’s car.” I gesture to the Tesla.
“Took?”
“I, uh, borrowed it,” I say, pointedly not looking at Officer Thomas.
Rose chuckles. “I’ve been a bad influence, I see,” she says, checking out Ian’s shiny silver car. “Okay, girlie. I’ll see you later. I’ll have Flynn call you.” Then she waves like she’s going on vacation rather than dipping her head into the back seat of a police car. Her lawyer shuffles over to his car and follows them out.
“Jackie.”
I jump, turning to see Trish poking her head around the corner.
“Trish? You okay?” Her hands are twisted in front of her and she keeps glancing at the other police officers getting statements from people still at the bar.
“Uh, yeah.” She looks over my shoulder to where Rose had left in the squad car. “Do you think Rose will be all right?”
“Rose? She’ll be fine. I mean, she’s Rose, right?” I do my best to assure her, since Trish looks genuinely freaked out.
“Okay, I’m going back to wait inside. Holt said he’d give me a ride when he’s done talking to the cops.”
“I’m sorry, Trish. I’d give you one now, but I’m already cutting it close—”
“Don’t worry about it. Really.” She points to the wine bar next door. “I’ll go take care of a bottle of wine, and you go take care of NASA, sugar.” Although she is saying and doing normal Trish things, it feels forced. A quick glance at my watch tells me I’ll have to figure out all that happened here at a later time.
I jog back to the parking lot, my shoes squishing with each step. I’m about to get in Ian’s car when I see Flynn’s Ford Mustang Boss still parked in the same spot from earlier. I turn back to the porch but don’t see him. I’m about to call out to Holt when I spot Flynn by the side of the building.
My breath leaves me so fast I feel like I’ve been launched into the vacuum of space.
Beth, albeit a more disheveled and bruised Beth, is leaning against the wall. And Flynn has her caged between his arms, just like he’d had me, twice, outside my apartment door. His shoulder muscles strain from pressing in close and his forearms flex from bearing his weight. The movement lifts up his T-shirt in the back, showing a sliver of skin where his narrow hips meet his jeans. From this angle, I can’t see his face, but I can see Beth’s and she’s quite pleased.
Her laugh this time is deep and throaty when she brings her hands up to cup Flynn’s face.
