Page 33 of Fire and Ice

"What bigger problem?" Jack asked. He was trying not to grin at Maia's terrible acting.

"I can't discuss this with you, Jack," the detective said firmly.

"Why not? If it affects the safety of the community?" Jack shot back.

The two men had a stare down.

"Can I go home now, detective? I'm feeling a bit queasy," Maia interjected, obviously trying to defuse the tension.

Rick looked at Maia, his eyes softening. "Sure honey, if you remember anything else about tonight, you have my card."

"Sure thing. Thank you so much, detective," Maia breathed in appreciation.

"You all may want to use the backdoor," the paramedic, who was now checking Betty, said. "If you are having problems processing everything that happened, if you're having unwanted flashbacks, come to OBX General. We have some trauma counselors you can talk to, okay honey?"

Jack bristled. Would every male in the room stop calling Maia, "honey"!

"Thanks, Joe," Maia replied sweetly.

And now she was on a first name basis with the paramedic?

"Come on," Jack said gruffly and pulled Maia out the door.

The back alley of the grocery had a couple of cops and crime scene investigators combing for clues of the missing good Samaritan/vigilante. Jack knew they were wasting their time. The person responsible for taking down three armed men was, at that moment, climbing into his blue Camaro.

"See you at the stonehouse?" Maia said as she started the powerful engine.

Jack leaned in closely, was about to say something but thought better about it. Instead he brushed his lips lightly on hers.

"Yeah."

***

The massive portal to the stonehouse parking garage trundled up. Maia parked the Camaro in its designated spot and Jack pulled up directly behind her. She exited the car and waited for Jack to walk up to her.

He stopped in front of her, leaned his head close and said, "You are full of shit."

"I had no choice," Maia protested.

"I mean, I don't believe this," Jack continued as if not hearing her. They were now walking along the length of the massive garage. "I leave you alone, not two days, and you've got three dead guys."

"They were going to shoot, Kyle, I was not making that up," Maia replied in defense. "You would have done the same."

Jack didn't answer her. His eyes were riveted to the wall—specifically the broken key cabinet. "What the fuck?"

"What? How do you think I got the keys to the Camaro?" Maia asked innocently.

"Most of my cars are off-limits, babe, but the Camaro is sacred," Jack told her. "You can use the SUV."

"I was thinking the Mercedes 2-seater next time," Maia said, batting her eyelashes.

Jack smiled devilishly and drew her close. "I'm open to negotiations."

Maia laughed lightly and tried to pull away, but Jack held her hand and said, "Come on, you need to get cleaned up."

Maia looked down at her shirt and noticed some blood splatters, and then at her hands. "Do you have any of that cool stuff that takes away gun residue?"

"That's illegal."

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