Read So Far Away (California Dreamers #2) for Free Online

isn’t a priority, but I wait a really long time for an officer to arrive.
    Apparently today they’re two for one, because a male and a female cop climb out of the cruiser.
    My stomach does flip-flops when they approach me. They don’t look that much older than I am, but they’re extremely intimidating with their uniforms, holstered guns and scowls on their faces.
    I guess protect and serve doesn’t include service with a smile in their department. 
    “I’m Officer Maya Navarro,” the female officer says. “And this is Officer Cody Jackson.”
    Officer Jackson glares at his partner. “I’m capable of introducing myself.”
    She glares right back at him. “You’ll do what I say when I say it.”
    “I’m Officer Jackson,” he says, seemingly just to spite her.
    Now she’s shooting daggers at him. If looks really could kill he’d be long gone.
    “You called about a cat in a tree,” Officer Navarro says.
    I nod because my throat has tightened and I’m not sure any words will come out.
    Even though Officer Navarro is shorter than me, and much smaller in stature, I have no doubt she could whip my ass in a fight. And she’s got a gun. Probably more than one.
    She scares the crap out of me.
    Her partner, Officer Jackson, on the other hand, doesn’t look quite as intimidating. He actually looks like a frat boy in a police costume for Halloween. Or like one of those strippers who dresses up like a cop for their show.
    Officer Navarro removes a small notepad and pencil from her breast pocket. “Is this your home?”
    When I shake my head, she frowns.
    I try to clear my throat, but it still feels like I’ve got something stuck in it. “I live here, but it’s not my house.” I somehow manage to squeak the words out, but they don’t actually sound like my voice. I sound like one of those singing chipmunks.
    Officer Navarro glances up from her notepad. “Who owns this home?”
    “Jackson Drake. I work for him. Maddie Malone. I’m his assistant. He’s a writer…”
    She cuts me off. “I know who he is.”
    “It’s kind of a funny coincidence. His first name is Jackson.” I gesture towards Officer Jackson. “Your last name is Jackson.”
    “What’s funny about it?” Officer Navarro scowls.
    She’s an extremely attractive Latina, or she would be if she wasn’t in a perpetual state of glowering.
    “Who’s Jackson Drake?” Officer Jackson asks.
    His question is met with another dirty look from Officer Navarro. “If you read anything other than nudie magazines maybe you’d recognize his name.”
    Officer Jackson actually looks a bit struck by her mean comment, but he masks it just as quickly. “For your information nudie magazines have articles, and they’re not the only things I read.”
    She crosses her arms over her chest and stares at him. “You’ve read a Jackson Drake novel?”
    “Maybe…” Officer Jackson doesn’t sound very convincing.
    “Then what’s his most popular main character? If you’ve read even just a few of his novels you should know who’s featured in nearly all of his books.”
    Officer Jackson gulps, but doesn’t reply.
    “That’s what I thought. The correct answer is Blake Knox.”
    As I watch the two officers bicker with each other like an old married couple, it occurs to me that there may be more going on between them under the surface.
    Did they have sex with each other? If they did, it’s definitely a love affair gone wrong. There’s a lot of animosity between them, but also sexual tension.
    “Speaking of Blake Knox,” I say, hopefully loud enough to get their attention. “The name of the cat that’s in the tree is Knox.”
    “Right.” Officer Navarro looks down at her notepad.
    She hasn’t actually written anything in it. She seems to be using it like a security blanket.
    Turning her attention to me she says, “Cats in trees really isn’t our jurisdiction. It’s usually the fire department that takes care of that.”
    “Oh.” I’m not sure