Read Death Screams for Free Online Page B

had a bad feeling.
    I planted my hands on my hips, eyes narrowing. "What does this have to do with Jade?"
    Garcia didn't quite meet my eyes. "We'll be needing her to identify the... ah, owner of the garment."
    " No way!" I yelled. "You can't put her in danger like that!" What were they thinking the jag-ups?
    Jade put her hand on my arm and Tulle tracked it like an eagle. "It's okay Caleb, I want to help them."
    I shook my head. "Jade, no. This puts you on the highway to harm's way. This is some guy that goes to one of our high schools for cripes sake. It could be the AP guy..." Jade's head snapped up and I got then I wasn't supposed to be talking about that. Bullshit! These two needed to know. Jade's eyes were big with the No look. Huh. What the hell was going on here?
    Gale stepped forward. "What are you saying, Caleb?" Jade's huge green eyes were round with worry in my peripheral vision. I shrugged, saying, "Nothing, I guess I had it mixed up." I caught Jade's shoulders relaxing.
    Garcia's gaze narrowed on me, he had caught the hiding it scent and like a good blood hound he was going to track it until he found what he was looking for. He didn't press though.
    For now.
    After a lengthy pause he said, "Listen, if I can get your folks' pulse-consent, I will let you escort Miss LeClerc here..." Jade rolled her eyes like, seriously? He smiled and corrected to, "Jade." He gave me the look that told me it was the best he could do.
    " What about your aunt?" I asked.
    " I'm emancipated, remember?" Jade reminded me.
    Right... nice.
    Gale's expression was puzzled. "Why?"
    Jade hesitated and I knew, just knew how much she liked to bring up dear old dad. "My dad," she answered softly, a slight blush tinting her cheeks. Why she was embarrassed about him was beyond me. He was King of All Dicks. And I knew who the princes were, yes indeedy. Several came springing to mind. Nice visual. Totally.
    " Something funny, Mr. Hart?" Tulle asked.
    I was really beginning to take a dislike to her.
    " Nah, just thought of something funny, yet unrelated," I expounded in a moment of cleverness that jacked her face into the pissed off realm.
    Perfect.
    Gale held up her palm. "Okay, so you are emancipated because..."
    Garcia nodded. "I know why," he said quietly. "It gets that restraining order moved into permanent status."
    Jade didn't say anything, she just nodded. My hands itched to draw her in next to me.
    Ached with it.
    I stood there doing nothing instead. It sucked pretty good. Then the distraction of the J's were upon us.
    Jonesy bulldozed into the room and said without preamble, "What's with the cop huddle?" His hand was fisting two cookies and chewing with his mouth open.
    Jade laughed and the tension slid out of me a little. If the J's were here... my main dudes made the cop pill go down a little better.
    Nobody answered and Jonesy bellowed, "Huh?"
    Garcia flinched and said, "Give a person a chance to respond, Jones."
    " Right, like you were doing any of that."
    Garcia's brow shot up and John interjected, "Answering, Detective Garcia."
    Tulle huffed saying, "I do not think I need Misters Jones and Terran here as well." She looked at them, daggers flying out of her eyes. John paled a little, making his freckles stick out like golden measles on his face but Jonesy said, "Why not?" and shrugged. He was gonna make her answer.
    Cripes.
    Jade looked down at her feet while Tulle sputtered, "I do not have to explain myself to an uncouth young man such as you," she stabbed her finger toward the threshold of the door and continued, "you may find your way out on your own accord."
    Jonesy gave Tulle a speculative look. Finally he said, "Okay, chillax... but, you still didn't tell me why."
    Oh. My. God.
    " Jonester, can you just..." I made the motion for him to get out again.
    " Listen, let's take this somewhere more private," Garcia said. He approached Tulle and said, "We'll be in touch. Thank you for alerting us. We'll have a tech team here to evaluate the