Page 26 of Hostile Witness

Ethan shifted on his feet. “A little bit, but I’ve adopted your attitude about her.”

Earl glanced over as he removed his paper booties. “Yeah, what’s that?”

Ethan chuckled. “It’s not my story, Son.”

Earl laughed. “There you go. The best way to get through this life unscathed is to face forward and keep your nose out of other people’s business. It isn’t always the easiest thing to do though, Detective.”

18

Tia turned the radio down once she saw the police lights in her rearview mirror. Surely the lights weren’t meant for her... but the vehicle directly behind turned left, and the cop car stayed on her tail. Turning on her right blinker, she slowed down and pulled as close to the curb as possible. This wasn’t the safest place to pull over on this road. It had no shoulder lane and irrigation ditches on both sides.

Only a minute ago, her speedometer had been reading in the thirty-mile-an-hour range. Maybe she’d been off a little, but she hadn’t been driving fast or stupid.

Tia fumbled for her license as the officer approached her car. She didn’t recognize him. Of all the crappy luck, to end up with an officer she didn’t know. Flynn was dozing in the cushioned back-seat domain she’d coinedthe boot.

Why had the cop stopped her? Tia let her window halfway down and turned the car off.

“Evening, ma’am. May I see your license and registration please?” The cop aimed his flashlight at her face, effectively blinding her.

“Certainly, Officer.” She shielded her eyes from his invasive flashlight. It wasn’t dusk yet and the sun was still out. “I need to go in the glove box for my registration.”

“Slowly, please.”

The registration and insurance information were in an accessible pouch, and Tia quickly handed them over. She was just about to ask the guy if he would aim his flashlight away from her eyes when there was a low, primitive growl—an unearthly sound, unlike anything she’d heard before.

Flynn suddenly leaped into the front seat and landed with paws on her back and legs, barking and seething like a feral animal.

What on earth?

She was pinned and unable to move. His claws tore at her blouse and the bare flesh on her thighs as he repeatedly snapped at the officer through the half-open driver’s window. He relentlessly crammed his snout and scrabbling right paw through the small opening.

She caught a glimpse of a baton in the air and grabbed the dog’s torso, heaving with all her might to shove him out of the way. Flynn wouldn’t budge, and the baton clipped his front paw. He whimpered only a second, then resumed growling and scratched at the door like his life depended on getting outside.

The officer continued jabbing at the driver’s side window with his baton. Flynn took several hits to the mouth and head, but kept snarling.

“Your fucking dog bit me. Subdue him, or I will.”

“I’m trying,” she shouted, although she doubted he heard her over Flynn’s carrying-on.

The next time the baton came through the opening in the window, Tia grabbed it with both hands and yanked with all her might. It broke free from the officer’s grasp.

Flynn scrambled into the passenger seat, clawing at the windshield. Tia pulled him back by the harness. Why was he doing this? He’d barely finished recovering from his injuries. He’d never disobeyed her before now.

The dog wheeled around and growled at her. She froze. Flynn uttered the most soul-wrenching whine and stared right into her eyes.

What is it, buddy?

He was trying to tell her something, but she had no idea how to interpret his signal. Flynn ripped his gaze from her eyes, clamped down on her leather purse, and shook it violently.

The officer banged on the passenger window of the car. “Subdue your fucking dog, lady.” As the guy walked the perimeter of her car, Flynn leaped from seat to seat, snarling like a wolf that’d picked up the scent of blood. Tia pressed the lock button. If the man opened the door, he didn’t stand a chance. He had no idea Flynn was a trained K9.

The officer slammed his fist down on the hood of her car and held up a bleeding hand. “See this? Get the fuck out of here. If I ever see that dog again, I’ll kill it.”

She didn’t need telling twice. Tia tossed the cop’s baton out the window. Flynn was still growling as the officer climbed into his car and turned off his police lights. Her hands shook while she jammed the key in the ignition. The car lurched forward, throwing gravel, and she sped down the road.

A mile later, Tia pulled into a convenience store and parked in the back lot. She faced Flynn, who still stood in the front passenger seat.

“What in the hell was that about? Get in the back seat!”