Page 51 of Flash and Bang
“Why don’t you just start at the beginning and tell us everything you saw, Special Agent,” the man’s partner said.
Or not. Thayne sighed and launched into his story, giving them a blow by blow detail of everything he remembered about the crash and the black SUV that had hit them. He wondered how much his memory coincided with Jarrett’s. The men didn’t seem to give him any indication that Jarrett had a different memory of the crash but when he finished the first officer flipped over the pages in his notes.
“So, you didn’t get a look at the driver?”
“No. The windows had a limousine tint on them, totally blacked out.”
The officer nodded and scribbled in his pad before looking up. “Do you remember the license plate of the SUV?”
Thayne thought as hard as he could, closing his eyes and trying desperately to picture the license plate he’d only glimpsed after the car had hit them the first time. He remembered turning to look over his shoulder and trying to zero in on the plate. When the license plate flashed in his mind, his eyes sprung open. “Oh, my God, they were government plates!” he said.
Both officers frowned. “Government plates?” the first officer asked, sounding incredulous.
Thayne felt like bouncing on the exam table where he still sat. “Yes. US government plates. I can’t believe I didn’t remember that until just now.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you did, though there’s probably a hundred government-issued black SUVs in California,” the second officer said.
Thayne watched him scribble in his notepad. “You’re probably right. Now, why would one of our own try to run us off the road?” he said out loud. Helooked at the officers who glanced between each other. Both had frowns on their faces.
“I have no idea, Special Agent. But whoever they are, they meant to kill you or at the very least, make sure you were too banged up to talk about it.”
“Son of a bitch,” Thayne said, low. He stared at the Highway Patrol officers. “Now I’m really beyond pissed.”
“That’s just wrong on so many levels, man,” the second officer said, flipping his pad closed and replacing it into his pocket.
Ain’t that the fucking truth.
Chapter Twelve
Thayne had to grit his teeth and take a deep breath when he called SAC Stanger to let him know what had happened on their aborted run out to San Bernardino. To say the man was pissed was the understatement of the century. He told Thayne that he hoped Jarrett would recover quickly and that they were both to stay put until he called in reinforcements. Jarrett was none too happy when he was told that he had to stay the night to have his injuries further assessed. They’d seen something on the MRI that they didn’t like and the doctors were keeping a close watch on Jarrett’s lungs to make absolutely sure a rib hadn’t damaged one, requiring emergency surgery.
After his conversation with Stanger in the hall outside the room Jarrett had been transferred to, Thayne walked back in. Jarrett looked up from where he lay the moment he saw Thayne. He held out his hand and gave Thayne a crooked smile. Thayne walked over and took Jarrett’s hand, leaning down to kiss him. Jarrett’s lips felt soft and wonderful, the way they always did, and a rush of feelings hit Thayne all at once. He loved this man. He was angry that someone had so obviously tried to kill them, and it made him fearful and sad all at the same time. Why? Why had someone tried to kill them? Was it related to the fireworks case? That seemed like a veryremote possibility. They didn’t really even have a solid suspect yet. They’d only just begun running background checks and gathering evidence of Mason’s murder. Hell, they’d only just found out itwasa murder. None of it made any sense in Thayne’s mind but whatever was going on, they’d survived the attempt on their lives and here Jarrett was, safe and in his arms for the moment. He ended the kiss and straightened, not letting go of Jarrett’s hand.
“How you doin’, darlin’?” Jarrett looked Thayne up and down critically, probably trying to figure out what happened to him. “Your head?”
“They did an X-ray and I have some cracked ribs and a hell of a headache. Got lots of scrapes and bruises,” he said, lifting his shirt to show Jarrett the wrapping around his torso. “I’ll live.”
Jarrett frowned, reaching out to caress Thayne’s chest where he still bore the long white scar from where the doctors had opened his chest to remove a bullet and save his life not so long ago. “You don’t deserve all this, Thayne.”
Thayne dropped the shirt as Jarrett pulled his hand back. “What the hell, Jarrett? You don’t deserve this either. Who did this?” He sat on the edge of Jarrett’s bed, putting his hand on the sheet covering Jarrett’s muscled thigh. “While I waited foryou to get out of the MRI, I just sat and thought about who wants us dead. That wasn’t an accident. Someone is targeting us but why? No one can possibly know what we were going to do except maybe the office. And even then, Stanger wasn’t even aware that we were coming out here today. Sarah and Tim knew we were going to follow up with Anthony Revilla and Beth Quinn but I trust they didn’t say anything to anyone. What the hell is going on? Do you think someone doesn’t want us to talk to Mason’s crew?”
Jarrett shook his head. “It don’t make no sense to me, Thayne. I’m as lost as you as to why someone would try to kill us.” He went silent for a few seconds, contemplating something. “And fuck all if they didn’t ruin my goddamned bike!”
Thayne bit back the smile that threatened. He was sympathetic with Jarrett but he’d lost both of his vehicles, both to someone who wanted them—or at least Jarrett—dead. “Could this be something from your past, Jarrett?”
Jarrett stared at him for a long time, his ice-blue eyes showing concern. He finally sighed and nodded. “It could be, Wolfe. I’m not sure—but I think it might be. If it is, the friend I spoke to yesterday might be in very real danger.”
“You have to warn him, then.”
“That’s just the thing. The phone call I made to him yesterday might have been the catalyst to what happened today so I ain’t sure how to do that without bringin’ more shit down on him. Someone may have been listening in.”
“Can we go to him?”
Jarrett smiled sadly at him. “He lives and works in Virginia, darlin’, but I may know how to get a message to him. It’s gonna suck big, though.”
“Why?”
“Cause it means callin’ my daddy and that’s something I promised myself I’d never do again.” He reached out for Thayne’s hand.