Joy to the Wolves (Red Wolf #1) - Terry Spear Page 0,76
sight and smell. Dishwater blond with a grungy beard and pale-blue eyes narrowed at him. “This one’s been in jail any number of times for possession and armed robbery. Lonnie Matson. How the hell he keeps getting out is beyond me.”
“Same with the other one, Howie Carpenter. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them together on a job. Maybe they hooked up in jail.” Adam looked over their ID. “Their ID still shows they’re from Phoenix though.”
“What happened to him?” one of the EMTs asked, coming in treat the injured man.
“He was going to shoot me. Brooke Cerise, the owner of the shop, protected me,” Josh said.
“I heard you were dating her. I’d sure be careful about making her mad,” one of the officers said.
The other policemen there chuckled, Josh and Adam smiled, and then the two would-be thieves were hauled off.
Once all the other policemen and the EMTs left the shop, Josh figured Brooke needed to close the shop now instead of in two hours like usual. She came out of the kitchen with a mug of hot lavender tea. “Do you mind staying with me until the shop closes?”
Josh was going to mention closing now, but then a couple of ladies came into the shop and a fortyish man too. Josh eyed him with wariness. “You bet.”
“Me too,” Adam said.
“Good, and thank you both.”
“You’re welcome,” Josh and Adam said.
“I’ll be on the phone in the office to learn what I can and direct another couple of our men to check out Lucas’s girlfriend’s story. Apparently, she’s Lucas’s alibi for the night that the black truck was picked up on video outside your shop,” Adam said.
“But…?” Brooke asked.
“Reindeer hair was left in the truck.”
She smiled. “So we’ve caught them in the lie.”
“Yes. They’ve lawyered up, but we’ll get them.”
Josh agreed with Adam.
“Talk later.” Adam took off for the office.
The female customers started to look at the merchandise in the shop, but the man headed straight for Brooke.
Josh put his hand on his holstered gun.
Brooke smiled at the man and said, “May I help you?”
He glanced at Josh and then frowned at Brooke. “Are you the one I talked to about the vinyl records for sale?”
“Oh yes.” Brooke snapped her fingers. “You’re here to look them over.”
“Buy them, if they’re in as mint condition as you say they are.”
Brooke took him into the office. “There’s the record player. The records are right there. Enjoy listening to them. I’ll be in the shop working.”
Adam smiled at the guy. “You’re a collector?”
“Yeah. I got hooked on them some time ago. I always had them, but now I’m more into collecting the real rare records.” He shook Adam’s hand.
They began talking about the records while the sound of Beatles music mixed with the Christmas music overhead. “Do you want me to turn off the Christmas music for now?” Brooke asked.
“For now. Thanks,” the customer said.
Brooke did and then returned to the checkout counter.
Josh took Brooke’s hand and pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you earlier.”
“You needed to do your investigative work to catch these guys. We didn’t think they would come here during the day again. I never believed two different men would show up, but I had seen them before. They supposedly came to see Jingles and Cinnamon. They’d been perusing the shop and made me nervous then too. I certainly didn’t believe there was a connection between them and the other men though. Once they came back today, I wanted to call you, but I couldn’t. After you and I talked on the phone, I was glad you were able to realize what was going on.”
“Right away. I couldn’t get here fast enough. It won’t happen again. I’m assigned to your care, and I’m sticking like glue. When those boxes from that estate sale arrive, we’re going to have an army of wolves watching over them.”
“Thank you, Josh. I so appreciate you and Adam. Oh, and I don’t even have your email. Though I guess that wouldn’t have helped while you were driving.” Then she noticed a couple of ladies heading to the counter, and she went to check them out.
Josh was still feeling shaken from the situation. He didn’t remember a time when he was involved in shoot-outs or apprehending dangerous criminals that he’d felt that unsettled. Not until now when Brooke’s life was in danger. Well, and when the rookie cop he’d dated put both his and her life in