Page 45 of Rascal

“Hallie!” Jonas grabbed my arm.

“Nah, fuck them all. Look at them. All hanging their noses over a crime scene. Fuckin’ ghouls, all of them!” My hatred was rising.

“Calm down!” Jonas ordered.

“Why? Why should I calm down? They need to keep their lying mouths shut. It’s not enough I’m suing half this town for slander and perjury; they wanna add their two cents—”

“Hallie!” a man yelled, and I spun.

A murderous expression crossed my face as Shane jogged forward. Without a word, he ducked under the police tape. A uniform went to stop him, but Jonas waved him through. Shane grabbed me in a tight hug as I vented into his chest. Curses and threats left me, but were all muffled. Gossip rose around us as people realised who Shane was.

“What are you doing here?” Grimes demanded.

“King told me where you two were coming, and I wasn’t going to let Hallie face this town alone. I caught the flight after you,” Shane explained as I grabbed his cut and shook it.

I kept uttering death threats and how I’d torture every fucker present as Shane cupped my head and held me still. Grimes didn’t know where to look, although I could see Jonas out of the corner of my eye, and he looked amused. Finally, I wound down, and Shane relaxed his grip.

“Finished?” Shane quipped with a glint in his eyes.

My mouth opened, and I began spewing verbal abuse once more, and I was shoved into his arms again. Shane chuckled, and I felt that deep in his chest. I continued for another minute before I ran out of steam.

“Okay, now?” Shane muttered, and I bit his nipple in retaliation. He let out an ouch and jumped back, rubbing it.

“Someone want to bring me up to date?” Shane asked as people stared in silence. They didn’t know what to make of this. Good. Spiteful assholes.

“We best book into a hotel,” Jonas said. “Jane murdered the witness.”

“Fuck!” Shane growled out.

“Yeah. Not an ideal situation,” Jonas replied. That was a damn understatement, to put it mildly.

Shane

“We need to issue an APB,” Grimes argued with Jonas.

“What’s it going to say? She’s the spitting image of Hallie Milton, but it’s not Hallie Milton? We don’t have a name or anything. Fuck, that APB goes out, you’re about to get drowned with sightings of Hallie,” Jonas retorted.

“We’ve got to do something,” Grimes sneered.

“Tell me what? This bitch isn’t stupid. She looks exactly like Halli, including that scar, so not even that separates them,” Jonas stated.

“Then we put Milton in protective custody.”

“Yeah, that ain’t happening,” Hallie chipped in.

“Jane’s already heading back to South Dakota. She’s not hanging around here,” I added.

“No. I agree, she’s done what she needed to do and now Jane’s running back to Spearfish. Jane knows Shane and Hallie will return there. I’ve no doubt Jane’s aware Shane’s come here. That’s going to rile her. Jane would see that as a betrayal.”

“Which means Shane put a target on his back?” Hallie asked.

“Yeah.”

“Good, he can deal with Jane’s crazy. Just give Shane a bulletproof vest. Actually, don’t, I’d love to dance on his grave.” Hallie quipped.

I shook my head, amused.

“Jesus, what’s the matter with you?” Grimes demanded in disbelief.