BumpnGrind (8 page)

Two of the club’s dancers grabbed the guy under the arms and
“escorted” him from the club. An arm encircled Felicia’s shoulders and she
looked over at Bliss. Her friend gave her an understanding smile. “Hey, honey.
You okay?”

“Yes.” Felicia cast a worried glance toward Garrett.

Bruno had apparently been successful in calming him down.
His shoulders looked more relaxed and he no longer clenched his large hands in
fists.

Two times he’d saved her from a questionable situation.

Two times he’d been her knight in shining armor.

She felt her pulse pick up. She was thinking like a romantic
teen. The last thing she wanted to do was romanticize her relationship with
Garrett.

He turned around and the pain in his eyes almost undid her.
She watched him walk toward her with a sense of relief and something else that
she didn’t want to examine too closely. He wrapped her in a hug that stole her
breath and held on tightly. “You all right, Lissy?”

“I am now. Thanks for saving me…again.”

She felt his warm breath against her cheek. “S’okay.” He
didn’t say anything else, but his arms tightened around her even more.

* * * * *

Bliss, Brad, Felicia, and Garrett sat at the bar and watched
Bruno close it down for the night. The place had long since cleared out and the
doors were locked. They’d been enjoying a companionable chat while waiting for
Bruno to finish up. They were planning an early breakfast out before going
home.

Except for a couple of short trips to the men’s room,
Garrett hadn’t left Felicia’s sight since she’d been accosted. That had been
just fine with her. The event had unnerved her.

“Are you sure you’ve never seen the guy before?” It wasn’t
the first time Garrett had asked Felicia that question. In fact it might have
been the tenth. She forced herself not to sigh, knowing he was just trying to
help.

“Never.”

“He was probably just some jerk looking for a good time,”
Brad contributed.

“No. He knew my name and he knew Bliss was my friend.”

Brad’s shoulders stiffened at this bit of news, and wrapped
his arms around Bliss, pulling her back against his chest.

Garrett reached out and rubbed Felicia’s arm. “I don’t like
this at all.”

“Somebody must have sent him.”

All eyes swung to Bliss, who was checking her lipstick in a
small mirror.

Brad asked, “Why do you say that?”

She shrugged. “Felicia doesn’t know the guy, but he seems to
know us. Which means somebody filled him in on us.”

Felicia felt the blood drain from her face. “Dave.”

Garrett swore quietly. “Had to be.”

Brad fixed an intense look on Garrett. “Sounds like we need
to do something about this Dave guy.”

Bruno came out from behind the bar, wiping his hands on a
towel. “Time to call it a night, folks.”

They slid off the stools and started toward the door.
Garrett’s back and shoulders were stiff with tension. “Don’t worry, buddy. I
fully intend to do something about that asshole.”

Alarm bloomed in Felicia’s chest. She grabbed Garrett’s
hand. “I don’t want you to put yourself in any danger, Garrett. Obviously there
are some mental issues there.”

He opened the door and guided her out with a hand on her
back. “Don’t worry, Lissy. I’ve got this under control.”

Felicia doubted that any of them had control over the
current situation. Maybe it would just be better if she and Garrett didn’t see
each other anymore. Being together was getting so complicated.

The thought made her stomach clench.

Once outside, Bruno locked the door and turned toward his
car in the far shadows of the lot. “See you guys later.”

“Later, man.” Garrett watched his friend walk away,
frowning. He owed Bruno big time for hanging with him against Felicia’s nutty
stalker.

“Where do you guys want to go for breakfast?” Brad stood
with his arm thrown over Bliss’ shoulders, looking as if he was afraid to let
her get too far away.

Bliss looked pretty happy to have him there.

Felicia leaned into Garrett. “You guys decide, you know this
area better than I do.”

They discussed their options for a few minutes and then
picked a place.

Garrett walked Felicia to her car before heading to his.
Bliss and Brad headed toward Brad’s car.

When they reached Felicia’s car Garrett leaned down and gave
her a soft kiss on the lips. His gaze on hers was searching, as if he’d heard
the doubts in her mind. “We’ll work this out, Felicia. I don’t want you to
worry about it.”

She knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but felt reluctant to get
into it at that moment. “I know. I’ll try not to worry.”

He stared at her for a heartbeat longer, then stepped away
from her so she could open the car door and climb inside. He grabbed the handle
of her door and was ready to close it when he heard a shout from the other side
of the parking lot.

It was Bruno, calling out to him.

Garrett jogged toward the sound of his friend’s voice. Felicia
followed. When he reached them Bruno was bending over something on the ground.
Bruno’s car was a few yards away with the door open, the interior light
painting whatever was on the ground in a soft light.

Bruno stood up and Garrett could finally see the silent,
bloodied form on the ground at his feet. It was the man from the bar and
somebody had beaten him badly.

Felicia gasped and threw a hand over her mouth. “Is he…” she
swallowed hard.

“He’s still alive. But he’s a mess.”

Sirens split the silence of the night, getting louder as
they approached. Garrett looked at Bruno. “Did you call the cops…or an
ambulance?”

Bruno’s dark gaze locked on his friend, filled with meaning.
“I think we might want to get hold of a lawyer, my friend.”

Garrett swore softly.

Chapter Seven

The police car tore into the parking lot and screeched to a
stop beside them. Both doors flew open and the two uniformed officers inside
slid out, crouching behind the doors with their guns trained on the three
friends. “Hands up where we can see them!”

Garrett moved in front of Felicia, protecting her with his
body. “Take it easy, officers. We just walked out here and found this guy. You
won’t need those weapons.”

The cop who’d spoken jerked the gun toward Garrett. “You let
me worry about when I need my weapon, sir. I need you to place your hands on
your head and turn around.” He glanced at Bruno. “You too, sir.”

Garrett did as he was asked, but he stayed between Felicia
and the cops. Felicia lifted a hand toward him. Tears filled her eyes. “Oh,
Garrett…”

He gave her a smile. “It’s okay, honey. It’ll be fine. I
have nothing to hide. We all know I didn’t do this.”

The cop jerked his arms around behind his back and reached
into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. Garrett noticed the other cop, a
woman, had done the same to Bruno.

“I got him,” the male cop with Garrett’s wallet said.

The female cop checked Bruno’s wallet and then unlocked his
cuffs, handing him back the wallet. “What’s this shit?” Bruno asked.

The cop Mirandized Garrett. “You’re coming with us, sir.” He
turned to Bruno and Felicia. “Don’t leave town. Give these officers your
addresses before you leave.” Then he jerked Garrett’s arm and drew him toward
the cop car.

While they’d been cuffing Garrett, two more cop cars had
squealed into the parking lot.

He heard Felicia screaming his name and tried to turn
around, but the cop holding his arms wouldn’t let him turn. “Watch your head,
sir.” He was pushed down and into the cop car. And the door was slammed shut.

His arms hurt and he couldn’t get comfortable sitting with
them cuffed behind him. But nothing hurt as much as watching Felicia’s face as
they drove him out of that parking lot to take him to jail.

* * * * *

Felicia grabbed Bruno’s arm. “What just happened here,
Bruno? Why were they looking for Garrett?”

Bruno jerked his head at the cops. “We’ll talk about this
later. As soon as we can get out of here.”

Felicia dug in her purse for her cell. Brad and Bliss had
left the parking lot before Bruno discovered the battered man. She called Bliss
to warn her that they wouldn’t be joining them at breakfast.

When she hung up she had tears in her eyes. Bruno put an arm
around Felicia’s shoulders. “It’ll be okay, Felicia. We know he didn’t do
anything. We told the cops that. They’ll have to let him go.”

Felicia’s eyes filled with tears. “And if they don’t?”

“Then we’ll get my Uncle Guido involved.” Bruno said with a
grin.

Felicia grinned. “Guido? Are you kidding? You have an uncle
named Guido?”

“His real name’s Gabriel, but he doesn’t think it sounds
intimidating enough. He likes to play up the Italian thing.”

Felicia’s eyes widened. She remembered Dave introducing her
and her ex-husband, Philip, to a powerful lawyer once at a party. The man had
had dark hair and flashing black eyes and he’d joked about being a member of
the local mob. “Gabriel Vitale?”

“The one and only,” Bruno answered with a sense of real
pride. “Uncle Guido’ll get Garrett out of jail. Or da guy who done dis’ll be
swimmin’ wid da fishes.”

Felicia laughed at Bruno’s bad mobster imitation, feeling
better. But just in case, she said a silent prayer of thanks for Uncle
Guido—mobster or no they might need his very talented services.

* * * * *

Garrett slouched in the chair across from Detective Hanks, a
burly cop with curly brown hair that stood up tall at the top and was sliced
off micro-short on the sides, giving him an elongated look from the chin to the
top of his massive head. Garrett decided he looked like a buffalo.

Hanks worked laboriously over his report, a well-chewed
pencil clutched in his meaty fist. Garrett looked around the room, seeing a
mixture of uniform and street-dressed cops, and a few civilian types who may or
may not have been criminals.

“When was the last time you saw Mr. Rogers?”

“I was probably about five.”

Hanks’ buffalo face contorted in confusion over this.
“Five?”

Garrett leaned forward and, in his best Mr. Rogers voice
said, “Can you say huge mistake? I knew you could.”

This did nothing to clear things up for Detective Hanks, who
made a dubious notation on his report and continued with his questions. “Why
did you and the victim fight?”

“We didn’t fight. We had a mostly verbal disagreement in the
bar when he accosted one of my friends.”

Hanks’ eyes widened in delight. Here was something he could
work with. “Mostly verbal?”

“I might have punched him once.”

Hanks hunched over his report, the pitiful pencil clutched
expectantly in his meaty fist. “Name?”

“Garrett Holcomb.”

Hanks blinked. He blinked again. Then he shook his massive
head in disgust. He just couldn’t believe how stupid Garrett was. Garrett
coughed to hide a smile.

“Not your name, sir. The friend’s name.”

“That’s not important.”

Hanks’ small, hazel eyes got a speculative glint. Even
Neanderthals occasionally had a coherent thought. “Why are you protecting this
friend?”

Garrett leaned forward. “Because she’s my friend.”

Hanks blinked again and his pencil drooped.

Garrett sat back in his chair. “I’d like to go now.”

Hanks shook his head. “I’m not done with you.”

Garrett sighed. He’d been afraid of that. Felicia’s lawyer
friend would have made sure they held him as long as possible. To send him a
message if nothing else. They had no evidence so they couldn’t arrest him. But
they could make him suffer for twelve hours or so. “I’d like to make a phone
call.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Garrett and Hanks both looked up at the man who’d just
arrived. Only one of them smiled.

Garrett stood up and extended his hand. “Guido. Nice to see
you again.”

Gabriel Vitale was tall and slim, with an abundance of slick
black hair that was combed back from his face, and a crooked nose that fit his
Guido persona perfectly. His handsome face was unlined. The only sign of his
fifty-some years was a touch of gray at his temples. His eyes were so dark they
looked black and he used them like a weapon.

Guido was well-known for his ability to weaken a witness’s
bladder on the stand just by fixing an intense, cold gaze on him. He was even
better known for his ability to make witnesses cry under questioning.

Vitale shook Garrett’s hand. “I’m sorry to see you again
under these circumstances, son. But I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

Garrett inclined his head. “I’d appreciate that, sir.”

Guido slapped Garrett on the shoulder and turned to Hanks.
“I’d like to see the evidence against my client, officer.”

Hanks’ mouth dropped open and his eyes went blank. “Um. I
can’t do that, Mr. Vitale.”

Guido Vitale went completely, perfectly still. His cold gaze
fixed on Hanks for a full minute before he spoke again. Then he smiled.

Garrett was pretty sure he heard Detective Hanks whimper.

“I’ll be taking my client home now, Detective Hanks.”

Hanks’ massive head dipped in what could have been
acquiescence. Garrett wasn’t sure Hanks even knew he’d nodded.

Guido didn’t wait for him to figure it out. He touched
Garrett on the shoulder. “You ready, son?”

“I believe I am.”

* * * * *

When they arrived at the station, Felicia ran to Garrett and
he wrapped his arms around her. She had been so scared that he’d be thrown into
jail for that poor man’s beating.

Bruno shook his uncle’s hand. “Thanks, Unc. I owe ya one.”

“You do, yes. I’ll expect you to throw your golf game next
Saturday to make me look good in front of your aunt.”

“That’s an awfully steep price, sir.”

“It is. But I’m a very well-paid lawyer. I’d say you got a
bargain.”