Mortal Dilemma Read Online Free Page A

involved in an incident on I-75 in the southbound lanes near the north end of Paynes Prairie. I shot and killed the driver of one of the cars involved. Please send the highway patrol and sheriff’s detectives. The other car involved was a new Camaro, black, very dark tinted windows, Florida license plate.I didn’t get the number. The men in the Camaro are armed and dangerous. It was headed south at high speed about five minutes ago.” She hung up before the operator could start asking a bunch of useless questions.
    Cars were pulling to the side of the road and several people were walking toward the wrecked van. J.D. held up her badge and called out, “Police. Please back away. This is a crime scene. The highway patrol will be here shortly.” They complied.
    Her next call was to Chief Bill Lester at the Longboat Key police station. She told him what had happened and assured him that she was okay.
    â€œDid you get an ID on the guy who took the shot at you?”
    â€œNo. I didn’t search him. I’ll let the detectives do that. I don’t want to corrupt the scene.”
    â€œGood thinking. Are you sure you’re okay?”
    â€œYes, Bill, I’m sure.”
    â€œI’ll call Matt. You need somebody with you.”
    â€œDon’t do that, Bill. You know how he is. He’ll be on his way up here to take care of me. I don’t want that. I’ll call him when I have a better handle on what’s going on.”
    Lester chuckled. “Okay, but make it soon. I don’t want him to think I’m holding out on him.”
    â€œI will. I’m afraid the cruiser is a wreck. I’ll rent a car and drive home as soon as I can get away.”
    â€œI can send one of our guys up to get you.”
    â€œNo. Just pay for the rental.”
    â€œThe department will take care of it. Be very careful, J.D. Somebody’s trying to kill you.”
    â€œYeah, I got that,” J.D. said, and closed the connection.

CHAPTER SIX
    T HURSDAY , O CTOBER 30
    I GOT BACK to my house at three, carrying a large juicy hamburger and fries from Mar Vista. I heard the shower running when I entered the cottage. Jock was up. A few minutes later he plodded into the kitchen. He’d shaved, but not well. He’d nicked himself several times, and little bits of tissue were affixed to his face in an attempt to staunch the blood flow. His eyes were bloodshot, little ribbons of red running through the whites. “How’re you feeling?” I asked.
    â€œAbout like I look, podna.”
    â€œYour eyes are so bloodshot you look like you’ll bleed to death if you open them too wide. Here. I brought you some food.”
    â€œThanks.” He dug in, ripping big bites off the burger, going at it like a starving man.
    â€œSlow down, Jock. You’re going to choke yourself.”
    He nodded and took a smaller bite. I’d put a glass of water on the table, and he gulped it down. I refilled the glass. “I’m sorry to be such a piece of shit,” he said.
    I waved the apology away. “You want to talk about it?”
    â€œThe thing I value most in this world is your friendship and your opinion of me. Next in line is J.D.’s. I can’t lose that.”
    â€œYou’re family, Jock. There’s nothing you can do or say that will ever change that.”
    â€œBut J.D.’s become part of that family,” Jock said. “You love her. She loves you, and she’s the best thing that ever happened to you. She hasn’t lived through what you and I have. I’m not sure she understands our relationship, or how we depend on each other. She may think the whole thing a little odd. And I know she doesn’t approve of what I do for a living. I don’t think our relationship, hers and mine, will survive this one.”
    â€œYou know I won’t tell her anything you don’t want me to.”
    He shook his head. “She has to know what you