Ryan Lock 04.5: Lock & Load Read Online Free Page A

around Ty on their way to one of the other bungalows. He made sure not to even glance in their direction. Man, he wished Lock would let him wear his shades.

Seven
    BY THE TIME Lock got back to Malibu all traces of the actor were gone – Jason had been as good as his word. The remote clicker for the garage and his set of keys sat on the marble countertop of the bar which fronted onto the living area, along with a brief note for Summer, apologizing once again for his behavior. Lock picked up the keys and clicker and left the note where it was. He was tempted to throw it into the trash but it was rarely a good idea to interfere in personal matters.
       He would advise Summer that she should have all the locks changed in case Jason had either cloned the garage door opener or copied the keys. Lock did a careful walk through of the property, paying particular attention to any possible traces of drugs. He wouldn't have put it past Jason to leave behind a bunch of blow and put in a call to the Sheriff's department himself so that he could get even with his now ex-girlfriend.
       Once Lock was satisfied that the house was it should be, he called Carrie, arranging to meet her for dinner before they headed back. The tide was in and Lock could hear heavy stones, washed smooth by the ocean, crashing into the pylons that supported the house. It was an ominous sound.
     
    He had dinner with Carrie at a roadside Thai joint just north of the turn that led up into Topanga Canyon. With the main business of the day settled, Lock could relax. Carrie looked stunning. They held hands under the table like a couple of teenagers and Carrie teased Lock about his lack of dexterity when it came to using chopsticks. Inevitably, the conversation turned to work.
       "So what's the deal with Jason?" Carrie asked him as the waitress cleared their plates.
       "The bad news is that he's your standard Hollywood alpha male asshole with a drug problem and a bad attitude when it comes to women. The good news is that I think she got a real scare when he tried to strangle her. I don't think that she'll be going back for more."
       "I'll drink to that," said Carrie, lifting her glass of white wine and clinking it against Lock's glass of water.
       "Me too," said Lock.
       They had both seen enough of life to know that Summer was one of the lucky ones. Domestic violence was like a frog being boiled slowly in a pan of water. By the time the abused partner realized how hot it was, it was often too late to climb out.
       They paid for their meal and headed back to the beach house. "This is some place," said Carrie as they walked in.
       She took his hand and started to lead him up the stairs. "Wonder what the view's like from the bedroom?" she said as he followed her.
       Halfway up the stairs his cell phone rang. It was Ty. Carrie sighed in frustration.
       "What's up?" Lock asked his partner.
       "We got ourselves a situation," said Ty.
       "Jason showed up?" guessed Lock.
       "No, that I could deal with. It's the principal."

Eight
    LOCK CAUGHT UP  with Ty outside the bungalow. "She's freaking out," said Ty.
       "Freaking out how?" he asked him.
       "One minute she was talking to that chick Paula, all nice and calm. Next thing I know, she saying she's too scared to face the media tomorrow and Paula is telling her that it's in her contract and that she has to do it." Ty lowered his voice. "She's scared. I'm sorry, man, I know you were having some down time but I don't deal well with stuff like this."
       Lock clapped Ty on the shoulder. "You mean like emotions?"
       "Yeah, all that feelings shit and stuff. Not my area."
       "Don't worry. I'll talk to her. Has she had any phone calls from him? Emails? A text?" Lock asked.
       That was the problem with the plethora of modern communications. Someone could exit an abusive relationship and yet still be subjected to abuse via a host of other channels. Sure, people could be blocked on