GUN IN MY HAND

CHAPTER 70: RIGHT THING

'I'm gonna fight 'em all

A seven nation army couldn't hold me back

They're gonna rip it off

Taking their time right behind my back'

*BLADE'S POV*

"Police, hands up! You're under arrest."

I'd heard those words enough in my young life to know the long second your heart stopped, and the only thing moving was the hair rising on end across every part of your body, before everything restarted faster: heart, instincts, brain, and questions clashing as you decided what to do next.

But it was the first time I could witness it from this side, and I must have admitted that the prick of adrenaline was giving me a different kick under that hat, especially as the large man slowly turned around.

"What in hell– holy fuck!" Pete's heart stopped for a second time, his beard almost falling to the ground as he looked past the blue bodywork and through the open car window, giving my smirk a double, and even triple, take.

Yes, it was hard to believe, even for myself, that I was behind the wheel of a fuzz car and back in Subrose center, and out of the two, I still didn't know what was the most improbable as my gaze trailed to the shiny storefronts around and the wanted posters of my face plastered on most, except for the diner a few feet away – and that, something told me it had to do with the man still staring dumbfounded at me.

"Thought you could sneak out? Come on, hop in." I tipped the peaked hat on top of my head, nodding at him to get in as he still needed a few more seconds to react.

I'd clearly caught him first thing in the morning.

"A fucking fuzz car?! You're crazy, kid!" he panted as soon as he slammed the door shut, his hand already clasping my shoulder like to make sure he wasn't becoming senile.

"The more obvious, the better." I shrugged, throwing him a wink. "I learned with the best."

Buttering him up wasn't my specialty, but I knew how to do it, and the old fella loved it. Besides, it was true that his tricks worked. The ride from Carrion to Subrose had never gone as smoothly, cars moving aside to let me past, elderly too, and some pigs even nodded at me under the hat.

It'd been almost too easy how that fuzz car had been laying in the middle of Carrion South because in all the years I'd been there, I'd never seen one. Usually, pigs used unmarked cars to go to the whores and dealers, but I guessed they were growing confident, too confident, which was turning them careless too – a mistake I wouldn't make as I restarted the car.

Obvious was one thing, but a fuzz car parked for too long next to the diner in the busy morning, and with a large bearded man almost crying with joy in the shotgun seat, that was like wearing a sign saying 'cuff me'.

"Oh, if you think I don't see you coming from a mile around with your taffy... But you're lucky I'm too damn happy to see you!" He shook his head, finally getting a grip on himself, at least, until something else hit him. "And Dorothy?! Is she okay? Where is she?" He glanced back to the passenger seat as if he could have missed her red curls in the small compartment.

"She's fine." I chuckled at his deep frown, and before he could ask what was etched in the wrinkles there, I added, "They're safe, somewhere with Spencer."

'Home', the word was lingering in tickles like her kiss on my scarred dimple. Both had slipped out of her lips so easily... 'Take care, and come back home quickly!'