Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
“You can stop!” I shouted, fetching the knife.
He ceased mid-punch, looking down at his victim, surely seeing that this guy was incapable of causing him any harm. He panted, catching his breath, as I slipped the knife into my pocket.
With Kyle on top of him, it was hard not to notice that this guy couldn’t have been much older than him. He was a fucking kid, spitting up blood as he muttered, “Stop…please…”
Kyle took a breath, one that seemed to give him enough time to consider his next actions. Then, to my relief, he pushed to his feet. I figured he would walk away, but he turned back around and kicked the guy in the stomach.
“Okay, he’s down,” I assured him once again, feeling if he persisted, I wouldn’t just be calling the cops, but an ambulance too.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Kyle said, taking a breath.
The kid scrambled to his feet.
“Hey, come back here,” Kyle yelled, and by the look on his face, I could tell he was about to run after him. I grabbed hold of his arm. “Hey, that’s not necessary.” I restrained him as the guy raced off.
Kyle’s muscles were so tense. Given the chance, I wondered what else he could have done to that kid, how far he would have taken it.
“I’m gonna call the cops. We’ll give them his knife and call it a night, okay?”
He nodded, clearly still caught up in whatever adrenaline rush had seized control of him after he’d started his attack.
I went ahead and dialed 911. Kyle was zoned out, glancing around like he was waiting for the guy to show up and try something again. Apparently, two units weren’t too far off, and soon we had three cops asking us about the incident.
“Sounds like we need to look for a kid with a bloodied face,” Officer Howe said.
Kyle wasn’t amused by that any more than he had been about any of Officer Howe’s commentary.
“And where were you again when you saw this starting up?” Howe asked.
Kyle’s gaze shifted. “Across the street.”
Officer Howe’s forehead wrinkled as he asked, “At Finley’s? The bar? That’s all that would have been open right about then.”
Fuck.
Kyle had mentioned to them a few times already that he’d been across the street, but this was the first time since they’d begun the report that any of the officers had taken a moment to reflect on where that meant Kyle was.
“You’re eighteen, and—”
The expression on Kyle’s face didn’t provide me with much confidence that he wasn’t at the bar. “I was—”
“It was an extra-credit assignment,” I interrupted. “And he was coming to the event, but I guess he was late.” I was lying to cover for him, but considering they weren’t supposed to be there to get Kyle into trouble, and he’d saved my ass, it was my turn to save his.
“Is that right?” Officer Howe asked him.
“Yeah,” Kyle said.
“And did your parents know you were coming to this?”
“What?” Kyle seemed thrown by the question.
“If I called Pastor Travis, he’ll know you were coming to this event for school?”
Pastor? Holy hell. Apparently, Kyle was more of a town celebrity than I’d realized.
“I’m eighteen. Why would you need to call my parents?”
Kyle’s less-than-charismatic approach was not doing him any favors, so I said, “Officer Howe, would you like me to speak with his parents? I’d be happy to do anything to help.”
Officer Howe sized me up before taking a breath. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for cooperating.”
I could tell pulling out my teacher card had disarmed him.
“It’s just,” Howe continued, “it seems a little strange that he knew you were going to be at this place, then some guy attacks you, and he steps in.”
Kyle seemed to cringe.
“Wouldn’t be the first time a kid pulled a prank on a new teacher at the school. Am I right, Kyle?”
“What the—” Kyle started.
“I think if it was a prank between friends, he’s going to have a very pissed-off friend later,” I said.
Officer Howe seemed to appreciate my logic as he nodded. “Fair enough. But I’ll say it again, if that was really some methhead looking to take a wallet—and in this town, that’s likely the case—that was a dumb move. You don’t throw yourself between someone and a knife. Got it?”
“Yeah.” Kyle obviously wanted this whole thing to be over, and after what an ass Officer Howe had been, I more than understood why.
Fortunately, after his suspicion of Kyle tapered, he and his colleagues only asked us a few more questions until they were satisfied and moved along, promising they would contact us if they came up with a suspect matching my description.
Kyle seemed relieved when they finally drove off. “What a night,” he remarked, taking a deep breath.
“I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“About the way that cop acted, like you might have been involved. I know you wouldn’t have done anything like that.”