Echols, Jennifer by Going Too Far (v1.1) [rtf] Read Free Book Online

the Shop Till You Drop convenience store and the Golden Cherry Motel. The cop has his hand on his gun."
    "He has his hand on his gun?" She was awake now.
    "I thought it was just a traffic stop. He has his hand on his gun. I'm sure there's some way for me to alert Lois the dispatcher from inside the police car, but there's not a red button clearly labeled Call for Help" I let out a little whimper and wanted to kick myself. "What's he doing?"
    "Standing beside the car, talking to the driver."
    "Calm down, Meg. He radioed in about what he was doing, right? And if he wanted backup, they're on the way."
    "But what if they're across town? And what if he gets gunned down on the highway? I would feel so much better knowing the ambulance was already headed over here. Oh God, why didn't I pay more attention to Resusci-Annie in health class? Never mind, I'll tell you why not. It was Derek Bledsoe's turn to resuscitate her before me, and he slobbered all over her. Somehow the fresh sheet of Saran Wrap over her mouth did not make me feel protected."
    "Meg, would you calm down? I've never heard you this upset. Nothing upsets you. Except, you know, claustrophobia."
    "Now he's dragging the driver out of the car, handcuffing him, searching him."
    "Calm down. Get your mind off it." She paused. "Was your dad right about this policeman being the one from the bridge?"
    "Yeah."
    "Is he cute?"
    Strangely, I felt myself blush. At least she was getting my mind off his imminent death. "You saw him that night."
    "I told you at school. The only thing I remember from that night is babbling something about shandy and trying to blame it all on my grandmother."
    "Right. Well, he has these beautiful dark brown eyes, sleepy eyes that look you over slowly."
    "Oh!"
    "Rut other than that, he's military cop guy. You know, perfectly pressed uniform, shiny boots."
    "Oh." She sounded disappointed. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Be glad you don't have to spend spring break with these people."
    "I have spent a lot of time with one of them, Quincy with the gray hair. He usually took me in the ambulance to the hospital in Birmingham."
    "Really? Well, they are full of stories now. They say almost every household accident they get called to involves alcohol. Or a chain saw."
    "Or alcohol and a chain saw."
    "I see you've heard these stories. I'm like, people, I'm going to be an English major, not a doctor. And I'm never drinking again. So you really could skip it."
    "It will pass, and they'll move on to the fireworks stories. At least you're getting some sleep."
    She yawned. "You still haven't heard from Eric?"
    "No." I would hear from him, though. He'd be furious with me right up until he was ready to make a booty call. That's how Eric worked. "And you still haven't heard from Brian? You haven't gone on an ambulance run and seen him on the fire truck?"
    "No." She sounded forlorn. Brian had refused to speak to either of us at school last week. He acted like a martyr enduring trial by fire rather than a high school senior getting ribbed about his arrest.
    Tiffany didn't remember anything from that night. So she didn't remember that when the long arm of the law reached out and grabbed Brian off the bridge, Brian abandoned her. But she probably didn't want to know. She and I were in very different places when it came to boys. She wanted a relationship, and I wanted a lay.
    "What's your cop's name?" she asked. "You said he seemed to know us at the bridge. Did he turn out to be someone's dad?"
    "I don't know. His name is Officer After."
    "After, as in before?'
    "Yeah. In fact, I asked him if Barry B. Four was his maternal grandfather, and he didn't laugh. Then I asked him what he was after. He said he could tell me but he'd have to kill me."
    "I think I know who that is, Meg. What's his first name?"
    "As far as I know, Officer."
    "Is he tall?"
    "Not as tall as Eric."
    "Nobody's as tall as Eric," she said. "Thin?"
    I gazed ahead at his Matt Damon body. "Oh,