Page 24 of Cognac Secrets
My worst fear came to pass when we were within eyesight of the Metairie Harley dealership – which I found ironic. The orange, black, and white sign was maybe a block and a half ahead when the blue lights flashed and the siren chirped behind us, making me jump and stiffen up with dread.
I sighed as Bennie turned us into the nearest lot and pulled into a parking space, heeling down the kickstand of his bike and leaning it over. I went to get off, but he reached back, squeezed my knee, and called over the rushing traffic in front of us, “Not yet! Let him tell us what to do when.”
“Okay,” I said and settled myself, my heart pounding the inside cage of my ribs.
I really liked Bennie. I didn’t want him to know about the mess my family was and have him bolt. So many guys I’d dated had done that to me, even a year or two into the relationship, calling me too much drama, when really it wasn’t. I mean, I had no contact with them and the cops couldn’t make me. They could just tell me they were looking, so…damn. I was already feeling the imminent abandonment and defeat and nothing had even happened yet.
The door to the cruiser that the officer had parked behind us, and uncomfortably close at that, swung open to a burst of radio chatter. I turned my head to watch him climb out.
He was tall, six foot or so, and fit – with that swagger that I recognized as pure asshole – as he stepped up next to us with his ticket book out.
“You know why I pulled you over?” he asked, rather redundantly as it was obvious.
“Yep,” was all Bennie said in reply.
“And why is that?” the officer asked. Bennie just looked at him and said nothing, handing over his paperwork.
“You have any weapons on you?” the cop asked, taking his license, insurance, and whatever else you needed for a motorcycle that he’d magic pulled from wherever without me noticing.
Bennie smirked. “You have my concealed carry permit right there with the rest of my paperwork,” he said. “I have my legally carried Glock 9mm at my hip, just under my jacket there.” He tilted his head in the direction of his weapon and kept his hands on the gas tank of his bike.
“You mind if I relieve you of your weapon for this interaction?” the cop asked.
“I do mind, but go ahead,” Bennie said back.
The officer reached over and pulled the gun from its holster.
“You got anything else on you that I should know about?” he asked.
“No, sir,” Bennie responded.
“You mind if I search you?” the cop asked.
“I just told you I don’t have anything else on me, so yes, I do.”
“Why don’t you come on, keep your hands out of your pockets, and step on back over to my car with me?” he commanded.
Bennie got up, and the cop looked at me.
“What about you?” he demanded. “You have anything on you I should know about? Guns, knives, pepper spray, hand grenades, bombs, anything like that?”
“No!” I squeaked out with a nervous little laugh at his ridiculous list.
“Okay, I’m going to need to see some ID from you, too. I want you to get off the bike and stay right here next to it, okay?”
“Okay,” I said, swallowing hard. I went to get my wallet out of my purse and froze.
“I forgot,” I said. “I have a canister of pepper spray on my keys that are in my purse. Can I take off my jacket and just hand the whole thing over to you? My ID is in my wallet.”
“Yeah, why don’t you go ahead and do that for me. Slowly.”
I shrugged out of my jacket and lifted my little purse over my head and held it out to him. He took it and jerked his head to Bennie who preceded him over to his police SUV thing.
The cop was talking to Bennie, but I couldn’t hear, standing in such a way that he could keep both of us in sight.
He put Bennie in handcuffs and I felt the color drain out of my face, but Bennie looked unconcerned. He just leaned back against the cop car and looked at me, giving me a wink.
Another police cruiser pulled into the parking lot a moment later and a second cop joined the first before walking over to me with my ID in their hands.
