Pedal to the Metal Read online

  Table of Contents

  Synopsis

  By the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  About the Author

  Books Available from Bold Strokes Books

  Synopsis

  Max Winters is comfortable in her behind-the-scenes wunderkind role on Holt Lasher’s crime fighting team. Eventually, she’d like more responsibility in the field, but that only happens after Holt says you’re ready. When Holt’s team is asked to help bust an organized car theft ring and Whitney “Dubs” Williams is released from prison with the sole purpose of helping Holt in that pursuit, Holt turns to Max to be Dubs’ minder. As in, handcuffed together, 24/7 minder of an unreformed, young, hot, cocky thief. The lines blur between legal and illegal, real and façade, the longer the two women spend together. But Max isn’t willing to risk her heart for the entertainment of a criminal. In order to prove herself, Dubs has to make sure her feelings can’t be misinterpreted. But will she survive her grand gesture?

  Pedal to the Metal

  Brought to you by

  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  Pedal to the Metal

  © 2015 By Jesse J Thoma. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-62639-296-0

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, New York 12185

  First Edition: February 2015

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editors: Victoria Villasenor and Cindy Cresap

  Production Design: Susan Ramundo

  Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])

  By the Author

  The Chase

  Seneca Falls

  Pedal to the Metal

  Acknowledgments

  Writing a sequel was a unique and wonderful writing experience. Thank you to everyone who finished The Chase and e-mailed me, sent a note through social media, or elbowed me on the couch and said, “When’s the sequel coming out?”

  To my editor, Vic, once again, I count on your skill, encouragement, and kick in the pants to produce a product that is better than anything I imagine when I first plot out the beginnings of a story. For that, I am very grateful. Thank you to the entire Bold Strokes team, from cover design to final comma placement, a tremendous amount of work goes in to each book arriving on eReaders and bookshelves, and this author is in your debt.

  As always, family and friends have been wonderfully supportive of my writing and have allowed me to run story ideas by them at very odd times.

  Finally, to my wife, what a year this has been. Publishing a new novel feels like icing on a very large, very spectacular cake. I could not love you more.

  Dedication

  For Alexis

  Love rocks when we’re together

  Love rocks, gonna love you forever

  Love’s got me rockin and I only wanna rock with you

  Chapter One

  Isabelle Rochat stretched before setting her book on the bedside table. She glanced at the clock next to her. It was late, again.

  “Sweetheart, are you coming to bed?”

  Holt Lasher emerged from the bathroom in her boxer shorts, toweling her ear-length brown hair. Isabelle wasn’t disappointed to see Holt hadn’t bothered to put on a shirt. She sighed happily, thinking she still had trouble recognizing her life sometimes. Six months ago, if someone had told her she would be sharing a bed with Holt, every muscled, tattooed, superhero-sexy inch of her, she would have checked the person for symptoms of a stroke. Now, however, she was enjoying being Mrs. Captain America.

  “Are you picturing me in a Lycra suit with a cape again?” Holt asked.

  “You are wearing your Green Lantern boxers.”

  “And no shirt,” Holt said. “I thought that might keep you focused.”

  “I noticed,” Isabelle said. “Are you going to tell me what’s on your mind, or are you going to stand over there in your underwear fretting by yourself?”

  Holt seemed amused by Isabelle’s gentle prodding to let go of whatever was troubling her. She tossed her towel back into the bathroom and pulled back the covers on her side of the bed. Although it took some time, Isabelle was finally getting used to Holt’s newest tattoo. Angel wings spread from the spot she’d been shot in the chest. At first, Holt said she got it for Isabelle, which had freaked her out. It felt too soon, and too permanent, so Holt had changed her story. Now she said it was because a guardian angel had been keeping her safe. Who she named as her guardian angel was her own business.

  “Why do you smell like a baby’s butt?” Isabelle asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  Isabelle gave Holt a sniff, trying to find the source of the unusual smell. “It’s your new tattoo. Your angel smells like a baby’s butt.”

  “It’s A&D ointment. My wings are itchy.”

  “Well, it is also used for diaper rash. Didn’t you ever change Superman’s diaper?” Isabelle couldn’t believe Holt had never performed that particular task for her godson.

  “Of course I did. Now I’m thankful his diaper rash cream was something completely different. That’s not an association I want with my boobs.”

  “There’s still time to make that a memory if we have kids, my love,” Isabelle teased her.

  “Speaking of kids, have you talked to Lola about her AWOL pregnant girlfriend?”

  “We’re having coffee tomorrow.”

  “Thank you for being there for her. Lola and I have known each other for years, and I’d happily take a bullet for her,” Holt said. “But—”

  “No more bullets for you.” Isabelle could still see clearly the moment Holt was shot.

  Holt smiled gently and smoothed away the frown line on Isabelle’s forehead. “I’ve walked into more sketchy situations with Lola by my side than I can count. But when she started crying, I was completely helpless.”

  “You deal with your newest team member tomorrow, and I’ll handle Lola.”

  “How did I let myself get talked into that terrible idea?”

  “There was a damsel in distress who needed your help. You can’t ever resist that. And someone stole your truck and pissed you off.”

  “I won’t tell the state police commissioner you called him
a damsel in distress,” Holt said.

  “How would you describe him?” Isabelle asked. “He was practically batting his eyelashes at you. Anyway, didn’t you say you were putting Max in the lead on this? You trust her don’t you? She’s an adorable mini version of you with a serious case of mentor worship.”

  “She’s one of my best. She’s barely older than a toddler, but if I need anything hacked, coded, or computerized, then yeah, she’s my go-to. But she’s not worked the streets like the others. She’s like a big fluffy golden retriever. Sometimes the streets require Dobermans. Moose, Tuna, Lola, they’re Dobermans. I just don’t know how Max will do.”

  “Well, I’m letting you take care of my dry cleaning bill this week, because one of your ‘Dobermans’ cried so hard on my shoulder she slobbered and snotted an allergy season’s worth of mucus on my shirt.”

  “Ah, come on, that was about a woman. Women can make even the toughest pup whimper,” Holt said. “Would you like me to show you what I mean?”

  Isabelle saw Holt’s blue eyes darken. Her gaze was intensely focused on Isabelle’s face, her body. She never felt more beautiful than when Holt looked at her like this. It lit her soul on fire and fed her in ways only true love could.

  “I’ve been waiting all night for you to get around to that idea,” Isabelle said. “But go wash off that A&D lotion. I cannot take you seriously smelling like that.”

  She couldn’t remember seeing Holt move so fast.

  Chapter Two

  Max sat next to Holt, trying to exude a small percentage of the calm Holt seemed to be feeling. They had been sitting on the bench in the park, in the sun, for the past forty-five minutes and Holt had barely moved. Max knew that Holt probably knew what every person in the park was doing right now, could pinpoint their exact location, and describe their clothing and demographic particulars with uncanny detail, despite the fact that it looked like she was asleep.

  Max, on the other hand, was having trouble sitting still for more than ninety seconds at a time. She tried to adopt Holt’s posture and fully relax her body. Her butt felt like it was going to sleep. She shifted again.

  “Do I need to take you for a walk?” Holt asked, still appearing to be sleeping.

  “We can’t leave,” Max said. “They’re meeting us here.” She didn’t know if Holt was serious about making her walk off the nervous energy, and she was embarrassed at not being able to control herself, especially in front of Holt.

  “I know that,” Holt said. “But with you twitching like that, so does everyone else in this park. Sit still.”

  “Sorry, H. I’m not used to being out of the office. Computers don’t care if I’m a little twitchy.”

  “I’m asking a lot of you on this one. And they’re late. Just try not to reposition every forty-five seconds. Someone is going to think I’m holding you hostage. And since the police commissioner is about to dump a state prisoner in my lap, I don’t want people talking.”

  “This is Rhode Island. Everyone talks. I’m sure half the people in this park already know as much about what’s happening here today as we do.”

  “I wish I knew a little more about it,” Holt said. “Maybe you should go ask that nice looking man two benches down to give us his information. I don’t like this deal. It could blow up on us. That’s why I need you. You’re the pin in the hand grenade. No pressure, kid.”

  Max wondered what it was she should keep from blowing up. She knew a little about the deal Holt had made with the state police commissioner and the prisoner they were about to take charge of, but she felt unprepared to keep the situation from “blowing up.” What the hell does that mean? She was the computer geek. She didn’t do much for Holt that didn’t involve electronics of some sort. Until now. She also had no interest in talking to the man two benches down. He didn’t look terribly talkative.

  “I think we have company heading our way. You ready to meet your charge?” Holt asked. Max didn’t know how Holt saw anyone coming.

  “Boss, you got slits in your eyelids to see things with your eyes closed?”

  “Appearances are important in our job. And even more important is having those appearances be deceiving. You should work on your surveillance skills. It might help you sit still, too.”

  “Maybe I’ll start with my eyes open first.”

  “So tell me what you see.”

  Max slowly looked around the park. She took in each individual and how they were interacting with the groups they belonged to. Then she focused on the approaching car. It was a standard issue unmarked government vehicle, American made, nondescript gray. The guy driving looked like a casting director’s dream applicant for the role of “stereotypical white male.” Next to him, she recognized the police commissioner from the news. There was a third person in the car, in the backseat, but she wasn’t easily visible from their vantage point.

  “Standard issue cop, driving obvious unmarked government vehicle approaching from D north. Police commissioner is riding shotgun. They have a passenger in the backseat. Based on the size of the head and height, either a short woman or a child. You said state prison though, so I’m guessing a woman. The driver is moving slower than my grandmother on her way to church with her walker, probably trying not to call attention to their arrival, which means everyone in this place is now staring at them. What do they teach them at the police academy?”

  “Look at him again, Max. He looks younger than you, if that’s possible. He’s driving the commissioner and a high value prisoner. He probably wet himself before they exited the highway.”

  “Not to mention he’s now got to deal with you. You’re right. This poor fool is having a really rough day on the job.”

  “I think I should be offended.”

  Max knew she should be paying more attention to what Holt was saying, or to what was happening around her in the park. She had a vague recollection that that was her job. Her attention, however, was focused entirely on the woman casually strutting along behind the two police officers making their way to Holt and Max. The woman was handcuffed and walking two paces behind the two larger men, but by her body language and calm demeanor, it looked as though she were an important figure out for a walk with her muscle. That the men left her to walk behind them suggested she wasn’t exactly a flight risk.

  She was short, with long, straight, dark brown hair, and fine, delicate features. Her lightly tanned face was incredibly beautiful. Max was having trouble looking away.

  “Oh no, kid. I’ve seen that look. You might want to rein it in a little. She could very well eat you alive. Possibly literally. And you have a job to do, a very important one. If you are all googly-eyed, it’s going to be an unpleasant one. Besides, we’re the good guys; we catch the bad guys, and I don’t know where she stands yet. You deserve someone who knows what side they play for.”

  Max was shaken from her trance by Holt’s frank assessment. “How do you know she doesn’t know?”

  Holt shrugged. “Time, experience, gut. Be careful. And for God’s sake, don’t let her see you drooling over her.”

  Max watched the newcomer as the police officers and Holt chatted. The woman didn’t take her eyes off Max, although there didn’t seem to be a direct challenge. It was more of an assessment. The look felt like the one Max got when she was assessing the hackability of a database, a firewall, or a computer system. She didn’t like it.

  “This is Whitney Williams,” the police commissioner said. “She’s all yours.”

  “Oh please, not even my father calls me that,” Whitney said. “Everyone calls me Dubs.” She smiled at Max. “You know, like Wonder Woman, dubbya, dubbya, Dubs.”

  “Wonder Woman was an Amazon. You’re the size of a tadpole,” Holt said. “Want to give me a number between one and ten, just your best estimate, on my chances that you’ll keep yourself out of trouble while under my care?”

  Max was confused by Holt’s brusque demeanor. She usually treated the folks who declined their court dates with more courtesy
. Something was happening, but Max hadn’t seen it yet. She kept one eye on Dubs and scanned the area as best she could.

  “You’re the boss, boss,” Dubs said. “But you can ask these nice gentlemen here. I didn’t serve my full sentence, so I wasn’t fully rehabilitated. You should keep that in mind.”

  “I thought you might say something stupid like that,” Holt said. “May I please have your handcuff keys, officer, and your extra set of cuffs?”

  The young state trooper handed both items over with slightly shaking hands. Max felt for him. It wasn’t long ago that she felt that way around Holt too. When one half of the trooper’s handcuff closed around her left wrist however, disbelief was a better description of her feelings. They turned to anger when Holt unlocked the left wrist of Dubs’s handcuffs, pulled them next to each other, and connected their handcuffs together.

  “H, what are you doing? You can’t tie me to her.”

  “For the record, boss, I’m not complaining. I like your leadership style,” said Dubs.

  “Max, I need you to keep your eye on her. This whole plan is based on her, and I don’t trust her. I trust you.”

  Max lifted their connected wrists and shook them slightly. “And this is necessary?”

  “Yes.”

  Max was going to argue, but then she saw what she assumed had Holt acting out of character.

  “Uh, H. You do see the two dudes D west, right?”

  “Max, you’re going to need to work on your surveillance skills. They’ve been enjoying a picnic since before we arrived, noticed us when our guests got here, and have been frantically packing up since. Our window is closing.”

  “Mind filling me in?” the police commissioner asked.

  “A couple of high value targets we’ve been searching long and hard for were enjoying a day at the park until you showed up,” Holt said. “Now they’re looking for a way out of here. I’m going to go and apprehend them.”