From Darkness (Hearts & Arrows Book 3)(49)

He stepped away from the side of the house and was moving toward the stairs when Josie heard the unmistakable click of a safety from the patio.

“Hold it right there, gorgeous.”

Josie glanced up to see a frail old woman in a halter top and yoga pants that hung on her bony hips. Her blonde hair was in a knot, a cigarette was hanging out of her mouth, and her ancient .44 Magnum was aimed directly at Jon.



Jon’s heart drummed as he looked up the barrel at the old woman, who squinted at him.

He held up his hands. “Hey there. Are you Renata? I got your address from a buddy of mine.”

Jon watched out of his periphery as Josie disappeared around the side of the house and hoisted herself into an open window.

“Is that so?” Renata took a long drag and flicked her cigarette butt. She gripped the gun with both hands. “What’s your buddy’s name then?”

“James.”

Renata smiled. “I don’t know no James.” She fired at his feet.

“Holy shit!” Jon yelled as he jumped, shocked that the force of the gun hadn’t blown her back through the screen door. “Jesus Christ, lady, I was just lookin’ for a good time.”

“Oh, I saw you lookin’. Creepin’ around my house. I know who you are, you little shit.”

She fired at his feet again, and he hopped again.

“Fuck! Who do you think I am?”

“Honey, this ain’t my first time at the rodeo. You run back off to Jerry J and tell him you couldn’t find old Renata.”

The screen door squeaked behind her, but before she had a chance to turn, Josie had ahold of her. Another shot rang, and Jon ducked the wild bullet.

The gun clattered to the ground, and Josie held Renata’s wrists, reaching for her cuffs.

“Well, Renata,” Josie said to the metallic click of the handcuffs locking, “you’ve still got your spunk.”

Renata’s scowled. “You don’t know jack-diddly-shit about spunk. I’ve dealt with spunk my whole life, and I ain’t no better for it.”

Josie laughed as Jon climbed the porch stairs, and he couldn’t help but smile at the sound.

He shook his head at the old lady. “Goddamn, Renata. You sure are somethin’, you know that?”

“You have no idea.” Her sour expression disappeared as she wet her lips and dragged her hungry eyes up and down his body. “I sure am pissed to get nabbed, but now that I see you up close, I’m damn glad I didn’t shoot you. You sure are pretty.”

“Hear that, Jo?” He hitched his thumb at Renata. “She thinks I’m pretty.”

Josie’s smile slipped into a scowl. “I don’t even know how you can joke with me right now. We are one hundred percent not okay.” Her conscience seemed to get the best of her, and she added, “Are you all right?”

“Please,” he said with a grin. “Little Renata here can’t scare me.” He winked at the hooker.

“You don’t know me too well then,” Renata answered with a leer. “I could acquaint you, if you’d get rid of the girl.”

“There’s no escaping Josie. Trust me when I say that no amount of time or space can rid you of her once you’ve been exposed,” he said with a light tone and a heavy chest as they helped the old woman down the stairs.

Josie said through her teeth, “You have got to be fucking kidding me. God, you’re impossible. You broke into my apartment, for fuck’s sake.”

“I had a key.”

“You were not authorized to use that key, asshole!” Her voice climbed to the edge of shrill.

“Who dumped who?” Renata asked.

Josie was twitchy, answering sarcastically, “If you’ll believe it, Renata, Jon here actually wrote me a Dear John when he left me for his pregnant ex-girlfriend.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. Pretty but not smart.”

“Many women would agree.” Josie glared at him.

“Look at you two bonding,” Jon said cheerily to Josie before he turned to Renata. “You know, that gun’s almost bigger than you are.”

“Oh, honey, I’ve handled much bigger guns than that.”

He laughed. “Now, I’m sure that’s a story I’d love to hear.”

They made their way to Josie’s car, and he put Renata in the backseat, shaking his head as she eyed him suggestively.

“Get in,” Josie said to him, her tone flat and eyes forward as she closed her door.

Jon didn’t move, and she rolled down her window with a hard stare.

“Just take her in, Jo.”

“I’m mad as fuck at you, but you almost got shot. Don’t be an asshole. Just get in and keep your mouth shut. Or, if you want, you can meet me at Jerry’s after I drop Renata off at the station.”

“It’s fine. Just take her in. If you want to split it, let the girls over there know. They know how to find me.”

He watched her fume, wishing he could hop in with her, wishing he didn’t keep cocking things up. But it just seemed to be the state they found themselves in regardless of how much he wanted to change the fact.



Josie put the key in the ignition, his refusal somehow infuriating her even more. There was nothing either of them could do right. It was like dancing with a fucking donkey; no one moved in the same direction, and she kept getting her feet trampled.