Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan, #3)(30)

She squinted up at him through the rims of her glasses. “Have we met?”

His eyes skipped to me, then quickly away again. “About a month ago, I carried your trash can to your curb, remember?”

“I remembered you being taller.”

He chuckled politely. “I get that a lot.”

Vero elbowed me in the ribs. “Did you hear that? She had no idea who he was,” she whispered.

“Or she just doesn’t remember,” I whispered back.

“Ms. Donovan,” Joey called out. My head snapped up. “Since you and your partner are having a hard time concentrating, why don’t you come up and be my second volunteer.”

The class parted for me. With a tight smile, I walked to the front of the room and joined Mrs. Haggerty on the mat. Joey dangled a pair of handcuffs in front of me. “Mrs. Haggerty is under arrest. You’re going to attempt to restrain her.”

“Do I have to cooperate?” Mrs. Haggerty asked, provoking laughter from the audience.

Joey grinned like the Cheshire cat. “Not at all.”

I yanked the cuffs from his hand and smiled at Mrs. Haggerty. “Please turn around,” I said sweetly. She held up two bony fists in response, circling the mat like she was Floyd Mayweather’s grandmother. Students whispered behind cupped hands. I turned to Joey. “I can’t do this. Her grandson is watching. What if I accidentally hurt her?”

“Either detain your suspect or forfeit your team’s points.” He slipped a toothpick in his mouth, probably to hide his smirk. Joey was doing this on purpose, making me into the bad guy, but I wasn’t about to stoop to his level.

I pasted on a smile and held the cuffs out to Mrs. Haggerty. “Here. Why don’t I turn around and you can handcuff me? How does that sound?”

She punched me in the arm.

Joey chuckled to himself as I stormed off the mat.

Vero caught me by the shoulders. “We are not forfeiting points!” she hissed as she turned me around. “Bag Estelle Getty and get on with it.”

I took a deep breath as I stepped back onto the mat. I would just have to appeal to Mrs. Haggerty’s sense of reason. “Mrs. Haggerty,” I said calmly, “it’s just an exercise. There’s no need for violence. Please turn around and put your hands behind your—” I bent over double as she kicked me in the shin.

“That’s it,” I said, hopping on one leg. I grabbed her wrist as she threw an uppercut at me. She yelped as I slapped the cuffs around it. There were a few boos and dramatic gasps as I turned her around, took her other wrist, and secured them both behind her back. Vero was the only one applauding.

I glared at Joey as I dusted off my hands. Chin high, I proceeded to walk off the mat. Vero stopped clapping. Her eyes grew wide as she pointed at something behind me. Pain shot through my knee as someone kicked it out. I crashed face-first to the floor, my breath rushing out of me with a grunt as Mrs. Haggerty plunked herself down on my ass and shouted a triumphant “ha!”

The class erupted with cheers. Her grandson whistled.

Joey unfolded his arms and gave her a slow clap. “Nice takedown, Mrs. Haggerty.” He unlocked her cuffs and helped her to her feet. His shoes appeared beside my face. “Rule number one,” he said, addressing the class, “never underestimate your opponent. Rule number two, never let them out of your sight. Let’s get started,” he said, leaving me lying on the floor. “One set of cuffs per team. One team per mat. Lieutenant Hamamoto and I will be coming around to give you pointers and observe.”

The knot of students dispersed, breaking into pairs and fanning out around the room. Vero hauled me to my feet, watching Joey askance as he made his way from mat to mat, offering advice.

“Joey’s behavior toward you doesn’t add up,” she said. “You saved his partner’s life. You haven’t done anything wrong—”

“That he knows of,” I corrected her.

Vero and I fell silent as Lieutenant Hamamoto approached our mat.

“Thanks, Lieutenant,” Joey said in a low voice behind her, “I’ll handle this one.” My spine went ramrod straight as he came toward me with a set of open cuffs. I lifted my chin as we stared each other down.

“Turn around,” he said quietly.

“I thought I was supposed to be the one practicing with the—” I gasped as he took my wrist and spun me around, his shoes moving between mine and kicking them gently but firmly apart.

The cuffs clicked shut. He leaned close to my ear. “I may not have figured out your game yet, but I am keeping an eye on you. Whatever it is you’re into, you’re in over your head.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t. Because you’re a nice person and everybody likes you, right? Well I have a lot of experience with nice people,” he whispered, “and it’s always the nice ones that have something to hide.” The cuffs snapped open and I backed quickly out of his reach. “Better get some practice,” he growled. “I’m betting you’re gonna need it.”





CHAPTER 12


The sun had set while we were in defense class, and the sky had darkened to the color of a bruise. Vero and I dragged ourselves up the stairwell to our dorm room. She keyed open the door and we both collapsed onto our beds.