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He squeezed her closer. “What good is a police vehicle if I can’t rush you to the hospital?” He kissed the top of her head. “We’re lucky Eddie drove by when he did—he’s got a work site near the Simmons place. He found Laura in the middle of nowhere, off Old Mine Road. ”
She nodded against his chest. “It’s our shortcut. Old Mine hits a couple of back roads that eventually land you on 88 to Silver City. ”
“I know the route,” he said. “It was a miracle Eddie saw the car. She’d rolled into a pretty deep ravine. ” The prospect chilled him. The road was thin and winding, shrouded by rock face on one side, sloping down to tall pines on the other. It was the foothills, and the drop off the eastern side got pretty steep in parts. “It’s possible a few people drove by and didn’t even see her. ”
Keri’s accident flashed in his head. She’d been in Oakland, in the middle of the city. How many hundreds had driven by her accident site, rubbernecking for a glimpse?
He pulled Sorrow more tightly to him, holding on, thinking he might never let go. He knew firsthand just how lucky Laura had been. How lucky they all were that she’d survived.
The door to the waiting room swung open, and Sorrow looked expectantly at the nurse who’d appeared, but she was just calling in a patient. Her shoulders sagged. “I hate hospitals. ”
“Who doesn’t?” He smoothed a hand over her hair. “Don’t worry. You’ll be able to see her the moment she’s out of radiology. ”
“Do you think she broke her collarbone?” Sorrow asked, repeating the same question she’d asked not five minutes earlier. It was pure speculation, but he was happy to indulge in as much idle conjecture as she wanted, as long as it helped her pass the time.
And, for the moment, it was putting off the difficult news he needed to tell her.
“Whatever happens,” he repeated for the umpteenth time, “she’ll come through just fine. She’ll be okay, and you two will be at each other’s throats again before you know it. ”
At that, she burst into tears. Panic overwhelmed him, and he ran through his mind what he’d just told her, wondering what he’d said wrong. “What is it?”
“I said such horrible things to her the last time we talked. What if those had been the last things I ever said to her?” She scrubbed her face, and it was a relief to finally see her tears start to flow. The whole drive to Silver City, she’d been frozen, unable to cry, and he was beginning to fear it was shock.
“It’s okay. ” He gently shushed her, rubbing her back and thumbing the tears from her cheeks. “I promise you, Laura will come through this just fine. She was lucky. It could’ve been a lot worse. I finally talked to the guys on the scene—your little GMC Jimmy is a pancake. ”
Dread and fear swept through him anew, a ball of ice in his belly. He’d lost one woman before; he’d not lose this one. He grabbed her chin, held her gaze, and told her in a grave voice, “I want you in a better truck. With air bags all over the place. And steel beams. One of those giant Ford Excursions. Or how about a tank? I need you safe, Sorrow. ”
She laughed, looking grateful for the flash of humor. A wave of emotion slammed into him, overtook him—this woman was so strong, so self-possessed. The words I love you burst into his heart, cut to the forefront of his mind. They were on his lips but still too frightening to say, so instead he hugged her more tightly, his voice cracking with intensity as he told her, “I feel so blessed it wasn’t you behind the wheel. ” An accident had claimed his love once before, and he’d do everything in his power to prevent it from happening again.
Something shifted inside him, and the sheriff took over for the man. “We are lucky,” he said vehemently, “and I intend on staying that way. There’s something we need to talk about. Silver City PD told me some things you need to hear. ”
“What? Was it her fault?” She pulled away to look at him, looking afraid at what he was working up to. As well she should. “I still don’t understand how the accident happened. ”
He took her hand, led her to a seat in the corner, away from the other people in the waiting area. He walked slowly, piecing together just the right words. “That’s just it, Sorrow. It wasn’t an accident. Your sister said a Hummer was on her tail. She slowed to let him pass, but as he was passing her, he slowed, too, and matched her pace. ”
“It sounds like something out of a movie,” Sorrow said, looking confused. “You mean he was driving side by side with her?”
He nodded. “He, or she. Laura didn’t get a look. ”
“So what’d the driver do?”
“A car approached from the other direction. When your sister saw it, she panicked. The Hummer managed to edge her over, off the road. That was how she lost control and flipped. ”
“Oh my God. ” She dropped her head into her hand. “Poor Laura. That should’ve been me doing errands. ”
“That’s the point,” he said, and the fierceness in his voice took them both aback. “Any other day it would have been you driving that car. Do you hear what I’m saying? Somebody did this on purpose. Somebody who thought you were driving. ”
Just the thought of it made him want to prowl the roads in his Sheriff’s SUV until he found the son of a bitch.
Her eyes were wide, her skin blanched of its color. “This has something to do with all the accidents at the lodge, doesn’t it?”
In that moment, she looked so vulnerable, he wished he could scoop her up and hide her away, protecting her until this was all over.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tugging her close and kissing her head. “I believe it absolutely does. Listen to me, Sorrow. As sheriff, this is my only priority right now. ” Technically, it was in Silver City’s jurisdiction, but SCPD was being remarkably cooperative. And even if they weren’t, nobody could stop him from investigating on his own.
She ran a finger under her eyes, drying the moisture and wiping away a smudge of makeup. She was visibly gathering herself, and it made him feel good to see it. She was a strong one, his Sorrow.
She inhaled and exhaled sharply. “Okay, tell me what I need to do. ”
“I need you to be strong. Lay low. Stay off the roads as much as you can. And, Sorrow…” He hesitated. She wasn’t going to like what he had to say next. “I want you to stay away from Damien. ”
Her eyes popped wide. “What?”
Everyone loved Sorrow. Everyone wished her well. Everyone, with the possible exception of Damien.
“The accident happened near Simmons Timber land,” he said, and let the statement hang for a moment. “Who might have a grudge against you?”
“Nobody! Especially not Damien or his family,” she answered instantly. “They love me over there. ”
“Well, somebody doesn’t. And they’ve upped the ante. First all those small incidents, then a fire, now a hit-and-run. ” He raised his brows. “Have you considered how you might’ve hurt your ex more than you realized?”
“Are you saying you think Damien tried to run me off the road?”
He gave her a noncommittal shrug. “Think about it. ”
“That’s ridiculous,” she said in a flat voice.
He wondered if her expression was confusion or anger. He’d accept either. Sorrow could be mad at him all she wanted—he just wanted her safe. “It’s fine for you to think that, but right now, for me, everyone is a suspect. ”
The intake nurse popped her head through the door. “Miss Bailey?”
Sorrow hopped to her feet. “Thank God. ”
“You’re not mad at me?” he asked.
“Mad?” She looked down at him, her expression bewildered and rattled. “Of course I’m not mad. It doesn’t mean I believe Damien had anything to do with this. But I trust you. ”
“I’ll find out the truth. ”
“I know you will. ” She gave him a sad smile. She looked so tired, and it made his heart ache.
He stood up, cup
ped her cheek. “Don’t think about this now. I’m on it. And I promise you, I will find out who did it. I won’t stop until I see them behind bars. ”
She looked hesitant to leave him.
“You go to your sister,” he told her.
“Do you want to come with me?” she asked in a small voice. “I could ask if it’s allowed. ”
He kissed her forehead. “Family only. ” Though he’d be family soon, if he had anything to do with it.
For now, he had work to do. His mind was already two steps ahead, eager to track down the bastard who did this—and it all started at Simmons Timber.
But he wouldn’t stress Sorrow by speculating about things she didn’t need to hear, so he fudged the truth. “I need to get back anyway. ” He put his hands on her shoulders, fighting the urge to pull her in for another embrace. “Are you going to be okay here?”
She smiled weakly. “I’ll get a ride with Mom and Dad. ”
He cupped her cheek. “I hate to leave you. ”
She inhaled deeply, and he read raw affection in her eyes. “You just go find the bad guy. ”
Thirty-eight
Sorrow stood in the doorway, watching her beautiful, vital, energetic, pain-in-the-ass sister, lying broken and sleeping on a hospital bed. The sight dredged powerful feelings to the surface.
Laura’s left arm was in a sling, her shoulder was bound, and an IV tube was plugged into the other arm. Her face was bruised, and the sight of it shot a spear of anguish through Sorrow’s heart. For all her bluster, Laura was so fragile. What if she hadn’t survived? What if Sorrow had never gotten the opportunity to take back all those ugly things she’d said the last time they’d spoken?
Laura’s eyes fluttered open, and the two sisters stared silently at each other.
“Hey, sleepy,” Sorrow said finally.
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