As soon as she got onto the freeway from Ajo Way, she headed east. She relaxed and her chest didn’t feel as constricted as it had.
Her phone rang and she looked at the caller identification screen and saw Derrick’s number. Anger shot through her. He’d just put her in a situation that she didn’t like. Maybe she hadn’t really been in danger, but she’d been in a place she hadn’t belonged.
When she answered, Derrick immediately said, “Do you have the package from Izzy?”
“Yes.” She opened her mouth to say more but he kept going.
“Good,” he said. “I’ll meet you at your friend’s house again.”
“I’d rather meet you at the convenience store,” she said then realized he’d disconnected the call. He hadn’t even thanked her. She saw it all clearly now. Wyatt had been right about Derrick.
She glanced at the gas gage—only a quarter tank left, so she needed to get fuel. She pulled off the freeway and into one of the last gas stations she’d come across before turning south off the Interstate.
As she pumped fuel into her SUV, she still had a residual feeling of being watched and hair on the nape of her neck prickled. She glanced around but saw nothing and blew out her breath. The whole thing had upset her more than she’d thought. Nothing had happened, so why was it all bothering her so much?
When she was finished putting fuel in her SUV, she pulled the vehicle up to the convenience store then went inside to use the ladies room. When she finished, she started to feel a little more relaxed as she walked back through the store. She smiled at the clerk and then stepped outside. The sun was getting low and she wanted to get back on the road before it got dark.
She started to head to her SUV when she came to a complete stop. Two men were next to her vehicle. A chill swept through her. Were they trying to break in or just standing close to it? One of the men looked up, right at her. He said something to the other man and they turned and walked away, almost too casually. In moments they climbed into a dark green metallic truck parked on the far end of the convenience store. The windows were dark tinted and she couldn’t see the men.
For a moment she didn’t know what to do. Had the men been messing with her vehicle? Or was it her imagination?
She thought about running back inside but instead she ran to the driver’s side door and found it was still locked. She looked over her shoulder and didn’t see the men.
At that moment all she wanted to do was get home. She unlocked the door and climbed in and locked the doors again. With one more glance in the direction the men had gone, she started the vehicle, backed out of the parking space, and headed onto the freeway.
Thoughts of the men kept churning in her mind as she drove, as well as thoughts of the experience in the trailer park. She was ready to lay into Derrick Harper for putting her into that situation. He could forget her every being his delivery girl again.
Just what had been in that package she’d delivered? She glanced at the package on the floorboard. What was in that one?
Eventually she turned her SUV off of I-10 and went south onto Highway 83 toward Sonoita. As she drove, she glanced into her rearview mirror and saw that an older model dark truck was behind her. She looked ahead into the twilight and her headlights shown on the asphalt.
A slow chill rolled up her spine. Was that the same truck she’d seen the men get into at the truck stop? The men who’d been standing by her SUV?
Her heart started pounding faster and she reached for her purse. She needed to call someone—the county sheriff’s office, the Highway Patrol, Wyatt, someone. Her hand shook as she pulled out her cell phone. It slipped out of her hand and fell between the console and the seat.
Panic filled her as headlights filled her rearview mirror. She flinched at the glare. The truck was practically on her bumper. And then the headlights weren’t filling her mirror anymore because the truck was now too close to see them.
Her throat grew tight and dry and she clenched the steering wheel as she looked in the mirror again. Her heart pounded so hard her chest hurt. If it was the same men, what were they doing? She was out in the middle of nowhere and she couldn’t reach her phone.
The truck came around to pass and her fear ratcheted up another notch.
Just as it drew up to her, the truck swerved in her direction.
It rammed her SUV and she screamed.
Terror ripped through her as she almost lost control. Before she could react, the truck slammed into her vehicle again.
The wheel jerked out of her hands as her tires slid off the road. She tried to grab the wheel again but suddenly the SUV was rolling.
She screamed again and again as the SUV flipped over and over, her world spinning. Metal crunched, glass shattered. The vehicle came to a harsh stop on the driver’s side. It rocked but settled.
Everything went black.
Chapter 10
“Is she dead?” a man asked.
“I think so,” another man replied.
“Where is it?”
“I see headlights. Somebody’s coming. Shit.”
“I found it.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
“We should make sure she’s dead.”
“Doesn’t matter. No time and she doesn’t know us anyway. Get the hell out of here.”
Sabrina tried to open her eyes, but her head was throbbing.
Help, she thought but couldn’t get the words out.
Dazed, she tried to gain her bearings, tried to put her thoughts together. What had just happened? Had been in some kind of accident? What were the voices she just heard?
She managed to blink her eyes open. Her head was to the side, against the steering wheel. The entire front window was gone.
Dust clouded the air and drifted into the car. She looked up and saw the passenger window was above her and it was shattered. She felt glass on her face and arm, and something sticky on her forehead. The headlights were still on, the light shining on the desert.
She tried to move but pain screamed through her left arm. Her arm was pinned between her and the door and from the intense pain, she wondered if it was broken.
Confusion continued to muddle her already cloudy brain. Hardly able to think straight, she thought she heard truck doors slam followed by the sound of tires spinning in gravel and the loud roar of an engine. The roar faded and a moment later she couldn’t hear it anymore.
Why had they left? They had left her for dead.
Groans and creaks came from the smashed vehicle. The tick of cooling metal met her ears along with a steady drip and the smell of gas.
She heard an engine again and the slamming of car doors followed by voices.
In moments the voices were louder and she thought she heard a woman calling out. “Hello? Is anyone in there?”
“Here,” she managed to get out.
“I hear someone!”
Sabrina’s body sagged with exhaustion. Not only did her arm hurt, but her whole body cried out in pain. The seatbelt felt like it was cutting into her chest and her legs were trapped and her head hurt.
A woman’s face appeared where the windshield had been, kneeling so that she was looking right at Sabrina. The headlights illuminated her features and her red hair.
“You’re alive,” the woman said when Sabrina’s eyes met hers. “Thank God.” The redheaded woman turned and yelled, “There’s at least one person alive in here.” She looked back at Sabrina and searched the SUV with her gaze. “Is anyone else with you?”
“No.” Sabrina’s voice cracked. She tried to shake her head but she hurt far too much.
Exhaustion started to overcome Sabrina and her eyelids fluttered.
“Stay with me,” the woman said. “We need to keep you awake in case you have a concussion, which you probably do after an accident like this. We’ve already called for help.”
Sabrina fought the exhaustion. “Okay.”
“I’m Jessie Cameron,” the woman said.
Sabrina grimac
ed as she took a breath then let it out. “Did you say Cameron?”
“Yes.” Jessie nodded.
“Then you know Wyatt,” Sabrina said.
“He’s my brother-in-law.” Recognition seemed to dawn in her eyes. “Is your name Sabrina?”
“Yes.” Sabrina was finding it hard to talk.
“Wyatt told us about you,” Jessie said. “You two are dating.”
Sabrina cleared her throat. “Yes.”
Jessie turned away and yelled again. “Zane, call Wyatt. It’s Sabrina, the one he was talking about last night.”
Sirens sounded fairly close. “That’s probably the Highway Patrol,” Jessie said. “It’s been about ten minutes so the ambulance will probably take another twenty to get here from Tucson.”
“Okay.” Breathing hurt, probably because of the seatbelt.
A man appeared next to Jessie and from the glow coming from the headlights she noticed he looked a little like Wyatt and had the same brilliant blue eyes. “I’m Zane,” he said. “Sure you’re okay, Sabrina?”
“I think so.” She winced. “My arm might be broken but I’m not sure.” She wanted to close her eyes so badly. “And I just want to sleep.”
“Nope.” Jessie shook her head. “Not happening.”
“Wyatt is on his way,” Zane said. “He was at a ranch a little over thirty minutes away taking care of some business, so it won’t take him long to get here.” He turned his head. “Highway Patrol is here.” He looked at Sabrina. “Jessie will keep you company and I’ll be right back.”
The sirens cut off as Zane left and Sabrina winced at another bout of pain.
“What happened?” Jessie asked.
“I don’t remember.” Sabrina’s head hurt to talk and she had a hard time thinking straight. “I got off I-10 on my way home from Tucson. And then…nothing.”
“An officer is here.” Jessie gave Sabrina a look of support and concern. “I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Jessie moved away and a DPS officer crouched down so that he could see Sabrina. “I’m Officer McKinney.” He started asking her questions about how she was doing and telling her that the paramedics would be arriving soon. The radio on his shoulder squawked but she couldn’t hear what the dispatcher said or the officer’s reply when he turned his head to speak into it.
McKinney continued talking to her and she had the feeling he was asking questions not only to find out what happened but to keep her awake, too. She vaguely wondered what time it was. It had been nearly twilight when she’d turned off of I-10, but now she had no idea how much time had passed.
Jessie said to the officer, “When we came around a bend, up the road about a quarter mile, we saw headlights. As we got closer we saw a pickup on the highway in front of us, just driving crazy, crazy. His wheels were spinning in the dirt and when they hit the road I thought the truck was going to roll over. We braked hard and looked over at the headlights off the road and noticed right way the car had rolled and we stopped.”
“Can you give me a description of the truck?” Officer McKinney asked.
“It was hard to see, and happened so fast,” Jessie said. “All I can really tell you is that the vehicle was dark in color.
Sabrina heard the sound of sirens approaching at the same time tires screeched on the pavement. A vehicle door slammed and a couple of moments later Wyatt was saying, “I’m Sabrina’s boyfriend. Is she all right?”
“She’s alert and talking,” the officer said. “Why don’t you keep her talking? Don’t let her fall asleep.”
The next moment she saw Wyatt’s concerned face and she said, “Hi, handsome.”
“You’d better be all right, Sabrina.” His expression was fierce as he reached in and put his hand over hers that was still gripping the steering wheel. “I’m not losing you now that I’ve found you.”
“Ha.” She managed a smile. “You think you can get rid of me? I don’t think so.”
The sirens grew louder then cut off. The next thing that met her ears were the sounds of vehicles coming to a stop. Doors slammed and she heard voices.
“Paramedics are here,” Wyatt said. “Hang tight, sweetheart.”
The rest happened in a blur of frenetic energy and motion. Paramedics and DPS officers worked to get her out of the SUV and keep her neck motionless. It took maneuvering but they got her out of the wreckage on a board with her neck in a brace.
They carried her over the desert terrain to the waiting ambulance so smoothly and barely jostling her that it surprised her. She hadn’t realized just how far the SUV had rolled. Wyatt was at her side the entire way, his gaze so concerned and loving that it caused a lump to rise in her throat.
When they reached the ambulance they transferred her to a gurney and got her inside the vehicle. Wyatt wanted to go with her, but they said he’d have to follow.
The journey to the closest hospital in Tucson was about thirty minutes. The paramedics checked her over as the ambulance rushed her there.
“Unless you have internal damage or fractures, you’re looking pretty good,” one of the paramedics said with a reassuring smile. “You are going to have a lot of lovely bruising all over.”
“Just call me spot,” she said and both paramedics laughed.
She wanted to sleep so badly but no one would let her. Once they arrived in Tucson, she was taken into the ER and thoroughly examined. Wyatt was at her side every minute he could. The only moments he wasn’t were the times when he was told he’d have to wait in the curtained area that served as her room while she was taken somewhere for yet another exam.
Her mother and sisters arrived, and Carly was there not long after. Even Wyatt’s brother, Zane, and his wife, Jessie, were there. The only people they would let stay with her were her mom and Wyatt. She heard them talking in between doctor visits but didn’t really catch any of their conversations.
Everything was a constant blur of motion and every time she’d start to drift off and someone would make her wake.
By the time they had finished examining her, the doctors had determined that she hadn’t suffered any fractures and didn’t have any internal bleeding. She had a lot of bruising, sore limbs, a cut over her eye, scratches, and a moderate concussion, but otherwise she was going to be fine.
Immense relief crossed Wyatt’s features when the doctor gave the final prognosis.
Wyatt kissed her gently. “That doesn’t hurt, does it?”
“I think my lips are the only place that don’t hurt,” she said with a smile. “So kiss me all you want, cowboy.”
Chapter 11
The doctors wanted to keep her overnight at the hospital and Wyatt insisted on staying with her the whole time. Eventually her mother and sisters and Carly were allowed to come in and then her aunts showed up. They didn’t stay long so that they wouldn’t wear her out.
When everyone had left the private room but Carly and Wyatt, an officer came in who introduced himself as Deputy Marks from the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’d like to ask you a few questions, Miss Holliday,” Deputy Marks said.
Sabrina still didn’t feel like she could nod so she just said, “Okay.”
The deputy asked her about the accident but there wasn’t much she could tell him. She just didn’t remember anything after turning off of the I-10 and onto Highway 83.
“Oh.” She frowned as something started to come to her. “When I first came to I heard men’s voices. I was really out of it so I don’t really remember what they said…except that one asked if I was dead and the other said he thought so.”
She could almost hear a low growl coming from Wyatt as Marks scribbled something down in a notebook.
Deputy Marks said. “Has your vehicle ever been in an accident prior to this one? Any damage to the driver’s side door?”
“No,” Sabrina said. “It was in excellent condition. I had a couple of door dings taken out a few weeks ago so there weren’t any dents.” She sighed. “Until now.
”
Deputy Marks kept a calm expression. “We found quite a bit of green metallic paint on the left rear quarter panel and the left portion of the rear bumper, paint that belonged to another vehicle. We also found glass from a broken headlight in the road.”
Sabrina’s looked at the deputy, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
Wyatt stepped closer. “Are you saying that someone intentionally ran Sabrina off the road?”
“Hard to say exactly, but it could be.” Marks said. “We found pieces of a taillight that didn’t belong to Miss Holliday’s vehicle, not far from where she rolled off the road and we’ve got pieces of a headlight in the same location. And then there’s the paint on the door of a vehicle that, according to Miss Holliday has never been in an accident. There’s also the report from the witnesses that men in a dark truck had stopped at the scene and then left.” He looked at Sabrina, “And you also believe that men did come up to the vehicle after the wreck.”
Wyatt’s expression was thunderous. “Who the hell would want to run Sabrina off the road?”
“Do you have any kind of enemies?” the deputy asked her. “Anyone who would like to hurt you?”
“Not that I know of,” Sabrina said with a frown.
“Do you remember anything else that happened before the accident?” Marks held his pen over his notebook. “What did you do during the day?”
Sabrina’s mind started whirling. “I went to my mother’s—”
“Don’t forget that Derrick guy.” Carly came up to the bed. “He came over and gave you that package.”
“What package?” Wyatt snapped out the words.
“I don’t know what was in it,” Sabrina said. “He just asked me to deliver it to his sister, Izzy, in Tucson.”
“As far as I know, Harper doesn’t have a sister,” Wyatt said.
Deputy Marks put up one hand. “Let me ask the questions.” He proceeded to ask her about the package, the delivery, her mother, and her day. He mostly concentrated on the package and then asked her questions about the one she picked up.
Champagne & Chaps Page 8
