Nurse Bean finished cleaning the cut and bandaged it, all while standing in the hallway outside the ER. She’d only seen him because the nurses on duty had had their hands full with a car accident, a cardiac event and Tucker Hughes. The latter was still in surgery. The first mystery man had done a job on him with the knife. The second mystery man?
He’d taken a bullet before getting around Dane and bolting out the back door.
It was still burning Dane’s chest.
“And I think we’re all done here. Now let me go get some butterfly bandages.”
Dane brought his attention to the forefront. He turned just enough to get a look at the bare skin on the side of his lower back. It was a nasty cut, no doubt. Would have been nastier had Dane not been able to retrieve his gun. If the first mystery man had still been downstairs, Dane wouldn’t have been so lucky. All he would have had to do was to use his gun on him.
Dane fisted his hand into the shirt he was holding.
Being in the nick of time wasn’t a badge of honor in his book. It just meant that he’d only been able to get there during the last possible second.
And it didn’t sit right with him.
“I’m guessing you still aren’t a fan of getting doctored.”
Two blue eyes with a smile hanging beneath them met Dane’s gaze when he looked up. Dane tried to play off his anger. It made him compensate too much. He answered with sarcasm. “I just like hanging around shirtless in hospitals. Drives the ladies crazy.”
He wanted to put his foot in his mouth as soon as he said it but was surprised when Rachel glanced down at his chest. He wasn’t a man keen on bragging about his appearance, but he wasn’t above himself to know his weekly gym visits paid off.
“So this is where you pick up dates,” Rachel responded with a snort. “And here I guess I’ve been doing it wrong these past few years.”
She matched his sarcasm with her own. Dane hadn’t expected it or her talking about dating. Even if he’d been the one to bring it up and it had been a joke. Still, the idea of her dating someone put a sour taste in Dane’s mouth.
“How’s Lonnie doing?” he asked, changing gears. “I haven’t gotten a chance to really talk to him since we got here.”
Rachel sobered immediately. She shrugged.
“Honestly, I feel like he’s doing better than I am,” she admitted. “He’s been talking to me like all this is normal. Even with all this confusion, he’s somehow managing to keep his feet on solid ground.”
“Unless he’s just internalizing it all,” Dane had to point out. She nodded.
“There is that,” she conceded. “I just—Well, I just want to help him but don’t know how. I guess I just wish we knew more about everything that’s happened.” She lowered her voice and took a small step forward. There were those freckles again. Up close and personal for him to see. “Why do they want him and why am I a bonus?”
It had been an hour since the local PD and Billy had showed up to the house. In that time nothing had been made clearer about the mystery men or their interests in Lonnie and Rachel. The only new leads they had seemed to have a pitfall.
They had the first mystery man, but he was deceased.
They had the vehicle that seemingly belonged to the mystery men, but so far it was empty.
They’d finally found Tucker, but he was now in surgery, fighting for his life.
And even if he did pull through and manage to talk to them, that didn’t mean Dane was ready to trust the man. He had made it clear he not only knew about the men but had known of their interest in his nephew. Who, on an even more infuriating point, he’d left high and dry for an entire night before returning with trouble on his heels. Not to mention one of the men had said they’d caught him trying to leave town.
That surely didn’t sound like Tucker had originally planned to come back home.
“I wish I knew,” Dane finally said. “But we’ll figure it out. Whatever is going on.”
Rachel searched his expression, just as she had earlier in the bathroom at Tucker’s house. She’d done it again when they first all bused together to the hospital, too.
What was she hoping to see?
And did he even want her to see whatever it was?
Chapter Ten
Dane wished Nurse Bean would hurry back so he could put on his shirt. He felt silly trying to keep a serious conversation going in the hallway. It wasn’t a busy intersection, but he’d already gotten a few looks from the occasional wandering patient or nurse.
“So, what happens in the meantime?” Rachel asked. Her eyes stayed up to his now. “What happens with Lonnie? Surely he can’t stay here. What if...what if Tucker... Well, you know.”
“That’s actually something I was coming to talk to the two of you about.”
Sheriff Billy Reed looked more world-weary than he had in a while. A case always weighed heavier on him when kids were involved. It weighed heavier on all of them. Billy took his hat from his head and ran a hand through his hair. Dane knew the look, pulling the man’s shoulders tense. They weren’t going to like what he had to say.
“I just spoke to the doctor. Tucker Hughes is out of surgery and they’re optimistic that he’ll survive the night, but given the limited knowledge we have about the situation, I agree that Lonnie shouldn’t stay here.” Billy cut his gaze between them. “So I’ll be looking after him until we figure out what’s what.”
“Why can’t he just stay with me?” Rachel asked. “It’s no trouble. I’ve got a big house with plenty of room for him. I wouldn’t mind.”
Dane was surprised or, maybe not, that she was so gung-ho to stay with Lonnie. They had been through a lot in such a short amount of time. Not to mention, as far as Dane knew, Lonnie didn’t have any other family than Tucker.
Billy looked apologetic. “As much as I appreciate your offer, I don’t think it’s a good idea. If these men are after Lonnie and see you, Rachel, as a potential target, then having the two of you together might make another attempt at taking you both too tempting. So I’m taking Lonnie to an undisclosed location where I know he’ll be safe. I won’t leave his side. Neither will Deputies Medina and Grayson. Two very good people who are very good at their jobs.”
The last part was for Rachel’s benefit. Dane already knew and liked Medina and Grayson. They’d been personally vetted and hired by Billy.
“Lonnie will be out of harm’s way. We’ll make sure he stays that way.”
“Well, then what about me?” Rachel asked. She was frustrated. That much was clear in the set of her furrowed brow and tone. It caught Dane off guard.
“Are you going to ship me off to some undisclosed location too?”
“No, I can’t force you into protective custody or hiding,” Billy said, not skipping a beat. “Though I do think it would be a good idea to find someplace unexpected to lie low at for a little while. Someplace our mystery men might not be able to find you if they kept looking. You could even, if you felt so inclined, bunk at the department. We have a second-floor room that’s been converted to act as a place to sleep when needed. It’s not the most comfortable place, but it gets the job done.”
Rachel didn’t like that idea. Dane could see that plain as day.
“She could stay at my place.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think to stop them. “Again, it’s not like many people even know where I live to begin with and Deputy Mills is down the road.” Dane turned to Rachel. He was surprised to see her nod.
“If it’ll keep me off those men’s radar, I’m all for it.”
Billy gave Dane a look that said more than he did out loud. “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t point out you need some rest. I know you didn’t sleep last night.” He motioned to Dane’s side. “And now you’re hurt on top of that.”
Dane waved him off. “Nothing you haven’t done you
rself before.”
The men shared a knowing look. It wasn’t too far back that Billy had put everything on the line to protect his then-ex, now-wife and their daughter. In fact, Dane could name a few more in the department who had gone over and above the call to action to make sure those they cared about were safe.
And he did care about Rachel.
True as true.
Billy sucked on his teeth. Then, slowly, he nodded.
“I’ll let Deputy Mills know to keep an eye out,” he conceded. With that he slipped his hat back on and nodded over their shoulders. Nurse Bean nodded back. “I’ll keep in touch, Captain.”
The sheriff left Nurse Bean to put the bandages on and inspect the cut one more time. Rachel stood silently next to them, watching. Even though she was within touching distance, Dane saw that her mind was a million miles away.
* * *
LONNIE WASN’T EXCITED about leaving the hospital with Sheriff Reed. He even told the lawman that straight to his face. Thankfully, Billy was a patient man. He took no offense while Dane and Rachel made a makeshift huddle to the side of the lobby, trying to convince him. It took a few minutes, but finally Lonnie agreed not to put up a fight. The twelve-year-old acted as if he had another viable choice. Even if his options were limited. But Dane liked Lonnie. He was confident and tough when it counted.
Though it was that toughness that made Dane angry. Kids his age shouldn’t have to be that tough. That was for their parents. For their loved ones. Both Lonnie was lacking for one reason or the other.
“You have that look going again.”
Dane glanced over at his driver. The city of Darby was streaming by the window. Sunny, humid and turning into country. They weren’t heading for Rachel’s house on the outskirts. They were going to the town of Carpenter, following behind Deputy Mills.
“That look?” he repeated. “What look?”
Rachel kept her eyes on the road, but he could still see the furrow of her brow and the crease in her forehead.
“The look you get when you’re trying to dissect whatever is bothering you. Like if you think about it long enough, if you focus only on that, then you can figure out how to handle it.” She pressed a finger between her eyes for emphasis. “It’s not good for you to use it all the time.”
“I didn’t realize I had a look.” He smirked. “I also didn’t realize I dissected things.”
Rachel snorted. Dane didn’t want to admit it, but she looked good behind the wheel of his truck. She’d said it was a non-starter that he do the driving when he was still in fresh pain. He’d told her he wasn’t but then had tried to angle down into the seat. He’d been unable to hide how he flinched at the movement. The cut might not have needed stitches, but it stung enough to remind him exactly where it was and how awkward driving with it would be.
“Do you remember when you got your wisdom teeth taken out when we were younger?” she asked.
Dane groaned. “You mean when I ate steak on Day Two because I thought I was invincible? Then I got dry socket and had to take that godawful medicine.” To this day the taste of it made Dane cringe.
Rachel chuckled and nodded. “That girlfriend of yours was supposed to pick you up from the appointment, but she bailed last second. What was her name?”
Dane groaned again. “Jennifer Hartley.”
Rachel snapped her fingers over the steering wheel. “Yeah, that’s her! She said she had a work emergency but—”
“But we found out later she was really meeting up with Tom McNolty,” Dane supplied. “An investment banker in Kipsy with an awful goatee.”
Rachel nodded. “I didn’t really know you that well at the time. I think we’d only hung out once or twice. But—”
To the rest of the world, Rachel carried on with the next statement just as she had with the one before. To Dane, however, he heard the way her words softened ever so slightly. Treading near a memory. Being careful. In turn it made Dane stiffen. Not out of fear or worry, but out of anticipation. They hadn’t talked about David in any context in a really long time.
“...then David called me,” she continued. “He’d seen Jennifer in the city and knew you were trying to go it alone. And he wasn’t about to have that. So he asked me to pick you up.”
A whisper of a smile danced across the profile of her lips. They were a dark pink. Like peaches. Dane averted his eyes out the windshield. How could he be admiring her now, of all times?
“I still remember seeing you there. Sitting in the waiting room, basically stoned as you came off anesthesia, with gauze all in your mouth and still trying to talk to everyone. Do you remember what you said to me when I tried to get you into the car?”
Dane kept his gaze forward, but that didn’t mean he was any less curious. He didn’t remember what he’d said. In fact, everything from that day had been and still was fuzzy.
“I don’t,” he admitted.
Rachel sat straighter and pointed with purpose at him, her brow furrowed again. “I had just opened the door and was trying to get you inside when you turned to me and you said, and I directly quote, ‘Thank you for saving my ass.’”
That earned a surprised laugh from Dane. “I don’t remember that.”
She joined in with the mirth.
“I figured you didn’t.” She laughed. “At least, you never brought it up again if you did.”
Like a switch that had been flipped, her mood shifted again. This time Dane couldn’t track where.
“Do you remember that you also didn’t know who I was when I first came in to get you?” she said. “I had to get David on the phone to convince the nurse I wasn’t just some strange woman off the street, trying to take you.”
“I don’t remember that, either,” he said, honestly.
Rachel waved her hand at him dismissively. “Don’t worry, my feelings weren’t hurt. You were just having a hard time fighting through the haze of medication. Again, it’s not like we knew each other that well to start off with. I think that’s the first time I actually found out your last name. Still, once David did his sweet-talking to the nurse, I was worried you wouldn’t come with me. I mean, you were a lawman, you thought you didn’t know me, and your head wasn’t in the best place. Yet...”
The truck slowed, coming to a four-way that was only a few minutes from the town limits. Rachel took the pause to look his way. She wasn’t smiling, but she wasn’t frowning, either. Dane tried to read her, to try and understand what she was getting at and why, but was coming up short.
“Then you gave me the same look you gave me in Darby Middle’s gym yesterday. The same one you just had when you were thinking about, I’m assuming, the case. The very same look you’re giving me now.” Rachel let out a soft sigh. “You were trying to figure something out then. Trying to make sense of what you knew and fill in the blanks of what you didn’t. You were trying to puzzle out if you could trust me.” She shrugged. “And for whatever reason, back then that’s exactly what you did. You got into my car, let me drive you home and then babbled nonsense to me once I had you tucked into bed.”
She turned back to the road and kept on following Deputy Mills. “To be honest, I count that as the beginning of our friendship. Even if you were still hopped up on medication.”
“I’m sorry I don’t remember it,” Dane finally responded. “I don’t remember most of that day.”
Rachel surprised him once again. She extended her hand and placed it on top of his. Every part of his body wanted to lean into the movement, into the warmth of her hand. It only made everything he was already feeling worse.
“The point of this walk down memory lane isn’t really about Jennifer Hartley or a younger Dane Jones spouting hilarious nonsense. I just... I just wanted to let you know that everything can’t be so easily figured out. Not everything has a straightforward answer and not everyone makes sense. And when you run into a sit
uation like that or come across those people, you can’t beat yourself black and blue trying to solve everything. Especially on your own.” She squeezed his hand but then let go. Her demeanor didn’t change again, but her tone did. It was harder. Stern. “Years ago a younger Dane Jones decided within the span of a walk from an oral surgeon’s office to the parking lot that he was going to trust me. So now I’m asking that same man, do you trust me?”
Dane didn’t hesitate. “I do.”
“Good.” She nodded. “Then trust me when I say, with this case, don’t do what you always do. Don’t get lost in your own head and then beat yourself up when it’s hard to find a way out. I’m here, you know. I want to help, especially for Lonnie’s sake. So please, Dane, don’t shut me out. Not again.”
There it was.
Dane had finally run out of the distance between them that kept their past firmly in the past. If he’d only seen her at the school gym, he might have had a chance to keep avoiding it all. But now?
Now their paths were being forced together and here he was, trying to pretend he didn’t like the closeness. That he hadn’t missed her.
Maybe it was time to finally tell her the whole truth. The whole reason he had stayed away.
But could he?
“Rachel,” he started, bolstering the courage even if he wasn’t sure of what he was going to say. “Listen, I—”
The lights on Deputy Mills’s cruiser came on, distracting their attention. He flashed his blinker and then drove off onto the dirt of the shoulder.
“Follow him,” Dane said.
They were on an older county road, one of many that wove through the county. The particular one they had been on rarely had much day traffic. No one was in front or behind them and hadn’t been for a few minutes. Dane instinctively went for his phone but remembered two seconds too late that it was as busted as busted could be thanks to his earlier brawl.
Whatever Deputy Mills had to tell him, it must have been pretty urgent. He jumped out of his cruiser and waved for Dane to roll down his window like his life depended on it.
The Negotiation Page 8
