by Hope White
“Listen, young lady—”
“The key to the back door, where is it?” she interrupted her mom.
“Above the phone.”
Cassie dashed to the wall phone, grabbed the key and stuck it in the door.
“Hang on, Cassie,” Harvey cautioned.
“There was a crash. People could be hurt.” Nate could be hurt.
But she didn’t say it. She couldn’t.
“Cassie, you can’t go running out there,” her mom said.
Cassie whipped open the door and sprinted to the edge of the porch for a better look. She spotted a black sedan’s grill buried in the side of the Chief’s truck.
Harvey blocked her. “You need to wait until emergency shows up and we know it’s safe.”
She clasped her hands together, fighting the panic. The chief had to be okay. She whispered a prayer of hope, wondering how he had become so important in her life.
She was grateful to the chief, that’s all. He’d saved her life more than once. Of course she’d be worried about his well-being.
Two squad cars peeled up the long dirt drive, followed by an ambulance. It felt like they took forever to approach the mangled cars.
Cassie squeezed her fingers tighter, fighting the urge to leap off the porch.
The patrol cars screeched to a halt, and the officers got out and drew their guns, aiming at the sedan.
“Okay?” she said to Harvey.
“Not yet.”
She ached to see Nate open the passenger door, since the sedan had pinned the driver’s door shut, and climb out of his truck. One of the officers pulled a guy out of the sedan and threw him to the ground.
Cassie took off. Mom called out to her, but Cassie didn’t care. The threat was neutralized. As she got closer she recognized the driver—Shovel Man. Good. He was in custody. All was well.
Yet Nate hadn’t opened his door.
She raced to the truck, spotted the white air bag, but couldn’t see Nate’s face, so she went to the passenger side and flung open the door.
She gasped at the blood smearing Nate’s forehead and the side of his face. She would not fall apart like she had before.
“Nate?” she said, climbing into the front seat beside him.
Fingering the blood seeping down the side of his face, he glanced at her, confusion coloring his green eyes.
“Cassie?” he said, as if he wasn’t sure he recognized her.
“You’re okay,” she said. She wasn’t a doctor and couldn’t be sure he was, in fact, okay, but figured he needed to be reassured out of his confused fog.
He studied her with a disoriented expression. Her pulse raced. Did he suffer a serious head injury?
She gripped his hand. “You’re going to be just fine.”
“Cassie, get out of the truck,” her cousin Madeline said from behind her.
But Nate wouldn’t let go of her hand. Cassie offered a gentle smile. “The paramedics need to clean your head wound. I’ll be right out here.”
With a nod, he released her, and she slid out of the truck. “He’s conscious, but disoriented,” she informed her cousin as she climbed into the front seat.
Cassie’s eyes stung with unshed tears. Nate was a strong, healthy man, yet he seemed so vulnerable and lost.
She hovered beside the truck, hugging herself. Worrying, praying.
A gentle hand patted Cassie’s back. She glanced sideways at her mom.
“He’s a strong man,” Mom said.
Cassie nodded, only then realizing she was in her pajamas, in public. And she didn’t care.
“Here, I think this is yours,” Madeline stuck out her hand, clutching Cassie’s shoulder bag.
“Thanks.” Cassie took it without looking inside the truck at the chief. It upset her too much to see him that way. Confused and broken.
Harvey joined Cassie and her mom. “Thanks for protecting us,” Cassie said.
“My pleasure.” He winked.
They waited.
A few minutes later, Madeline slid out of the truck, looking back at Nate. “Stay there until—”
“I’m coming out,” Nate’s angry voice argued.
“But we need to—”
“I’m fine.”
Madeline shook her head in frustration and motioned for Rocky to bring the stretcher.
Nate shifted out of the truck, took one look at Cassie and said, “What are you doing out here?” He glanced at Harvey. “I told you to protect her.”
Apparently the fog had lifted. No longer confused, the chief seemed steaming-hot mad.
“He did protect me,” Cassie argued.
“You shouldn’t have left the house.”
“I had to make sure you were okay,” she said, miffed that he was being so rude.
“Sorry to interrupt, but we need to take you to the hospital, Chief,” Madeline said.
“Not necessary. What do I have to sign to release you from your responsibility?”
“Chief, you should get checked out,” Cassie said. “You’re bleeding.”
“It’s not serious.”
“Okay, Dr. Walsh,” she replied.
“He’s right, it isn’t serious,” Madeline said. “But it wouldn’t hurt to get checked out.”
He motioned Madeline and Rocky away. “I’m fine. I need to make sure Cassie is safe.”
“I’m safe. They arrested Shovel Man.”
“We don’t know if he’s working alone.” He glanced at Harvey. “Take Margaret to the resort. Since Aiden is the manager, he should be able to find her a secure room.”
“Yes, sir.” Harvey turned to Cassie’s mom. “Let’s pack some things and call your son.”
“Cassie’s coming with me, right?” Mom said.
The walls were closing in. Cassie loved Mom, but spending days upon days in a room with her, listening to her fret and worry over Cassie’s health, would drive Cassie bonkers.
“I’d rather go back to my apartment,” Cassie said.
“Honey—”
“That way if someone comes looking for me again, I’m not putting you in danger.” She gave her mom a hug, glancing into Chief Walsh’s eyes.
He studied her, as if trying to figure out what was going on in her mind. She looked away, her gaze landing on the inside of his truck, the deflated air bag. He could have been seriously hurt.
Because of her.
“We’d better get going,” Chief Walsh said. “I’ll protect Cassie.
She broke the hug with Mom and said, “Keep your phone on and I’ll text you.”
“Be safe.”
“I will. Promise.”
Harvey led her mom back to the farmhouse. This was the best plan for so many reasons. She turned to Nate and caught him rubbing his forehead.
She touched his arm. “Does your head hurt? I’ll get my cousin.”
“Not necessary. I’m just trying to figure out how everything fits together, that’s all.”
“That’s a lot. Maybe you should wait until you’ve had a good night’s sleep.”
* * *
Sleep wasn’t in the plan for Nate, not anytime soon. Not until he could be sure Cassie was safe.
Since his truck had been damaged, he’d driven Cassie to her apartment in a squad car, and remained outside her building all night. Nate had an officer patrol the area to make sure it was safe, that no one was lurking and waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Although that scenario seemed unlikely, he wasn’t taking any chances. Since Cassie hadn’t bothered to change her address on her driver’s license, it would be difficult for someone to track her down. He wished he would have known about her not changing her address on her license before she let him take her to the farmhouse. Mayb
e it had slipped her mind, or maybe she was in denial that the perp would come after her again.
Nate doubted anyone had tracked her to the quaint, modest apartment, but couldn’t be too careful. This case grew more complicated by the hour.
The next afternoon, he spotted Cassie waving to him from her window. Nate went up to her apartment to discuss the case.
“You’ve been down there all this time?” she asked from the kitchen.
“One of my officers gave me a break.”
He peered through the delicate lace curtains in her living room, scanning the street below. It wouldn’t be easy to breach her apartment considering the two entry doors downstairs, plus Cassie’s apartment door. She lived in an older building with a mailbox vestibule, and her mailbox, 2D, did not have her name on it, which worked in their favor.
“Shouldn’t you be interrogating Shovel Man?” she said, coming into the living room carrying a tray with a teapot and cups.
“Shovel Man?” He raised an eyebrow.
“I didn’t know what else to call him.”
“He’s still at the hospital being treated for injuries sustained in the collision. I’ll question him in lockup after he’s discharged.”
“How about some tea?” she asked, pouring herself a cup.
“You don’t have to entertain me. Just pretend I’m not here.”
If only Nate could follow his own advice. It was impossible to ignore the intimacy of being surrounded by Cassie’s personal things, wall posters of castles and mountains overseas, and family pictures proudly displayed on oak bookshelves.
“I can’t believe I slept until midafternoon.”
“You obviously needed it.”
“Why not sit down and take a breath?” She shifted onto the sofa.
He decided this could be a good opportunity to question her about the events of last night to help with the investigation.
Stop being so insensitive. The woman is probably still traumatized from surviving violent encounters with a criminal.
Yet the sooner he got answers, the safer she’d be.
“Tell me again what the intruder at the farm said.”
Cassie poured him a cup of tea. “That if I’d tell him what I did with—” she made quotes with her fingers “—‘it,’ he’d leave me alone.”
“Did with what?”
“Wish I knew.” She handed him a delicate china cup.
He took it, noting how fragile it felt in his large hands. “Did you take anything from the cabin, other than the dog?”
“No.” Her eyes widened. “You don’t think they’re after Dasher, do you? Why would anyone be after a dog? Speaking of which, is he okay? Who’s got him? Catherine or Bree? Did Bree take him to the vet to get checked out?”
Nate cracked a smile.
“What?” she challenged.
“I can tell you’re back to normal because you’re firing off ten questions at once.” He sat on the sofa beside her.
“Oh, sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m glad you’re okay. Dasher is safe with your sister. Apparently he and your sister’s dog are hitting it off. They didn’t take him to the vet because he didn’t suffer any physical injuries.”
“Speaking of which, hang on.” She got up and went into the kitchen.
Nate glanced at his watch. He hoped the perp would be released from the hospital and taken back to the station soon, but Nate didn’t want to leave Cassie alone just yet.
He’d left her alone last night and couldn’t forgive himself for the trouble that followed.
She breezed back into the living room holding an ice bag. It amazed him that she had so much energy considering everything that happened to her yesterday.
“Here.” She sat down and held the ice against his head. “To reduce the swelling. Still looks pretty red from last night.”
“Thanks.” He reached up and his fingers brushed against her hand.
Her skin was so warm and soft, and his breath caught in his throat. What was happening to him? He wasn’t a teenager, and he’d certainly outgrown the crush stage of relationships. Why did this woman rattle him so?
“I’ve got it, thanks,” he said.
“Oh, sure, right.” She snapped her hand away and reached for her teacup. “My mother’s overprotective instincts must be rubbing off on me. Sorry.”
“Cassie?”
She glanced up at him with those iridescent blue eyes.
“You never need to apologize to me, okay?” he said.
She bit back a smile. “Even if I do something nasty?”
“Define nasty,” he said, surprised by their sudden lighthearted banter.
“Hmmm, what if I doused your tea with happy herbs like lemon balm or chamomile?”
He glanced into his cup. “I probably deserve that.”
“I’m kidding,” she said. “Stop being so serious.”
The lightness of the moment destroyed by his dark thoughts, he slid his cup onto the table.
“My seriousness will keep you safe.” He stood and went to look out the window. “I can’t afford to be distracted by tea and conversation.”
Man, he sounded like a jerk.
“I get it, I do.” She got up and crossed the room.
He felt her hand touch his back. Warmth spread across his shoulders. She had that kind of effect on him—a peaceful, calming effect.
“But I think that instead of getting pulled down by the darkness, we should focus on strategizing our way out of this mess.”
When she put it like that it made him seem like an unprofessional, emotional head case.
“Are you worried about how all this will reflect on your position as chief?” she asked.
He turned to her, wanting to read her expression. It was authentic and open. Her eyes always seemed so honest when she looked at him.
Which meant she honestly thought he was more worried about his job than her safety. She hadn’t a clue how he felt, that this wasn’t just about protecting a random citizen.
No, this couldn’t happen. These feelings could get her killed. He went to the coffee table to get his teacup.
“Or is it something else?” she pushed.
“I don’t want to mess up.”
“No one does,” she said.
He turned to her. “People died because I wasn’t paying enough attention.” How had that slipped out?
“I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, well, you can’t fix the past.”
“No, but you can let it go.”
“Wish I could.” He sighed. “And now, well, Echo Mountain has historically been a quiet town, until recently.”
“Until what, you came on board as chief? Don’t even go there, big guy. We had our share of trouble long before you took over, like the guys stalking Scott, and the thugs after Nia because of her deadbeat brother. And now I find a dead body. I’m sorry it was on your watch.”
“Wait, you’re not blaming yourself for this,” Nate said.
“No, but I feel responsible for putting the people I care about in danger.”
She glanced at him with a startled expression, like she’d blurted out a secret she hadn’t meant to share. Awkward tension filled the living room.
“Don’t worry, your mom will be fine.” Nate recovered. “Aiden will make sure of it.”
She nodded, but didn’t speak.
I feel responsible for putting the people I care about in danger.
Her words hung in the air between them, and Nate considered their meaning. She couldn’t possibly include him on that list.
He had to redirect his thinking before it totally distracted him from his goal: protecting Cassie and finding out why “Shovel Man” killed the woman in the cabin.
>
“To be clear, you didn’t take anything from the rental cabin?” he said.
“Just the dog,” she said, breaking eye contact and walking back to the sofa.
“What were you supposed to do when you got there?”
“Check appliances, general condition of the cabin, bring in fresh toiletries and linen. But I didn’t get very far because I heard Dasher scratching at the closet door.” She shook her head. “I wasn’t even supposed to be there.”
“Explain, please.”
“My friend Becca had originally been assigned the Whispering Pines cabin, but I offered to cover for her. She seemed stressed lately.”
“Why’s that?” Instead of sitting beside her, he chose a chair across from the coffee table.
“I think she’s having boyfriend trouble. Tony keeps promising to get a better job. He does part-time work for Echo Mountain Rentals and she’s been supporting them by holding down two jobs.”
He pulled out his notebook. “I need Becca and Tony’s last names.”
“Wait, why? You think they’re involved in this?”
He glanced up at her trusting and offended expression. “She might have seen or heard something along the way,” he said. “I have to look into everything connected to the rental company. Detective Vaughn has already been in touch with your boss.”
“Oh, okay.”
Cassie gave him Becca’s last name and her phone number. “I don’t know Tony’s, sorry.”
He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, right, I’m not supposed to say ‘sorry.’ Sorry.” She smiled.
He refocused on his notebook to avoid the effect her disconcerting smile was having on him.
“I’ll call it in.” He pulled his phone off his belt.
He called Detective Vaughn and gave her the information about Becca and Tony.
“You think they’re tied to the deceased?” Vaughn said.
“I have no idea,” he said into the phone. “Cassie said Becca has been stressed out. It’s worth looking into.”
“I’m on it.”
“And let me know when the suspect is in lockup.”
“Of course.”
He ended the call and turned to Cassie. “We’ll figure this out.”
An explosion echoed through the windows. Cassie shrieked and Nate instinctively pulled her against his chest.
