Chapter Nine
As Abbie made her way across the hospital parking lot on a bitterly cold Friday evening, she couldn’t wait to get home and take a hot shower. The chill had seeped into her bones, and now all she wanted was to relax for the rest of the night. However, as she walked, her thoughts turned to Creed and the fact that she hadn’t heard from him in days. She wondered if he was okay or if something was going on.
Her hopes of spending time with him this weekend was dwindling as each day passed without a call or text. It frustrated her that men thought it was acceptable to leave someone hanging like this, without any updates or communication.
Finally reaching her car, she started it up and eagerly pressed the button to turn on the heated seat. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she felt the warmth spreading through her body. As she drove home, her mind continued to wander to Creed and their uncertain plans.
Pulling into her driveway, she exited her SUV and entered the house. A smile lit up her face when she saw Oakley waiting at the door for her. “What do you do all day when I’m not here? No one to glare at?” She chuckled as the cat lifted its paw and nonchalantly licked it. “You have it pretty good, don’t you? Not out in the freezing cold or scorching heat. And this is how you thank me?” After filling Oakley’s food and water dish, Abbie headed upstairs to take a shower and change into comfortable clothes.
With no word from Creed, she resigned herself to eating dinner and watching TV alone. After a quick shower, she settled onto the couch and turned on a movie, but couldn’t help glancing at her phone every few minutes. Finally giving in to her impatience, she picked up the phone and called him.
“McBride,” his voice answered.
“Hi,” she said, trying to sound casual.
“Hey,” he replied, but there was a hint of distraction in his tone.
Abbie furrowed her brow. He didn’t sound like himself.
“Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine. Just busy.”
She couldn’t help feeling a twinge of disappointment at his curt response.
“Oh. Were we still getting together this weekend?” She nervously chewed on her bottom lip.
“I can’t.”
Her heart sank at the finality of his words.
“I see.”
“I just told you I was busy, Abbie.”
“Right.” She tried to keep her frustration in check as he brushed her off again. “Maybe next weekend then?”
“We’ll see. I have to go. I’m working on a case.”
“Of course,” she muttered under her breath.
Her temper simmered as he abruptly hung up without any further explanation or reassurance that they would make plans for another time. She stared at her phone in disbelief, unable to believe he had treated her so callously. Without a second thought, she hit the button to disconnect and angrily tossed her phone onto the sofa. What the hell was going on with him?
She understood that he was fully consumed by a case, but his abruptness still stung. He barely acknowledged her presence and made no mention of calling her later.
“I’m not going to sit around and wait for you, Creed McBride. I know you’re busy, but a few minutes of your time wouldn’t have hurt.” She sighed, frustrated with how some men always seemed to prioritize work over relationships. She knew that wasn’t fair because he had an important job and sometimes, he had to work on a case, but it still stung.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she wondered if she would ever hear from him again. She let out an exasperated huff, knowing that ever since his memory returned, his dynamic had shifted. It all revolved around the night Mac died and the others were shot. She prayed that was the only reason for his distant behavior because she was deeply in love with him, even though she had no idea if he felt the same way.
She dialed Lorna’s number on her phone and asked if they could meet up this weekend. Lorna agreed, and they decided to grab lunch at the diner tomorrow.
As the night dragged on, Abbie couldn’t stop thinking about Creed and their last conversation. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
The next day, she sat in a booth at the diner with Lorna and Lily, but she couldn’t enjoy her food. She moved her fork through her food, lost in thought.
“What’s wrong, Abs? Is something going on between you and Creed?” Lorna finally asked.
“Well, that’s the million dollar question,” Abbie replied with a sigh. “I hadn’t heard from him in days, so I called him. He practically brushed me off. I know he’s been consumed by the case of the night Mac was killed and they were shot, but ever since he regained his memories, he’s been determined to find the men responsible.” Abbie recounted their brief conversation.
“He hung up on you?” Lorna gasped.
“It hurt, Lorna,” she admitted. “I understand why he’s preoccupied, but he could have spared a minute to talk to me before dismissing me like that.”
“Eli did mention that they were working hard to find the men responsible, and to be honest, I want that too. I want the men who killed Mac brought to justice,” Lorna said.
“I know, but it cut me to the quick when he hung up. I mean, I want them to find the men too, but a few damn minutes wouldn’t have hurt.”
“Aunt Abbie! You said a bad word,” Lily spoke up.
“I’m sorry, Lily.” She smiled.
Lily grinned then went back to coloring.
“She doesn’t miss much,” Lorna said with a smile.
“Little pitchers have big ears.” Abbie laughed.
“God, that’s the truth. She hears a lot she shouldn’t.”
After lunch, they parted ways with promises to talk soon. Abbie hugged them, then walked to her vehicle and pulled out of the lot. She planned to go home, but went to see her parents instead. It had been a while and she made it a point to see them as much as she could. At least it would keep her mind off Creed McBride.
****
Creed sat in the truck with Agent Doyle, their eyes fixed on the house before them. He had a pair of binoculars pressed to his eyes, scanning every inch of the property.
“The place looks deserted,” he remarked.
“They’re in there,” Doyle assured him.
“You’re positive?”
“Agent McBride, you can trust me.”
“I do. It’s just that I want them caught so badly, I can feel it in my bones.”
“I know the feeling. But we have to make sure they’re all together before making our move. My informant said Cartwright was meeting Pedigo here at this specific address. We have to be patient.”
“Hell, Agent Doyle, patience ran dry for me a long time ago.”
“I understand, and please, call me Killian.”
“Killian Doyle. That’s about as Irish as it gets.”
“Both my parents were born in Ireland, then moved to the states.” Killian grinned.
“I have no idea what the hell my heritage is.” Creed chuckled, earning a laugh from Killian.
“McBride is an Irish name, though.”
“I figured that much, but don’t know the lineage of it. Any family?”
“My parents live in Butte and my brother lives in Helena. He’s also MDOL.”
“Are you married?”
“No. Never have been. I’ve been too busy at my job.” Killian shrugged.
“Yeah, I get that. Is your brother older or younger?”
Killian grinned. “Kian’s older… by three minutes.”
Creed looked at him and grinned. “Twins?”
“Yep, fraternal. You can tell we’re brothers but you wouldn’t know we’re twins.”
Creed chuckled, then peered through the binoculars once again before sitting up straight.
“Someone just came out of the house.”
Killian also looked through his binoculars.
“That’s Cartwright, and another man is following him.”
“Do you recognize who it could be?”
“No. I don’t know him, but he could be one of Pedigo’s men.”
“Damn it. I want Pedigo to show himself.”
“We haven’t received any information on his whereabouts yet.”
“He has to be involved in this case somehow,” Creed muttered.
“I’m sure he is. I can’t imagine Cartwright would partner up with someone new. It’s difficult to trust anyone these days. We know they’ve worked together in the past, although we couldn’t prove it.”
“I hope he shows himself tonight.”
“What a way to spend a Saturday evening, huh?” Killian poured coffee from a thermos into a cup and took a sip.
“Yeah, it is.” Creed did the same with his own cup and thermos. “Thank goodness we have hot coffee.”
“I couldn’t agree more. My balls are about to freeze off.”
Creed chuckled. “Yours and mine both.”
They continued to keep watch for another hour, but since nothing was happening, they decided to leave and come back the following day. Creed drove Killian back to the motel.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning around eight. Is that okay with you?”
“Yeah, that works for me. I’ll see you then.” Killian got out of the truck and made his way to his room.
Creed backed out of the parking space and headed home. There were a few more files he wanted to review once he got there. Dave had let him bring copies home so he could search for any potential leads, but so far, luck hadn’t been on his side. He wasn’t going to give up though; he knew there had to be something he could find. If he could just uncover another person connected to Pedigo, maybe he could get them to talk.
He was exhausted. It had been a long day, and he knew an even longer night awaited him. The nightmare still haunted him, making it difficult to fall back asleep every time it woke him up. And on top of everything else, he needed to call Abbie. It had been days since they last spoke, and he was sure she wasn’t pleased with him right now. But with this case consuming all his attention, he had no choice. He had to stay focused on finding those men before they killed someone else.
With a heavy sigh, he knew he needed to stop by and see Abbie before heading home.
****
Abbie sat on her sofa; heart heavy as she watched a romantic movie unfold on the television. She tried her best not to cry, but tears threatened to spill over at any moment. What was with men? They could act so nonchalant and disappear for days without a word. Deep down, she knew it was foolish to expect constant communication from him, but a simple call or text would have been nice. Just something to let her know he was thinking of her.
“Maybe he’s not thinking of you at all,” she murmured, wiping away a tear.
Her thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected knock on the door. Startled, she tossed the blanket aside and walked to the door. Peering through the peephole, she saw Creed standing on her porch.
“Oh, great. Just dropping by unannounced,” she muttered under her breath. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to him.
“Hi.”
“What are you doing here, Creed?”
“I was driving home and wanted to see you.”
“Just like that? After not hearing from you for days?”
“I told you, I’ve been busy.” He glanced over his shoulder before meeting her gaze again. “Can I come in? It’s freezing out here.”
Sighing, Abbie opened the door wider and waved him inside. He leaned in for a kiss, but she stepped back and closed the door behind him. Folding her arms across her chest, she stared at him with a mix of frustration and hurt.
“Abbie...”
“Look, Creed. I understand your job keeps you busy, but we’re at a point in our relationship where I thought you would at least have the courtesy to call or text me once in a while.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. But this case is important.”
“I get that, but you seem a little too obsessed with it.”
“Obsessed? You think I’m just a little too obsessed?” Creed’s voice rose, his frustration evident. “For three years, I’ve lived with no memory of that night and could do nothing about it. Now I have the chance to bring that bastard to justice for what he did to Mac and the rest of us. He was going to kill us all. So yes, I am obsessed with it.”
Abbie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I understand your drive to see justice served, but you can’t let it consume you. You need to take breaks, for your own well-being.”
“I can’t take a break!” Creed stepped forward; his words laced with determination. “He could have killed others, and he needs to be charged accordingly. First-degree murder, and three counts of attempted murder that we know of. How can you expect me to let him get away with that?”
“I’m not saying he should get away with it.” Abbie’s voice trembled as she fought back tears. “I just want you to take care of yourself too. And what about us? How are we supposed to have a relationship if you can’t even contact me?”
Creed’s jaw clenched. “Am I supposed to check in with you every day?” he spat out.
“No! That’s not what I mean... All I want is for you to acknowledge my existence once in a while,” Abbie pleaded, her patience wearing thin.
“It’s my fucking job!” Creed shouted in frustration.
Feeling overwhelmed by emotions, Abbie sighed. “This argument isn’t getting us anywhere. Maybe you should go.”
“Yeah, maybe I should.” With hurt in his eyes, Creed turned toward the door and opened it. “Goodbye, Abbie.”
She watched him walk out and slam the door behind him before making her way back to the sofa, collapsing onto it and letting out a soul-shuddering cry.
****
With a loud curse, Creed slammed the door of his truck and revved up the engine. He peeled out of the driveway, leaving a trail of dirt and gravel behind him as he floored it down the road. The smell of burnt rubber filled the air as his tires screeched against the pavement.
All the way home, he clenched his jaw and muttered curses under his breath. She just didn’t understand. He had to catch those men before they hurt anyone else.
As he pulled into the garage and entered his house, Ranger eagerly greeted him. But when Creed suggested going outside in the freezing cold, Ranger simply sat down in protest, earning a chuckle from Creed.
“I get it, boy. It’s too cold for both of us.”
After shedding his coat and hat and hanging them up, Creed sank into his recliner and stared at the blank TV screen. His mind raced with thoughts about the case. He couldn’t afford to take a break now. He was so close to catching Pedigo, but even with a warrant out for his arrest, he was proving difficult to track down. Creed had hoped he would show up at the house they were staking out, but he never did. How could he possibly know they were on to him?
Creed sat up straighter in his chair. Could someone inside have tipped off Pedigo? The department had suspected it before but could never prove it. But now, it seemed like their suspicions may have been correct after all. Grabbing his phone, Creed called Killian.
“Doyle.”
“Killian, it’s Creed. Did Dave mention anything about someone in our department feeding information to Pedigo?”
“Yeah, but he said it couldn’t be proven. Why do you ask?”
“I think that person may have tipped Pedigo off about our stakeout earlier.”
“Damn, that’s a possibility. But how do we find out for sure? If nothing was proven before, where do we go from here?”
“I don’t know, but something doesn’t add up. How did Pedigo know not to show? He doesn’t know my memory is back because no one in the office knows except Dave, Alex, Eli, and me.”
“Whoever it is might have seen the files you were looking at. Can you think of anyone who would do that?”
“No, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on everyone at the office now. If someone is helping Pedigo, he knows he didn’t kill us all.”
“That’s dangerous, Creed. He could be setting a trap.”
“I don’t care. I want that bastard.”
“I know you do, and I’ll do everything I can to help you catch him.”
“Alright, let’s pass on tomorrow and talk more on Monday. Get some rest tomorrow.”
“Sounds good. My ass is dragging.”
Creed let out a tired chuckle. “Mine too. See you Monday at the office.”
“Yes, sir.”
With a final exhale, Creed ended the call and tossed his phone onto the end table. He lifted the footrest and closed his eyes, succumbing to exhaustion as sleep washed over him.
As the workweek began, he strode into the office and took his seat at his desk. He immediately opened his computer and began sifting through files, determined to uncover any leads on who might be working with Pedigo or Cartwright, or both. There had to be a traitor within their department leaking information.
He scanned the room of agents diligently working at their desks and couldn’t bring himself to suspect any one of them. They were all good men in his opinion, but someone was betraying them. Suddenly, he was startled when Eli appeared behind him and slapped him on the back.
“Jumpy this morning, Creed?” Eli chuckled, taking a seat across from him.
“Let’s talk,” Creed said firmly.
Eli looked at him curiously. “What’s going on?”
“I believe someone in this office is giving Pedigo and Cartwright insider information.”
Eli maintained eye contact, aware not to give away any clues by looking around the room. “I agree. The question is who? And why?”
Shaking his head in frustration, Creed responded, “I don’t know, Eli. But we can’t back off now. We’re too close.”
Eli stood up. “No one is backing off. We can let them think we are, but we won’t stop until we get justice for Mac and the rest of our team. Keep me updated on your plans. I’ll be out of town for a few days but stay in touch.”
“I will,” Creed assured him. “Stay safe.”
“You too.” With that, Eli made his way back to his own desk.
Creed stood up from his chair and walked to Dave’s office. He noticed that Dave was talking on the phone, but still knocked on the door before entering. He took a seat and waited for Dave to finish his call.
When Dave hung up, he leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on his round belly. “Did you find anything?”
“Not yet, but someone in this office is involved in this. That’s the only explanation,” Creed replied.
“I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right. We just have to figure out who it is.”
“I don’t really care about the why, I just want to know who.”
“I agree. The motive can come later. It’s unsettling to think that one of my agents could be betraying us.” Dave’s jaw tightened.
“It’s not a matter of could, but who. One of them is leaking information.” Creed stated with certainty.
Dave sat up straight and rested his arms on his desk. “Each of these agents has been here for at least two years. I trusted all of you with my life, and each other’s, but there’s no other explanation. I’ll start digging into their backgrounds.”
Creed got up from his chair. “I’m sorry. I trusted them all too, but...” He trailed off with a shrug.
“I understand. I’ll get back to you after I’ve done some investigating.”
“Where’s Doyle?” Creed asked.
“He’s on his way,” Dave replied with a grin. “He must have slept in today. You must be working him hard.”
Creed grinned back. “He’s a good man, determined to take down Pedigo just like we are.”
“Well, as you probably already know, he arrested Pedigo years ago and put him away, but Pedigo got released early. I’m sure that didn’t sit well with Doyle,” Dave explained.
Creed chuckled. “Yeah, I got that when he told me.”
Dave nodded, picked up his glasses, and Creed knew he’d been dismissed. He returned to his desk and continued looking through files.
A few minutes later, he looked up to see Doyle entering the office. He shook his head and chuckled as Doyle sat at the desk he’d been assigned to. When he looked at Creed, he smirked.
“Sorry.”
“Hey, it’s alright. Rough night?”
“Damn people running in and out all damn night. It’s a nice motel but what’s with people? Don’t they sleep?”
“I have a spare bedroom if you want it.”
“I appreciate that, but I’m fine. I don’t want to impose.”
“It’s no imposition. I have plenty of room. Besides, who knows how long this case will take? Do you want to stay in the motel for who knows how long?”
“If you’re sure it’s not a problem.”
“The only problem would be if you don’t like dogs.”
“I happen to love dogs. I have three myself. My brother’s taking care of them while I’m here.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll follow you to the motel tonight so you can pack and check out, then you can follow me home.”
“Thanks, Creed. I do appreciate it.”
Creed nodded and got back to work. He hadn’t had a good night either. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Abbie and the pain in her eyes. He sighed, knowing he needed to apologize to her, but he wanted this case solved before he did because he knew it would just happen again. As long as this case was unsolved, he’d never let it rest.
****
Abbie stood next to the doctor while he stitched up a young boy’s hand. She did her best to soothe him, but he was screaming so loudly that she was sure everyone in town could hear him. Usually, this kind of thing didn’t bother her, but today she was running on no sleep. After Creed left on Saturday night, she cried all night and into the next day. Her eyes felt like they were filled with sand and her head throbbed nonstop. She just wanted this day to be over so she could go home and wallow in her sadness. She missed Creed terribly.
At lunchtime, Abbie sat in the busy cafeteria, trying to eat her salad even though it didn’t appeal to her. Even though she didn’t feel hungry, she knew she needed to eat for energy. The emergency department was especially crowded today because of the flu outbreak, and Abbie hoped she wouldn’t catch it since it was particularly severe this year.
Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her scrubs, and she pulled it out to see Lorna’s name on the screen. With a heavy sigh, she answered.
“Abbie, I’ve been calling and texting you all weekend. What’s going on?” Lorna asked.
Abbie explained about Creed and when she finished, there was silence on the other end of the line.
“Lorna?”
“You told him he was... obsessed with the case?” Lorna’s voice was filled with disbelief.
“Well, he is,” Abbie snapped.
“Abilene Grace Wells, what is wrong with you? Of course, he’s obsessed. They finally have the name of the man who shot them and killed my husband,” Lorna snapped back. “Eli is obsessed too. They’ve been waiting three years to find out who this person is, and now that they know, they need to find him and get justice.”
Abbie let out a heavy sigh. “I know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. It’s just that ever since he started working on this case, I hardly hear from him.”
“This is not about you, Abbie,” Lorna growled. “For one thing, I’m glad they’re so dedicated to this. I don’t care if Eli doesn’t see me for days; I know why and I am proud of him for going to such great lengths to bring that man in. He didn’t just kill Mac; he was planning to kill them all. Luckily, Creed called for backup just in time. Hopefully, when they catch that prick, he’ll get the death penalty.”
Abbie let out an exasperated huff. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I’m such a drama queen.” She smiled when she heard Lorna snort out a laugh.
“You said it, I didn’t.”
Abbie laughed despite herself. “Some friend you are. You’re supposed to say, no, you’re not.”
“I can’t lie to you.” Lorna chuckled. “But seriously, think about it from Creed’s perspective, or even mine. We’ve waited three long years to learn anything about who killed Mac and now that they have a name, they’re going to do everything in their power to bring him to justice. It’s not easy being with someone in law enforcement of any kind, but you have to understand they have a job to do and they won’t stop until it’s done. Remember when I first married Mac? I was always angry at him for leaving on cases and we argued constantly about it, but eventually I realized he was risking his life to protect innocent people and their livestock. And in the end, he paid the ultimate price for it. All of them could have lost their lives that night, Abs.”
Abbie’s smile faded as she processed Lorna’s words. “I feel awful now. Thanks a lot.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, causing Abbie to laugh despite herself.
“I’ll apologize to him.”
“And stand by him,” Lorna added sternly. “How do you think he felt when you accused him of being obsessed with a case that nearly cost him his life?”
“Oh my God! I hate you right now.”
“No, you don’t. Call me later. Love you.”
“Love you too.” Abbie hung up the phone and took a deep breath, her head spinning with guilt. Lorna was right. Abbie shouldn’t have said what she did to Creed on Saturday night and now she wouldn’t be surprised if he never spoke to her again.
She stood up from the table, tossing the rest of her salad into the trash. She needed to focus on work and make things right with Creed. She’d send him a text during her next break and hope that he could forgive her for her hurtful words. As she returned to the station desk, she couldn’t help but wonder if Creed’s goodbye that night had been meant for now or forever. She prayed it wasn’t the latter.