Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Willa
T he ambulance barely made it up the driveway, but by the time they were out front, we had Kara bundled up, and Cole was carrying her outside to the paramedics, who were ready with a fetal monitor and oxygen.
The wind had died down, and visibility had improved greatly. Still, it was bitterly cold and dark. Kara was in better spirits, and the timing of her contractions indicated she’d likely make it to the hospital before that baby made his or her debut.
When we were alone, Cole wrapped his arms around me, knowing exactly what I needed.
“I was so terrified,” I admitted into his chest. “It’s been years since I delivered a baby.”
He tipped my chin up. “You? Terrified? How? You were so calm. You knew exactly what you were doing.”
“It’s my training. I’ve had lots of practice. By now, it kicks in and takes over. But, shit.” I put my forehead on his chest and exhaled. “That would have been a difficult delivery. She needs to be in a hospital for it.”
“You were incredible.”
I tried not to bristle. His praise felt misplaced. I hadn’t done much. In fact, the only reason I’d made it here alive was because of him. There was no way I could have driven the snowmobile in these conditions. After tonight, I only had more respect for my dad, if that was possible. He’d gone out in many snowstorms to help patients and friends in need.
I patted his chest. “Let’s clean up here.”
We set to work, throwing the towels into the wash, quickly cleaning the floors, and turning off all the lights. I texted Jack to let him know Kara was en route to the hospital and things were going well.
“Thank you for coming,” I said as we locked up. “Having you here helped me stay calm.”
He blinked at me, surprise flashing in his eyes. “But I didn’t do anything.”
“You did,” I insisted. “I felt safe with you here. It’s because of you that I could be strong for Kara.”
His eyes softened and he pulled me down for a lingering kiss. “We make a good team. Now can I drive my wifey home?”
I nodded wearily. It was almost four a.m., and I was beat.
We secured the bags again and slipped our helmets on.
Eventually, we’d have to dig out and I’d go to work, but right now, all I wanted was a warm bed and this man by my side.
I climbed on, and as he fired the snowmobile up, I held tight to my husband.
The snow had let up a bit, and as we drove, I couldn’t help but marvel at the strange beauty of this winter night. Though I was sure Cole was as eager to get home as I was, his driving was careful, every move controlled and deliberate. As always, he put all his effort into caring for me. God, the thought made my heart squeeze.
My body had almost completely frozen when lights up ahead caught my attention. I squinted and—were those people?
I tapped Cole’s shoulder and pointed. With a nod, he headed in that direction. As we crept closer, the sign for Mountain Meadows, the trailer park in town, came into view. Just outside it on the embankment was a whole slew of construction equipment.
I steeled myself. Dammit, I hope no one was injured.
Cole slowed to a stop, the lights doing little to illuminate what was happening. A large pickup truck sat on the side of the road, and there was a snowmobile parked near it.
Once Cole cut the engine, I hopped off, removing my helmet as I rushed to the side of the road.
I waved my arms as I approached. “Excuse me. Do you all need help? I’m a doctor.”
Cole came up behind me, his long strides unbothered by the thick snow.
“Can we help?”
As we got closer, a person in dark clothing hopped onto the snowmobile. The engine roared, and then it took off at high speed.
My stomach twisted as I watched its taillights fade. That was odd.
“Can I help you?” a man barked as we got closer.
Cole pulled out his flashlight and shone it ahead.
Even out of uniform and with a winter hat pulled down, I recognized that face.
It was Chief Souza.
My throat tightened, and I walked faster. “Chief,” I said. “Are you hurt? We can help.”
The police chief, dressed in a thick gray ski jacket and hat, gaped, his jaw unhinged and his eyes wild.
“What are you doing out here?” he barked.
The man next to him backed up. In the dark, I couldn’t make out his features. He was shorter and leaner. He was dressed in a black snowsuit and had a small bag in his hand.
The chief stepped forward, his chest puffed out. “Go home.”
“We wanted to make sure you’re all right,” Cole asked. He was standing in front of me now, shielding me. But from what? What the hell was going on?
“I should have known it’d be a Hebert out here causing trouble,” the chief said.
The other man chuckled.
At the sound, I pushed in front of Cole and shined my light at the other man, who was inching away from us.
“Dennis?”
He squinted and shielded his eyes with a hand, but it was definitely Dennis Huxley. God, that guy had always given me the creeps. “Are you hurt?”
He trudged forward through the snow. “We’re fine. Just having a meeting.”
“On the side of the road at four a.m. during a blizzard?” Cole asked.
Dennis stared at him, saying nothing, still clutching the bag.
“Now, before things get ugly, go on home,” Chief Souza said.
Ugly? What the hell was he talking about?
“Yeah,” Dennis added, his tone strangely menacing. “This is my property. I own Mountain Meadows. I could have him arrest you for trespassing.”
I shook my head. Was the cold messing with my brain? I’d known the chief since I was in diapers, but it sure felt like he was threatening us.
The chief took off his thick gloves. In the light of our flashlights, a large wristwatch glinted, catching my attention. Then he slid his bare hand into his coat. Fuck. Was he reaching for a gun? Why did this feel so strange?
Cole pulled me behind him, his grip tight. “We were only checking to make sure no one was injured. I need to get my wife home.”
“Good idea,” Dennis snarled as Cole pulled me back toward our snowmobile.
“Listen, I’m going to drive by slowly. Can you shine the light at the truck and snowmobile? I think we’re missing something,” he whispered. “See if you can catch the license plate.”
Nodding, I slipped my helmet back on. Once we were settled and Cole was navigating past the truck, I shined the flashlight at the truck, looking at the plate and committing it to memory. The vehicle was huge and, despite the snowfall, looked new. The bed was filled with plastic storage totes covered in a dusting of snow.
I repeated the letters and numbers in my head until we got back to our cottage.
“Write it down,” Cole said as he helped me off the machine.
While he unstrapped my med bag, I ran into the house, dripping with snow, still wearing my coat and boots, and scribbled the plate number on a Post-it, my mind still buzzing.
Cole came in a minute later, his cheeks red and his eyes wide. “I need to call Parker now.”
“What was that?”
He shook his head. “Not sure, but I saw some things.”
“Did he have a gun?” I squeaked, the realization of how much danger we could have been in settling in.
He blew out a breath and tugged his hat off his head. “I think so. Did you see the watch on his wrist?”
I nodded. “It was huge. Looked really fancy.”
“Exactly,” he said, already dialing. “And he knows we saw it.”