Chapter 8
EIGHT
“Watch out. There’s a truck up ahead on your right.” Kianna’s fingers cramped, and she loosened her grip on the door handle. Her chest tightened. Just breathe. Keep us safe, Lord. The seconds ticked by like hours without any sign of the squall letting up.
The snow had come with fury. Kianna squinted, but her effort was in vain. Visibility was minimal.
Cole eased up on the gas and turned on the four-way flashers. “I don’t want to pull off and be a sitting duck.”
“Just keep moving, I suppose.” Kianna offered a smile, but she was pretty sure it came out strained.
“Just keep moving,” Cole said in a singsong voice.
A genuine smile formed on her lips. He had a way of easing her nerves. And the image of the famous animated fish repeating her mantra almost took her focus off the situation at hand.
Titan whined from the back seat.
“It’s okay, Tite.” Cole glanced in the rearview.
The windshield wipers whizzed back and forth, but they did nothing to clear away the haze of snow that continued to swirl straight toward them.
Red lights appeared in front of them, and Cole hit the brakes to keep a bigger distance between the two cars.
While there were a few reasons she wasn’t a fan of the holidays, winter storms certainly topped the list. “And this is why I prefer sun and sand.” She rubbed her fingers along the glass, as if that would clear the hazy window.
“You and me both.” A muscle in Cole’s jaw twitched, his back straight, eyes continually shifting between the mirror and the front windshield. “I can barely see someone until I’m on their tail.”
Kianna leaned forward. The heat from the vents blew against her cheeks.
“Those lights behind us are getting close.” She wanted to slide into the driver’s seat and take the wheel.
At least then she would feel like she was being productive.
She blinked, and the blur of red in front of them approached quicker.
“Hang on.” Cole twisted his body to check the oncoming traffic as he prepared to veer into the left lane.
Except it was too late.
The impact jerked Kianna forward before her seat belt locked, forcing her body back against the seat. Metal screeched. “Cole!”
The car careened forward.
A horn blared next to them. Titan barked.
Everything blurred around them, and Kianna’s head swam, her eyes unable to focus.
Cole hit the brakes, and the tires slid over the wet snow. “I can’t see who’s in front of me.” He grunted. The vehicle bounced, trying to gain traction. Kianna still couldn’t make anything out against the gray-and-white swirling snow.
The front bumper collided with something, then the car came to a halt. But the vehicle’s antitheft alarm blared.
Each beat of the alarm pulsed through her head, and Kianna plugged her ears with her shaking fingers. Smoke rose in front of her. Or was it snow? Her eyes had a hard time focusing. She needed to undo her seatbelt and get out of the car.
Titan’s barking added to the deafening noise.
Cole turned to her. His mouth moved, but she couldn’t make out what he said.
“What?” She took her finger away from her left ear.
“Are you okay?” he shouted. His face glowed from the interior overhead light.
“I think so.” She swallowed, trying to still the quiver in her voice.
Cole’s eyes scanned her from head to toe.
“You?”
He pinched his lips but nodded. Titan whimpered from his place in the back seat kennel.
Cole turned and locked eyes with Titan. “It’s okay, bud. We’re fine.” He practically shouted over the alarm that still hadn’t ceased. The impact must have triggered something under the hood of the car. “Can you get out?” Cole turned to her.
Kianna gave him a thumbs-up, then pushed open the door. A blast of cold air and snow pelted her face, and she lowered her head. The motion sent a wave of pain down her neck, and she winced. She swung her legs out, but her upper body wouldn’t move.
Right. The seat belt. She leaned back in and unlatched the mechanism, then slid out.
Glass crunched under her shoes.
Cole and Titan were already out and along the shoulder. The dog still barked, attempting to raise his voice over the incessant alarm.
The hood of the car was bent up and in, and a spiderweb of cracks lined the windshield.
Kianna cupped her hands around her mouth. “That was a close call.”
“I don’t even want to think about it.” Cole shook his head and peered over the dented guardrail.
“We should go make sure the other people are okay.” Kianna pointed behind her, then lifted her hand to shield her face.
A rush of wind greeted them while another car drove past and, in a second, disappeared into the vortex of snowflakes.
Cole had Titan on his leash, and they backtracked to the car that had rear-ended them.
A middle-aged man with black hair stood by the driver’s side of his sedan along the shoulder, his phone held in the air.
“Are you okay, sir?” Kianna stepped over, Cole right beside her. “I’m a paramedic.”
“I’m fine.” The man’s tone remained neutral.
Was he okay, or was that how his body was coping with the shock of the accident? Kianna stared at him. There were no visible signs of injury, but it was hard to tell when everything except his head was covered in winter apparel.
Cole stepped forward and inspected the dents on the car. The hood was sunken on the right side, but that was the extent of the damage. “My name’s Cole Stuart. This is my K-9 dog, Titan.”
“I’m Kianna Russell.” She extended her hand, and the man reciprocated with a firm shake.
“I’m Jack. I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but given the circumstances, not so much.
And to think I hit an officer.” He grimaced.
“This storm is nasty. Didn’t even see you until I was right on top of ya.
” Jack shuffled his feet and gulped. “Is your car okay, sir? I’ll give you my insurance. Anything. Whatever you need.”
“I’ll get it towed,” Cole said. “Let’s worry about paperwork when we get somewhere warm.”
“I’ll call the station. See if Bryce or Trace can come get us.” Kianna pulled out her phone.
“Won’t do much good. Doesn’t seem to be any service.” The man scoffed.
Kianna frowned. “Must be a downed power line.”
“I can give you a ride into town. Where were you headed?”
“You can drop us off at the police department.” Cole frowned. “I need to get in touch with my supervisors.”
Jack nodded. “Sure thing.”
Kianna slid to the far right side of the car, then Titan bounded in. “Hey there.” Kianna chuckled. The dog nuzzled her leg and sat on his haunches on the floor.
“He sure likes you.” Cole squeezed in next to them and shut the door, his arm brushing against hers.
Kianna smiled, even as heat crept into her cheeks. It was already ten degrees warmer in the cramped space. What was that saying? The way to a man’s heart was through his stomach.
Titan’s tail wagged.
In this case, it would be through his dog.
Jack started his car, then eased onto the road.
Kianna stared out the window. The snow was still falling, but she could make out the road now.
She might dream of being swept off her feet in the midst of snowflakes swirling and sparkling around her. But today reminded her that those breathless moments only happened in the movies.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the police department.
Kianna sat in the waiting vestibule by herself while Cole talked with Jack and got paperwork filed for the accident.
She held a steaming cup of coffee in her hands that the receptionist, Jules, had been nice enough to get her. Even Titan had been attended to and was lapping up food and water near Allen Frees and Victoria Drake, the town liaisons, who stood next to one of the cubicles, talking with Ramble.
Kianna blew on her drink and took a sip.
Picture frames lined the wall in front of her, giving accolades to different officers who’d helped save the day over the years.
Phones and pagers rang every few minutes while officers popped in and out of different rooms.
She’d pulled out her phone to check the weather forecast when footsteps and panting stole her attention.
Cole and Titan made their way over. Cole sat down in the chair next to her, a frown on his face, while Titan remained on guard in front of him.
“You okay?” Kianna scrunched her brow. Through the window, the snow seemed to be letting up a bit, and Kianna could make out the brick building and the faux green shrubbery of the Italian restaurant across the street.
“It’s been a long day. I think you should go home and get some rest. I’ll get the officers up to speed and take care of things.”
Kianna bit down on her lip. Just like that, he was going to dismiss her?
After all they’d already been through—her literally saving him after his fall down the embankment, then surviving a car crash.
“I thought we were working together on this.” She stared at him.
Her mouth hung open, but she didn’t care.
“It’s too dangerous. You could have been hurt. Even killed. I can’t put your life in jeopardy again.” Cole’s jaw twitched.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Kianna rubbed the base of her neck. The knot there sent more pain radiating through her head. She had been injured thanks to whiplash, but she wouldn’t tell him that. It would only prove his point. “You could have gotten hurt too.”
“That’s different.” Cole crossed his arms. “I won’t be responsible for something happening to you.”
“You aren’t. I am.” Kianna folded her arms too.
“I can help you.” She didn’t want to lose her chance at helping put Mackey away.
Never mind she wasn’t an officer. This case was personal to her, and she wanted to see it through.
“You said it yourself. I think like an officer. I thought we made a good team.”
A flash of regret filled Cole’s eyes. He dropped his right arm and pointed to Titan. “You were wrong. I already have a partner.”
A pit grew in her abdomen. She blinked a few times. Tears threatened to brim along her lash line, but she refused to welcome them.
She wanted justice as much as he did. For Jaxon and every other person Mackey had victimized.
“I thought you had my back.” She narrowed her gaze. At least she’d had his.
“I do.” He propped his arms on his knees and leaned forward. His biceps protruded, and Kianna shifted her focus. His eyes softened, the creases disappearing. The way he tilted his head drew Kianna in. All that remained was…compassion? Pity?
How had she been so naive? She’d started this search with Cole to stop Mackey. And along the way, she’d let her heart do the one thing that was off-limits.
Any feelings she’d let herself grow for this man began to melt faster than the snow squall letting up outside.
“Your determination makes you good at your job. That’s what you need to focus on. Leave Mackey to me and my team.” Cole stood and tugged on Titan’s leash.
Kianna refused to let him look down on her. She stretched to her full height. “So I’m just a civilian. Whose life also happens to be at stake with a convict on the loose.”
Cole opened his mouth, then clamped it shut. A muscle in his neck bulged. “The more time I spend here, the less time I have to make sure Mackey doesn’t stay out there for good.”
Kianna sighed. The inflection in his tone said it all. The way he’d enunciated I. She and Cole were merely two individuals whose paths had crossed because of their fields of work. And she’d built up false expectations for what that meant—both professionally and personally.
“What about the Tiny Paws shelter?” she asked, knowing it was a vain attempt. Still, she had to try. Like she didn’t want to believe he’d been completely honest the first time he’d said no.
“The adopt-a-pet event is canceled.” A woman’s voice came from behind Kianna, and she jumped. “They just announced the change.”
Kianna turned.
Victoria. She wore a dark-blue sweater dress with a white scarf draped around her neck. Her brown hair was curled, and her red lipstick sealed the outfit.
Warmth snaked its way up Kianna’s neck. How long had the woman been standing there? Had she heard their whole conversation?
“Good call,” Cole said. “The roads are terrible.”
Titan whimpered next to him.
“Titan.” Victoria scrunched her nose. “I need to get going.” She waved her phone. “Duty calls.”
Allen Frees wheeled his way over to them.
“Hey, Frees,” Cole waved.
“Stuart.” Frees stilled his hand on the wheelchair. “Any new leads on Mackey?”
“I hope so. Planning to catch up with Basuto and Donaldson right after I drop Kianna off.”
“Ah. Well, don’t let me hold you. Mackey isn’t going to wait around either.” He rolled around to the front desk.
Titan whined like he knew who they were talking about.
Kianna sucked in a breath. Nothing like adding salt to her already exposed wound.
Cole put on his jacket, so Kianna followed suit. He ushered her outside, then they climbed into his Blazer.
“What’s your address?” Cole shifted the car into Drive and pulled onto the road. The weather had changed to a slight snowfall, and light peeked ever so slightly through the afternoon clouds.
“128 Hillview Circle.” Nausea swirled in her stomach with each passing minute that hastened their arrival at her house. Her time helping on the case was coming to a close, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
When he pulled up to her house, she grabbed her purse and reached for the handle.
Cole shifted the vehicle into Park. “Thanks for everything.”
She shut her eyes for a moment, her back to him. She needed to gain composure, or she’d make a snide remark. After a few seconds, she shifted to face him. “Stay safe. You too, Titan.”
The dog sat up on the seat and wagged his tail.
At least one of them still wanted her around.
She got out of the car and headed inside.
She needed to get some rest. Cole was right about that.
But he’d been wrong about pushing away her help.
She pulled back the curtain and peered out the window.
Except it was too late.
The car turned past the corner.
Her chance to rectify the injustice of Jaxon’s killer walking free disappeared. Along with any hope of a possible romance with Cole.
He’d just driven out of her life.