Chapter Ten
CAM CAUGHT THE furious mother before she laid her hands on Sedona. “Whoa, there, sister. You don’t want to do that.”
“Let me go. She let my baby fall into a lion enclosure. I will kill her for that.”
“Maria,” he said sharply. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Deputy Cam Sims of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.”
The woman pointed a finger at Sedona. “You’re a cop? You should arrest her. She tried to kill my baby.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not? You arrest people, don’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am, but Sedona didn’t try to kill Julio. No one told you what happened, did they?”
She shook her head.
“A man in a hoodie grabbed Julio and threw him into the lion enclosure. Sedona and I tried to stop him, but we were too far away to intervene. Without thought for her own safety, Sedona jumped into the lion enclosure and put herself between the lion and your son. I was right behind her, so I saw everything she did. Sedona pulled Julio to safety while I distracted the lion. If it hadn’t been for her quick thinking and actions, you can just imagine what would have happened to Julio.
You owe her an enormous debt, ma’am, not threats. ”
Maria’s furious expression morphed into one of amazement as her flushed cheeks slowly returned to normal. “Why would you do that?” she asked Sedona. “Why jump into what was likely certain death?”
“He’s one of my kids,” Sedona said simply. “I love them all, and I wasn’t about to lose one of them to someone’s evil scheme.”
Julio’s mother clamped her hand over her mouth. Seconds later, tears flowed down the woman’s cheeks.
Hoping it was safe to let the weeping woman go, Cam loosened his hold on her. Immediately, she closed in on Sedona and wrapped her in a hug.
“Thank you, Miss Hart. Thank you for saving my son. My children are my entire world.”
Sedona patted her back, a bemused expression on her face. “You’re welcome.”
The exam room door opened again. Anne Marie ignored Cam and Sedona. “Julio is asking for you, Mrs. Ramirez.”
“Of course.” Maria stepped back from Sedona. “Contact me later, and I’ll give you an update about Julio’s condition.”
“Thank you.” After the mother rushed back into the examination room, Sedona turned to Cam. “Well, that was fun. Not. What’s next on our agenda of non-stop fun things to do?”
He knew what he wanted to do. If Cam had any choice in the matter, he’d spirit her away from Maple Valley to a place Sedona had never been, a place he knew was secluded enough that he could control the entrances and exits and the perimeter. If he got her there, he knew she’d be safe.
Since he wasn’t there, and he couldn’t leave the area without permission from his new boss, he’d have to make do with going back to the station for interviews. After that, though, he intended to collect on Sedona’s promise to give him answers. If he failed, David would turn Elliot loose on Sedona.
A cold sweat broke out all over his body. No sane person wanted a run-in with Elliot Montgomery. Although Sedona didn’t get it, Cam knew Elliot’s reputation. When all other avenues failed and critical information was needed, the only name to call was Elliot Montgomery.
Sedona liked the deputy, and Cam would rather not hurt their friendship. Elliot was selective about who he allowed into his circle of friends. Sedona passed all the barriers to the sacred inner circle, and Cam didn’t want to mess with that.
So he did the adult thing. “Station. The sheriff needs to interview us in greater depth. More details mean he finds the men who hurt you and Julio faster.”
Sedona grinned as she fell into step beside him. “How much did saying that hurt?”
“More than I’m willing to admit.” He stopped in front of Wilkens. “Guard them with your life, Wilkens. The kid is my buddy.”
“Yes, sir.” Wilkens moved to take up a watch position directly across from the examination room.
Cam led them down the bustling hallway again, alert in case trouble broke out. His jaw flexed. Too many entrances and exits in a hospital for principals to be secure. This hospital was no different. Just too many ways she could be at risk of retaliation.
Instead of taking Sedona to the elevator, he changed direction and took her to the door marked “Exit”.
She didn’t say a word about the odd tactic. A welcome response, but also a curious one. The more he learned about Sedona Hart, the more questions he needed answered.
They quickly descended to the garage level, where Cam checked through the window before leading Sedona into the cavernous garage. A sheriff’s SUV waited for them. Wilkens would catch a ride with someone else when he was off duty.
Wrapping his arm around Sedona’s shoulders, he started the vehicle remotely and rushed her toward the passenger side. After helping her into the SUV, Cam slid behind the steering wheel.
They drove from the garage a minute later and headed toward the Morgan County Sheriff’s office.
They remained silent most of the way. When they were five minutes from the station, Sedona twisted in her seat to face him.
He glanced at her, then covered her hand with his. “What are you thinking?”
“I thought Maria and I were friends. But she would have physically tried to hurt me if you hadn’t stopped her.”
“I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have let her do that.”
She waved that aside. “That wasn’t my concern. I’m disappointed that someone I counted as a friend could turn on me so easily without hearing my side of the story. Who does that?”
Cam snorted. “Everyone in my world.”
“Yeah? Well, they used to do that in my corner of the world. I thought I had escaped that part of my past.” She gave a sad smile. “People are the same no matter where you go.”
Cam parked in the lot at the back of the station. After unbuckling, he remained where he was, slowly scanning the area.
“Are we planning to have David interview us out here?”
“Might be more comfortable than the interrogation room.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m waiting to see if anything changes or moves out here. I think we’re safe. Let’s get you inside the station.”
Cam came around the SUV and opened her door. “Stay beside me every step of the way. Don’t stop for anything. If something happens, do exactly what I tell you without question. Ready?”
“Let’s do it.”
He helped her onto the asphalt, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and hurried toward the back door of the station. Ten feet from the building, a loud pop shattered the stillness. Shards of asphalt flew up to Cam’s right as the shots continued to come closer and closer.
With Sedona clamped to his side, he sprinted the last few feet to the door held open by Deputy Hanover.
David propped his sniper rifle in position to return fire once he located his target.
Cam’s lips curved at the corners. Good luck with that. He’d taken a couple of minutes to find a shooter and struck out. Then again, he didn’t have a scope to his eye either.
As they crossed the threshold, David pulled the trigger just once. And then the shots ceased.
“Did you get him?” Cam asked his boss.
He grunted. “I tagged him. He moved at the last second.”
“Where was he shooting from?”
“I’ve got a pretty good idea. We’ll see when I send Hanover and Carrington to check it out.” David turned back from the door. “You guys all right?”
Cam turned to Sedona and scanned her from head to toe. No blood anywhere. “Well, Tiger?”
“I’m fine except for the shakes.”
“Adrenaline dump. It will pass.”
“What about you, Cam?” David asked.
“I’m good, sir.”
A nod from David, then he motioned for them to follow him. Soon, they trailed the sheriff into his office where he locked his sniper rifle into his gun safe, then gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. “Take a seat.”
“Aren’t we going to the interrogation room?” Cam knew that’s where he’d intended to take them.
“That depends on Sedona. If she spills whatever she knows voluntarily, we’ll stay in decent comfort. If she holds back, we’ll go to the interrogation room and wait for Elliot.” He bared his teeth in a fake smile. “However long it takes for him to finish what I assigned him to do.”
They’d be waiting a long time for the sheriff’s brother, and on top of that they’d have to endure a long interrogation, too. Great. David knew how to hit where it hurt the most.
Cam’s vision of a long, intimate dinner at the steakhouse faded to a mere shadow of its former glory.
He wanted badly to have that date with Sedona.
He also wanted, no, needed, that conversation where he learned things about her that no one else knew.
That’s the level of intimacy Cam dreamed of having with this woman.
David cleared his throat, staring pointedly at him.
Oh, man. He knew that look. Trouble was his middle name today. He closed his eyes briefly, then manned up. “Sorry. I was distracted.”
“No kidding.”
Cam swallowed hard. “It won’t happen again.”
“Better not, Deputy. If it does, you will work nights until you’re ready for retirement. Am I making myself clear?”
“As glass, sir.”
“Report from the hospital on Julio?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
David’s eyes blazed. “I better not have heard that right, Sims.”
“I was driving, sir. No texting while driving. Sedona messaged Maria.”
The other man narrowed his eyes, then turned his gaze on Sedona. “Report. Now.”
“Julio is going to be fine. He has a couple of cracked ribs and a sprained wrist. Otherwise, he’s perfect.”
Relief flooded Cam. What great news! He feared his buddy had internal injuries. To find out that he didn’t have serious injuries was the best thing Cam had heard in a long time.
David dropped into his chair and leaned his head back. “Thank God. I thought he would be in the operating room right now.”
“Same. When can we expect Elliot?”
“In the next thirty minutes. Tell me what you want for lunch, and we’ll have it delivered.”
Cam turned to Sedona. “This does not substitute for our date tonight. I want that understood before we order.”
She laughed. “Got it.”
“Good. Now, what would you like for lunch?”
Sedona shrugged. “I’m not picky. A cheeseburger and fries works for me if a vanilla shake comes with them.”
That sounded good to him, too. “Two cheeseburgers with the works, fries, and two vanilla shakes.”
“That sounds good to me, too.” He walked to his office door. “Esther, I have a lunch order for you to call in.”
While he and his assistant talked about food, Cam turned toward Sedona. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, and her lips chattered. He tugged her gently to her feet and pulled her into his arms.
She moaned. “Oh, man. You’re warm. That’s it, Cam. I’m claiming you and your body heat for my own.”
He chuckled and tightened his grip on her. “Guess I’ll have to stay close so you can collect.”
A moment later, David returned and pulled up short. “Got something to tell me, Sims?”
“We’re dating, sir.”
“Is that right? How long has this relationship been going on?”
Cam glanced at his watch. “About four hours.”
“And you both jumped into a lion enclosure minutes after you got together?”
“Yes, sir.”
“First, you’re both nuts for doing that. Second, congratulations on the relationship. Third, if you do anything to hurt Sedona, you’ll be a kitty treat. I will personally lock you in that lion enclosure and make sure Sedona isn’t there to rescue you. Am I clear, Sims?”
“Absolutely, sir.”
“Good, because I’d hate to lose my new deputy because of his own foolishness.”
“Copy that, sir.”
“If you can let go of the lady long enough, take a seat.”
“She’s cold, David. Adrenaline dump.”
“Ah. Hold on a second.” The sheriff left the office and returned a moment later with a blanket, which he handed to Cam. “This should help.”
He wrapped the blanket around Sedona, then pulled her back into his embrace. “Give me a couple of minutes, David.”
His boss’ eyebrows soared. “This is my office.”
“Have a heart, sir.” For his sake, if not for Sedona’s.
The sheriff rolled his eyes. “You have two minutes to the second, Sims. Make good use of them.”
“Copy that, sir.”
Cam eased Sedona even closer and coasted his hand up and down her back until he felt her muscles relax. “Better?” he murmured.
“Oh, yes. I wish I had an internal heater like you seem to have.”
“You’re welcome to indulge in my hugs anytime you want.”
After a brisk knock, David stepped back into his office and sat in his chair. “Take a seat, please.” He grabbed his notebook and pen. “Let’s begin.”
For the next two hours, David grilled Sedona, taking her through her escape from the kidnappers several more times, including any reference to Simpson. Although he poked and prodded her memory of events when she was kidnapped, David got nowhere. That knowledge was a black hole in her memory.
That worried Cam. Why did she have a gap in her memory? She’d complained of a headache but little else. He scowled. But he’d seen bruises on her face and the telltale bruises on her neck. One of those bozos had put his hands around her neck and choked her. He wouldn’t forget that.
When David was satisfied that he’d gleaned every scrap of information Sedona could remember, he turned his attention to Cam. He grinned. “Your turn for the fun.”
“Yeah. Fun times.” Cam sighed. “Let’s do this.”
They reviewed every detail over and over until Cam was on the verge of telling off his new boss, which wouldn’t have been a wise move.
He needed to get Sedona out of the station and to his safe place.
“What do you think, sir? Were the two incidents a coincidence, or are we looking at something much more serious?”
“You know the answer to that question.”
Cam swallowed hard. “I was hoping you’d tell me I’m wrong.”
“Sorry, my friend. You’re not.”
Both men looked at Sedona.
“What?” she asked, looking from one man to the other.
“Anything different happen in the past few days?”
She opened her mouth to speak, stopped, and frowned instead.
“Sedona?” Cam covered her hand with his. He deliberately kept his voice low and soothing. “What is it? Do you remember anything?”
“I remember nothing, but I feel like I should remember an incident, like something happened, and it’s important that I tell you what it is. But there’s this black hole where a memory should be. I need to tell you something, but I can’t remember what.”