29
There she is.
As he waited next to the deputy, Ollie’s lungs tightened at the sight of Emma walking his way with Truman.
When Ollie had stopped by the police station looking for Truman, Lucas had told him about the discovery at Emma’s former home.
And that Emma had been the one to find it—along with Rowan and Thor.
She glanced at Ollie, and he held her gaze. Her lips lifted in a weak smile. “Hey, Ollie.”
“What happened?” He was proud he’d said it calmly when it felt as if rabbits were jumping under his skin.
She glanced down, and Truman spoke. “Thor might have found a shallow grave. We’re waiting for a forensics crew. Could be a couple hours. Maybe you could drive Emma home?”
“I can drive. My car is here,” said Emma.
“And pinned in by four other vehicles,” said Truman. “Give me the keys, and I’ll make sure it gets back to your house.”
She hesitated and Ollie thought she was about to argue, but she handed over the keys. “I don’t see Noelle’s truck,” she said. “Maybe she can drive it home.”
“Good idea,” said Truman. “I’ll see you two later.” He lifted a brow at Ollie and then headed back toward the property.
He wants me to get her out of here.
Assignment accepted.
“You okay?” he asked. “I know you didn’t feel good after the movie.”
She grimaced. “Sorry about that. I know I took off abruptly, but yeah, I wasn’t feeling well.” She glanced toward the deputy, who’d stepped away. “While watching the movie, my brain got hooked on something, and I couldn’t let it go.”
“What do you mean?” asked Ollie.
Is she saying she doesn’t want to go out anymore?
“You know about my mom’s history. Well, during the movie’s funeral scene, I suddenly wondered if my father had buried her on our property after he killed her.”
Ollie froze, stunned. “You came out here with Rowan and Thor to look? You truly believe he killed her?”
No wonder she wasn’t talking much.
Emma sighed. “I don’t know what to believe.” Her voice cracked, and she buried her face in her hands. Ollie immediately hugged her.
“It’s going to be okay,” he said.
Not helpful words, dude.
“Don’t get hung up on an idea until you have some facts,” he said. “That’s exhausting.”
A little better.
Her arms slipped around his waist, and she rested her head against his shoulder. “Thank you. I keep telling myself that. But my mind goes there anyway.”
He silently sniffed. She smelled like sugar cookies. Sort of a fresh vanilla scent.
“No problem.” He searched for something more useful to say. “I’ll drive you home. We can watch a movie or something.”
“Okay.” She stepped back and wiped her eyes. He immediately missed her warmth.
A minute later they were in his old truck and headed down the rough road back to the highway.
“Ollie, I don’t want to go home yet.”
“I don’t think they believe you should hang around this place,” he said slowly.
“I know. And they’re probably right. But I don’t want to go sit at home and just wait and wait and obsess about it. Even a movie won’t help.”
“I’ll keep you distracted.” He tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “With a game or something, I mean.”
Idiot.
She didn’t seem to notice his slip. “I need to go for a walk or a hike or something. Work some energy off,” she said. “Not sit around.”
He brightened. “Let’s do that. I know a great place not far from here for a long hike. Has great views.”
“Perfect.”
Instead of turning in the direction of Noelle’s home on the rural highway, he turned the opposite way and estimated it’d take about twenty minutes to get to the trailhead.
He reached over and took her hand, offering a smile and appreciating how soft her skin felt against his. She tightened her hand on his and tentatively smiled back. “Thank you for this idea, Ollie. I’m glad you understand me.”
“Doesn’t Noelle understand you?” He focused on the road, but inside he was puffing up with happiness.
Emma tilted her head to one side, her forehead wrinkling as she thought. “Noelle is amazing. She does understand, but I can tell she feels the need to protect me from some of what has been happening lately. She did not want me sticking around today.”
“I agree with her about that,” said Ollie.
“I’m not a kid,” she argued.
“You’re not,” said Ollie. “But I have to tell you . . . I’ve found dead bodies. Both skeletal and relatively recent. It’s horrible. You never get those images out of your brain, and it’s not something you want someone else to experience.”
“I found one a few months ago. And you’re right that I’ll never get the sight out of my head. I’ll probably remember that until I die.”
I’m an ass.
“I’m sorry, Emma. I forgot about that. I didn’t mean to sound like a pompous jerk.” He glanced her way. She was staring straight ahead.
“You didn’t. I get what you and Noelle are trying to do. Those remains might be my mother, which would make the sight a million times worse. People shouldn’t see family like that.”
“You know I saw Kaylie get shot, right?” He immediately kicked himself for blurting that. He’d meant to steer the conversation away from bodies, but he’d stupidly made it worse—for himself, anyway. Watching Kaylie collapse had been one of the worst moments of his life.
“What? No!” Her grip strangled his hand. “I’ve never heard—”
“What the fuck?” Ollie muttered, his gaze locked on his rearview mirror as a vehicle approached at high speed.
Ollie took his foot off the accelerator so it could pass more easily.
The vehicle didn’t slow as it came too close for comfort behind him before it swerved into the other lane and flew past them, giving him a brief glimpse of the back of a black Ford Expedition.
“He’s got to be going nearly a hundred,” said Ollie. “Jackass!”
“I saw that SUV when we turned onto the highway,” said Emma. “It was parked on the shoulder. I think it’s one of the deputies or something.”
“No logo or lights on it,” said Ollie. “I guess it could be an unmarked car. Drove like a jerk, though.”
“Now, what’s this about Kaylie being shot?” Emma turned toward him, dread in her voice.
Ollie sighed. “It happened in front of the FBI office. She’d borrowed a jacket from Mercy, and someone thought they’d shoot Mercy to stop an investigation. But it was Kaylie.”
“That’s horrible!” Her mouth fell open.
“Tell me about it. I was the first one to get to her as she lay bleeding on the ground. I was fully convinced she was going to die.”
“She’s never mentioned it. I can’t believe this!”
“Please don’t bring it up. It took her a long time to get past it both physically and emotionally.”
“I won’t. I promise. I’m sure it was very hard on you too.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry you went through that.”
“I was the lucky one,” he said softly. He swallowed hard. The memory would sometimes pop up unexpectedly, destroying his sleep in the middle of the night or ruining his dinner as he sat across the table from Kaylie.
He yanked his hand out of Emma’s and grabbed the steering wheel. He’d just driven around a curve, and someone was in his lane, driving straight at them.
“Watch out!” shrieked Emma.
Ollie hit his brakes, but he knew his old heavy truck wouldn’t stop in time if the person didn’t get out of the way.
It’s that black Expedition.
He’s not moving out of my lane.
Still braking, Ollie veered into the other lane, but the SUV did the same.
He wants to hit me.
In a split-second decision, Ollie yanked his steering wheel farther to the left and felt his wheels go off the road, his truck lurching and jolting as he practically stood on the brake pedal. The stink of scorched rubber filled the cab.
“Hang on!”
The truck’s wheels sank into the soft shoulder, and the momentum flung them left toward the steep bank.
We’re gonna roll!
The vehicle tumbled down the long bank, and glass shattered as trees battered his door.
“Ollie!” Emma screamed, trying to hang on.
Her bag flew through the air, slamming into his cheek.
The world whirling in front of him, his seat belt dug into his torso as he spun, and he nearly puked.
A glimpse of Emma’s arms in the air. Dirt, gravel, sagebrush.
Flying glass. Then the truck lurched and dropped straight down several feet.
It landed on its roof, making an earsplitting, dreadful metallic sound, and something hit his head.
Emma?
His vision abruptly tunneled.
Black.