Chapter 14
BLAKE
Santiago must have been a racecar driver in another life because we’re at the crash site in minutes despite the icy roads and falling snow. We pull up to find the ambulance, deputies, and fire department are already on the scene.
I’m out of the cab and running through the snow before Santiago can even put his truck in park.
I don’t know where I’m going. All I know is that I have to find him.
“Walk!” I shout, scanning the chaos for his signature hat.
The first responder right next to me reaches for my shoulder as he says, “Miss, you need to get back in your car.”
Maneuvering away, I avoid his touch. “Where is Walker Maddox?”
“Miss…” he tries again.
“Don’t you dare tell me to leave. I’m not leaving until I know he’s okay,” I state firmly.
He crosses his arms. “You can’t be here.”
“Listen, buddy,” I rest my hands on my hips and stare him down, even though he’s a whole head taller than me. “A SWAT team wouldn’t be able to move me, so you sure as hell aren’t either. I’m going to ask one more time before I release my inner bitch. Where the fuck is Walker Maddox?”
A hand lands on my arm. “She’s with me, Johnson.”
“Keep her on leash, Harding,” Johnson warns.
Levi drags me away, directing me toward the ambulance as we leave the stick in the mud. Behind us, I hear someone say, in a voice that suspiciously sounds like Santiago, “Talk to her like that again…”
We move too far away for me to hear the rest, and I forget all about it when I finally lay my eyes on Walker.
My stomach drops.
There’s a huge gash along his hairline and a sizable bruise on the left side of his jaw. There isn’t an inch of visible skin that isn’t scraped, cut, or bruised.
He made good on his threat. He tried to hurt Walker. He almost killed him.
When Walker spots me, his shoulders lose a bit of their tension. I’m up and in the ambulance with him, disregarding the lack of space. He opens his arms just in time to catch me.
I bury my face in his shoulder, breathing in his presence.
He’s here. He’s alive.
I repeat those simple truths, waiting for them to sink in.
Walker rubs circles on my back while his other hand holds the back of my head. “I’m okay, Baby Girl.”
“You better be,” I mutter into his shirt. When I tighten my grip, I feel him flinch as he grunts. I pull back like I was burned. “You’re not okay,” I accuse.
“He has a broken rib,” the EMT I didn’t notice before says.
“Don’t lie to me,” I scold Walker.
“I won’t if you won’t.” Walker’s insinuation lands, but I manage not to let it show.
When I keep my lips sealed, Hudson, the EMT, continues to patch up Walker, and I hover. Santiago joins Levi at the open doors, observing the first aid. They both keep a straight face, but there’s no mistaking their relief.
Poor guy has to deal with a grumpy over-grown baby. Hudson rambles as he works, which is how I find out that he just passed his EMT exam, and his reward is Walker.
“I told you. I’m fine. I don’t need stitches,” Walker grates out from his spot on the gurney, pushing Hudson’s hands away from the gash on his forearm.
Hudson sighs, a needle and thread in his hands. “Sheriff, I’m just trying to do my job.”
“I understand that, but I’m telling you, there’s nothing wrong with me,” Walker argues.
Sitting on the thin cushion next to Walker, I scoff, then gesture to the plethora of scrapes, cuts, and bruises.
“You know my mom would kill me if I wasn’t thorough,” Hudson pleads with his bright green eyes.
Walker shakes his head. “Jolene wouldn’t even think of it. You’re her only child.”
“Maybe, but she’d maim me real good, and I’d rather not go through that,” Hudson argues back.
“Just let the boy do his job, Walk,” Levi demands with his mouth quirked in annoyance. “You can’t do your job when half of your body is broken, let alone when you’re bleeding all over the place.”
Walker glares at Levi, unwilling to admit that he’s right. He waves his hand at his injured arm, giving Hudson the go-ahead to continue.
Hudson beams a triumphant smile in my direction. “Thanks, Harding.” With the green light, Hudson stitches up the cut.
Walker doesn’t flinch or wince once, and he refuses to let Hudson numb the area. I study Walker’s face the entire time, waiting to jump in and help, but I hold myself back. Hudson steps out after he has Walker looking like he’s close to being mummified.
Walker finally seems to let some of the exhaustion slip in.
“What happened?” I ask.
Walker answers, “Someone tried to run me off the road.”
“Tried?” My voice rises an octave, conveying my outrage at Walker’s attempt to downplay the situation.
“It looks like they were successful,” Levi mutters.
I huff in frustration as I reach for an alcohol wipe and start to clean off some of the dried blood on Walker’s cheek. Walker’s fists loosen, and he sinks backward, leaning against the wall of the ambulance.
“You don’t need to baby me,” he disputes in a low voice, his objection only meant for me.
I snag another wipe and gently swab along his jawline, avoiding the bruise there. “You’d do the same thing if our roles were reversed.”
Walker’s fingers wrap around my wrist, but he doesn’t push me away. Memorizing the warmth of his skin on mine, my heart clenches in my chest.
My eyes meet his aqua gaze, and my breath catches. Even sitting, he’s still taller than me. Peering down at me, his attention flicks to my lips.
“How’re you doing?”
The question at my back causes us to jump apart, neither of us realizing we had drifted closer together.
Deputy McCreedy waits wedged between Levi and Santiago to talk to Walker. Her muscles flick angrily in her jaw as she sneers at me.
“Fine,” Walker answers. “Did you finish with the scene?” His tone is mechanical, lacking the warmth of hers.
Tessa’s glare softens as her attention switches to Walker. “Ridge is—”
Walker stays in sheriff mode. “You have seniority, Tessa. He shouldn’t be alone.
” He reaches for his shirt, fastening each button.
“When you’re done gathering the evidence, send it off to the lab in Jackson.
You should be able to pull paint samples from my truck, where the other driver hit me.
From there, we should be able to narrow down the make and model. ”
Tessa schools her features, acting as if she’s unaffected by the reprimand. “On it, boss.” Before she leaves, her eyes narrow on how close Walker and I are sitting. Her nostrils flare as she stomps away.
Santiago and Levi share a look. I have zero clue what it means, but they seem highly amused by whatever thought was passed between them.
When they face Walker and me again, their somber mood returns. Levi steps an inch closer. “Did you get a look at the driver or the car?”
Reaching for his jacket, Walker finishes with his shirt. “Are you interrogating me?”
“Yeah. Get over it,” Levi retorts.
“We were deputized, remember?” Santiago pulls his coat aside and points to a badge clipped to his belt.
Walker sighs, rising to his feet. “Yep. Regretting it.”
He can’t stand to his full height and has to do a bulky shuffle until he’s able to hop down from the ambulance. Santiago and Levi step back to make room for him, and I follow behind.
Walker finally sees the badge and rears his head back. “Where did you get that?”
“Jolene gave it to me,” Santiago responds proudly.
“Of course she did.” Walker rubs his eyes with his hand, then looks to Levi. “Do you have one too?”
Levi just nods, a gleam of mischievous satisfaction in his eyes.
“You two were deputized? When?” I ask, stepping around Walker.
“A while ago.” Levi waves like it’s an everyday occurrence.
“The car?” Santiago prompts Walker again.
Walker answers like it’s second nature. “Black lifted truck. Couldn’t make out the license plate. Tinted windows.”
“Anyone who might want you dead?”
Santiago’s question pulls all the air from my lungs, and my pulse turns hard and quick in my throat.
“I’m the sheriff. Plenty of people are angry with me.” Walker’s eyebrows arch high, mocking Santiago.
There’s one person in particular…but I still don’t know their name.
Levi amends the question. “But how many would actually make an attempt on your life?”
“Who knows?” The corners of Walker’s mouth pinch. “That’s enough with the questions.” He moves to leave, pushing between Levi and Santiago.
Levi’s hand on Walker’s shoulder stops the escape. “If this were anyone else, you wouldn’t stop interrogating until you got what you want. Santiago got in two questions.”
Walker’s expression shutters minutely as he takes a breath. “That’s two more than anyone else would’ve gotten.”
I dart around the three of them, moving in front of Walker with my hands raised, signaling him to stop. “How can we help?”
Walker points a finger at me like I’m a disobedient child. “You need to go back to Moose Gap Lodge. I don’t want you anywhere near this.”
“I’m a big girl. I can make my own choices.” My arms fold across my chest, and the heels of my boots dig into the ground.
Walker bends, getting in my face. “If you try to help, I’ll arrest you for impeding an investigation.”
My teeth grind together. “Is that your only solution? I piss you off, so you arrest me. Sounds like a childish game, don’t you think?” I use his own words against him.
The muscles in Walker’s jaw tighten as he grits his teeth.
“Butterfly, he’s right,” Levi chimes in, crowding me from the side.
My head flinches as if I was just slapped. “Excuse me?”
“You can wait at my place,” Santiago proposes, approaching the other side. The whisper of space between the four of us charges, ready to blow.
“I’m good. I know when I’m not wanted.” My response is for Santiago, but I don’t take my eyes off Walker.
We seem to end up here every time we’re around each other—trying to wear the other down with a glare. And I’m tired of it.
Giving them my back, I march heavily in the opposite direction.
“Wait.” Santiago calls after me, but I don’t slow down.
The next moment, I’m flanked on either side by Levi and Santiago. They each easily keep pace with me and my long strides.
“What?” I snap at them. My tone is probably too harsh, but I’m too frustrated to care.
They don’t know why I need to be involved, and I shouldn’t hold that against them. But with progress running a deficit, I want to scream.
“You don’t have your car. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s still in the Timberline parking lot,” Santiago points out, and my cheeks heat as I remember why my car is at the bar.
Clearing my throat, I respond brusquely, “I’ll walk.”
I don’t actually want to walk, but I’m too angry and too embarrassed.
“Don’t be stubborn, mi Cielo,” Santiago reproves and grips my elbow, bringing my tromping to a grinding halt.
“I’ll give you a ride,” Levi offers.
Santiago’s hold on my elbow doesn’t let up.
They’re not going to let me leave here on foot.
“Fine,” I concede.
I’ll do what they want…for now. They can’t hover over me incessantly. As soon as Levi’s gone, it’s back to continuing my own investigation.
Whatever it takes.