Chapter 2
As Sheriff Micah Sutherland rounded the bend on Hollow Ridge Road, he spotted two vehicles sitting at odd angles to each other on the shoulder just ahead.
An accident? That was his best guess. The spotty cell service out here may have prevented it from being called in.
He eased his foot off the gas.
As he headed toward them, the pickup suddenly swerved back onto the road.
Sutherland flicked on his lights.
The truck continued to accelerate, gravel spraying as it cut back onto the road and sped toward him.
As the vehicle passed, he caught a glimpse of the driver’s face through the side window.
Travis Henderson.
Of course it was Travis. That man was nothing but trouble.
Micah watched him disappear around the curve. Then he shifted his attention back to the SUV still in front of him.
Was that . . . Naomi King standing beside it?
His heart quickened. It was.
And she looked shaken.
He’d deal with Travis later, he decided. He knew exactly where to find the man. Right now, he needed to check on Naomi.
He pulled in behind her SUV, parked, and stepped out.
He quickly soaked her in. Her long, brown hair fell loose around her shoulders. Her dark eyes were focused and assessing. Not guarded exactly, but alert.
As she drew in a breath, he noted her lips quivered. Her arms were pulled over her chest.
Whatever had just happened, it had left her on edge.
But at least he didn’t see any visible signs of injury.
As he stepped toward her, leaves skittered across the asphalt. The woods pressed in close on both sides, and branches rattled overhead.
He paused in front of Naomi. “You okay?”
She nodded once, but he noted how her arms were shaking. “I . . . yes. Yes, I think so.”
He scanned the scene.
It appeared that Travis’s truck had caught the rear corner of her SUV. He hadn’t hit her straight on, but angled, as if the truck had come out of the side road too fast.
Though no one was hurt, Travis should have remained at the scene.
Micah would have a serious talk with the man later. Leaving the scene of an accident was a misdemeanor at least, a felony at most.
Tension crawled up his spine. Based on what he knew so far, he didn’t like the picture forming in his mind. “Henderson did this, I assume.”
“He did. He would have hit me straight on if I hadn’t seen him and accelerated when I did.”
Micah’s back muscles clenched tighter. “You want to tell me why he took off when I came around the corner?”
“He claims this was just an accident. He said he doesn’t have insurance—that it’s a scam. That he has no money to fix this.” She rolled her eyes.
“And you don’t believe him.”
“I don’t believe a word that comes out of the man’s lips.” Her statement echoed with conviction.
Micah couldn’t blame her.
Travis Henderson wasn’t exactly an upstanding citizen.
Micah took a long look at the road.
There were no skid marks as if someone had braked hard.
Travis knew these curves. Everyone who grew up here did.
Naomi was right. This wasn’t an accident.
But exactly what was Travis trying to prove? Was he trying to scare the King family away from here? Would he really take things this far?
Micah feared he knew the answer.
He turned back to Naomi. “Did he threaten you?”
She hesitated and frowned before finally saying, “Not directly.”
Tension threaded his spine. “What did Travis say?”
“The normal spiel. That my family stole his land.” Her voice stayed steady, but he caught the tension under it. “That people around here don’t forget.”
Something cold settled in Micah’s gut.
Travis Henderson had always been trouble. He was a loudmouth with a long memory, and he had a knack for hovering just inside the line where law stopped being useful.
His whole family—which included two other brothers—was trouble.
“I know you and your family have had run-ins with him before,” Micah murmured.
“Yes, we have. We ‘run into’ him entirely more than we’d like.
He runs into me at odd times when I go into town.
It’s happened so often that it doesn’t feel coincidental anymore, if you know what I mean.
But this is the first time he’s caught me alone like this.
If you hadn’t shown up when you did . . . ”
She didn’t finish the thought.
The idea of Travis fixating on Naomi put Micah on edge in a way it shouldn’t.
Her gaze flicked down the empty stretch behind him. “Anyway, I’m so glad you came when you did. You’re an answer to prayer.”
Something about those words caused a flash of warmth to spread through his chest.
Before he could respond, a rustle sounded from the woods.
Micah’s head snapped toward the noise.
His hand went to his sidearm as he scanned the trees.
The brush shifted again, closer this time.
Was it another Henderson? Did they have another surprise waiting for Naomi?
If so, he would be ready.
“Did you hear that?” Naomi turned toward the sound, her voice squeaking higher.
“I did.” Micah stepped in front of her, putting himself between her and potential danger.
The action didn’t go unnoticed. She liked knowing that someone was watching out for her, protecting her.
She’d been doing things on her own for so long now. Though she liked being independent, sometimes it was nice to know she didn’t have to carry everything alone . . .
She braced herself for whatever trouble might be waiting just out of sight.
The bushes rattled again.
Then something pushed through the undergrowth.
A figure appeared.
A flash of pale fur blurred past.
It wasn’t a person, she realized.
It was . . . a dog.
A yellow lab dashed toward them, ribs faintly visible beneath his coat.
The animal stopped at the edge of the road and looked at them, tail low but wagging and a cautious hope in his eyes.
Naomi’s breath hitched at the sight of the animal. “Hey, buddy. Where did you come from?”
The dog took a tentative step forward.
Micah seemed to relax a fraction. “You know him?”
“No, I don’t. But he looks hungry.” She crouched slowly, palms open. “Hey, it’s okay.”
The lab padded closer and sniffed her fingers.
Naomi ran her hands gently along his neck, checking for a collar or tags. The dog leaned into her touch as if he’d been waiting for permission.
“Nothing,” she murmured. “He’s too skinny. If he had a collar, it could’ve fallen off.”
“I can contact animal control . . .”
“No, don’t do that,” Naomi said. “I’ll take him back to the rescue. Get him checked out. Give him some food and water.” The lab thumped his tail against her leg, as if voting in favor of her plan. “Hadley will be back in town in a few days, so I’ll have her take a look and see if he’s chipped.”
Hadley Chase was not only Naomi’s cousin—she was also a veterinarian. She was in the process of moving to Blue Ridge Hollow from Atlanta.
Micah nodded and straightened. “After I document the scene, I’ll follow you. I was headed to your place anyway.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Headed my way?”
“I have an update—one I’d like to tell both you and Caleb together.”
“An update on what?”
“The situation with Richard and Sissy. I’d prefer not to say anything else right now.”
In other words, she’d have to wait to hear the news.
Richard had been her oldest sister’s husband—a man who was now in prison for her murder.
Sissy Sutton was the young woman he was now “dating,” a woman who just happened to give birth to his child two days ago.
Sissy had also come to the shelter under false pretenses in order to do Richard’s dirty work for him.
Naomi nodded. “Okay then.”
“Let me check out your vehicle.” Micah walked the length of her SUV and crouched at the rear corner.
She watched as he studied the scrape where red paint streaked across the bumper. He snapped a couple of photos, checked the taillight, then straightened.
He turned back to Naomi. “Does it still start?”
“Let me try the engine.” She climbed in and turned the key.
Nothing happened.
“Pop the hood,” he told her.
She did. As she waited, the dog let out a whine before jumping in her lap.
She let out a playful grumble as the dog climbed over her and jumped into the back seat as if he owned the vehicle. She would have put a blanket down first if she’d known the dog would help himself. But he was already inside and getting settled in the back.
She didn’t have the energy—or the heart—to argue with the creature.
Besides, he was a nice distraction right now from her much heavier thoughts.
Micah fiddled under the hood a few minutes before peering back around at her. “Try again.”
This time the engine roared to life.
Relief flooded her.
“Whatever you did, it worked,” she called from the open door. “Thanks.”
He slammed the hood and walked back toward her.
“Of course.” He studied her another moment. “Any pain? Did your head hit anything? Do you feel any dizziness?”
She did a quick evaluation of herself. “No, I think I’m fine. I’m just shaken.”
“That’s normal.” He paused. “If anything changes, you get checked out. You okay to drive?”
“I think so. I’ll pull over if I feel funny.”
He glanced in the back seat at the lab. “You okay with him being back there?”
She looked over her shoulder and couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah, we’re officially BFFs now.”
Micah smiled.
Then he stepped back and waved her on.
As she pulled onto the road, her body was still on alert.
But this time she knew why.
It was because she halfway expected at any minute for Travis Henderson to appear again—and this time to accomplish what he’d set out to do.