Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Garrett had never felt so helpless in his life.
He switched on the wipers at a lower speed now that the rain had slowed to a calm drizzle. There was nothing calm about the storm churning inside him. He had to shake out each hand from clutching the steering wheel.
The sight of Madison’s SUV tilted in the ditch would stay with him forever—headlights crooked, hazard lights blinking like a frantic pulse in the dark.
He followed close behind the ambulance. Its lights pulsated but there was no siren.
Her being run off the road was his fault. If he had refused to let her take care of the inspection payment at City Hall, she wouldn’t have gotten caught up in the town corruption. He ran his hand through his hair and down his face, his nervous energy threatening to swallow him up.
Someone was gunning for Madison because she was too stubborn to back off.
Part of him admired her tenacity; the other part wanted to wrap her up and never let her go.
Keep her somewhere safe, somewhere nothing and no one could touch her.
He should be protecting her from danger, not allowing her to run toward it.
They arrived at the emergency room entrance, and he parked and walked inside, his clothes soaked, his shoes squeaking on the tile floor.
He approached the admittance desk. “I’m here to see Madison Mitchell, she was just brought in by ambulance.
I need to see her.” His voice sounded steadier than he felt.
The attendant glanced at her computer. “Let me check on her, and I’ll find you in a few minutes.” She pointed to the bank of chairs behind him. “Wait there. I’ll be back.”
A few people waited, but no one he recognized. One guy clutched his thumb, and Garrett noticed an unforgiving fishhook buried into his flesh. He grimaced. “I’ve been there,” he said to the man, who he thought might be a tourist.
The man grunted out an acknowledgment and stood to follow a nurse back to the treatment rooms.
Garrett couldn’t sit. He needed to move. If he stopped, the image of Madison in that ditch would catch up to him. He wasn’t sure he could outrun it. Thirty minutes had passed and still no word. Chloe entered through the automatic glass doors, carrying a tote bag.
“Hey, Garrett.”
“Chloe? What are you doing here?”
She handed him the bag. “Dry clothes and shoes. Nick said you’re soaked to the bone.”
“Thanks.” His voice came out rough.
“How’s Madison doing?”
“I’m still waiting to hear.”
“Hey, Chloe!” The attendant approached them.
“Hi, Roxie.”
“Garrett, Madison is asking for you,” Roxie said. “They just brought her to x-ray. When she gets back to her room, I’ll come find you. The doctor should have the results soon.”
“Thank you.” He exhaled for what felt like the first time since he’d seen the wreck.
Chloe placed a hand on Roxie’s arm. “Do you know if Madison will need dry clothes? I’ve brought some if she needs them.”
“That’s sweet, but no, the nurses already gave her scrubs to change into.”
Garrett held up the bag. “I’m going to go change.”
“Good idea,” Roxie said. “I’ll come get you when she’s back.”
By the time Garrett returned to the waiting room, his family and several friends had gathered. His mom and dad sat together looking grim. Kate and Chloe spoke quietly with Paige and Ethan.
Madison would hate this much fuss. She liked handling things herself without becoming the center of attention.
A little while later, Roxie walked Garrett to Madison’s room. Madison’s dark hair was still damp around her temples from the rain. The oversized hospital scrubs somehow made her look even smaller sitting on the bed.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her.
“Like I lost a fight with a tree.”
“You technically did,” he muttered.
Before they could say anything else, there was a knock on the partially open door.
Nick stepped inside. The look on his face immediately wiped away the brief moment of relief Garrett had felt when he knew Madison would be okay.
“How are you feeling?” Nick asked.
“Okay,” she said. “Ready to get out of here.”
“Mind if I ask you a few questions?”
She nodded. “Did you find the truck?”
Nick shook his head. “Not yet, but I notified the State Patrol. They’re keeping an eye out for a black truck with front-end damage. What else can you tell me? Why were you out tonight?”
“I got a text.”
“What text?” Garrett asked.
She took her phone from the tray table beside the bed and unlocked the screen. “Someone messaged me saying they had proof and wanted to meet.”
Nick took the phone from her hand, reading the message. The lines around his mouth deepened. “Unknown number,” he muttered.
Garrett swore under his breath.
Madison studied Nick. “That’s not all, is it.”
“No. On a hunch I went by the condo. The door was open.” He paused. “The place was trashed.”
“What?” Madison shoved the blanket aside and swung her legs off the bed too quickly.
Garrett caught her before she could stumble, gripping her waist. “Easy.”
“I need to get over there,” she said.
“You’re not going anywhere tonight,” he said firmly.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re dizzy.”
“I said I’m—” She stopped and squeezed her eyes shut briefly.
“Madison.” Nick’s voice was gentle. “There’s no need to panic. Deputies already secured the scene. Nobody’s touching anything until we process it.”
Garrett looked between the two of them. “This is connected. We need to figure all this out and fast.”
Nick nodded once. “Yeah.” He paused. “There is one thing working in our favor right now.”
Madison looked up. “What?”
“Sawyer moved into Morty’s place.”
Garrett frowned. “Morty actually agreed to that?”
“He bought Sawyer’s story about needing space after his mom’s boyfriend moved in.” Nick folded his arms. “Sawyer’s doing some recon for us.”
Garrett let out a slow breath. “That’s risky.”
“So is everything else right now,” Nick said. “But Sawyer knows computers better than most people in my department. If the mayor is hiding anything at home, Sawyer will find it.”
Madison leaned back against the pillows. “We need to compare everything. Frankie’s files, what you’ve already gathered, and whatever Sawyer finds.”
Nick nodded. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” He looked from Madison to Garrett. “Tomorrow night. My house. We put everything together and figure out what we’ve got before somebody else gets hurt.”
Garrett tightened his hand around Madison’s for just a second.
Too late for that.