by Unger, Erin;
“Well, can we at least take you to the ambulance to rest for a bit? You can talk more there with Officer Tuttle.”
Maddie pushed up to a stand and put her hands out for a moment. The earth tilted. She gulped. It steadied, and she opened her eyes again. Why be dumb and take too many risks? “All right.”
Officer Tuttle checked the ground around her and spoke into his mic, calling more officers. “I have a few more questions, but I’ll have another officer meet you over there.”
Her eyes darted back and forth as Jim held her elbow and they walked. It took all her strength not to lean into Jim.
Joze kept throwing glances her way but maintained his distance. She’d outright dismiss him if she could. Ignoring him for now would have to do.
Maddie shoved her hand into her left pocket. Wait a minute. Where was her wallet? The one Aunt Lonna had given her on her eighteenth birthday. The one she loved even though it was a twelve-year-old’s dream with pink owls all over it. A shock wave of apprehension ran through her. “My wallet’s gone.”
Jim guided her forward. “Joze, can you alert Officer Tuttle?” To her, he said, “They’ll look into it. Are you sure you had it at the time of the attack?”
“Yes.”
She lifted her chin and begged herself not to watch Joze as he glanced at her before striding back toward the alley.
It wasn’t working. Straight, dark hair fell across his forehead. Fine cheekbones. Brown eyes the color of her favorite milk chocolate bar.
She pulled her gaze from him. Think of anything. Cold arms squeezing the life out of her jumped to the forefront of her mind. Not that. Think of anything but that. But a chill had already set in her bones. And now her attacker had her driver’s license, old address, and all.
4
Joze couldn’t leave Maddie’s side. Not now. She might run her mouth and lie to his buddies like she was so good at doing. He fought the urge to refuse a return to the crime scene. Why did he have to be the one to turn back and talk to the officer? But then he didn’t need Jim reporting bad patient relations to his boss, either. He’d better hurry back before she had a chance to spread lies about him like she did about his best friend. Who knew what she’d come up with?
Joze approached Officer Tuttle, who continued to take pictures of the area where he found Maddie. “Have you seen a wallet? I think she said it was pink?”
“In this mess? Give me a few minutes.” Tuttle continued snapping pictures. Joze couldn’t stop shifting from foot to foot. He’d dive into the chaos and find it himself if it wasn’t considered contaminating evidence. Anything to get back to Maddie pronto. But then what if this wasn’t a real crime scene? What if it was a set up like before?
“Find anything important?” Sarcasm reigned. “Any real evidence to prove a crime actually happened?”
Officer Tuttle paused. “You don’t believe the lady? You saw the bump on her head.”
“Yeah, well…” It wouldn’t be the first time she’d lied about something like this.
Tuttle turned back to the scene. “There were a few scuff marks where the grass got pulled out, but nothing else. It’s hard to say under this trash.”
No wallet appeared as the officers sifted through the trash.
Joze couldn’t ignore the grinding rock building in his gut. Hmm. A missing wallet.
Officer Tuttle stood. Shaking his head, he glanced down the alley and back to Joze. “So, this is a robbery. Figures. There’s been some heavier theft activity here lately. I’ll put it in the report.”
Joze resisted the urge to take off running. “Thanks.”
He strode back toward the ambulance ensconced at the midway point of the carnival.
The slow spin of lights and carousel horses danced into view as he moved at a clip. He loosened his fisted hands. Since when did he get so caught up in emotions? God help him, he needed to let go of the past. And four years should be plenty of time to do so.
Two rides let out at the same time. People swamped him as they hurried to get to the next thrill. Someone knocked him forward. It took three steps to catch himself and keep from plunging headlong into the operator’s little gearbox. “Hey.”
He spun around as sharp pain shot across his shoulder blades and sent him to the ground.
“Stay away from her.”
Joze jumped up and thrust around. The crowd was thick. People jostled each other, laughing and yelling. No one seemed to pay him any attention. His vision jumped from one person to the next, sweeping fast over the throng. No one stood out. Nothing looked anything but ordinary.
A man in a Patriot’s hat hurried away. Joze charged in his direction only to see several others in baseball caps rushing in other directions.
His breath came out in jagged gasps.
Maddie wasn’t lying this time.
He rounded the line to The Octopus Spin. Ahead, the interior of the ambulance lit the area around it. A second ambulance from the county rested beside his, and one of their EMTs had retrieved the girl with the smashed finger. She sat on the stretcher howling her head off, the arms of a woman wrapped around her. Before Joze reached his own vehicle, the ambulance driver closed the doors, climbed in, and pulled away.
Joze stopped at the doors of his unit and peered in. Maddie sat with her arms bolted tight to her sides. She did a good job of looking OK, but the pain was obvious in the squint of her eyes when she moved her head to talk to Jim.
He motioned for Jim to come out and then dipped his head when he drew near. “She’s telling the truth about being attacked.”
“I never doubted it.” His co-worker pulled back. “Something happen to you? You’re as pale as my grandmother’s sheets.”
Joze put his hand to his chest. “Yeah. Someone took a swing at me. Told me to leave her alone.”
Jim’s brows shot up toward his bald spot. “No way, man. Need an ambulance ride of your own?”
“I’m serious.” Joze lowered his voice even more. “I’m going to stay with her, OK? I want to take her home.”
“Sure. If she’ll let you. But maybe she would if you told her what happened.”
“No. I don’t want to scare her.”
Jim punched his shoulder. “Tuttle should be back to take her statement. Make sure you let him in on this, OK?”
Joze nodded. He studied Maddie a moment. She never turned in his direction. Instead she continued her tough-woman act. Why’d she always have to be so hard? Right now, no one cared if she let go of her façade. She was injured. What had she gotten herself into?
She swiped her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.
He hung back a moment. Why had she blamed his best friend, Todd, for something he didn’t do and ruin everything she and Joze had together? He steeled himself against the answer.
New day, new life. Forget what happened before. She could be a different person now too.
Her face fell when Jim turned away to organize the equipment in one of the cabinets. Scared? Tired? How could he have been so callous toward her when he came across her in the alley? She’d been attacked. A sudden desire to protect her took over the one to oust her from his life once again.
He grabbed the side bar to hoist himself into the vehicle and breathed in the familiar antiseptic and plastic tubing aroma that occupied his baby. Joze leaned down a hair. “No wallet. Sorry. Some thief attacked you.”
Once again, a mask occupied her face when she turned to him. No need to worry her even more with the fact someone had gone after him too.
Should he tell her she had a piece of popcorn in her hair? “Officer Tuttle should be here in a few minutes. He’s taking pictures of the crime scene right now.”
She dropped her arms and slouched a tad. “I doubt he’ll find anything with all that trash everywhere.”
“If there’s anything there, though, I hope he finds it.” And he meant it.
She didn’t look at him.
The ambulance seemed to shrink in size, bringing Maddie way too
close to him in the confined space. He backed out and hopped down but didn’t leave the edge of the path of light. The way her gaze shifted between the stretcher and the EMTs said she wanted to lie down. He shook his head. She wouldn’t do it. Wouldn’t show a moment of weakness.
Someone cleared their throat, and Joze jumped and spun around. Officer Tuttle. “Sir.”
The officer stopped in front of the open bay. “Ms. Clare, are you ready to talk?”
Jim nodded and smiled assurance at her.
She scrutinized each one of the men. Her hand trailed back and landed on the popcorn in her hair. Joze held in a chuckle as she pulled it free and grimaced at it. He held out his hand. “I’ll dispose of that for you.”
She gave him a sideways glance, pursed her lips, and dropped it in his open palm.
Yeah, he should’ve told her it was there. The old Maddie would be furious that she didn’t look perfect even after the event she’d been through.
She rubbed at her eyes.
5
Wouldn’t Joze make sure she was embarrassed? What else was in her hair or on her clothes? She took a quick look at her shirt and swatted away a blade of grass. Green stains touched her jeans at the knees. Please don’t let there be pizza gummed on my back.
The officer glanced around the bustling carnival, climbed inside the ambulance, pulled the doors shut, and sat beside her on the gurney.
Joze was definitively shut out. Good.
She repeated the account she’d told the EMTs, but this time more detail came to her.
He typed notes on his smart phone as she spoke. “Did you recognize the voice of your assailant?”
“No. He whispered. It’s hard to say.” She closed her eyes. The scene flashed into focus. Maddie pulled back and her shoulders tightened of their own accord. She couldn’t take it in without sending her heart pounding in her chest like a crazy rock band drummer.
She opened her eyes.
He was watching her. “There’s no need to rush. Take your time.”
“Um.” She squeezed the edge of the stretcher. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard the voice before.” Stop shaking. Look him in the eye.
Jim handed her a tissue. What for? Oh, her cheeks were wet.
She took it, swiped the tears away as fast as she could, and dropped the tissue beside her.
The officer sat in silence for a moment. “Even the smallest thing can help. Did you see his arm when he choked you?”
She bit her lip and nodded. Running her hand over the rough sheet that covered the gurney, Maddie tried once more to stop the fear from eating her inside out. “He was Caucasian.”
When he finished questioning her, Officer Tuttle threw the doors open and stepped down. “I’ll get back with you in a day or so, OK?”
“Good. Thanks.” Her curt answer didn’t make him turn back.
Joze stopped him and pulled him aside, as he had Jim. What was he up to? He talked a few minutes to the officer before letting him go. Officer Tuttle looked back at her and then typed furiously into his phone, alarm all over his pinched face.
He disappeared into the crowd after shaking hands with Joze.
Maddie scrunched her mouth. What was up?
Jim moved to the spot on the gurney the officer had occupied. Joze leaned in. “Listen, we’d all really appreciate it if you took our advice and let us run you to the emergency room.”
Did she detect a note of empathy in his tone? What was going on? “I don’t know.”
Jim took her pulse. “I agree with Joze, ma’am.”
Her first night home and she should spend it in the hospital? No way. The smell of the ambulance was enough to make her run. Couldn’t the wonderful carnival odor take over the small space a bit more before she had to force herself up and out of the bay? “I thank you for what you’ve done so far, but I have to get home.”
She started to stand.
Joze didn’t move aside to let her down. “Can’t you at least call someone to come get you?”
She felt around in her pockets but stopped. “I left my cell at home. Didn’t think I’d need it.”
“Well, you can borrow mine.” Joze pulled his smart phone out of his pocket and offered it to her.
Maddie slapped it away. “No. I don’t really have anyone to call. Mom’s working late…I don’t want to bother her.”
“My ma would go nutso if I didn’t call her right away in the same situation even though I’m a grown man.”
He wouldn’t understand. Mom was different—not the normal caring type of mother. She lifted a shoulder.
“My shift ends in ten minutes. Why don’t I take you home?” His face remained blank, almost emotionless. “You shouldn’t drive with a concussion. I could keep an eye on you if you’re alone. For a while anyway.”
Huh? First, he had nothing but disdain, and now he wanted to help? Maddie wrinkled her brows together and stared him down.
“So you can watch me, make sure I don’t sleep?” Her tone boiled like acid.
“No. That’s a common fallacy. You can sleep if you want.” His calm voice ruined her steam.
It only took Jim a millisecond to jump in. “It’d be wise. He knows his stuff.”
The third guy poked his head through the opening in the front. “Trust him. I’d let him take care of me.”
Jim chuckled. “That’s saying a lot, ma’am.”
She wasn’t going to get out of here if she didn’t agree, was she? And her mom wasn’t due home ’til late. It would be safer… But Joze? Of all the people to fall back into her life right now, why him? She squeezed the bridge of her nose. “Ten minutes?”
“Yep.”
“Then I’m lying down for a bit.” She steeled her face so he couldn’t see how relieved she was to relax against the scratchy pillow that reeked of bleach.
As she shut her eyes, someone patted her arm. “Time to go.”
What? “OK, but I just closed my eyes.”
“It’s been maybe fifteen, twenty minutes.”
She attempted to jump up but stopped when the sharp pain in her head returned. “Wow.”
Joze must’ve been the one to tap her awake. “I thought I’d give you a bit longer since you looked…comfortable.”
Should she thank him? She kept her mouth shut. Wouldn’t want to give him the impression she cared. She sat on the edge of the bed for a minute. Really, Joze? And let him in her mother’s home?
Joze moved away. He was smart enough not to offer her a hand down.
Maddie took one slow step at a time until she knew she could trust her legs. She searched for the handle he’d grabbed earlier and took it with as tight a grip as she could. Everything seemed to be working again. Nausea gone. Dizziness at a bare minimum. Yet the jolly carnival music yelled at her as she left the cocoon of the ambulance. She dared not cover her ears. Wouldn’t want Joze to think she needed more of his help rather than a ride home.
At least she wouldn’t be alone after what happened. Wasn’t it a bonus to get over whatever made her want to tell him he couldn’t? But he would be gone as soon as her mom walked through the door. She’d make sure.
With her head lowered, Maddie worked her way through the crowd and tried to call to mind the exact location of her car. Joze kept pace with her, always at her elbow but not quite touching her.
Maddie started to pass the carousel. One, two, three. Ah, there was her favorite horse, bobbing up and down with a small child aboard. She tried to keep a good march forward as she watched it swoop down and begin to ascend again, its teal mane ablaze in mystical off-shoots. But then she bumped into Joze. “Uh, sorry.”
She crossed her arms and hoped she looked formidable, not like she was about to fall over. It gave her a chance to catch her balance and stabilize her vision.
Joze’s gaze darted back and forth.
Maddie checked her surroundings too. What was she supposed to do, considering the only physical attribute of her attacker she could identify was his medium build? Lots of
familiar faces floated in and out of her vision. But a ton of people who swarmed in from Hartford and surrounding areas filled the absolute recesses of the park.
Get moving. It would be safer behind the locked doors of home. Maddie didn’t wait for Joze to catch up with her. With all the strength she could muster, she forced her legs into a trot toward the entrance.
No longer did the sweet air entice her. Its suffocating effects left her breathless in her flight. Someone could be following them right now. Right to her car.
Joze grabbed at her elbow but grazed her skin. “Hey, wait up.”
He could keep up. His physique spoke of many hours in the gym. She didn’t stop until the parking lot came into view. Which way? Had she parked to the left or right?
A man with a neon-yellow vest directed traffic. That’s right, he’d been in the same general position when she’d arrived.
Maddie forced her body to move toward him. She riffled in her pockets for her key chain. It caught on the seam of the pocket and skittered to the stony ground.
Joze rushed to pick up the keys before she could brace against the sharp pain she would feel in her head if she bent down. A car blared its horn and stopped short. He stood and waved the car past.
“Sorry.” She let him hold onto them. “My car’s at the end of this row.”
Several families flanked the row on their way to the park. She sidestepped a child not watching where he was headed. A woman reached out and pulled him close, eyeing Maddie.
When they reached her little hybrid car, Maddie sighed.
Joze unlocked the doors. “Same place you used to live?”
“Yeah.” She ducked her head. Why had she brought him and another friend home for Thanksgiving all those years ago?
“Your aunt still live there too?”
Maddie blinked away the sudden moisture at the corner of her eyes. Not still living there.
6
Joze barreled down the highway in the tiny car with a dumb personalized license plate. Bugy Boo. Really? Who named a car something like that? Especially not Maddie with all her hard edges and perfectionist notions. He was kind of a small guy, but he had a hard time fitting in the cupped seat.