As she clung to him she knew this was a temporary respite from the well-deserved scolding she was bound to receive. She didn’t care. It was worth being chastised to know how much he cared, to feel his strong arms around her, holding her again. This was different than the time he’d comforted her after her apartment was trashed and different than the way he’d held her when they’d kissed in front of the police department, too.
This was better. Stronger. Deeper. More poignant, yet joyful at the same time. If she had had her way he would never have let go.
Taking a shuddering breath he swept her up in his arms and started for the road. “Are you hurt?”
“I—I don’t think so. I had my seatbelt on and the airbag worked.”
“You should know better than to drive too fast to a call.”
She’d wound both arms around his neck and was holding tight. “It wasn’t my fault. There was a truck after me. He kept hitting my bumper. I was trying to outrun him.”
“What?” Adam set her on her feet and grasped her shoulders. She winced when he touched the left one so he let go. “I thought you said you weren’t hurt.”
“Seatbelt, I think,” she replied. “It’s not serious. I can rotate my arm. See?” She proceeded to demonstrate.
“The truck that hit you. What did it look like?”
“Big. Dark. All I could really see was the high, bright headlights in my mirrors.”
She watched his jaw clench and his nostrils flare. Here it comes. Doing her best to stand tall and take the deserved criticism she waited. And waited. Finally, Adam scooped her up again, carried her to the rear of the waiting ambulance and handed her over. “Here. See if you can do anything with her. I give up.”
Sara was dumbfounded. “Aren’t you going to lecture me?”
Instead, he kept going, approached the nearest engine and disappeared behind it.
For once she deserved a good scolding and he didn’t deliver. Truth to tell, he didn’t need to. Clearly she had been foolish to let her desire to perform as a medic overrule her good sense. It had been wrong to leave town, to leave Adam behind. She knew and admitted it. Now all she had to do was apologize and make him believe she’d turned over a new leaf.
That, and find something to drive that I can afford, she added, watching the last of her car go up in flames. “That’s what I get for making the last payment.”
The medic, Vince, who had disrespected her in the past, spoke more kindly this time. “At least you got out alive.”
“Yes. Thank God. Literally,” Sara told him, sobering. “I don’t think the guys after me were supposed to let me escape.”
SEVENTEEN
Adam lingered at the accident scene to make sure Sara was well taken care of. He didn’t trust himself to speak while he was coping with his rollercoaster emotions. Trying to watch out for Sara was akin to rounding up a bunch of wild yearling calves that didn’t have the sense to come in out of a hailstorm.
Oh, she was intelligent. He didn’t doubt that. But he couldn’t figure out exactly what drove her to take risks the way she had when she was younger. Recently she seemed to be behaving even more erratically. Could it be because of losing Vicki?
That notion mellowed him appreciably. Every loss in life made a difference, just as triumphs did. It was how people dealt with uncontrollable events that developed their character. For him, his Christian faith had provided the answers to most of his questions and he firmly believed that the things he didn’t understand were nevertheless going to work out for his good. The Bible promised they would. The hard part was waiting for it to happen.
Medics had been administering oxygen to Sara at the rear of the ambulance. When they removed the mask and Adam was able to clearly see her face, he felt a jolt that hit him like a sucker punch. Not rejoining her was unthinkable. What he would say to her was his only conundrum.
Unsure what to expect, he tried to stroll leisurely toward her and found it impossible to slow his pace. All he wanted was to be with her, to touch her hand, to make sure she was truly all right despite the accident. By the time she noticed him and smiled, his anxiety had pushed him into a jog.
Sara raised both palms as if surrendering. “Don’t say it. I already know I was nuts to drive out here alone.”
“I don’t intend to say a thing,” Adam replied. “What happened to your car made the point for me.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat and reached to grasp her hand. “I’m thankful that’s all you lost tonight.”
“Me, too. When I was flying through the air I wasn’t sure how I was going to land. The airbag and those cedars saved me.”
He shook his head, capturing her gaze and holding it. “You could have wrecked anywhere out here and ended up dead. Losing control on that specific corner is more likely divine intervention than happenstance.”
To Sara’s credit she looked penitent. “You’re right. I’m pretty sure I thanked God when I realized I’d survived. To tell you the truth, I don’t remember much except driving as fast as I could and praying for deliverance.”
“Why did you decide to hide in the trees?”
“Instinct for self-preservation.” Shrugging, she winced, her pain evident. “I had no idea those two guys were going to torch my car but I knew they were bad news.”
Adam tensed. “Wait. The fire was deliberate, too?”
“Yes.” She was nodding slowly. “When the smoke dies down and it’s daylight, tell Chief Ellis to look directly between the road and my car, about twenty feet from where it burned. He should find the remnants of a burned-out flare unless the pressure from the nozzles washed it away.”
When Sara was being so professional about the clues he didn’t want to stop her, yet the urge to pull her into an embrace and just hold her was strong. “What else?”
“Nothing else. The truck came out of nowhere and followed me. It was big. Probably a three-quarter ton. They kept ramming my car until I lost control and crashed. After that they came back, lit a road flare and tossed it into the dry grass.”
Urging her closer, Adam asked, “Did you recognize them?”
“No,” Sara answered with a tremor in her tone. Adam opened his arms to her. She stepped into his waiting embrace. Her cheek was against his chest when she said, “I truly am sorry I didn’t listen to you.”
“Shush, honey. You aren’t badly hurt. That’s the important thing.” He was stroking her back, brushing off bits of cedar twigs as he did so. “I’ll run you by ER so you can have a doc check your shoulder.”
“I don’t need...” Breaking off, she raised her face to him and smiled before saying, “Yes, Adam. I think that’s a great idea.”
He huffed a chuckle. “Who are you, lady, and what have you done with Sara?”
* * *
The worst part about visiting the ER was the teasing she took from her coworkers once they realized her injury was superficial. It was really embarrassing to listen to Adam adding funny comments to the already humorous conversation going on around her.
“Yup,” he said, grinning. “The car’s a real fixer-upper. A little paint, a few dents hammered out and it’ll be—”
“Good as new?” the ER doctor guessed.
Adam laughed so Sara shot him a pseudo-angry glare. “Try a total wreck no matter what. There’s nothing wrong with my poor car that being melted down and recycled won’t cure.”
“Ah, sorry.” The doctor backed off and jotted notes on an iPad. “I don’t think anything is broken. I’ll give you an off-work order for now and a prescription for painkillers. See me or your regular physician when you think you’re ready to go back to work.”
“I’m ready now.”
“You won’t be by tomorrow when the full extent of your bruising hits you. Trust me. It’s gonna get a lot worse.”
Sara chortled. “Did anybody ever tell you you have a lousy bedside manner
, doc?”
“Only every nurse I’ve ever met,” he joked back. “But you all are notoriously hard to please.”
“I’d take more offense if we were all female,” Sara teased. She singled out Adam. “As soon as everybody is done making fun of me would you please drive me out to the ranch? I seem to be on foot.”
“That you are. Would you like to borrow one of my horses for transportation?”
“And ride it to work? Sure. That would be peachy.”
“At least the horse would be smart enough to stay on the trail.”
She made a face at him and slid off the exam table. “That would be funnier if I hadn’t just paid off that car. I’m not looking forward to trying to replace it with what the insurance will give me.”
He cupped her elbow. “Understood. Let’s worry about one thing at a time. I’ll take you home for now. Tomorrow we can go back to the accident scene if you want and look for clues—after the sheriff’s people are done.”
“My purse was in the car. I don’t have a driver’s license or a credit card or a cent to my name until the bank opens.”
“I’ll take care of you,” Adam said.
Sara’s initial reaction was to bristle and argue. She squelched the urge, determined to behave amiably. It wasn’t Adam’s fault she needed help right now and his offer was a kind thing to do. Her problem was being in a position where she was forced to accept assistance instead of insisting she was in control. “Thanks.”
To her surprise, he laughed.
Brows knitting, she scowled at him. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m amazed you didn’t choke on your thank-you, that’s all.”
“I thought I was hiding my feelings. Guess I’m not as good at it as I figured.”
“Sometimes you are,” Adam said as he ushered her out to his truck. “Like when you had me convinced you weren’t interested in romance.”
“Oh?” Struggling to keep her voice even she kept pace. “What changed your mind?”
“Humph. That’s a tough question. I’m not sure when I tumbled. It may have been the first time I kissed you.”
“That was pretty convincing.” Sara was glad the parking lot wasn’t too brightly lit because she knew she was blushing.
“Yeah, it sure was.” He helped her into his truck and shut the door. Sara watched him circle to the driver’s side, appreciating the way he moved, the way he looked—everything about him. And it wasn’t only Adam’s outward appearance that impressed her. The glimpses she’d gotten into his heart had drawn her to him even more. He was a good man. An honest man. Someone to admire as well as love.
Yes, she admitted without reservation. She loved him. And she was pretty sure he felt the same about her. Time would tell. As long as he was so committed to protecting her it was hard for her to separate his varying emotions. Maybe he was having the same trouble. Granted they were old friends, but this aspect of their relationship was new. It needed exploring without being affected by outward trauma.
As he slid behind the wheel she smiled at him.
He scowled. “What?”
“I’m just happy to be alive—and to be with you.”
“Even though I’m bossy?”
“Uh-huh.”
Adam made a silly face at her. “I’m never going to figure you out, am I?”
Sara laughed. “Probably not. I haven’t figured myself out yet so why should you be able to?”
* * *
If his truck had had an old-fashioned bench seat instead of bucket seats with a console between, Adam would have pulled Sara closer and tucked her under his arm. Even a narrow space of separation was too far to suit him.
His thoughts were churning more than the thunderheads highlighted by the moonlight. “What’s your best guess about the truck that rammed you?”
“I don’t have a clue, Adam. I wish I did.”
“How about the two guys who got out and started the fire?”
“What about them?”
“Were they tall, short, big, little—what?”
He heard her sigh and glanced over. Sara had her eyes shut, her head resting on the back of the seat, hopefully visualizing the scene.
“One was taller than the other,” she finally said. “And he seemed more athletic. I mean, he moved faster.”
“Okay. That’s something. What else?”
“The short one lagged behind. I think I saw him trip a couple of times. I’m not sure. By that time I was mostly watching the lit flare.”
“Maybe they didn’t mean to drop it.” He was hoping to soothe her but his comment had the opposite effect.
“Oh, they meant to, all right.” Sara shuddered and hugged herself. “Now that I think about it, they seemed to be fighting, too. The short guy caught up to the taller one and grabbed for the flare. They struggled for a second, then almost dropped it right there.”
“And?”
Turning to stare at him, Sara gasped. “It was like one of them wanted to set my car on fire and the other one didn’t. The little guy got hold of the flare, wound up like a pitcher and threw it, end over end. It wasn’t much of a throw, though. I hoped it would land short, and it did. But the grass was dry and there was enough fire to set off the spilled fuel.”
“What about voices? Could you hear their argument?”
“I don’t remember. I’m sorry. Part of the time I was hiding I had to hug a tree just to stay on my feet.”
“What about afterward? Did they stay to watch?”
She brightened. “I don’t think so. They ran for the road. The big guy was practically dragging the little one.”
“By the hand?”
Sara’s jaw dropped. “Yes. At least that’s the impression I got.”
“That’s interesting.”
“It sure is. If Rigo and Hector brought a girl with them we’ve been looking for the wrong people.”
Adam was coming to a slightly different conclusion, which he kept to himself. He would, however, share his ideas with Chief Magill or Sheriff Caruthers, once he decided which of them was most likely to investigate subtly.
First, though, the police were going to have to make Hector confess and fill them in on his cohorts. Until that happened, Adam intended to keep his crazy notions to himself. In a small town like Paradise, where everybody and his brother were related in some way, he had to worry about local politics. If he intended to keep living and working there, which he did, Adam knew he’d best tread lightly.
One more thing was clear. Getting Sara on board with his various ideas was going to be next to impossible without proof. Right now she seemed amenable to his sensible suggestions. If he gave her another strong reason to fight him, however, he was pretty sure she’d stop being so easy to get along with.
He couldn’t have that. Not when her life might very well depend upon how well she paid attention to him.
EIGHTEEN
Sara was so exhausted she dozed off on the ride to the Kane ranch. Changes in the truck’s motion roused her enough to unbuckle her seatbelt when they arrived. Adam got out and opened the passenger door. She was turning, preparing to step down, when he slipped his arms around her and lifted.
Weariness brought an unconvincing, “I can walk.”
“Yup. But I’m going to carry you.”
“Mmm.” She slipped an arm around his neck and rested her cheek on his chest. This was so like her dream of a handsome cowboy rescuing her she almost slipped back into that lovely fantasy. “Where’s your white Stetson?”
“I left it with my horse,” he quipped. “I’m in firefighter mode right now.”
“Works for me.”
Shouldering his way in the front door, Adam gently placed her on the sofa then went to the base of the staircase to call out, “Hey, Kurt, we’re home.”
“He’s probably asleep like
normal folks are at this time of the morning,” Sara said with a lopsided smile. “I’ll try not to wake him but I have to take a shower. Cedar pollen in my hair is driving me crazy.” As proof, she sniffled and sneezed.
“I believe you,” Adam said. “If you see Kurt, tell him I went to check the barn.” He paused. “Can you get up the stairs all right?”
“I told you the only thing that hurts is my shoulder,” she insisted, making her voice sweet so he wouldn’t think she was complaining. “I can’t tell you how thankful I am to be here, to be anywhere, after the wreck tonight.”
He hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans and nodded. “Me, too. It’s been a long time since I’ve been that scared. When I saw your car on fire I thought...”
“That’s the only reason I showed myself as quickly as I did,” she replied. “I could tell how worried you were.”
“Yeah, well.” He was backing away. “Take care. I’ll lock the front door and catch the back when I’m done in the barn.”
Pushing herself to her feet she paused to study him. “Are you concerned about your animals? I mean, do you think whoever is stalking me will bother them?”
“No.” He glanced toward a living room window. “It looks like there’s a storm brewing and I need to make sure everything is secured. Lightning and thunder can get horses really riled up. Besides, either Kurt or I make rounds every night before we turn in.”
“Maybe he already did it.”
“I just need to unwind, okay?”
“Okay, then. Good night.” She stretched and headed for the stairs, knowing that if she looked back and saw Adam lingering below she’d be sorely tempted to volunteer for another hug. Or two. Being around him had always been nice. Now it was so much more. When he was nearby the air was fresher, the sun shone brighter, the world seemed safer even if nothing else had changed.
Putting one foot after the other she made it to the second floor. Bright moonlight shone through her bedroom windows, drawing her to enter and look below. Except for a few blowing leaves and eddies of dust, everything seemed peaceful in the front yard, but she needed to find a different window in order to see the barn. It was time to watch over Adam as he often watched over her.
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