Grumbling, Wheeler turned his back on them and began to pick his way down the trail. This was not how it was supposed to have gone down tonight. Seething with pain and fury, he tripped over a boulder. Where the fuck was his flashlight?
He willed his foggy mind to swim through the fog of alcohol. How the hell had that surfer boy known about his activities in Ruby Spring? Probably his fat bitch of a girlfriend had told him. Made sense. But who had told her? Well, women gossiped, didn’t they? Carly had sobbed on her shoulder for sure. He’d bet his badge on it.
It was on to the next plan, then. The big one. And Carly and her useless, clueless friends would never see it coming.
• • •
Keeping his breathing even, Asher ran up the familiar trail. He had taken the long way around instead of climbing up the path behind the theater. He was hoping that the element of surprise would be in his favor. Ahead of him, he heard an engine rumble to life. It had to be Wheeler. Picking up the pace, he gritted his teeth and dodged a boulder in his path.
Who exactly was up there, though? He thought he had heard Nicky, but the voices had been so faint that it had been hard to tell. Grimacing as he stumbled over a fallen tree branch, Asher rounded a bend, just in time to see the headlights of a car backing up in the small clearing ahead. Sprinting now, he turned off the trail and ran straight for the car.
“Hey, Wheeler,” Asher shouted, “Stop right there.”
The car stopped for a few seconds, and then the engine roared as Wheeler gunned the accelerator. Suddenly, the car lurched forward, heading straight for Asher. Asher stood his ground and held out his hands in front of him.
“Get out of the way or I’ll mow you down, son,” Wheeler screamed over the noise of the car. He jerked to a stop and revved the engine again.
“I’m not playing chicken with you, Barstow. But we do need to have a serious conversation,” Asher yelled as he trudged closer to the headlights pointing at him.
Wheeler’s eyes narrowed and he inched forward. “Are you deaf, Art Boy?”
Asher answered by planting his feet and folding his arms. Though the clearing was lit only by the car’s headlights, he was close enough now to see the fury in Wheeler’s red-rimmed eyes. And the drunkenness. Playing the tough guy was starting to seem like a foolish idea, but it was too late now to back off. Willing his hands not to shake, Asher lifted them as if in surrender.
Smiling in triumph, Wheeler put the car in park and sat back. A second later, Asher’s palms came slamming down on the hood of the car. “I’m not giving up, Barstow, just making a point. We need to talk. Man to man. Get your drunk ass out of the car.”
“Make me.”
Without hesitating, Asher bounded around the car, jerked open the door and dragged Wheeler out by the front of his shirt. “Listen up, loser. I’m on to you. You leave Carly Foster and my property alone or there will be hell to pay,” he said between his teeth.
Pulling himself loose, Wheeler clutched at the doorframe, panting. “You don’t own Carly,” he spat.
“Neither do you. Especially not you. And I’m sure she would tell you just that if she was face to face with you, asshole.” Asher nudged him. “Now turn around and face me.”
The radio crackled to life inside the car. “Hey, hey, hey. Wheeler, you up at Ruby Spring? Copy.”
Sighing, Wheeler ducked into the car to grab the radio. “Shit, you have bad timing. What’ya want, Joe? I’m busy here.”
Joe Simmons’ voice sounded again. “If you’re all done up there, swing on by the bar and we’ll have a couple. That is, if you’re not still in a nasty mood.”
“Well, I am in a nasty mood. A hell of a mood,” Wheeler yelled into the radio. Glancing back at Asher, he glared and spit on the ground.
“Oh, hell. What did you do now? You got trouble up there?” asked Joe.
Slowly, a malicious grin spread over Wheeler’s face and he hesitated, still staring at Asher, who shook his head.
“Not a good idea, Barstow. Your boss might overlook it, but the rest of the sheriff’s department would certainly wonder why you hauled me in while you were on duty and drunk off your ass.”
“I don’t have to be the one. All I have to do is radio for backup and your ass is grass, Day,” Wheeler muttered, fumbling on his belt for handcuffs that weren’t there.
“What’s that? You need backup?” Joe’s wheezy voice crackled again, “What’s going on? Talk to me, Wheeler, you dumbass.”
“You’d never pull it off,” said Asher. Advancing, he stopped for a second in front of Wheeler, looked him in the eye, and then matter-of-factly punched him in the gut. Wheeler collapsed to the ground, the breath knocked out of him.
God that felt good.
Pulling the radio from Wheeler’s hand, Asher depressed the talk button. “Hey Joe. This is Asher Day. Hey, listen. Old Barstow seems to be a little under the weather here, if you know what I mean. But everything’s okay here. Nothing to worry about.”
Joe answered with his characteristic raspy laugh. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Under the weather. That’s a good one. Well, tell him to walk it off, and then go home.”
“No problem, Joe.” Asher looked down at Wheeler and indeed, he was under the weather, puking all over his own shoes. Asher smiled and reached into the car to put the radio away. “Damn, Barstow, you’re a mess. Peed your pants, it looks like, and now your dinner is all over the ground. Seems to me like you’ve had a pretty rough day.”
Taking a few gulps of air, Wheeler pulled himself to his feet eased into the driver’s seat. “You’re gonna regret touching me, Art Boy.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’ll threaten to arrest me for assaulting an officer. What man in this county haven’t you said that to?” Asher shoved Wheeler over until he was sprawled in the passenger seat. “You just shut your mouth and I won’t drive you to headquarters.” Asher slid into the driver’s seat and strapped on the seat belt.
“Where are we going?” whined Wheeler. “Oh, I think I’m gonna be sick again.” He rolled down the window and laid his cheek against the cool metal of the doorframe.
“I thought I told you to shut it. You’re lucky I didn’t just take your wheels and leave you in the woods,” said Asher, his eyes flashing. Putting the car in drive, he angled it over the uneven ground toward the gravel road that led back to the main highway.
It was over now. Carly would be safe.
Chapter Fourteen
Carly waited until she was sure Asher had gone before pushing open the backstage door. The welcome cool night air blew across her face, but she sighed in frustration all the same.
Two seconds from being able to say the three most important words she would utter in a lifetime and it was interrupted by the biggest loser she had ever encountered. Well, it fit her track record with men. Although the way she felt about Asher was different. It was thrilling. And beyond scary.
And it overwhelmed the fear she felt about her own safety. Glancing over her shoulder, she took another look at the painting. It was exquisite, and it was still sinking in that it was painted for her. That it was her. He eyes flew to the unopened bottle and the untouched glasses. There was Asher’s cell phone, sitting next to the wine bucket, forgotten. A frown creased her forehead. Well, now she had no choice. She had to find him.
Easing open the stage door, she ran toward the path that led to the clearing, wishing for hiking boots and a flashlight. A sundress and sandals were less than ideal for a rescue mission, but fueled by fear, she managed to scramble up the mountainside pulling on rocks and exposed tree roots. She took a deep breath. Almost there. Getting down the other side would be the real challenge.
As she reached the top, she hit a patch of loose dirt and pitched forward, biting back a shriek. A branch caught her hair and she gritted her teeth. As she slid on her belly, she clawed in desper
ation at rocks and tree trunks, her mouth wide open in a silent scream. Sharp pain ricocheted through her legs as they slammed into the uneven ground and she ducked her head, tensing. It would smash into a boulder any second now. But it didn’t. The ground began to even out and her body slid sideways, coming to a rest half under a bush. She lay on her side, panting. As her heart slowed, she stared in the darkness.
Far above her she heard angry voices again, but this time she recognized both of them. It was Asher and Wheeler. At the sound of the car engine starting up, her eyes widened and she pushed herself to her feet, wincing at the sting from the scrapes on her legs. Can’t stop now. She stumbled toward the noise and frustrated tears welled in her eyes. Maybe she should just stay put and call Ross. By the time he found her, though, something terrible could have happened to Asher. She had to get to where he was, and soon. It didn’t sound that far away.
As Carly climbed, she soon discovered that she wasn’t on a trail at all. Thick fallen trees and big boulders blocked her way, and it was all she could do to forge ahead without stumbling again. In the distance below her, she saw light bouncing around. A flashlight. She gathered her courage and pulled herself up to a crest, where she stood panting, gripping the trunk of a tall pine tree.
Far below her in a clearing, a pair of headlights swung toward the edge of a clearing. Slowly, the car moved over the rocky ground and she sucked in a breath. It was Wheeler’s cruiser. What if he had Asher? There was no way she could make it down there in time to find out.
Throwing her head back, Carly shrieked in frustration.
• • •
Asher slowed the cruiser at the faint sound. What was that a scream? He leaned toward the open window on the passenger side, but recoiled at the stench emanating from Wheeler. He stopped the car, rolled down his window and listened. There it was again, a high-pitched shrill sound. A hawk?
Turning off the engine, Asher opened his door and leaned out, cocking his head toward the sky. Once more, the sharp noise pierced the thin mountain air. It wasn’t a hawk. It sounded too human. Human … and female … that was weird. He hadn’t heard any feminine voices up here earlier.
Realization hit him and he slammed his fist down on the steering wheel. Carly.
He had told her to stay put. Sighing, he patted his chest pocket for his phone. It was flat. “Dammit,” he muttered as he searched his jeans. Shaking his head, he realized where it was; sitting next to the bottle of champagne in the bucket of ice all the way back at the theater.
“Well, she’s just gonna have to trust me on this one,” he said to himself, and leaned out the window. Taking a deep breath, he shouted, “Carly!” He waited. “Carly!” No answer. He tried again. “Go on back to the hotel. Everything is fine.” There was still no answer, but he heard a rustling noise and an answering yell high above. Satisfied, he started the car again.
Glancing over at Wheeler, his lip curled in disgust. Because of this dimwit, his evening with Carly had been ruined. He had had such great plans, too. If they’d only had a little more time …
• • •
“Carly!”
It Asher’s his voice. She closed her eyes in relief and swayed backward, catching onto a tree branch. She heard it again, but this time it sounded more urgent. “Carly!” Her eyes snapped open. Oh my God. What if he was hurt?
She gripped the branch and yanked on it to pull herself upward. It was not a wise decision. Brittle and dead, the branch snapped and she lost her balance, tumbling forward. Fuck! Not again. As she slid toward the clearing, she heard yelling again. Taking a deep breath, she screamed once more and flailed for something, anything to grab on to.
Hitting the bottom of the incline, Carly lay face down in the dirt, shaking. She raised her head just in time to see tail lights disappear on the other side of the clearing. Wincing, she sat up and covered her face with her hands as tears welled up. Some birthday. Reaching in her sundress pocket, she knew it was time to give up and call Ross.
Her heart sank. It wasn’t there. She patted the ground around herself, but she knew it was hopeless. It could have fallen out anywhere along the way. Grabbing the rock that was digging into her thigh, Carly gave it a violent throw. It connected with a boulder, making a hollow, echoing sound. How ironic. It sounded a lot like the time Wheeler had grabbed her cell phone and thrown it in the roadhouse parking lot a few weeks ago.
Had it only been a few weeks? It seemed like a year. Life was like that sometimes, though. At times, it moved so fast that a person could barely blink before months had gone by. Other times, it seemed so slow that a single hour seemed like a week. That’s how it was with Asher. Both ways. They had moved fast in slow motion.
Carly shook her head. Now was not the time for crazy thoughts. She had to get back to the hotel and find Ross. But she didn’t seem to have the energy. Sinking down onto the cold ground, she laid her head on the dirt and shivered.
• • •
Ross held out a hand for Nicky, who swung over the last boulder and down onto solid ground. Pulling Wheeler’s flashlight out of his cargo pants pocket, Nicky switched it back on and nodded.
“Let’s go.”
“You did a really good job up there, man,” Ross said as they jogged toward the hotel. He pulled his cell phone out and scrolled to Carly’s number.
“Yeah, it wasn’t that tough. The guy was drunker than a skunk.”
Ross slowed down and then stopped, the phone to his ear. “She’s not answering, Nicky.”
Without breaking stride, Nicky turned and started running for the theater. Ross pocketed the phone and followed close behind.
“Shit,” they uttered in unison as they approached the backstage door. It was hanging wide open, swinging in the breeze.
“Do we even bother to go inside?” Nicky asked.
“Just for a second,” Ross answered as he stepped through the doorway. He whistled when he saw the champagne and glasses. “Looks like Asher was planning a very memorable evening. Jeez, Nick, do you think they went after Wheeler?” He frowned.
“I hope not. What’s this?” Nicky walked across the stage and lifted the painting from where it was propped next to the settee.
“I have no idea, but it looks really cool. Bring it over here.”
Nicky brought it over to the soft circle of light created by the spotlight. He whistled, too. Tracing the angel with his fingertip, he stopped near one of the tiny, delicate hands and peered closer. “I would say that memorable would be an understatement, bro. Take a look at this.”
Ross leaned in and his frown softened. He reached out and traced the angel with a fingertip. “He’s in love with her, isn’t he?” A slow grin spread over his face.
Nicky laughed. “Oh, hell yes. Absolutely.”
Ross nodded. “Finally. No one deserves happiness more than Carly. And I must say, it’s a big relief after witnessing her past relationships. I was worried, though. Ready to kick Asher’s ass if he’d hurt her.”
Nicky grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t mean to spoil your moment, Ross, but the question remains: where the hell are they?”
Ross glanced around and his gaze rested on the round table. “Holy shit,” he muttered.
“What?”
“Asher’s phone. He left it here.”
Ross and Nicky looked at each other for a few seconds, and then bolted for the door.
• • •
“I thought I told you to shut your face,” Asher said between his teeth. It was all he could do not to reach over and pop Wheeler in the mouth.
“But where are we going?” whimpered Wheeler, “I need to lay down, man. My ass is covered with thorns and I feel like I’m gonna hurl again.”
Asher thought a minute. “Give me your cell phone,” he answered.
“Why don’t you just use yours?”
There was no way Asher was going to tell him he had left it back at the theater. “Because I don’t want to waste minutes on anything having to do with you. You’re pathetic. Now hand it over.”
Tentatively, Wheeler glanced out his window, reached into his shirt pocket and pulled it out. “Ow, that hurts,” he muttered.
“Shut up,” commanded Asher, holding his hand out for the phone. “Give it to me.”
“Could you please pull over for a second? I really need to throw up again,” Wheeler whined, looking at Asher out of the corner of his eye.
“God, you’re useless,” Asher snorted, “How did you even make it through law enforcement training?” He slowed the car and stopped in the middle of the gravel road. “Go ahead, loser. Puke your guts out. Just hand me the damned phone first.”
Wheeler heaved a sigh and reached for the door handle. “Could you get out, too? I’m so bad off, man. I think I need someone to hold me up,” he moaned
‘Oh, for God’s sake,” Asher muttered as he unfastened his seatbelt.
At this rate, it would be daybreak before he could get back to Carly. Just as he reached for the door handle, Wheeler slammed his fist into Asher’s jaw. Asher’s head snapped back and he gasped in shock. Fuck.
“Who’s the loser now?” Wheeler said with a snort. “I’m such a good actor. I’d be great up at your theater, wouldn’t I? Too bad for you I don’t want to have anything to do with that pansy-assed shit.”
Pocketing the phone, he punched Asher again, and then reached across to shove open the driver’s side door. With a giant heave, he propelled Asher out onto the rocky ground.
“So long, asshole,” Wheeler yelled, spit flying onto the dashboard. Climbing into the driver’s seat, he gunned the engine and started forward with a jerk.
Asher lay on the ground for a few seconds, willing his head to clear. It felt as if someone had hit him with a sack full of bricks. He heard the car back up, heard the door open again and then felt a booted foot on his chest.
Wheeler leaned out and surveyed Asher with amusement. “One more thing, Art Boy. Just wanted to remind you that it’s not over. Not by a long shot. This is your final warning. Either you stay away from my girlfriend, or both of you will regret it for the rest of your lives.”
Heart to Heart Page 109