False Hope (McKay-Tucker Men Book 2)

by Marianne Rice

  “Sure.”

  They stood in awkward silence again. Emma stared at his chest, his arms, his shoulders, while Mason stared at her feet. Evidently uncomfortable being alone with her and obviously not about to make the first move, Emma stepped forward. It was now or never.

  “Really, Mason. Thank you. Once again, you came in and saved the day.” She put her arms on his shoulders and felt him flinch. She leaned her body against his chest and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

  Mason abruptly pulled away. “Night,” he said hastily and walked out the door.

  Emma stood there frozen and extremely pissed. She picked up her water bottle and hurled it at the door. “Bastard.” She checked her blood sugar, saw she was within normal range, and went to bed seething.

  Chapter 7

  The next morning came early enough without the need of car doors slamming and engines revving outside her bedroom window. Groaning, Emma pulled a pillow over her face and stretched her legs. She felt dehydrated and a little shaky. Signs her blood sugar was probably low or signs of an early morning hangover. Both were bad, but she needed to rule one out.

  Stumbling downstairs in her shorts and spaghetti strap tank, Emma washed her hands and checked her sugars. Surprisingly her numbers were good. “Damn hangover.”

  Two bottles of water, three Tylenol, and a half a bagel later, she was on her way to feeling a bit better. Emma picked up her cell phone and sent Cole a text. Need u to drive me to get my car. She hated feeling stranded and since Cole was the irresponsible one she didn’t mind waking him up early on a Saturday to go get her car.

  Not expecting him to be up at eight A.M., the beep of her cell phone surprised her. Done. Mason picked me up. Brought it back. Going back to sleep. Join me?

  Emma peeked out her front window and sure enough there was her car parked next to Cole’s motorcycle. She needed to keep busy or she’d obsess about Mason all day. It definitely wasn’t Cole’s idea to get up at the ass-crack of dawn to get her car. Damn Mason for being such a Boy Scout.

  Picking up her cell, she sent Paige a text before hopping in the shower.

  Freshly bathed and dressed, Emma checked her phone, happy to see a return text from Paige. She quickly thumbed back a quick message, packed her backpack, laced up her hiking boots, and then headed out the door.

  The best way to take her mind off her disease, dying rapist father, and an emotionless gorgeous man was a nature hike through the White Mountains with Paige. Miss Pollyanna could brighten anyone’s day.

  * * * *

  “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Paige moaned. “I hate exercise. And sweat. And mosquitoes. We could catch malaria.”

  “Oh, quit your whining. The fresh air will do our hangovers good, and I brought bug spray. Besides, I didn’t exactly threaten you; I sent you a two sentence text asking if you wanted to go for a walk.”

  “Yeah, well your definition and my definition are very different. I don’t normally bring a survival pack with me when I go for a walk through my neighborhood.”

  “Paige, look out your window. We’re in the freakin’ mountains. The air is fresh, the trees are green. People spend all their savings to go on a vacation in our backyard.”

  “The Kancamagus aren’t exactly our backyard. We left that twenty minutes ago.”

  Paige was afraid of heights and her least favorite part of the drive was cruising on the windy road up and over the mountains. They were making their way down a narrow stretch and could see for hundreds of miles across the valley.

  “Can you imagine traveling this road in the winter? Not on my life. One false turn and you’d be—” She clapped her hands together, “road kill. Or not even that. One bad spin and you’d be going down thousands of feet, never to be found again.”

  Emma sighed. “And here I asked you to come along so you could brighten my mood.”

  Paige turned in her seat. “Oh gosh, Em, I’m so sorry. I’m being selfish. Of course I’m here for you. And I get it. You don’t want to talk about anything deep, philosophical, or emotional. So how about sex?”

  Emma laughed, as Paige knew she would, but her smile was quickly replaced with panic.

  “Oh, crap, I did it again, didn’t I? Should I—”

  She gripped the steering wheel tight, turning her knuckles white. Emma’s body tensed as she applied her right foot to the brake, but she didn’t get the resistance she’d expected. She felt a snap and the brake pedal went all the way to the floor.

  “The brakes.” Emma pumped them again, but nothing happened. “They’re gone. I can’t slow down.” The speedometer climbed to forty. Forty-five. A sharp curve ahead came into view, and she wasn’t sure if she could make it. She needed to do something before they reached the curve. Panic set in but she forced her mind to stay focused and put the car in neutral. “The emergency brake. If I pull it, we’re going to spin out. Look ahead and tell me when you think a good time is to pull it. The longer we wait the faster we go. But this stretch of road is pretty narrow. I think there’s a wider stretch up ahead…if we can make it there, I can…”

  “Please God, don’t let us die,” Paige prayed. “I can see it up ahead. About 100 yards and the road widens. How fast are we going?”

  “Forty-eight. You have to pull it, Paige. I need to keep both hands on the wheel. On three, okay?” Emma’s heart raced and her body trembled as she braced herself for impact.

  “No. Yes. Okay. God, I’m scared. Tell me when.”

  “Now!”

  Praying with all her might she was making the right decision, Emma yanked the wheel to the left as the car pulled to the right, closer and closer to the guardrail. The car spun and did a one-eighty scraping along the guardrail and ricocheted into the opposite lane. The front right bumper smashed into the wall of rock, deploying both air bags, and pushed the car back toward the guardrail again. Emma’s head jerked back, but she managed to turn the wheel to the right and the car finally came to a stop and stalled out in the middle of the road.

  Her ears rang loudly, as she breathed fast, nearly hyperventilating, but she was alive. So the myth that your life flashes before your eyes is false. Who the hell has time to envision their life when they’re about to die? All Emma could concentrate on was the now.

  “Paige. You okay?” she asked breathlessly. She couldn’t bear to look over at her best friend, in fear she was dead.

  “I’m…okay,” Paige said gasping for air.

  They were both unharmed physically, but mentally exhausted. They regulated their breathing, batted down the deflating airbags, but didn’t move from their seats. The knock on the driver’s side window startled Emma and caused her to scream.

  “Miss, are you okay? My wife called 911. We thought you were going over the side. But you’re okay, right? The paramedics will be here any minute.” The man appeared to be as visibly shaken as her.

  Emma rolled her window down. “We’re not hurt. I don’t think.”

  “Okay. Good. Good. You girls should stay buckled in and wait for the medics, though. You will probably have a serious case of whiplash. And maybe need a few stitches.

  “Stitches?”

  “From the air bag. You have some scrapes on your face.”

  Emma glanced at Paige and noticed a gash above her right eyebrow and what looked to be the beginning of a serious bruise on her left cheek. She slowly checked her own reflection in the rear view mirror and saw similar markings on her face.

  “You did good, Em. Thanks for saving my life.”

  “Sorry for almost killing you.” Emma breathed slowly and studied her shaking hands; she could feel her heart making similar shakes inside her chest.

  “I’m a glass is half-full kind of girl, remember?” Paige said.

  A few more cars stopped in the breakdown lane, some to help and some to gawk but she could hear the elderly man hold them at bay.

  From her open window she heard, “I’m a police officer.” Emma squinted in the mirror and watched as a well-b
uilt man approached the car.

  “I’m Detective Walker, are you ladies—” Walker peered at Emma and then at Paige and swore. “Are you hurt? Are you in pain? The ambulance should be here in less than five minutes. I swear I’ll take care of you,” he said to Paige before considering Emma. “Both of you.”

  Emma heard Paige gasp when she recognized her Lone Ranger and her bruise suddenly turned from a pale yellow to a deep red. Despite having a near-death experience, Paige made an incredibly, adorably perfect damsel in distress.

  “I think you should check out Paige. The gash above her eye is pretty bad.”

  Detective Walker rounded the smashed hood of the car in record time and carefully opened the passenger side door. He pulled out a pair of latex gloves from his pocket, apparently always prepared, and lightly touched her forehead. “Does this hurt, Paige?”

  “Mmm,” Paige moaned. Emma almost snorted, for she was sure the Mmm was of pure pleasure and not from pain.

  “Can you check her vitals, do mouth to mouth or something? My friend doesn’t seem herself,” Emma teased.

  Paige quickly turned to glare at Emma, but the sudden movement obviously caused her discomfort. “Ouch.”

  “Don’t move, Paige. I’ll take care of you. Sit back and relax your body as much as you can.” Detective Walker peered over his shoulder. “The ambulance is here now.”

  Once the paramedics tended to Emma’s facial wounds and made sure Paige didn’t have a concussion, they made the call to their families informing them of the accident. Of course the minute they heard of the accident they wanted to race down the Kancamagus and pick up the girls, but Emma informed their family Detective Walker had offered to personally drive them home.

  Being the gracious friend, Emma offered Paige the front seat in Detective Walker’s unmarked police issued car.

  “Thank you so much for bringing us home, Detective. I hope we haven’t ruined any plans you had for today.” Paige never came off as fake or flirty, but completely genuine. Even though Emma knew she was screaming to get down and dirty with the cop.

  “Not a problem at all. In fact, I’d like to ask you girls some questions if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure, anything,” Paige said.

  His professional face returned. “Do you have any enemies you’re aware of, Miss Fulton?”

  “Uh, no, not that I’m aware of. Why?”

  “What about the men from last night?”

  “Who?” Emma paused to make a connection. “Oh, those idiots who gave us the cheap feel? No. I mean I’ve never seen them before. I don’t even know their names. Why?”

  He continued to ignore her questions. “What about you, Miss Thorne. Any boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, or bad dates lately?”

  How interesting that Paige got the boyfriend questions and Emma got the enemy stalker ones.

  “Gosh, no. My ex-boyfriend is, well, a long time ago, but we ended on friendly terms.”

  “Of course you did,” Emma mumbled. No one hated Paige.

  “Have you noticed any unwanted attention lately? Either one of you?” he quickly added, glancing back to Emma.

  “Are these questions because you’re doing research or interested in us romantically?”

  “Emma!”

  “What? We practically had a near-death experience, and Detective Walker is asking you about your love life? I’m sorry, but that’s really bad timing. Let the girl at least make it home and take a long soak in a tub. If she’s interested, she’ll give you her number.”

  “Emma, you’re being rude. And embarrassing.” Paige tucked a curl behind her ear.

  “Ms. Fulton, has anyone but you used your car lately?”

  “Um, no. Why? Wait, actually yes.”

  “Who?”

  The Lone Ranger wasn’t such a stallion anymore. He glanced back at Emma and gave her a look that truly frightened her. He clearly wasn’t fond of her wisecracks.

  “Just friends. I don’t loan my car out to strangers.”

  “Who was the last person to drive your car?”

  “Mason Tucker. We left my car at the North Country last night, and he went and picked it up for me this morning.” Emma fidgeted with the hem of her shorts. Thankfully, he didn’t get hurt while returning her car. Such a sweet guy, Emma smiled.

  “Did he mention any car troubles when he dropped it off?”

  “No. I didn’t even talk to him. He left the keys with Cole. Now will you tell me why you’re giving me the third degree?”

  Detective Walker pulled into Paige’s driveway, which was filled with waiting family members. Paige and Emma’s parents, Betsy and George, Cole and Mason all gathered around in the front yard waiting for their arrival.

  “Because someone tampered with your brakes.”

  She had no time to process or comment on Detective Walker’s announcement before the doors to the unmarked car were ripped open and lots and lots of arms pulled to get her and Paige out of the car and into warm hugs.

  “Sweetheart, oh, you’re alive. Oh, God.” Meg hugged her daughter as if in disbelief.

  “I’m okay, Mom. Really. I was pretty shaken up a few hours ago, but I’m okay.” Emma released herself from her mother’s grip and smiled. “See. All in one piece.”

  Meg touched her daughter’s face, arms, back, as if to feel for herself that Emma was really whole. “Did you get stitches?” Meg lightly touched the bandage above Emma’s eye as Connor moved in for a hug.

  “No need. My head’s too hard. Paige needed a few, though.”

  Meg looped her arm through Emma’s and went to the other side of the car where Paige was being tended to by her mother and father.

  Detective Walker, Mason, and Cole hung back while the girls reunited with their parents.

  Annie and Rick looked at Emma with the same endearment her mother had given. “Emma.” Annie gave Emma a motherly hug while Meg doted on Paige.

  “I’m okay, Annie. Really. We’re just a little shaken up.”

  Annie squeezed her. “Thank you for keeping my daughter safe. She said you used some amazing instincts and kept the car on the road instead of down…”

  “Paige did awesome herself. She stayed cool, and we worked together to keep the car from going down into the ravine.”

  After more hugs by their fathers, Paige and Emma introduced their parents to Detective Walker.

  Rick and Connor shook his hand. “Thank you for bringing our girls home and for being at the right place at the right time,” Rick said.

  “I didn’t do much of anything, sir. I happened to come across the accident and kept them still until the paramedics came. Your daughters are the real heroes.”

  Connor and Rick made small talk with the detective while Meg and Annie hovered over the girls. Cole strolled over and gave Paige and Emma each a kiss on the cheek. “You girls scared the crap out of me. Don’t ever do that again.”

  So much for love and affection from Cole. Mason hung back and observed, not showing any interest in sharing his love and affection with Emma.

  “Let’s go inside. You girls need to sit down,” Annie said. Once inside, Annie nursed Paige’s already cared for wounds and gently placed a package of frozen peas on her bruised cheek.

  Too restless to sit, Emma paced the small living room and listened to her family’s idle chat, but most of her attention focused on the scene outside. Detective Walker stood tall and professional, notebook in hand, an intimidating scowl on his face. Mason’s body stood straight and tense, his body language clear as the New England sky revealing he did not appreciate the interrogation.

  She should have seen it coming. The detective set her up. Unknowingly, she threw Mason under the bus, and now he was a suspect. As if he would tamper with her brakes! Grateful her family had yet to hear the news about her brakes, she pasted on a happy smile and casually strolled to the front door.

  “I’m going to talk with the detective for a minute. I’ll be right back,” Emma said. She glared at Paige as she started to rise
from the couch, but Emma gave her a subtle shake. Paige was smart enough not to mention the tampering as well. By the time she got outside, the detective had already gotten into his car.

  “I’ll be in touch,” he called out his window as he drove away without even glancing in Emma’s direction. Mason did award her with a glance, but the sharp, menacing look in his dark eyes made her wish he hadn’t. Following suit, Mason got in his jeep and left. Emma’s heart sank.

  The day was ruined. Her hiking mission, meant to be a distraction from the mountains she bore on her shoulders, crumbled. Just like her car. There were only so many life-altering events a girl could bear in such a short time.

  Chapter 8

  The afternoon downpour was a welcome relief from the humidity. Emma didn’t seem to notice the intense heat until after she returned to Paige’s apartment. Not wanting to engage in any conversation, she milked her wounds and told her family she wanted to rest. She spent a few hours at her mom and Connor’s place and played with her little brother and sister, and then drove home in Connor’s truck. A loaner until she picked out a new vehicle. Hers was totaled.

  Once home, Emma took a long shower, changed into boxer shorts and a tank top, and curled up on her couch with her Kindle.

  An hour later she was still on page three. Her cell phone beeped countless times, but she refused to even look at the caller ID. Unfortunately she couldn’t ignore the knock on her door for too long. Expecting it to be Cole, she didn’t get up from her spot and called out, “Come in!”

  “You shouldn’t leave your door unlocked,” Detective Walker grumbled as he walked through the door.

  “Oh, it’s you,” she drawled.