Beautifully Broken Pieces

by Catherine Cowles

  “That’s all right. Better than dying of gangrene, right?”

  Walker did not laugh. He gently swiped at my face with the wipe. I hissed out a breath. “Sorry,” he grumbled, then blew lightly on the scrapes, easing the sting.

  “Thanks.” I stared into his eyes that were mere inches from mine, seeing the ring of blue around his green irises for the first time. His eyes were magic, captivating in a way that had me fighting the urge to lean in just a little bit closer.

  I blinked rapidly, attempting to clear the fog his spellbinding eyes had me in. Jensen cleared her throat. “Ready?”

  Walker straightened. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

  He extended a hand to me, and I took it. His fingertips were rough but warm. Sandpaper kisses to my palm. A shiver raced through me. As we got closer to the massive beasts enjoying a drink, my nerves began to rise. “A-are you sure about this? I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

  Walker took my shoulders gently, bending down so that his eyes were level with mine. “You’re going to be fine. These guys are gentle as newborn babes, and Jensen trained them herself, specifically for trail riding in rough terrain. It’s almost impossible to spook them.”

  He led me over to a horse so dark brown, his coat almost looked black. He had a blaze of white down his face and astute eyes. “This is Lightning.”

  I jerked back slightly. “Lightning? Like fast as lightning?”

  Walker let out a soft chuckle. “He can be fast when you want him to be, but he’s also happy just plodding along, which is all we’ll be doing.”

  My throat was suddenly dry as dust. “Okay,” I croaked.

  Walker lifted my hand for Lightning to sniff. His whiskers tickled my palm. “He wants to see if you have a treat for him.”

  “I’ll give him all the treats in the world if he gets me home in one piece.”

  “He will. Don’t you worry. Now, let’s get you in the saddle.” I tensed. “Jensen will hold the reins while I help you up. Then I’ll get on behind you.”

  My muscles screamed in protest as Walker lifted me up, but I bit my lip to keep from crying out. I settled into the saddle, holding onto it for dear life. It took Walker mere seconds to swing up behind me. His arms came around me, and I instantly felt safer. “Relax,” Walker whispered in my ear. “You can lean back against me. I’ve got you.”

  I slowly let myself melt into him, inhaling the comforting mix of his cologne, sweat, and something that was uniquely Walker. Jensen flipped the reins over Lightning’s head and handed them to her brother before mounting her own pale blond horse and leading us away.

  The rhythmic swaying of Lightning’s stride and the warmth of Walker’s arms soon had me fighting sleep. “Stay awake for me if you can, Taylor. As soon as you’re in the truck, you can take a little nap.”

  “Okay,” I mumbled, but soon, my eyes were falling closed.

  27

  Walker

  Silent curses left my mouth as I felt Taylor slump against me. She was in full adrenaline crash-mode.

  “She asleep?” Jensen called from up ahead.

  “Dead to the world.”

  “Can you balance her and Lightning, or should I call for some help?”

  I tightened my hold around Taylor. “I’ve got her. We’re not far now.”

  Silence filled the air as we continued our journey. My mind drifted to what the hell was going on in my town. Two girls missing. One found, but only after nearly being shot. My teeth ground together. Taylor’s recounting of events didn’t sound like a hunter mistaking a person for game. I hoped she was wrong. Maybe she just thought someone was chasing her. Dealing with a misguided hunter was a hell of a lot better than dealing with a murderer.

  I breathed a sigh of relief as I caught sight of the truck and horse trailer. Leaning forward, I whispered into Taylor’s ear, “It’s time to wake up.” Nothing. A little louder and with a slight shake of her shoulders I said, “Taylor, we’re here.”

  She gave a small lurch, eyes blinking rapidly. I gave her a gentle squeeze. “You’re all right. We’re just back at the cars. It’s time to get down.” She nodded silently. “Hold onto the saddle horn while I dismount.” She nodded again. I slid off Lightning, grabbing the reins and tying him to the trailer after I did.

  “Put one foot in the stirrup, and swing the other around,” I instructed.

  Taylor hesitantly obeyed. As her leg rounded Lightning’s rump, I grasped her waist. “I’ve got you.” I eased her to the ground. She wavered on her feet a little, so I kept hold. “Let’s get you in the truck.”

  She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Thanks. Do you think I could have some more water?”

  “Of course.” I grabbed a bottle from my saddle bag. Guiding Taylor towards the rear of the truck’s cab, I opened the door. She eased herself in with a little help from me, and I handed her the water. “You can lay down if you want. It’ll just take a few minutes for Jensen and me to get the horses loaded up.”

  Taylor gulped down half of the bottle of water. “Okay. Thank you.” She grabbed my forearm, sending a jolt of electricity up my limb. “For everything.”

  “You’re welcome.” She released me, and I headed to help J with the horses. By the time we had them unsaddled, loaded, and ready to go, Taylor was passed out in the back seat.

  Jensen peeked in at Taylor’s sleeping form. “She’s exhausted.”

  I opened the passenger door of the rig. “No kidding. I think it’s an adrenaline crash. A few hours’ sleep and some food, and she’ll be good as new.”

  Jensen hopped into the driver’s seat, turning the key to start the engine. “It could have been so much worse. She could’ve been killed.”

  I fisted my hands, trying to release some of the rage inside me. “I know.”

  Jensen pressed her lips together. “You’re going to figure out who’s doing this, right?”

  I reached over and squeezed her hand. “I will. I promise.” She nodded and began navigating the trailer down the mountain.

  Staring out at the passing landscape, I went through all of the possible suspects I could think of. Tuck and I needed to pay a visit to Frank Pardue tomorrow. But as crazy as the man was, I couldn’t see him going after a woman like this. I wondered if we could have some survivalist who’d lost it holed up in the mountains. I hated the idea of it being someone I knew. Someone who got their coffee at the bakery just like I did, who sat next to me at the saloon bar, who lived life in my town. I hoped it was a random stranger.

  Before long, Jensen pulled up to the guest cabin. Officer Greg was waiting for us. I slipped out of the truck as quietly as possible and handed him the keys to my and Taylor’s vehicles. “She okay?” he asked, motioning with his head towards Taylor.

  “She will be. I’ll brief everyone tomorrow. Has there been any sign of Caitlin or her car?” Guilt flashed through me at the fact that I’d been so focused on Taylor, I’d barely thought of Caitlin.

  Greg shook his head. “Nothing. I’ll give you a call if we hear anything, and I’ll have the guys drop your vehicles back here.”

  “Thanks, Greg. Just have them leave the keys under the floor mats. I don’t want anyone knocking and waking Taylor up if she’s resting.”

  “Sure thing.” Greg pocketed the keys and took off.

  I headed back to the truck and opened the door to the cab. Taylor let out whistling exhales of air. It was fucking adorable.

  I brushed her golden-blonde tresses away from her face. Her skin, even scratched raw, still felt smooth as silk. “Time to wake up. You’re home.”

  Taylor’s eyes fluttered open. Watery gray-blue depths stared back at me. I wanted to sink into them and disappear forever. “Hi.”

  I grinned down at her. “Hi. You feel ready to sit up?”

  She nodded, and I slowly helped her. “Ow.”

  My brow furrowed in concern. “You hurting?”

  “A bit.”

  “Okay, let’s get you inside. We’ll get you som
ething to eat and some pain meds. Then you can shower, and we’ll doctor your cuts.”

  She nodded. I knew she wasn’t back to herself because she was agreeing with everything I said. My Taylor would have been arguing just for the sake of it. My Taylor. She wasn’t mine yet, but I was determined to change that soon enough. I shook my head as I helped her around the truck.

  “I’ll keep you updated,” I yelled to Jensen.

  “Thanks,” she called back. “Feel better, honey.”

  “Thank you,” Taylor said in a voice that barely reached Jensen.

  Taking her arm, I led Taylor up the steps, then unlocked the front door to usher her inside. “Why don’t you sit on the couch, and I’ll make you a sandwich.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  I settled her on the overstuffed sofa in the living room where I could still see her from the kitchen. “You don’t have to keep thanking me.”

  “Yes, I do. You came for me.” Her eyes bore into mine, a blazing fire within them.

  “I’ll always come for you.” My voice came out ragged, as though ripped from my throat.

  “I’m glad,” she whispered.

  I forced myself to step back, to put some distance between us. “I’ll get to work on that sandwich.” Spinning around, I headed for the kitchen.

  In a matter of minutes, I had a turkey sandwich, a glass of orange juice, a bottle of water, and a couple of painkillers sitting on the coffee table in front of Taylor. She looked from the food to me and back to the plate again. Then she inhaled it all with a speed I would have thought impossible. When nothing was left but crumbs, she eased herself back against the pillows.

  “Feel better?” I asked.

  “Much. Now, I just need a shower.”

  I stood, taking her plate to head back to the kitchen. “Do you want me to sit outside the bathroom in case you feel faint?”

  Taylor’s head snapped in my direction. “Um, no I don’t want you to stand outside my bathroom while I shower. That’s just creepy.”

  I chuckled, but inside, I felt something loosen. Taylor was back to her old self. “All right. I swear I’ll stay out here.” My tone grew serious. “But promise me you’ll sit down in the shower if you feel lightheaded. If you do, call, and I’ll come in. I swear I won’t look.”

  Taylor snickered. “Sure, you won’t. Perv.”

  I shook my head. At least she was giving me shit again.

  As Taylor headed for her bedroom, my cell buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out and saw Tuck’s name flashing across the screen. “What’d you find?” I answered.

  “Well, your girl was definitely shot at.”

  I ignored the ripple of pleasure I felt at the your girl comment. “Bring me up to speed.”

  “At first, I tracked Taylor’s movements, which brought me to a tree that, low and behold, had a bullet in it. Looks like a .223.”

  “Same caliber as the one found in the hiker.”

  “One and the same.”

  Letting out a litany of curses, I began to pace. “What else?”

  “I tried to follow the bullet’s trajectory and was able to find the unsub’s trail. I tracked it for a few miles before I came to what I think were ATV tracks. Unfortunately, I lost that trail in the rocky shoreline of the creek. I have no idea where the shooter went.”

  A muscle in my cheek ticked. “So, we have a probable bullet match but not much else.”

  “That about sums it up.”

  “Okay, let’s reconvene tomorrow morning at my office. Let’s say, ten? I want to bring Frank Pardue in for questioning.”

  “Sounds like a plan, but good luck finding Frank. I’ve been by his place three different times. He’s never there.”

  I popped my jaw. “I’ll sit an officer at his place until he returns if I have to.”

  Tuck’s voice grew serious. “We’ll get this guy, Walk, I promise you.”

  “I know we will.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me if anything changes.”

  Rinsing Taylor’s plate, I bent to stick it in the dishwasher. “Will do. Stay safe.”

  “Always. You do the same.”

  “Always.” With that, I hit the end button on my screen.

  Leaning back against the kitchen counter, I set my phone aside and scrubbed both hands down my face. What a fucking day. Images flashed through my mind, memories of how worried I had been for Taylor. Things could have ended so differently.

  I could have been studying a crime scene of her dead body right now. I saw the mangled remains of the hiker in my mind’s eye. Remembered the glimmer of blonde hair in the afternoon light that had reminded me of Taylor. I rubbed at my eyes, trying to clear away the picture filling my brain. Taylor’s stubborn streak was going to get her fucking killed.

  The squeak of a door sounded. Taylor shuffled out with her damp hair piled atop her head. She wore a flimsy tank and sleep shorts that cupped her pert, heart-shaped ass. My jaw tightened. “We need to talk.”

  She padded towards the couch and dropped down onto it, pulling her knees to her chest. “Okay.” Her eyes trailed over my face as if searching each micro-expression for signs of what would come out of my mouth next.

  I took a seat on the opposite end of the couch and tried desperately not to stare at her ass and legs, or worse, the juncture between her thighs. I gave myself a mental slap. This was not what I needed to be thinking about. I refocused on the subject at hand. “Do you realize today could’ve ended very differently?”

  Taylor straightened in her seat. “I’m not stupid, I know I screwed up.”

  “So you’ll agree to never go hiking or running without a buddy again? And you’ll always tell someone else where you’re going?”

  Taylor let out an exasperated sigh. “I won’t be going hiking in that area again anytime soon. I have zero desire for a bullet in the brain. But I am going to run on my own.” I started to interject, but she held up a hand. “I promise that I will text Jensen and let her know when I leave, the route I’m taking, and when I expect to be back by. I’ll bring my phone, and text her if anything changes. But I need to do my long runs alone.”

  I fisted my hands and tried to keep my tone even. “You were almost shot today.”

  Taylor rose to her feet. “I know that! I know that better than anyone. But I’m not going to let some psycho hunter who thought I was Bambi keep me from doing something I love. Something I need to stay sane.”

  I got to my feet, frustration rippling through every muscle of my body. “I told you I would go running with you. Morning or night. All you have to do is text me. What is so hard about that?”

  She threw her arms wide. “Because it’s something I like to do alone most of the time. I don’t need to explain myself to you. I don’t owe you anything. I’m a grown woman, I make my own choices. I take care of myself. I don’t need you swooping in and trying to control every damn little thing!”

  Breaths came through my nose in quick bursts as I pressed my lips together to keep from saying something I might regret. “I’m not trying to control anything. I’m trying to keep you safe.”

  Taylor snorted. “I don’t need you to keep me safe. I can keep myself safe.”

  “Oh, so was today a shining example of how well you can take care of yourself?”

  “Today was a mistake. I told you that. I fucked up. It won’t happen again. Just drop it!”

  I glanced at the ceiling, holding tight to my temper. I needed to try a different tack. “What is so bad about leaning on someone? About letting someone help you?”

  Taylor’s jaw had a hard set, and her delicate hands were balled into fists. “There’s nothing bad about it.”

  I studied her face, searching her eyes for some hint of what she was hiding. What she held onto with a vise-like grip. “You don’t mean that. Tell me why you don’t want people to be there for you. To help you with anything. It took my mom and sister double-teaming you with their persistence to even get you to use our fucking pool.”

/>   “God! You push and push and push! Why won’t you just leave me alone? I don’t want to need anyone, okay? Just let it go! I’m fine on my own!”

  “Why? Just tell me why, and I’ll let it go.”

  “BECAUSE EVERYONE LEAVES!” The statement was torn from her throat so violently, that the words were left lying bloody on the floor.

  I felt a tearing sensation in my chest. A pain that I’d never felt before, even in the wake of Julie’s death. I realized that it was the feeling of my heart truly breaking. Not for myself, but for someone else.

  Taylor’s breathing was ragged. “Sometimes, they choose to leave.” I knew then that she was talking about her father. And in that moment, if the man had been standing in the room, I knew there was a good chance I would have killed him. “And, other times… Other times, they have no choice. You know they fight so hard—with everything they have—not to leave you alone. But they’re torn from you anyway.”

  My breaking heart shattered. Splintered for the girl who felt so alone in the world. I took a step towards her, but she held out an arm as if warding off a wild animal who wanted to tear her to shreds. “Don’t.”

  I froze. “Please.” My voice was as gentle and non-threatening as I could make it. “Please, let me hold you.”

  That’s when Taylor broke. As if the simple offer of human kindness and comfort was too much for her to bear. She merely collapsed, her knees knocking against the hardwood floor with a brutal sound.

  I sank to the ground next to her, not waiting for voiced permission to hold her. I just wrapped my body around hers, and the second she felt my presence, she clung to me with a ferocity that stole my breath—her arms clinging to my neck, her legs encircling my waist as I knelt on the floor.

  Violent sobs wracked her body, and it was all I could to do to absorb them. I held her as tightly as possible without hurting her. She needed someone who would never leave her. I could be that. I would be her friend, her constant shadow, her shoulder to cry on for as long as she wanted me. I would be more if she let me. It might not be forever, she might choose to leave, but it would be worth the pain if I could heal even a part of this precious girl’s soul.