Page 70 of Blackwood

I drank as best I could. Sheriff Crow took the cup away and wiped the water off my chin.

He stared into my good eye. “You had me worried there for a minute, young lady.”

“Makes two of us.” My voice scratched through my throat.

“You’re safe here. I was trying to get you to the hospital, but you sort of had a fit on the way and then lost consciousness. I radioed up to the Lodge, hoping like hell Doc Lewis was here or nearby. We lucked up. He was on his way.” He swiped his hat off and dropped it on the small wood table next to my IV stand.

“Can you talk, or would you rather wait?” He took my hand, grasping gently.

“Talk.”

“What happened out there?”

“I saw a grave. That day when Garrett was shot.” His name felt like a curse word on my tongue. “I went back out there myself to see if it was…” I swallowed hard.

It was too late now. My secret was out. The sheriff and Rory must have seen the grave, the skull.

I took a deep breath. “To see if it was my father.”

He squinted in confusion. “Why would your father be buried in Blackwood like that?”

“He died there. Vince Gallant.”

A spark of recognition lit, like a popping ember in a fire, and he opened his eyes wide. “Vince Gallant was your daddy?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m out here. To find him. Find out what happened.”

“Hell.” He ran a hand through his hair and sat back. “I haven’t thought about him in a while. Didn’t know he had a daughter.”

“You knew him?”

“Yeah. Went to high school together. I was a couple years ahead of him. Then he came back around about two years ago or so. Didn’t see him after that.” He shook his head. “From the looks of that grave, he’s been here the whole time. What the hell happened out there?”

“Danny killed him.”

His expression soured and he moved close again. “That crazy old coot.” He paled. “Jesus. If we hadn’t been out looking for poachers nearby, we never would have heard you screaming. Heard the shot.”

“I’m glad you found me.”

“Me too.” He squeezed my hand. “That day’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life. First time I’ve ever killed a man in the line of duty.”

“I can’t imagine how that must feel, but thank you. You saved my life. He was going to kill me.”

“Then that makes it all worth it.” He scooted closer, the legs of the chair clacking against my bed frame. “More than worth it.”

We sat in silence for a while as I replayed the scene in the woods. Other than Danny’s words, I had nothing to go on. And I couldn’t sort through them. Why would Garrett want me dead?

“Sheriff?”

“Yeah.”

“Danny said things. I don’t really understand what he meant, but maybe you will.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Like what?”

“That he killed my father. That someone put him up to killing me.”

“What? Who?”

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