Page 33 of Love Me Gently

“If she’s in the hospital, Cole, that’s probably the best place for her.” She chuckled like I was being ridiculous, but she’d change her tune soon enough.

“Not when it’s her husband who beat the shit out of her and put her there.”

Silence slammed into the phone with a heavy weight.

“I’m so sorry to hear this,” Sheila whispered. Pain thickened her tone and then she was back to business. “What do you need from me?”

I explained what I knew, the minimal information I could give, along with Valerie’s mystical and vague plan, and finished with, “They said they can get her transport. But Deer Creek’s a long way away.”

“Let me make some calls,” Sheila said. No hesitation, no worry. “I might have connections near there who wouldn’t be swayed by who her husband is, if you truly think that’s a concern.”

For the first time since I got the call from Valerie, I felt like I could breathe. Finally, someone I knew and trusted was helping. “Thanks, Sheila. I’d call officers down here, but if cops aren’t doing anything with the alleged break-in as he’s calling it…”

I liked to believe all cops were clean and honorable and joined their prospective forces to do a duty, but I also knew that wasn’t purely true. Some joined for power and could be swayed.

“Leave it to me. I’ll call as soon as I know more.”

“Thanks, Sheila.”

“Not a problem, for Trina, it’s absolutely an honor. Chin up, Cole. We’ll take care of her.”

With Sheila on my side, I had no doubt we would.

It was now six fifty-five, the hope of sunrise barely beginning to make an appearance beyond the horizon, and I was standing outside a two-story building that looked part storage or manufacturing, part business.

As the time ticked down on Valerie and Kip’s arrival, I was scanning the doorways and buildings and nearby light poles to ensure there weren’t cameras recording me.

I was putting my trust in people I didn’t know, and that could go either way, but I tried to trust Valerie had Trina’s best interests at heart.

Exactly five minutes later,two vehicles pulled up. I stood outside of my pickup with my hands on my hips. Hair unwashed and not giving a single crap about it, I’d stopped at a gas station on the way here, the most run-down one I could find in hopes their cameras wouldn’t be as high-tech as brightly lit chain stations. And that was assuming they had cameras in the first place. Using cash, I’d bought a Snickers bar and a bottle of water and then used that water to brush my teeth in the stained and rusty bathroom that reeked of filth. Once I reached this building, I’d changed into a fresh, simple gray T-shirt, as unremarkable as the other one, and tugged on a different ball cap. Anything to make myself as unrecognizable as possible. Couldn’t do much about my truck, but I’d parked and pulled out of the station in such a way my rear driver’s license plate could never be seen.

Both cars stopping in front of me were black Mercedes, the emblems on the front of both grills glowing.

Valerie stepped out of one first and then waited at the front of her car for her husband to meet her. Kip Sutton followed and went to his wife, sliding his hand to her lower back.

“Mr. Paxton,” she started, but I immediately corrected her.

“Cole.”

“Right.” Her lips pressed into a tense smile that had my fingers digging into my hips. “Cole. This is my husband, Kip.”

I nodded toward him but didn’t move a muscle until they were in front of me. He was exactly like his pictures. Slick-styled hair swept to the side. Only a small hint of gray at his temples and hair part that showed his forty-two years of age. I’d done my research, seen dozens of photos of him, and although he was thinner than I expected, he was still a man who clearly worked out and did it frequently. Matching my six-two height, I was broader and bulkier, probably enjoyed more heavy beers than this man did. If he was a threat to me, he’d be difficult to subdue.

“Mr. Sutton.”

“Kip.” He smirked. “And it’s nice to meet someone else in Katrina’s corner.”

I thought of correcting him, but let it go. We’d played the name-correction game enough already.

He held out his hand, keeping his left on his wife’s back. “A pleasure, and I mean that genuinely.”

I reached out and shook his hand. His handshake was firm but respectful.

A small knot of tension at the back of my neck loosened. “What’s the plan? And how is she?” I averted my gaze to Valerie.

“In pain. A lot of it, so she’s heavily medicated. She woke up, some, but not enough to speak to anyone really.”

“And Jonathan?”

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